MEMORY OF THE WORLD REGISTER Sound Toll Registers N° 2006-56 PART A – ESSENTIAL INFORMATION 1 SUMMARY The Sound Toll Registers constitute a record group of immense international relevance. It provides detailed information about every single ship and cargo that entered the Baltic and departed from the Baltic through the Danish straits. The Sound Toll was introduced in the 15th century. The oldest Sound Toll Register that has been kept til today is from 1497, while the series is complete from 1557 to 1857, when the Sound Toll was abolished. The Sound Toll Registers contain a wealth of information and provide a most valuable potential for research of many kinds and concerning many nations. Nowhere else can be found a record group of equivalent value when it comes to important information concerning international trade over several decades. The Sound Toll Registers are kept in the Danish National Archives. 2 DETAILS OF THE NOMINATOR 2.1 Name (person or organisation) Dr. Johan Peter Noack, The Danish National Archives 2.2 Relationship to the documentary heritage nominated Dr. Noack is National Archivist of the Danish National Archives 2.3 Contact person (s) National Archivist, Dr. Johan Peter Noack 2.4 Contact details (include address, phone, fax, email) The Danish National Archives, Rigsdagsgaarden 9, DK-1218 Copenhagen K Phone +45 33 92 33 10, fax +45 33 15 3239, e-mail [email protected] 3 IDENTITY AND DESCRIPTION OF THE DOCUMENTARY HERITAGE 3.1 Name and identification details of the items being nominated The Sound Toll Registers 1497-1857 comprise a litlle more than five hundred volumes. The proper reference, in Danish, is: Oeresundstoldregnskaber (i.e. the Sound Toll Registers). Sound Toll Registers have been preserved for 1497, 1503, 1528, 1536-1548, 1557-1558, 1560, 1562-1569, and 1574-1857. The Sound Toll Registers are kept in the Danish National Archives. 3.2 Description A catalogue of the Sound Toll Registers can be found at the Danish National Archives’ online catalogue at http://www.daisy.sa.dk. A more detailed hand-written catalogue can be found in the reading room of the Danish National Archives. Cf. also Wilhelm von Rosen, ed., Rigsarkivet og hjaelpemidlerne til dets benyttelse, vol. I:2, Copenhagen 1983, p. 728. The Sound Toll Registers are in good physical state of preservation. Visual documentation: see the photographs attached. Important literature: 1) Nina Ellinger Bang & Knud Korst, eds., Tabeller over Skibsfart og Varetransport gennem Oeresund 1497-1660, vols. I-II:B, Copenhagen 1906-1933; Nina Ellinger Bang & Knud Korst, eds., Tabeller over Skibsfart og Varetransport gennem Oeresund 1661-1783, vols. I- II:3, Copenhagen 1930-1953; 2) Hans Chr. Johansen, Shipping and Trade between the Baltic Area and Western Europe 1784-1795, Odense 1983. 4 JUSTIFICATION FOR INCLUSION/ ASSESSMENT AGAINST CRITERIA 4.1 Authenticity The authenticity of the Sound Toll Registers is unquestioned. First and foremost because the provenance is well established, as the Sound Toll Registers were handed over to the Danish National Archives a very long time ago; secondly because a huge number of Danish and international scholars have made use of the Sound Toll Registers. 4.2 World significance, uniqueness and irreplaceability The Sound Toll Registers is a record group of utmost significance, as it provides unique information about shipping and trade between the Baltic and the rest of the world. Such information can be found nowhere else, so the loss of the Sound Toll Registers would be a very serious loss for international history research. 4.3 Criteria of (a) time (b) place (c) people (d) subject and theme (e) form and style (a) The Sound Toll Registers cover a very long span of time, i.e. 1497-1857. (c) They relate to practically all seafaring peoples of Europe and Northern America. (d) They provide rich information for studies in international trade and shipping. 4.4 Issues of (a) rarity, (b) integrity, (c) threat and (d) management (a) The Sound Toll Registers are not just rare, but unique. (b) The integrity of the Sound Toll Registers is fine, as they cover three centuries uninterrupted. (c) There is no immediate threat to the Sound Toll Registers, as they are kept in the stacks of the Danish National Archives. (d) As part of the holdings of the Danish National Archives, management of the Sound Toll Registers is taken care of by experts. 5 LEGAL INFORMATION 5.1. Owner of the documentary heritage (name and contact details) The Danish National Archives, cf. 2.4. 5.2 Custodian of the documentary heritage (name and contact details, if different to owner) The Danish National Archives, cf. 2.4 5.3 Legal status: (a) Category of ownership: Owned by a public institution, i.e. the Danish National Archives. (b) Accessibility: The Sound Toll Registers are on open access to all researchers. (c) Copyright status: The Sound Toll Registers are not subject to any copyright. (d) Responsible administration: The Danish National Archives is the institution which is legally responsible for safekeeping of the Sound Toll Registers. The Sound Toll Registers are covered by the same procedures as all other records kept by the Danish National Archives. (e) Other factors: None. 6 MANAGEMENT PLAN 6.1 As the Sound Toll Registers, in spite of their old age, are in excellent physical condition, there is no specific management plan for them, but they are included in the general management plan of the Danish National Archives. The Sound Toll Registers have been microfilmed. 7 CONSULTATION 7.1 Provide details of consultation about this nomination with (a) the owner of the heritage (b) the custodian (c) your national or regional Memory of the World committee The submission of this nomination of the Sound Toll Registers is carried out in cooperation with the Danish National Committee for Memory of the World. PART B – SUBSIDIARY INFORMATION 8 ASSESSMENT OF RISK 8.1 As the Sound Toll Registers, in spite of their old age, are in excellent physical condition, there is no specific management plan for them, but they are included in the general management plan of the Danish National Archives. 9 ASSESSMENT OF PRESERVATION 9.1 As the Sound Toll Registers are in excellent physical condition, there is no specific management plan for them, but they are included in the general management plan of the Danish National Archives. The National Archivist, Dr. Noack, is responsible for preservation, if appropriate. PART C - LODGEMENT This nomination is lodged by: (Please print name)…Dr. Johan Peter Noack, National Archivist....................................... (Signature)………………………………… (Date)………29. March 2006 .