Displaced European Archives: Is It Time for a Post-War Settlement?

With the current political transitions in Europe, the relocation of national, regional, and ethnic archives is once again a timely issue. The author provides a historical analysis of the development in Europe of the archival principles of provenance and pertinence, as they have been challenged and used over the centuries for political gain in the displacement and reclaiming of records. In anticipation of Europe moving beyond the archival standstill of the après-guerre, the author foresees both the inevitable problems and the necessary preconditions for a replevin program of a multinational magnitude.