In this paper, the author treats the period of transition from socialist to postsocialist conditions, with a special stress on the findings in connection with the fate of archival and documentational material in the economy. He underscores problems created by the transition in the former state economy, which had often, in the beginnings of restructuring, renounced care for the preservation of archival and documentary material. Endeavours of competent archivespertained to preparations and finalization of protection and preservation of large quantities of arehival and other documentary material, which have for a series of years been of relevance for the settling of personal matters in extending sound data as to personal status, pension and social security entitlements of those once employed in various enterprises. Procedures were described, which the archives implemented within public works, speedy discarding, reserach and practical work. The author concludes that only in the future will these activities be professionally evaluated.