Adlerfelt's Histoire Militaire
Topic: Source criticism

One of the most popular sources for the history of the Great Northern War is Histoire militaire de Charles XII, roi de Suède (1741), presented as a work by Gustaf Adlerfelt (1671-1709). As the late historian Hans Villius showed in his dissertation Karl XII:s ryska fälttåg (1951) it is nothing of the kind, especially as far as the campaign of 1707-1709 is concerned. Histoire Militaire is in fact an extremly "dangerous" source in the sense that it, contrary to what is explicitly stated in the introduction, was heavily edited by Adlerfelt's son (who had no firsthand knowledge of the events). This resulted in many mistakes which are not present in the Gustaf Adlerfelt's original Swedish manuscript (published in 1919 under the title Karl XII:s krigsföretag).

The preserved manuscript is accompanied by various letters to Gustaf Adlerfelt, which bear testimony to the fact that he sought to collect information from various theatres of war. Another example of this can be found in a small collection of Lewenhaupt papers in Riksarkivet, Stockholm (E 4645). On 18 May 1706 Gustaf Adlerfelt wrote to Lewenhaupt from Pinsk about the latest developments, thanking the General for his willingness to send a copy of his journal. "My curiosity is legitimate and has to be excused", Adlerfelt writes. If it was possible to send the journal over Königsberg he would be much obliged. Later contacts between the two can also be established. On 23 February 1707 Adlerfelt wrote to Lewenhaupt from Altranstädt (LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1., vol. 296, pp. 253-255). The wish this time was very different: a relative by the name of Ernst Magnus von Hargen, who was serving in the garrison at Wismar, was interested in obtaining a vacant spot in the Österbotten infantry regiment. The Colonel of the regiment, a friend of Adlerfelt, was favorably disposed and had promised to write to Lewenhaupt about it. Adlerfelt hoped this would settle the matter and assured the General that his relative was a very experienced officer. So how did it go? Well, according to a note on Adlerfelt's letter it arrived in Riga on 11 March. On the very same day Lewenhaupt appointed von Hargen to the vacant position and on 2 April Charles XII confirmed the appointment (Krigskollegium, Militiekontoret, Avlöningshandlingar., SE/KrA/0009/A/G IV b/59 (1707), page 509). 

Systerbäck 1703
Topic: Battles

The known Swedish sources for the encounter at Systerbäck on 9 July 1703 are few. Most extensive is Relation von der Action, so den 9 Julii 1703 bey Sösterbeck zwischen der unter meinem Commendo stehenden under feindtlichen armee vorgefallen, printed by Yrjö Koskinen in 1865. This account was sent by Cronhjort to "Defensionskommissionen" on 14 July and is preserved in the committee's archive.

A couple previously overlooked Systerbäck sources can be found in LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 358 as attachments to a letter from Lt. General Georg Johan Maydell to Governor Frölich in Riga. Maydell had at that point not yet reached the army in Finland, but as a long time commander of a Finnish infantry regiment he undoubtedly had many contacts in Cronhjort's army. In the letter Maydell writes that the losses luckily hadn't been as bad as the rumours had been suggesting despite the fact that the action had started at 6 in the morning and continued until 2 p.m. The Swedes had lost 250 killed and 220 wounded, but the Russian losses were twice as high, Maydell claimed (according to Cronhjort's account there had been 203 killed and 184 wounded on the Swedish side). 

Maydell's sources seems to have been two letters, one from captain Maydell and one from captain Paykull (summaries attached to the letter to Frölich).

 

Sources:

Riksarkivet, ÄK 243, vol.  107 (Letters to Defensionskommissionen from Cronhjort 1703)

LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 258 (Miscellaneous letters 1693-1703) 

Handlingar till upplysande af Finlands öden under det Stora nordiska kriget / utg. af Yrjö Koskinen. - Helsinki, 1865

 

The action at Vinni 16 June 1708
Topic: Livonia
Some weeks ago Vlad Velikanov wrote about the action at Vinni on 16 August 1708. The Swedish literature on the subject is pretty meagre, basically just a few pages in Fredrik Hjelmqvist's Kriget i Finland och Ingermanland 1707-1708 (1909) and Fredrik Arfwidsson's Försvaret av Östersjöprovinserna 1708-1710 (1936). Both relied heavily on Kelch's Liefländische Historie and reports from Governor General Nils Stromberg rather than on testimony from actual Swedish participants. Such do exist, although fairly well hidden. Most detailed is a letter from Lt. Colonel J. F. von Liewen to Stromberg, dated 19 August 1708 (most likely an important source for Stromberg's own reports), which was copied and on 3 September forwarded to Deputy Governor of Riga Rembert von Funcken by Hans Henrik von Liewen (LVVA, fond 7349, op. 2, vol. 248, pp 1-6). Contrary to the descriptions by Hjelmqvist and Arfwidsson the report by J. F. von Liewen does not suggest poor behavior by any Swedish unit. Everybody did their outmost, Liewen writes, and the only reason for the defeat was the overwhelming numerical superiority of the enemy.

The Lewenhaupt memoirs
Topic: Source criticism

One of the most hotly debated Swedish sources is the Lewenhaupt memoirs, written while the author was a prisoner of war in Russia. They were first (partially) published in the 1750's by Carl Gustaf Boije, married to one of the late General's daughters. A complete edition appeared as late as in 1952. Historians traditionally formed two different camps - one which considered Lewenhaupt a tragic victim of a stubborn monarchs disregard for common sense and another which viewed the memoirs as an attempt to rewrite history and place blame for the author's own mistakes on everybody but himself. 

One of the most contested items in the memoirs is the description of the prelude to Lewenhaupt's march eastwards in the summer of 1708. The historian Ernst Carlson (1854-1909), who was firmly in the first camp, relied heavily on the memoirs and apparently believed that the first order to collect supplies for three months was given on 26 May - in the same letter which ordered Lewenhaupt to march in early June! This was of course not the case. The order to collect supplies for three months was given on 24 February 1708 and reached Lewenhaupt in early March (see for instance letter from B. O. Stackelberg to Nils Stromberg 10 March 1708). So how could Carlson have been so mistaken? Well, there is no mention of the February order in Lewenhaupt's memoirs. Instead the General gives the King's letter of 26 May and comments: I sent a courier to the King and reported that it would be impossible for me to leave so soon and how my departure would leave Estonia and Livonia open to the enemy. But as I received no new orders the march continued...

So when did this courier leave with Lewenhaupt's report and his request for different orders? The memoirs are vague on this point, but Carlson naturally assumed that it was done immediately.  Well, the letter dated 26 May arrived in Riga on 3 June, but Lewenhaupt's doubts and worries were not translated into action until three weeks later. On 25 June Lewenhaupt wrote to Gustaf Adolf Strömfelt (who a few days before had appealed to him to leave some units behind) that he "now" was sending an extensive report about the situation and that this "perhaps" would result in different orders. 

 

Sources:

Bernt Otto Stackelberg to Nils Stromberg, Mitau 10 March 1708, Riksarkivet, Livonica II, vol. 313.

Gustaf Adolf Strömfelt to Adam Ludvig Lewenhaupt, Pernau 19 June 1708, LVVA, Fond 7349, op. 2, vol. 247.

Karl XII to Adam Ludvig Lewenhaupt, Radoszkowicze 26 May 1708, Uppsala Univ. Library, F. 103

Swedish letter book 1708, LVVA, Fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 79. 

Carlson, Ernst, Sveriges historia under Karl den tolftes regering. D. 3. - Stockholm, 1910.

Lewenhaupt, Adam Ludvig, Adam Ludvig Lewenhaupts berättelse... Stockholm, 1952. 

 

Even more indexes again
Topic: Archives

The list at present: 

The Tartu volumes 

EAA. 278.1.XX-10c (Letters from Wolmar Anton von Schlippenbach 1706-1707)
EAA.278.1.XX-12c (Letters from Carl Gustaf Skytte 1701-1707)
EAA.278.1.XX-15 (Letters from Carl Magnus Stuart 1702-1703)
EAA.278.1.XX-17 (Letters from Otto Vellingk 1699-1700)
EAA.278.1.XX-18 (Letters concerning the war in Livonia 1700-1709)
EAA.278.1.XX-19 (Letters from Livonian clergymen 1700-1707)
EAA.278.1.XX-21b (Miscellaneous letters to Erik Dahlbergh 1700-1702)
EAA.278.1.XX-25b (Letters from Gustaf Ernst Albedyhl 1705-1706)
EAA.278.1.XX-25f (Letters from Gustaf Ernst Albedyhl 1702-1709)
EAA.278.1.XX-29 (Letters from Carl Gustaf Frölich 1701-1707)
EAA.278.1.XX-31 (Miscellaneous letters about the war in Courland 1701-1708)

The Riga volumes

LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 272 (Letters from various officers 1700-1703)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 273 (Letters from J. von Campenhausen & others 1700-1704)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 274 (Letters from Axel Julius & Adam Carl de la Gardie 1700-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 275 (Letters from naval officers & others 1700-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 276 (Letters from Henning Rudolf Horn 1700-1702)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 277 (Letters from Henning Rudolf Horn 1703-1704)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 278 (Letters from district bailiffs Krebs, Ringenheim, Falkenhagen and Bayer von Weissfeldt 1699-1700)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 279 (Letters from district bailiffs Krebs, Ringenheim, Falkenhagen and Bayer von Weissfeldt 1701-1702)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 280 (Letters from Wolter von Laurentzen 1700-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 281 (Letters from Wolmar Anton von Schlippenbach 1701-1702)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 282 (Letters from Wolmar Anton von Schlippenbach 1702-1704)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 283 (Letters from Gustaf and Johan Henrik von Schwengeln 1700-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 284 (Letters from Gustaf von Schwengeln 1700-1701)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 285 (Letters from Gustaf and Johan Henrik von Schwengeln 1702-1705)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 286 (Letters from J. H. von Schwengeln 1705-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 287 (Letters from Carl Gustaf Skytte 1699-1700)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 288 (Letters from Carl Gustaf Skytte 1700-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 289 (Letters from Adam Heinrich von Steinau 1700)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 290 (Letters from the border 1699-1703)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 291 (Letters concerning the war in Livonia 1700-1703)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1. vol. 292 (Letters concerning the war in Livonia 1703-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 293 (Miscellaneous letters 1695-1700)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 294 (Letters to Erik Dahlbergh 1700-1702)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 295 (Letters from Swedish diplomats and officers in Danzig and Elbing 1699-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 296 (Miscellaneous letters from Swedish and foreign officials and diplomats 1694-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 297 (Miscellaneous letters to Charles XII and to Mårten Trotzig 1700)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 298 (Letters from Gustaf Ernst Albedyhl 1700-1702)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 299 (Letters from Gustaf Ernst Albedyhl 1703-1704)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 300 (Letters from Gustaf Ernst Albedyhl 1707-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1. vol. 301 (Letters from H. G. and H. J. von Buddenbrock 1701-1703)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 302 (Letters from Erik Dahlbergh 1696-1699)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 303 (Letters from Erik Dahlbergh 1700-1702)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 304 (Letters from Finland 1700-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 305 (Miscellaneous letters 1701-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 306 (Miscellaneous letters 1700-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 309 (Letters from Libau 1701-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 310 (Letters from F. W. and J. F. von Liphardt 1700-1705)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 311 (Letters from Abraham Cronhjort and Georg Lybecker 1701-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 312 (Letters from Georg Johan Maydell 1700-1706)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 313 (Letters from Magnus Wilhelm Nieroth 1701-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 314 (Letters from Ösel 1700-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 315 (Letters from Bauske, Mitau and Selburg 1701-1703)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 316 (Letters from various outposts near Riga 1701-1703)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 317 (Miscellaneous letters 1701-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 318 (Letters from Johan & Erik Sjöblad 1701-1707)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 319 (Letters from Carl Adam Stackelberg 1701-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 320 (Letters from Gustaf Adolf Strömfelt 1699-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 321 (Letters from Gustaf Adolf Strömfelt 1699-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 322 (Letters from Magnus Fredrik Wolffelt 1701-1707)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 323 (Letters from Johan Apolloff 1702-1703)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 324 (Letters from Göran Johan Knorring 1701-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 325 (Letters from Bernt Otto Stackelberg 1702-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 326 (Letters from Johan Adolf Clodt 1702-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 327 (Letters from Carl Fredrik Mengden 1703-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 328 (Miscellaneous letters 1703-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 329 (Miscellaneous letters 1703-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 330 (Letters from Johan Gustaf von der Osten, genannt Sacken 1706-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 332 (Letters from Nils Stromberg 1707-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 333 (Miscellaneous letters 1697-1708)

 

Worth noting here is vol. 333, which primarily contains letters and other documents from 1708 (about 185 items out of 195). The volume, not included in Bienemann's catalogue and as far as I can see not used by Uddgren for his Lewenhaupt biography, contains quite a few documents concerning the preparations for Lewenhaupt's march eastwards in the summer of 1708. One letter (Lars Weidenhielm to Lewenhaupt, 18 July) makes it for instance clear that the battalion of the Österbotten infantry regiment which accompanied his army had in mid-July got no further than Zagare, southwest of Mitau (Jelgava) on the Lithuanian side of the modern border. The well-known Petre diary indicates that the Helsinge regiment was in the same area at the same time. Since Charles XII had expected Lewenhaupt's corps to start moving as early as the beginning of June it's clear that the delay (whatever the reasons behind it were) must have been most unwelcome to the King. If Lewenhaupt's corps had been able to move out when Charles had expected, it would likely have reached the main army some time in mid-August near Mogilev. 

Bienemann series XX finished - almost
Topic: Archives

In 1908 Bienemann listed 57 correspondence "volumes"  in series XX (Die Zeit des Nordischen Krieges 1700-1710). Most of them are preserved today, although some are found under new labels. I have now almost covered all of them. Remaining are just EAA.278.1.XX.12c (a volume of C. G. Skytte letters), EAA.278.1.XX.25c (a volume of Albedyhl letters), the old XX:57 (which has been moved to the archive of the Estonian Governor General) and two volumes which have "disappeared". The first is XX:14 (a volume of Michael von Strokirch letters) and the second XX:30 (letters from Rembert von Funcken). XX:14 appears to have been dissolved, but much of the content seems to be preserved in LVVA, fond 7349, op. 3, vol. 63-66, 68-69. XX:30 is now LVVA, fond 7349, op. 3, vol. 67 (even the original box remains). In fact, the losses during World War II seems to have been very small as far as series XX is concerned. However, a lot of the volumes have become fairly disorganized. 

The list at present: 

 

The Tartu volumes 

EAA. 278.1.XX-10c (Letters from Wolmar Anton von Schlippenbach 1706-1707)
EAA.278.1.XX-15 (Letters from Carl Magnus Stuart 1702-1703)
EAA.278.1.XX-17 (Letters from Otto Vellingk 1699-1700)
EAA.278.1.XX-18 (Letters concerning the war in Livonia 1700-1709)
EAA.278.1.XX-19 (Letters from Livonian clergymen 1700-1707)
EAA.278.1.XX-21b (Miscellaneous letters to Erik Dahlbergh 1700-1702)
EAA.278.1.XX-25b (Letters from Gustaf Ernst Albedyhl 1705-1706)
EAA.278.1.XX-25f (Letters from Gustaf Ernst Albedyhl 1702-1709)
EAA.278.1.XX-29 (Letters from Carl Gustaf Frölich 1701-1707)
EAA.278.1.XX-31 (Miscellaneous letters about the war in Courland 1701-1708)

The Riga volumes

LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 272 (Letters from various officers 1700-1703)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 273 (Letters from J. von Campenhausen & others 1700-1704)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 274 (Letters from Axel Julius & Adam Carl de la Gardie 1700-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 275 (Letters from naval officers & others 1700-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 276 (Letters from Henning Rudolf Horn 1700-1702)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 277 (Letters from Henning Rudolf Horn 1703-1704)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 278 (Letters from district bailiffs Krebs, Ringenheim, Falkenhagen and Bayer von Weissfeldt 1699-1700)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 279 (Letters from district bailiffs Krebs, Ringenheim, Falkenhagen and Bayer von Weissfeldt 1701-1702)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 280 (Letters from Wolter von Laurentzen 1700-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 281 (Letters from Wolmar Anton von Schlippenbach 1701-1702)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 282 (Letters from Wolmar Anton von Schlippenbach 1702-1704)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 283 (Letters from Gustaf and Johan Henrik von Schwengeln 1700-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 284 (Letters from Gustaf von Schwengeln 1700-1701)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 285 (Letters from Gustaf and Johan Henrik von Schwengeln 1702-1705)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 286 (Letters from J. H. von Schwengeln 1705-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 287 (Letters from Carl Gustaf Skytte 1699-1700)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 288 (Letters from Carl Gustaf Skytte 1700-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 289 (Letters from Adam Heinrich von Steinau 1700)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 290 (Letters from the border 1699-1703)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 291 (Letters concerning the war in Livonia 1700-1703)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1. vol. 292 (Letters concerning the war in Livonia 1703-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 293 (Miscellaneous letters 1695-1700)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 294 (Letters to Erik Dahlbergh 1700-1702)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 295 (Letters from Swedish diplomats and officers in Danzig and Elbing 1699-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 296 (Miscellaneous letters from Swedish and foreign officials and diplomats 1694-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 297 (Miscellaneous letters to Charles XII and to Mårten Trotzig 1700)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 298 (Letters from Gustaf Ernst Albedyhl 1700-1702)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 299 (Letters from Gustaf Ernst Albedyhl 1703-1704)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 300 (Letters from Gustaf Ernst Albedyhl 1707-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1. vol. 301 (Letters from H. G. and H. J. von Buddenbrock 1701-1703)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 302 (Letters from Erik Dahlbergh 1696-1699)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 303 (Letters from Erik Dahlbergh 1700-1702)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 304 (Letters from Finland 1700-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 305 (Miscellaneous letters 1701-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 306 (Miscellaneous letters 1700-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 309 (Letters from Libau 1701-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 310 (Letters from F. W. and J. F. von Liphardt 1700-1705)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 311 (Letters from Abraham Cronhjort and Georg Lybecker 1701-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 312 (Letters from Georg Johan Maydell 1700-1706)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 313 (Letters from Magnus Wilhelm Nieroth 1701-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 314 (Letters from Ösel 1700-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 315 (Letters from Bauske, Mitau and Selburg 1701-1703)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 316 (Letters from various outposts near Riga 1701-1703)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 317 (Miscellaneous letters 1701-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 318 (Letters from Johan & Erik Sjöblad 1701-1707)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 319 (Letters from Carl Adam Stackelberg 1701-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 320 (Letters from Gustaf Adolf Strömfelt 1699-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 321 (Letters from Gustaf Adolf Strömfelt 1699-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 322 (Letters from Magnus Fredrik Wolffelt 1701-1707)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 323 (Letters from Johan Apolloff 1702-1703)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 324 (Letters from Göran Johan Knorring 1701-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 325 (Letters from Bernt Otto Stackelberg 1702-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 326 (Letters from Johan Adolf Clodt 1702-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 327 (Letters from Carl Fredrik Mengden 1703-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 328 (Miscellaneous letters 1703-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 329 (Miscellaneous letters 1703-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 330 (Letters from Johan Gustaf von der Osten, genannt Sacken 1706-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 332 (Letters from Nils Stromberg 1707-1709)

. 

New index status report
Topic: Archives

The present status in regard to the indexes to the volumes in the archive of the Livonian Governor General: 

The Tartu volumes 

EAA.278.1.XIX-68 (Letters from Governors and garrison commanders at Narva 1691-1699)
EAA.278.1.XIX-74 (Letters to Paul von Strokirch 1699-1702)
EAA.278.1.XX-18 (Letters concerning the war in Livonia 1700-1709)
EAA.278.1.XX-19 (Letters from Livonian clergymen 1700-1707)
EAA.278.1.XX-21b (Miscellaneous letters to Erik Dahlbergh 1700-1702)
EAA.278.1.XX-31 (Miscellaneous letters about the war in Courland 1701-1708)

The Riga volumes

LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 272 (Letters from various officers 1700-1703)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 273 (Letters from J. von Campenhausen & others 1700-1704)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 274 (Letters from Axel Julius & Adam Carl de la Gardie 1700-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 275 (Letters from naval officers & others 1700-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 276 (Letters from Henning Rudolf Horn 1700-1702)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 277 (Letters from Henning Rudolf Horn 1703-1704)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 278 (Letters from district bailiffs Krebs, Ringenheim, Falkenhagen and Bayer von Weissfeldt 1699-1700)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 279 (Letters from district bailiffs Krebs, Ringenheim, Falkenhagen and Bayer von Weissfeldt 1701-1702)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 280 (Letters from Wolter von Laurentzen 1700-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 281 (Letters from Wolmar Anton von Schlippenbach 1701-1702)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 289 (Letters from Adam Heinrich von Steinau 1700)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 290 (Letters from the border 1699-1703)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 291 (Letters concerning the war in Livonia 1700-1703)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1. vol. 292 (Letters concerning the war in Livonia 1703-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 293 (Miscellaneous letters 1695-1700)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 294 (Letters to Erik Dahlbergh 1700-1702)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 295 (Letters from Swedish diplomats and officers in Danzig and Elbing 1699-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 296 (Miscellaneous letters from Swedish and foreign officials and diplomats 1694-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 297 (Miscellaneous letters to Charles XII and to Mårten Trotzig 1700)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 298 (Letters from Gustaf Ernst Albedyhl 1700-1702)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 299 (Letters from Gustaf Ernst Albedyhl 1703-1704)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 300 (Letters from Gustaf Ernst Albedyhl 1707-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1. vol. 301 (Letters from H. G. and H. J. von Buddenbrock 1701-1703)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 302 (Letters from Erik Dahlbergh 1696-1699)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 303 (Letters from Erik Dahlbergh 1700-1702)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 304 (Letters from Finland 1700-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 305 (Miscellaneous letters 1701-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 306 (Miscellaneous letters 1700-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 309 (Letters from Libau 1701-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 310 (Letters from F. W. and J. F. von Liphardt 1700-1705)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 311 (Letters from Abraham Cronhjort and Georg Lybecker 1701-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 312 (Letters from Georg Johan Maydell 1700-1706)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 313 (Letters from Magnus Wilhelm Nieroth 1701-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 314 (Letters from Ösel 1700-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 315 (Letters from Bauske, Mitau and Selburg 1701-1703)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 316 (Letters from various outposts near Riga 1701-1703)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 317 (Miscellaneous letters 1701-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 318 (Letters from Johan & Erik Sjöblad 1701-1707)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 319 (Letters from Carl Adam Stackelberg 1701-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 320 (Letters from Gustaf Adolf Strömfelt 1699-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 321 (Letters from Gustaf Adolf Strömfelt 1699-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 322 (Letters from Magnus Fredrik Wolffelt 1701-1707)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 323 (Letters from Johan Apolloff 1702-1703)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 324 (Letters from Göran Johan Knorring 1701-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 325 (Letters from Bernt Otto Stackelberg 1702-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 326 (Letters from Johan Adolf Clodt 1702-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 327 (Letters from Carl Fredrik Mengden 1703-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 328 (Miscellaneous letters 1703-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 329 (Miscellaneous letters 1703-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 330 (Letters from Johan Gustaf von der Osten, genannt Sacken 1706-1708)

This should cover about 6,650 letters. As mentioned previously Bienemann in 1908 gave the number of letters in series XX as 8,351. This suggests the number today may be only insignificantly lower, at least if the Malmberg papers in Uppsala are included. 

 

 

Alf Åberg and autograph collectors - part 1
Topic: Archives

On 21 September 1962 the historian Alf Åberg (1916-2011) wrote in his column in the newspaper Svenska Dagbladet about a recent auction in Stockholm which had featured a large number of manuscripts and letters originating from government archives. Åberg pointed out that many of them appeared to have belonged to the archive of the Livonian Governor General and questioned how it was possible that such items could be traded freely. Even more absurd was, Åberg stated, that Riksarkivet had been unable to purchase them because of the high prices. Would it not be appropriate to introduce legislation similar to the one existing for historical artifacts made of precious metals, i.e. that the finder would be obliged to present such items to the authorities and be reimbursed according to a determined tariff?

In the article Åberg never mentioned the name of the seller, but he returned to the subject in another column two years later (26 May 1964). One of the items sold in 1962 had reappeared in an antiquarian book store in Stockholm and Riksarkivet had tried to purchase it. However (according to Åberg) the price was now much higher and the owner was not even prepared to allow Riksarkivet to copy the manuscript as he feared it would affect the price negatively. Instead it was rumored that the owner considered breaking up the volume in the belief that he could get even more money by selling the various autographs in it one by one. Åberg was even more upset than he had been in 1962. Surely the sitution called for a thorough investigation into possible remedies?

In the second article Åberg also named the previous owner, the person the item had belonged to before the sale in 1962. Not surprising it was Ernst Malmberg (1867-1960), who had sold similar items at auctions as early as in the 1910's. Malmberg dabbled in many things and was at the beginning of the 20th century friends with everybody of any relevance in Swedish cultural life. He was also, by all appearances, the first Swede to be granted access to the archive of the Livonian Governor General after the publication of Bienemann's catalogue in 1908. This, along with the fact that he owned a large collection of documents from the same archive, suggests that his visit to Riga in 1909 or 1910 may have included a bit more than just studying of documents...

But what happened to the item which reappeared in 1964? Well, as luck would have it the volume was purchased by a descendant of one of the most prominent Swedish officials in Riga during the GNW. Not long after it was acquired by Riksarkivet and now rests (probably largely unnoticed by researchers) in one of the volumes in the series Livonica. 

To be continued... 

Die Katastrophe der Stadt Dorpat
Topic: Archives

In 1902 Friedrich Bienemann published a study called Die Katastrophe der Stadt Dorpat. It starts when the capture of Dorpat (Tartu) by the Russians in 1704 and ends (for all intents and purposes) in the late summer of 1709, when the Russian forces started to gather for the final attack on the last Swedish bastions in Livonia and Estonia. Bienemann was in 1902 involved in the cataloguing of the "Swedish archive" and as familiar with its content as anybody. A few days ago I randomly checked a few of the references to incoming correspondence given by Bienemann and it so turned out that they were impossible to find. I could find other letters, relevant to the matter but not used by Bienemann, but it seemed impossible to find the ones he had used - until I got to LVVA, fond 7349, op. 2, vol. 243-247, some of the post-Bienemann supplemental volumes. There the letters were, arranged almost like Bienemann had just left them. One example: On page 175 Bienemann refers to the following incoming letters:

Lt. Col. von Vettern to Dep. Gov. von Funcken, dated Pernau 4 September 1708.

Colonel Nieroth to Major von Heine, Abbia 1 September 1708

Colonel Nieroth to von Funcken, dated Pühastekülla 27 October and 9 November.

Col. Nieroth to von Funcken, dated Pallokülla 14 November.

These are all in volume 244. Vettern to von Funcken starts on page 89, Nieroth to von Heine follows on page 91 and the three Nieroth letters to von Funcken can be found on pages 79-87. Very neat. 

Index status report
Topic: Archives

The present status in regard to the indexes to the volumes in the archive of the Livonian Governor General: 

The Tartu volumes 

EAA.278.1.XIX-68 (Letters from Governors and garrison commanders at Narva 1691-1699)
EAA.278.1.XIX-74 (Letters to Paul von Strokirch 1699-1702)
EAA.278.1.XX-18 (Letters concerning the war in Livonia 1700-1709)
EAA.278.1.XX-19 (Letters from Livonian clergymen 1700-1707)
EAA.278.1.XX-21b (Miscellaneous letters to Erik Dahlbergh 1700-1702)
EAA.278.1.XX-31 (Miscellaneous letters about the war in Courland 1701-1708)

The Riga volumes

LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 272 (Letters from various officers 1700-1703)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 273 (Letters from J. von Campenhausen & others 1700-1704)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 274 (Letters from Axel Julius & Adam Carl de la Gardie 1700-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 275 (Letters from naval officers & others 1700-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 276 (Letters from Henning Rudolf Horn 1700-1702)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 277 (Letters from Henning Rudolf Horn 1703-1704)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 278 (Letters from district bailiffs Krebs, Ringenheim, Falkenhagen and Bayer von Weissfeldt 1699-1700)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 279 (Letters from district bailiffs Krebs, Ringenheim, Falkenhagen and Bayer von Weissfeldt 1701-1702)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 280 (Letters from Wolter von Laurentzen 1700-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 281 (Letters from Wolmar Anton von Schlippenbach 1701-1702)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 289 (Letters from Adam Heinrich von Steinau 1700)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 290 (Letters from the border 1699-1703)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 291 (Letters concerning the war in Livonia 1700-1703)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1. vol. 292 (Letters concerning the war in Livonia 1703-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 293 (Miscellaneous letters 1695-1700)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 294 (Letters to Erik Dahlbergh 1700-1702)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 295 (Letters from Swedish diplomats and officers in Danzig and Elbing 1699-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 296 (Miscellaneous letters from Swedish and foreign officials and diplomats 1694-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 297 (Miscellaneous letters to Charles XII and to Mårten Trotzig 1700)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 298 (Letters from Gustaf Ernst Albedyhl 1700-1702)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 299 (Letters from Gustaf Ernst Albedyhl 1703-1704)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 300 (Letters from Gustaf Ernst Albedyhl 1707-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1. vol. 301 (Letters from H. G. and H. J. von Buddenbrock 1701-1703)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 302 (Letters from Erik Dahlbergh 1696-1699)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 303 (Letters from Erik Dahlbergh 1700-1702)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 304 (Letters from Finland 1700-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 305 (Miscellaneous letters 1701-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 306 (Miscellaneous letters 1700-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 309 (Letters from Libau 1701-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 310 (Letters from F. W. and J. F. von Liphardt 1700-1705)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 311 (Letters from Abraham Cronhjort and Georg Lybecker 1701-1708)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 315 (Letters from Bauske, Mitau and Selburg 1701-1703)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 316 (Letters from various outposts near Riga 1701-1703)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 317 (Miscellaneous letters 1701-1709)
LVVA, fond 7349, op. 1, vol. 318 (Letters from Johan & Erik Sjöblad 1701-1707)

In total about 4,700 letters and other documents. It's perhaps worth mentioning that Bienemann in his catalogue of the archive gave the number of incoming letters in series XX (The Great Northern War) as 8,351. Of the volumes listed above all but the first two belong to this series. Those two contain about 165 items.