Archiwum Państwowe w Katowicach - Oddział w Bielsku-Białej

The archive in Bielsko came into existence in 1950 according to the Decree of the Minister of Education from July 21, 1950 as a county branch of Katowice Voivodship State Archive. In 1951, it was renamed the County State Archive in Bielsko. In 1952, the archive was joined by the Town Archive and it took over its holdings. In 1951, because of unification of two towns: Bielsko and Biała (Silesian and post-Galician) into one city, the archive was renamed the branch of Katowice State Archive in Bielsko-Biała. In 2015 the resources of liquidated state archives in Oświęcim and Żywiec were transferred to Bielsko-Biała.  

The archive in Bielsko-Biała possesses 282 collections and archival founds, which makes 60300 units and over 1100 running meters (as for December 31, 2010). The oldest document originates from 16th century. The most valuable records are concerning Bielsko (1587-1945), Biała (1778-1939) and records of villages in Bielsko County (1562-1950). The collection deserving special attention is the Sułkowski Prince Archive (1583-1901). The significant part of the holdings consists of the documents of various textile factories from 19th and 20th century (in most part German in Bielsko and Polish and Jewish in Biała). The documents created after 1945 are mostly concerning state and local administration (e.g. Bielsko-Biała Voivodship Office 1975-1998, Bielsko County Council and Office and the town authorities.  

The access is regulated by Instruction No. 4 of the Head Office of State Archives in Poland, dated February 1, 2013.