ARHIVSKI VJESNIK 42. (ZAGREB, 1999.)

Strana - 228

S. Sarić, Destruction of archival records in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Arh. vjesn., god. 42(1999), str. 223-230 red heavy damages: Elektroprivreda of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Energoinvest, Railway Transportation enterprise (sources of certain sectors), University Medical Centre, Institute for protection of cultural and natural heritage, the Earth museum having rich collections of extreme value. The main Post Office was burnt to the ground together with the documentation and three telephone switchboards with 38.000 connections, as well as many cultural and historical monuments not only in the city of Sarajevo, but throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina. I have always asked myself as a historian why the Alexandrian library (7

lh century) had to be set to fire and burnt to the ground destroying so numerous, valuable books and manuscripts. There were 700.000 rolls including the duplicates, according to some written records. Who has done that? Who has needed to do that? Many important and essential facts were lost with the destruction of the library. In this century, during the war I have witnessed in my native city, a very valuable library was set to fire also- the National and University library founded in 1945 (Vijećnica). An invaluable cultural-historical heritage was burnt in intentionally fired "Vijećnica", a symbol of the city of Sarajevo and its history. Besides valuable book holdings and periodics (thousands of books, magazines, newspapers and many rare volumes) kept in the National and University library, a valuable archive and manuscript material including oriental documents and identity papers (around 450) and those in the Cyrillic and Latin alphabet originating in the 16

lh through 19

th century. A collection of oriental documents (around 400 inventory units), numerous personal and family inheritance, special collection of geographical maps (around 5.500), postcards (around 60.000) from the 19

th and 20

th century, computers' centre and a collection of micro-filmed library materials have been also destroyed. Only 10% of these invaluable documents, a precious "Bosniaca" (literature about Bosnia and Herzegovina) among them have been saved. The archive sources, according to the above mentioned, were irreparably damaged by the war in our country. The archive holding of Gazi-Husref bey's library, a special librarian institution for the field of islamistics (founded in 1537) with a Collection of court protocols (87) from the period 1556-1852, a Collection of charitable documents (1.105), a Collection of archive documents (sultan's decrees, emperor's decrees, court verdicts, legal decision, letters) from the period 1580 until the 20

lh century in quantity of 9.000 units have been saved with minor damages thanking to the timely action and moving to the safer place. I have again asked myself: Who needed all that? Am I witness of a period that will be described and talked about for a long time ahead. Yes. I think I am. 228