The State Archives of Minsk Region hosts exhibition celebrating 100th anniversary of Civil Registry Offices

To mark the 100th anniversary of Civil Registry Offices, the State Archives of Minsk Region has prepared a virtual exhibition based on archival documents.

The history of Civil Registry Offices ZAGS in our country dates from 18 December 1917. On this day the All-Russian Central Executive Committee of the Council of People’s Commissars of the Russian SFSR adopted a Decree “On civil marriage, children and vital registers”. Earlier the legal rights of husband and wife, and data on birth and death were registered in parish books. Presently the surviving parish records remain the most important (and sole) documents that confirm facts of marriage, birth or death and help ascertain relative connections.

The exhibition displays interesting documents on the history of Civil Registry in Minsk Region. These include the 1924 Instruction on procedure of civil registration; the 1925 citizens’ applications for determination of the age from physical appearance; an extract from the minutes of meeting of the executive committee of the Minsk City Council of Workers Deputies concerning the opening of the House of Civil Ceremonies in Minsk in 1965, and more.