Dr Jure Volčjak
Jure Volčjak holds a degree and a PhD in History from the Department of History at the Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana. He began his career at the Archives of the Republic of Slovenia as a trainee, working there from 2000 to 2001. After passing the professional exam in archival science, he joined the Archdiocesan Archives of Ljubljana, where he was entrusted with the care of older archival records until the end of January 2004. He returned to the Archives of the Republic of Slovenia in February 2004, taking charge of several of its most important thematic collections and records of national significance. From 2011 to 2026, he headed the Department for the Preservation of the Oldest Archival Records. On 13 November 2026, he was appointed Acting Director of the Archives.
In 2009, he was awarded the title of Research Associate, followed in 2021 by the professional title of Archival Counsellor. Since 2021, he has also been a corresponding member of the Pio Paschini Institute for the History of the Church in Friuli, based in Udine (Istituto Pio Paschini per la storia della Chiesa in Friuli).
Alongside his regular archival duties, which include the arrangement and description of archival records, the acquisition of private archival collections, responding to written enquiries and assisting users, he has devoted considerable time to the publication of archival sources, both as an author or co-author and as an editor. His most notable publications include »Ordinacijska protokola goriške nadškofije 1750–1824/Ordination Protocols of the Archdiocese of Gorizia 1750–1824« (2010, 2012); »Ordinacijska protokola ljubljanske (nad)škofije 1711–1824/Ordination Protocols of the (Arch)Diocese of Ljubljana 1711–1824« (2013, 2016); »Ordinacijski zapisniki oglejskega patriarhata za slovensko ozemlje v 18. stoletju (1701–1749)/Ordination Records of the Patriarchate of Aquileia for the Slovenian Territory in the Eighteenth Century (1701–1749)« (2020); »Listine jezuitskega kolegija v Ljubljani 1592–1751/Charters of the Jesuit College in Ljubljana 1592–1751« (2014); Regesten Kaiser Friedrichs III. (1440–1493). Nach Archiven und Bibliotheken geordnet. H. 29, Die Urkunden und Briefe aus den Archiven und Bibliotheken der Republik Slowenien. Teil 1, Die staatlichen, kommunalen und kirchlichen Archive in der Stadt Laibach/Ljubljana (2014); »Vodnik po arhivskem gradivu 1. svetovne vojne/Guide to Archival Records of the First World War« (2017); »Listine Nadškofijskega arhiva Ljubljana 1140–1500/Charters of the Archdiocesan Archives of Ljubljana 1140–1500« (2020); »Vizitacijski zapisniki kranjskih arhidiakonatov goriške nadškofije 1752–1757/Visitation Records of the Carniolan Archdeaconries of the Archdiocese of Gorizia 1752–1757« (2022); »Vizitacijski zapisniki kranjskih arhidiakonatov goriške nadškofije 1761–1771/Visitation Records of the Carniolan Archdeaconries of the Archdiocese of Gorizia 1761–1771« (2023); and »Generalni vikar Janez Anton Ricci in njegov Status dioecesis goritiensis (1788–1789)/Vicar General Janez Anton Ricci and His Status dioecesis goritiensis (1788–1789)« (2025).
As a (co-)author, he has also contributed to a number of archival exhibitions, among the more prominent of which are »Listine imenovanj ljubljanskih škofov/Documents of Appointments of the Bishops of Ljubljana« (2004); »Upodobitve ljubljanskih škofov/Portraits of the Bishops of Ljubljana« (2007); »Kranjski deželni privilegiji 1338–1736/The Provincial Privileges of Carniola 1338–1736« (2008); »Arhivi – zakladnice spomina /Archives – Treasuries of Memory« (2015); »Štipendijske ustanove v gradivu Arhiva Republike Slovenije do razpada Avstro-Ogrske leta 1918/Scholarship Foundations in the Records of the Archives of the Republic of Slovenia up to the Dissolution of Austria-Hungary in 1918« (2020); »Z opravljanjem »koristnih dejavnosti« do plemiškega naziva. Plemiške diplome 17. stoletja v Arhivu Republike Slovenije /From Performing “Useful Activities” to Obtaining a Noble Title: Seventeenth-Century Letters Patent of Nobility in the Archives of the Republic of Slovenia« (2024); and »Zgodovina srednjega in novega veka na ozemlju občine Cerklje na Gorenjskem«, Muzej Občine Cerklje v Hribarjevi vili/The History of the Middle Ages and Early Modern Period in the Territory of the Municipality of Cerklje na Gorenjskem«, presented at the Museum of the Municipality of Cerklje in Hribar Villa (2025).
He has been involved in two research projects funded by the Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (ARIS) (2011–2014 and 2018–2027) and led two international projects funded by the European Union (2008–2010 and 2010–2015).
Throughout his career, he has been a member and chair of several professional commissions and bodies relating to archival science. Among these are the Commission for Assessing Public Symbols against the Professional Rules and Standards of Heraldry, Vexillology and Sigillography and in the Light of Established Historical Facts (2009–2014), and the Commission for Professional Examinations in the Field of Archival Records Preservation (2006–2010 and 2022–present). Since 2024, he has chaired both the Archives Council at the Ministry of Culture and the Commission for the Awarding of Professional Titles in the Field of Archival Records Preservation.
He has also played an active role in the Archival Association of Slovenia. In 2005, he was Assistant Editor of its journal Arhivi, serving as Editor from 2006 to 2016.
Since 2014, he has been a member of the editorial board of SLO. Slovenski zgodovinski magazin.
In 2014, he received the Aškerč Award for his significant contribution to the development of Slovenian archival science, particularly through his work on publishing archival sources and promoting Slovenian archives and archival work both at home and abroad.
His research interests lie primarily in the history of the Late Middle Ages and the Early Modern Period, ecclesiastical history, the history of the nobility, heraldry, diplomatics and the publication of archival sources.