Tips on Visiting the Croatian State Archives

Kurjak was part of the military frontier.  As such the men in the village were a major part of the Austrian-Hungarian army.  And one good thing about the Austrian-Hungarian army was that it kept great records.  While much of the records are only available in the Vienna.   Croatia holds records for the period 1820-1860.  In vienna there are records for that same period, and also for years before that and years after that.  The Croatian-held records can be found in the Croatian State Archive:

Taken by Dan Butler on June 1, 2015

Today I spent the afternoon in the archives and found them extremely helpful.  Here's a few things I learned.  

First, the Austrian-Hungarian empire was in charge of both the military and the government/administrative side of things (the commander essentially serve as Governor as well).   Both sets of records exist and provide at least some unique information.  Thus a search for family should involve looking into both types of records. 

Second, you need to know the name and number of the series.  I was specifically interested in the Austrian-Hungarian military records for Lika province.  Here's the information for those records:

     Sign. f. = 439   

     Naziv fonda ili zbirke: Lička Graničarska Pukovnisa

I then looked at records for the 1821-1822 years.  Here was the information I needed:

    Standes Tabelle, (box 1)

    Monath Acte (box 139)

Third, if you want to see these records in-person, be sure to email the archives in advance so they will have the records ready for you when you show up (http://www.arhiv.hr/en/index.htm).  Writing in English is not a problem.

Fourth, you can take pictures in the archive, but you need to ask them for permission and you will need to sign a form about the purpose for which you will use the pictures.  You are also allowed to bring in computers and pen and paper into the archive main reading room.   You are not allowed to bring in a bag (purse or backpack), but you can get a key for a locker from the guard at the front desk.