Saturday, July 01, 2006
Some of the secret archives are opening
I've always wondered what gets stuck in the archives of a government. I mean, if I were to open my secret archives, I'd probably have issues with a few kids from my high school, so I guess it makes sense that when the Vatican opens theirs they have issues with a few countries.
What I want to know is how to get access. It's apparently limited to those with appropriate academic credentials, which means that my proposed degree in CS isn't going to get me through the door. Unless I do my dissertation on the influence of electromechanical computers on Church policy during the period leading up to WWII.
Like most other governments, the Vatican does not release confidential documents until long after the historical era that they concern, in order to protect the privacy of individuals involved. In many countries, legislation requires that archival documents must be held secret for 50 years; in some countries the threshold is 100 years.
What I want to know is how to get access. It's apparently limited to those with appropriate academic credentials, which means that my proposed degree in CS isn't going to get me through the door. Unless I do my dissertation on the influence of electromechanical computers on Church policy during the period leading up to WWII.
