Sante, Georg Wilhelm

Historian, Archivist

Born: 03.10.1896 in Hildesheim

died: 11.03.1984 in Wiesbaden

Sante studied history and art history in Münster, Munich and Bonn. In Berlin, he completed his training as an archivist at the Prussian Secret State Archives. From 1928, he worked at the State Archives in Wiesbaden, interrupted by a secondment of several years to the Saarbrücken City Archives. After returning to Wiesbaden, he acted as an advisor to the American military government from 1946 and took over the management of the State Archives in 1947. From 1948-61 he was also a consultant for archives and libraries in the Hessian Ministry of Culture.

Sante was heavily involved in the reconstruction and rebuilding of the archive system in Hesse and was a co-founder of the Association of German Archivists, becoming its chairman in 1957. The journal "Der Archivar" (1947) is largely due to his initiative. Together with Edmund Stengel, he founded the Working Group of Historical Commissions in Hesse. He was also actively involved in the creation of the "Hessisches Jahrbuch für Landesgeschichte" (since 1951).

From 1950, he taught as a lecturer in archival studies and regional history at the University of Mainz. He was appointed professor there. Until his old age, he chaired the General Association of German History and Antiquity Societies and headed the Historical Commission for Nassau from 1949-76.