Evolution of the Regional Archival Management System in the Middle Urals During the Soviet Period (1918–1991)

В статье рассматриваются становление и развитие системы региональных архивных учреждений в 1918–1991 гг. На базе методологии исторического институционализма (historical institutionalism) последовательно анализируются государственная политика, законодательная и нормативная база, организационная структура и основные направления деятельности архивных учреждений. История архивной службы Среднего Урала представляется типичной схемой развития регионального архивного управления в стране. На значительном архивном материале показано, что эволюция архивной отрасли в Советском Союзе прошла ряд этапов, специфика которых заключалась в изменении государственных интересов, информационных потребностей общества и технологического развития. Исследование опирается на материалы Государственного архива Свердловской области. The present article examines the problem of managing archival institutions and archival information resources in the Soviet society using the example of an analysis of the work of the archival service of the Sverdlovsk Oblast, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2019. In September 1919, the Archival Department of the Yekaterinburg Governorate was formed (the Governorate was created in July of the same year). In 1923–1934, the Ural Oblast was formed in the territory of the former Perm Governorate. The Sverdlovsk Oblast appeared in 1934 as a result of the dissolution of the Ural Oblast, consisting of 60 districts. The purpose of this work is to analyze the main stages in the development of the regional archival management system in the USSR. The evolution of archival bodies is considered by the example of regional archival structures located in the territory of the Middle Urals and successively replacing each other – the Yekaterinburg Governorate (1919–1923), the Ural Oblast (1923–1934) and the Sverdlovsk Oblast (1934–1991). The system of state archives management was established at the stage of creation of the Soviet state during the socio-political transformations of 1917–1920. It is possible to distinguish three consecutive stages of system evolution; within each stage, its own model for managing archival information is formed. The description of the model includes characteristics of government policy, legislative framework, organizational structure and priorities in the activities of archives. The first stage (1918–1938) coincided with the period of formation of Soviet statehood and experiments in the field of archival construction. For the Middle Urals, this stage was marked by serious administrative and territorial transformations, which influenced the structure of the archival network of the entire region. The second stage (1939–1960) was characterized by over-centralization of the entire state organism, which significantly influenced the structure of archival fonds and the practice of their use. During this period, the archival service of the Sverdlovsk Oblast was reorganized and aimed at prioritizing provision for information needs of government agencies. The third stage (1961–1991) is distinguished by the stable and progressive development of the archival system and archival science. It was during this period that the most intensive work of archival institutions in the Middle Urals occurred. In conclusion, the article highlights the problems and contradictions in the development of the archival industry in the USSR in 1918–1991.