The experts from Historical Archives of Belgrade are planning series of activities for commemorating hundred years since World War I started, in order to justify in the best possible way basic archives’ functions in modern world, which are: protection of archival material, making available testimonies of the past to present and future generations, popularization of the use of archival documents and informational technologies.

1. FIRST WORLD WAR
IN THE ARCHIVAL MATERIAL AND
IN THE ACTIVITIES OF
HISTORICAL ARCHIVES OF
BELGRADE
Slobodan Mandic, historian
Historical Archives of Belgrade, Serbia

2. A great deal of attention in Serbian public life
public interest for this topic is huge because of the
significance of this historical event in collective memory and
role of Serbia in the Great War
various events will be organized in the next four years

3. Historical Archives of Belgrade
series of activities for commemorating hundred
years since World War I started
the best possible way basic archives’ functions in
modern world:
protection of archival material
making available testimonies of the past to present and
future generations
popularization of the use of archival documents and
informational technologies

4. it was necessary to avoid partial, small-scale projects,
which would exhaust our institution, their final goal
wouldn’t serve to the archival material users and
media presence would be limited (in the abundance
of similar activities)
team of archivists in the Historical Archives of
Belgrade in 2013 created the Project - Thematic
guide through archival material about World War I
project was soon improved by the idea to put online
all results of that large research

5. Online Thematic Digital Guide
to create basic and searchable guide through archival
fonds and collections
material with analytic description for all records
classified according to the fonds and collections they
belong to and offered on the internet
enable the exploit of information from archival
material regarding WWI to wide circle of users
fond and collection would be described in details,
about 20% of the processed documents would be
digitalized

6. Presentation and popularization of archival
activities throughout Web 2.0
Facebook (11.500 p.), Flickr and a Youtube channel
opportunity to communicate with younger generations

8. Detailed and systematic researches of
archival fonds for thematic guide
Historical Archives of Belgrade - 2.738 fonds and
collections, or 13 linear kilometers of archival
material
expected results concerning the richness and value
of the documents about WWI
amount of the found documents was certainly
influenced by the destiny of Belgrade, Serbia and
Serbian nation during the turbulent war years

9. Thematic Guide consists of:
short introductions for each fonds or collection with
basic data about the fonds and documents related to
the WWI
introduction is then followed by analytic descriptions
of selected material
all descriptions follow the structure of the fonds and
collections
bibliography of publications about WWI from the
library fonds of Historical Archives of Belgrade

10. Will of King
Petar I
Karadjordjevic
Selection of the
documents includes
all significant
records and they are
scanned
archival material
used in thematic
guide represents first
class source for the
researchers

11. Photo
Collection
Data from archival
documents are
enriched with the
photographs
preserved in the
photograph
collection
Defense of Belgrade in
1915. Spot report to
second lieutenant
Djordje Ros on the right
bank of the river Sava.
IAB-ZF-C-3-0051

12. Belgrádi
Hirek, 1917
Newspapers
Belgrade news,
published by Austro-
Hungarian
authorities during
the war, in German
(Belgrader
Nachrichten) and in
Hungarian language
(Belgrádi Hirek)

13. Camp Nezsider - Database
database about the detainees in the camp Nezsider
(German Neusiedl am See, Hungarian Nezsider), one of
the biggest camps in the First World War
the camp where Serbian citizens were taken, with the
intention to eliminate from Serbia all remaining men
between 17 and 55 years old
all over Austro-Hungarian Empire during the war
50.000 men were sent in internment camps
It is estimated that this camp in the period between 1915
and 1918 had in internment 15.000 Serbs, many of them
died in the camp, and so far the Archives’ database has
more than 3.000 names

14. Camp
Nezsider -
Database

15. FOR YOUR
ATTENTION!
THANK YOU