New Perspectives in Science Education

Archives play crucial role in preserving legal, administrative, and historical continuity in governance. As guardians of the institutional memory, they are responsible not only for  safeguarding documentary heritage, but also for promoting effectiveness, credibility, and transparency in the administrative practice. After Bulgaria’s liberation in 1878 the following decades were marked by the development of a modern state and that was closely associated with the establishment of new administrative institutions. Key for that were the institutions at the municipal and district levels, which served as the main channels between local communities and the central government. The systematic creation, preservation, and use of documents laid the foundation for local archival systems, which was an important part of their activities.

The current paper aims to examine the organization and functions of administrative and municipal archives in Bulgaria in the beginning of the 20^th century. The main focus is laid on the legal framework, organizational models, and practical approaches to archival work within state and local administrations. Special attention is paid to municipal and district archives. Although their activity is essential to institutional memory, local archives often operated under challenging conditions. In the period under research local archives often operated under challenging conditions. Absence of a unified regulatory framework and centralized archival policy resulted in uneven practices. In the meantime, limited financial and human resources frequently placed documentary heritage at risk.

Archives of these institutions functioned as practical instruments for everyday administration and control, and at the same time simultaneously acquiring lasting historical value by documenting the development of the Bulgarian society. The current paper points the problems, challenges, and prospects of archival work, demonstrating that administrative and municipal archives not only reflected but actively participated in the modernization of the Bulgarian statehood and local self-government. Their preservation and study are therefore crucial for understanding institutional continuity, regional diversity, and the local dimensions of Bulgarian modernity.

Keywords: archives, local administration, municipality, post-liberation Bulgaria.

REFERENCES

1. Kolev, A. (2025). ARCHIVAL WORK IN BULGARIA (1878–1951): BETWEEN CHAOS AND INSTITUTIONALIZATION. KNOWLEDGE - International Journal , 72(5), 701–705. Retrieved from https://ojs.ikm.mk/index.php/kij/article/view/7832
2. Stanimirov, A., & Kolev, A. (2025). VALORIZATION OF MILITARY MONUMENTS IN BULGARIA IN THE CONTEXT OF CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL ATTITUDES. KNOWLEDGE - International Journal , 69(1), 375–378. Retrieved from https://ojs.ikm.mk/index.php/kij/article/view/7250