Dr. Péter Balázs: Guide to the archives of Hungary (Budapest, 1976)

A Dunamelléki Református Egyházkerület Levéltára (Archives of the Danubian Reformed Church District)

requests directly to the agent; it was the right of the latter to decide, which of them and in which manner he would communicate with the bodies of government. The archival material of the Jerney collection (1535-1794) is significant for economic history. An important literary correspondence of the Enlightenment, the Reform Age and the fight for freedom is contained in the Szemére collection (1734-1860). The family and personal papers are the most colourful and most varied part of the Archives. The most outstanding material, both to size and to significance, is contained in the archives of the Ráday family. Pál RÁDAY was "intimus secretarius", later chancellor, diplomat and the most trusted man of Prince Ferenc RÁKÓCZI II. The history of the fight for freedom led by Rákóczi would be incomplete without the Ráday papers. Pál's son, Gedeon was the first conscious organizátor of Hungarian literary life before Kazinczy and he had a great influence. Almost each archival group of families and persons has something with important source value. We mention only the papers of Sándor IMRE, secretary of State, then Minister of Cults and Education (1940s) and those of Elemér RADISICS, connected with the League of Nations (between 1930 and 1940). A considerable part of the archival material is arranged at medium level, provided with repertory or basic inventory. The most valuable pieces are indexed and a card catalogue is added. The Archives and their material were surveyed by Kálmán Benda in Református Egyház (Reformed Church), vol. 1955, the paper was taken over into Levéltári Híradó (Archival Review) vol. 1955. The vol. 1956 of the same review published the description of several archival groups. The archival material of Rákóczi's fight for freedom is described in Ráday Pál politikai iratai (The Political Papers of Pál Ráday), Levéltári Közlemények (Archival Bulletin), vol. 1954. A source publication from the most important records of the mentioned fight for freedom was edited by the Academy Publishing House under the title Ráday Pál iratai (The Papers of Pál Ráday), vols. I and II (vol. Ill is in preparation). The Archives have no self-standing publication. In 1955 a series was started under the title "The Bulletin of the Ráday Collection", but only vol. 1 was published, containing also papers on the Archives.