As in so many other areas, the French Revolution turned records management on its head. Under the Ancien Régime, each institution had kept its own documents, only to have them gradually disappear. During the revolution, the decision was taken to transfer all archives to the National Assembly, which became the National Archives.
In 1794, the Convention clarified the National Archives’ role, instituting a “central repository” and the principle of “free consultation”. But the revolutionaries soon realised that centralising the archives in Paris was unmanageable. This prompted the passing of the seminal law of 5 Brumaire An V, as it is known according to the French Revolutionary calendar. The law saw the creation of an archive for each of the country’s 83 departments, known today as prefectures.
An archival network
The law ensured that each department preserved and classified the titles and papers acquired by the French Republic in its capital city.
Departments were also granted the authority to decide what needed to be preserved or destroyed, according to state and departmental interests.
Like the French National Archives, they were also responsible for collecting documents from the new assemblies and administrations and ensuring their preservation for the benefit of the government and its citizens.
At the time, the creation of an archival network – a world first – was hailed as a modern and “unparalleled piece of legislation”. The French Revolution had accomplished its grand design of “ensuring and perpetuating the nation’s memory”.
Since then, the Departmental Archives have changed. Following the law of July 22, 1983, they were placed under the authority of the President of the Department, although they remain under the control of the State. Today, they hold both public and private documents.
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