Tomasz Makowski Manuscripts in church collections Second Edition of Zbiory rękopisów w bibliotekach i muzeach w Polsce (Manuscript collections in libraries and museums in Poland)
	Department of Manuscripts of the National Library in Warsaw
	This article was translated thanks to the grant received from the Open Society Institute

First Edition

The publication of a guide, Zbiory rękopisów w bibliotekach i muzeach w Polsce (Manuscript Collections in Libraries and Museums in Poland), in 1988, finalised a process, initiated in 1960, of creating a centre for records at the Department of Manuscripts of the National Library in Warsaw. At that time, a master file of state and church libraries was created; a brief history and description of the collections was included in the records. This file, along with guides written by Professor Stanislaw Lorentz^[1] and Rev. Dr. Roman Nir^[2], as well as a list of museums Ośrodek Dokumentacji Zabytków w Warszawie (Centre for the Documentation of Monuments in Warsaw) created a foundation for the creation of the list of libraries and museums that had manuscripts in their possession.

In the years 1976-81, a total of 247 entries based on polls, research of individual librarians and descriptions prepared by Danuta Komolowa (the main editor) was published. The information about state and private manuscript collections was complemented with 70 church entries, prepared by Krystyna Muszyńska.

It is interesting to note that there are but a few similar publications in the world. Such guides as: British Archives. A guide to Archive Resources in the United Kingdom by Janet Foster and Julia Sheppard, published in 1995 and Handbuch der Handschriftenbestande in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, by Tilo Brandis and Ingo Nother published in 1992, offer significantly less information on the subject. The above-mentioned guides list all institutions that have manuscripts in their possession and these are as follows: libraries, archives, museums, science institutes, parishes and chapter houses. A slightly different scope of information and arrangement can be found in Chech guides: Pruvodce po rukopisnych findech v Ceske Republice (Dil I. Rukopisne fondy zameckych, hradnich a palacovych knihoven, Praha, 1995, Dil II. . Rukopisne fondy archivu v Ceske Republice, Praha 1998) and Soupis osobnich pisemnych pozustalosti a rodinnych archivu v Ceske Republice, Praha, 1997, by J. Hanzalova. Another, less exhaustive guide is a Guide to Archives and Manuscripts in the United States, by Philip M. Hamer, (New Haven, 1961).

Second Edition

In 1998, the management of the National Library in Warsaw decided to publish a second, extended edition of the Zbiory rękopisów w bibliotekach i muzeach w Polsce. Again, Danuta Komolowa was the main editor, with Teresa Sieniatecka as collaborator. The author of this article edited the church entries after the passing of Krystyna Muszyńska in 1994 The first edition of the guide contained only 70% of the Roman Catholic Church manuscript collections the editorial process came to a standstill a few times due to unfavourable political climate, lack of necessary material, incomplete catalogues and church's censorship process.

In 1999, a computer database was created (MAK) listing all church institutions that had manuscripts in their possession. First edition of the guide Leksykon zakonów w Polsce (A lexicon of orders in Poland), edited by Bogumił Łoziński in 1998, other guides edited at the Ośrodek Archiwów, Bibliotek i Muzeów przy KUL (Centre for the Archives, Museums and Libraries at the Catholic University of Lublin)^[3], as well as schematisms provided material for the book.

The indexed database contains 835 records. These records have been updated with the information derived from various sources: Słownik Polskich Teologów Katolickich (The dictionary of Polish Catholic Theologians), Hagiografia polska (Polish Hagiography), Katalog zabytków sztuki w Polsce (The Catalogue of Polish Monuments) and others.

With the use of the database, 730 copies of the questionnaire regarding info about manuscripts were prepared and mailed to various church institutions. Up until May of 2002, 285 of them had been responded to. People with the best knowledge of church manuscripts were invited to collaborate on the project of giving shape to the monograph. For example: the material corresponding to the Jesuit collection was prepared by Father Professor Ludwik Grzebień (In Cracow: The Society of Jesus Scientific Library in Cracow and the Archive of the South Polish Province of the Society of Jesus, in Warsaw: the Archive of Great Poland and Mazovia Province of the Society of Jesus, Bobolanum Library and the Writers Library, College and Novitiate in Stara Wieś, situated in Kłodzko). Dr. Anzelm Janusz Szteinke was entrusted with the preparation of the Reformational Collection.^[4] The Paulite collection was prepared by Professor Janusz Zbudniewek, while the Archdiocesan Archive in Gniezno were prepared by Father Dr. Marian Aleksandrowicz. The Capuchin Centre of Spirituality "Honoratianum" in Zakroczym were taken care of by Dr. Roland Prejs (two collections: Warsaw Provincial Capuchin Library and Archives), and the archives of the order of Benedictine nuns in Żarnowiec were prepared by Dr. Małgorzata Borkowska. The Archdiocesan Archive in Poznań, The Manuscripts and Old Prints Department of the Faculty of Theology Library of the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań was prepared by Dr. Agnieszka Dzikowska, and The Archdiocesan Archive in Katowice - by Dr. Halina Dudala. Archives of the Franciscan nuns of Laski, and of the Carmelites in Czerna, as well as the archives of Franciscans in Cracow were edited by R. Makowski.^[5]

The editors decided on placing all church entries in a separate volume, while the secular section was limited to the non-archival collections (libraries, museums). The description of the 88 archives remaining within the management of the Head Office of State Archives in Poland was compiled in the guide prepared by Andrzej Biernat and Anna Leszuk, Archiwa państwowe w Polsce. Przewodnik po zasobach (National Archives in Poland. Resource guide), in 1998.

If one were to apply similar principle to describing all church institutions, this would almost automatically excluded them from the manuscript group, as church collections are usually divided into a manuscript and a print section. Manuscripts are stored in archives, and prints in libraries. As church manuscripts are usually stored in archives, therefore, they will be treated as an extension of this section of the guide that refers to church institutions.

The decision about placing the entries referring to archives presented a certain problem to the editors, as the subject of the so-called archival manuscripts surfaced. These are documents produced by the chancelleries, therefore, outside the scope of the editors interest. It was decided that, in order to avoid confusion, a distinction would be made between these documents and others. Only documents produced outside chancelleries would be discussed in detail. Another problem to be dealt with was the disorder and lack of consistency in filing and storage of the manuscripts. These documents, usually in the form of personal notes, testaments, fragments of poetry or private correspondence, were scattered among personal files.

There are only a few collections that have a testament section. One of these merit special attention the archives of Franciscan nuns, servants of the Cross in Laski. All the testaments stored in the archives are sorted according to the decimal system. Sister Vianeje Szachno with the collaboration of Father Professor Stanislaw Librowski created this arrangement. That section, in fact, constitutes a half of the entire collection of the archives. It is only right that the current archivist, Sister Rut Wosiek, leave the arrangement in its present form. This clear, logical comprehensive order of the testaments allows for easy search of the required material.

Archivists, librarians, and their co-operation. Church archivists and librarians scope of work is not that different from that of their secular counterparts. One needs to remember that care and maintenance of manuscripts in monasteries/archdioceses/parishes is not the sole purpose of these institutions existence and activity. Their mission is first and foremost to teach the Word of God, pursue spiritual goals and pray. Therefore, it rarely happens that church/order superiors relieve a person of their regular and primary duties and entrust them with maintenance of the library or the archives. These decisions are motivated either by the shortage of personnel or inadequate sense of importance of the old prints/manuscripts/sources. The care of the archives is often thrust on either already overworked historians, or even on accidental people who, nevertheless, are enthusiastic and good-natured about these extra tasks.

The questionnaire for information mailed to various church institutions brought unsatisfactory results. Sometimes the other party did not respond, or refused to grant information (the Brothers of the Heart of Jesus in Puszczykowo). Second request containing additional explanatory material (questions regarding particular documents or manuscripts) were answered. Personal or phone conversations seemed to be helpful. A certain reticence in granting requests for information about archives/manuscripts was not exclusive to the Roman Catholic Church institutions. Other denominations were not that forthcoming, either. Two exceptions, however: the Library of Tschammer in Cieszyn (Evangelical-Augsburg Chapter) and Library of Synod of the Evangelical-Reformational Church in Warsaw.

Returned requests were often incomplete, lacking core information (for example, regarding the origins of documents, or whether the document was an original or a copy), or just lists of important manuscripts were sent. On a few occasions, Xerox copies of inventory were sent. All the documents required thorough editorial work and the clarification of the following terms had to follow: a manuscript, a typed copy, a mimeographed copy, a testament, personal document. Manuscripts are often considered to be documents of no particular significance.

In order to obtain a proper entry, one has to organise the entire collection prior to starting research. For example, the order of Premonstratensian nuns in Cracow has been conducting preliminary work and taking inventory of the collection of manuscripts. It is being integrated in the main building of the convent (Dr. Anzelm Szteinke gathered and compiled there all manuscripts collected in all Reformatonal Houses in Poland. The completion of this process is scheduled for the beginning of 2003. The indexing and verification of entries will most probably last until the end of 2003.

The typology of manuscript collections. In summary the Roman Catholic Church print and manuscript collections are as follows: diocese, convent/order/monastery, and those of Catholic universities. Among the collections belonging to dioceses, one can find archives and diocese libraries, as well as seminaries, parishes or chapter houses. Monastery and convent collections can be classified as follows: general, regional and local. Among university manuscript collection there are the following: Libraries of the Catholic University of Lublin, The Cardinal Wyszyński University in Warsaw, Pontifical Academy of Theology in Cracow and those of pontifical faculties at other universities. Of the already sorted collections, the largest can be found at the Archdiocese Archives in Poznań (30.000 items). The other collections belong to the Roman Union of Ursulines in Cracow (over 5.000 items), the Order of Carmelites in Czerna (3.700 items), the Jesuit library and archives in Cracow (2.000) items, the archives of Franciscan nuns in Laski (over 1,000 items). Also, significant collections can be found at the monastery of Paulites in Jasna Gora, in Szymanow the order of nuns of the Immaculate Conception, in Niepokalanow the Franciscan Brothers. Other orders at whose possession one can find manuscripts are the following: Bernardin monks, the Dominicans, Reformatits of Cracow, Cistercian monks of Mogila, also, the Archdiocese Archives in Gniezno. According to the region, the biggest and most valuable collections can be found in Cracow, Warsaw, Poznań, Przemyśl, Tarnów, Wrocław.

Footnotes

[1] S. Lorentz: Przewodnik po muzeach i zbiorach w Polsce. Warszawa 1971.

[2] R. Nir: Informator o archiwach, bibliotekach i muzeach kościelnych w Polsce. "Chrześcijanin w świecie". 1977 no 54, pp. 62-86; R. Nir: Informator o bibliotekach kościelnych w Polsce. "Chrześcijanin w świecie" 1977 no 56-57, pp. 199-227.

[3] M. Dębowska: Informator o archiwach Kościoła katolickiego w Polsce: Archiwa diecezjalne i archiwa kapituł katedralnych (stan z 30 VI 1995 r.). "Archiwa, Biblioteki i Muzea Kościelne" - 1995, pp. 365-431; M. Dębowska: Informator o archiwach zakonnych w Polsce. Archiwa Biblioteki i Muzea Kościelne 1998, pp. 15-99; M. Dębowska, J. Giela: Informator o muzeach kościelnych w Polsce. Archiwa, biblioteki i Muzea Kościelne 1993, pp. 313-378.

[4] The collection had been gather in the Cracow house previously.

[5] Besides the order archive there are several other institutions in Laski: The Historical Archive and Tadeusz Czacki Laboratory, The Tyflological Library and the archive of the Society for the Protection of Blind People. Furthermore the archive of the founder Elżbieta Róża Czacka and the Ioannicum archive are kept in the cloister placed on Piwna street in Warsaw.

Translated by Dorota Jaglarz