ELA COSMA
Founded 102 years ago, as the first Institute of National History in Romania (1920), over time affiliated to the Cluj University and to the Romanian Academy, the current Institute of History – “George Barițiu” – in Cluj-Napoca had a major objective, pursued with obstination since its foundation until today, in spite of the political regimes and ideological dictatorships interfering with its century-long existence. Its aim is no other than safeguarding and capitalizing the Romanian, Central and Southeast European documentary heritage. The method chosen in order to achieve this goal is editing documents of medieval, premodern, modern, and contemporary history. The exceptional human capital, which the History Institute from Cluj knew how to cultivate from generation to generation, has produced the experts needed, especially, in Latin and Romanian, Hungarian, and German palaeographies. The scientific results are reflected in research and publications counting more than 100 critical editions of documents and over 80 monographs and volumes of studies with document annexes, published in not less than 22 collections, edited by the History Institute in Cluj, which are presented in our study.
Keywords:
“George Barițiu” Institute of History in Cluj-Napoca, documentary heritage, collections edited and published by the History Institute in Cluj.