Mr Thomas Sindilariu, Siebenbuergen-Institut, University of Heidelberg
2005 award - major research project
£
29,921 for 13 months.
The archival material from 14th to 17th centuries from this archive is one of the main sources for Transylvanian history in today‘s central Romania. It is the basis for any work on historical backgrounds of the city, the neighbouring settlements and the region itself.
The material was traditionally stored in different back rooms of the Honterus parish building of Brasov. The problem of redeveloping these rooms are being solved by the parish itself so that there will exist secure rooms with adequate shelf units for the holdings. However the conditions of storage were extremely disadvantageous, in particular 
generating much moisture. As a consequence some of the collection is subject to mildew. Other problems are the damage by worms and by certain forms of historically used ink. Damage to the paper was caused also by not storing the material properly.
Digital photographing will include the following sections:
- documents 14th/15th c.
- ecclesiastical material with focus on 16th/17th c.
- collection of Joseph Trausch (manuscript copies covering the whole period).
- documents on educational matters (focus on 16th/17th c.).
- social interferences, marriage problems in the different quarters of the town.
- cultural matters (music, liturgy, buildings, local traditions and legends).
- correspondence (warfare, defence, political relations).
- different collections of Varia.
Digital photographs will be made of the relevant material from the Middle Ages up to the 17th century (and of copies concerning this time). At the same time the material will be classified so that conservation measures can be taken in the
future. The archival material will hence be accessible through the digitalized data at the archive itself and at the British Library and will be opened for use in the reading room with help of the two local collaborators trained during the project’s duration.
