We are very happy to announce that our new Content Provider Archief-en Documentatiecentrum voor R.K. Friesland (Archive and Documentation Centre Foundation of Roman Catholic Friesland, abbreviated as ADRKF) has uploaded its finding aid on Archives Portal Europe, and they are now fully searchable – dive into the history of Roman Catholic life in Friesland here: http://www.archivesportaleurope.net/directory/-/dir/content/NL-BwdADRKF/fa
Here is a presentation of ADRKF by its curator Emiel De Vries:
The Stichting Archief- en Documentatiecentrum voor R.K. Friesland (Archive and Documentation Centre Foundation of Roman Catholic Friesland, abbreviated as ADRKF) was founded in Wytgaard in May of 1984, originally under the name R.K. Religious Documentatiecentrum voor Friesland (Roman Catholic Religious Documentation Centre for Friesland). After several years of collecting in the home of one of the founders, Henk Nota, the foundation was granted a decent place within the Mater Dei monastery of the Zusters van Liefde (Sisters of Love) of Tilburg in Wytgaard. Once the ADRKF was unable to remain in Wytgaard, the foundation moved to Bolsward. The new building along the Grote Dijlakker opened on the 24th of January 2004 and was shared with the Stichting Titus Brandsmamuseum (Foundation of the Titus Brandsma Museum). In 2008 a neighbouring building was purchased and furnished as a fully independent headquarters.The ADRKF’s goal is collecting, taking stock of and cataloguing all possible documentation and archives which pertain to Roman Catholic life in Friesland. As such, the in memoriam cards, death circulars and obituaries of 50,000 Roman Catholic Frisians have been collected. Furthermore, a file is kept on all members of the clergy born in Friesland or who have worked there. This dossier contains information on approximately 5,600 individuals. Moreover, the ADRKF keeps 7,700 photos and postcards related to Roman Catholic Friesland. Additionally, the centre has a library containing 5,500 titles. New material such as in memoriam cards, books and devotional objects is donated on a weekly basis. Exceptional gifts are exhibited.The foundation preserves approximately 175 small- and large-scale archives, subdivided in nine categories: Cultuur, vrije tijd en ontspanning (Culture, leisure and recreation); Democratie en politiek (Democracy and politics); Jeugd en jongeren (Youth and young people); Kerk en geloof (Church and faith); Liefdadigheid en welzijnswerk (Charity and welfare works); Onderwijs en wetenschap (Education and science); Personen (Persons); Sociaal-economische partners (Social economic partners); Zorgsector (Healthcare sector). The most important archive is the family archive of Titus Brandsma. This archive was donated in 1992 by the Hettinga family from Bolsward and was originally kept in the Nieuw Ugoklooster farm. It contains hundreds of letters and postcards by Titus to his family, photo’s, poems, publications and other documents. Inventories have been made of many archives within the ADRKF, others are still in progress.