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Josep Maria Sans i Travé, a key figure in Catalan archival studies and historiography, dies
The historian and archivist from Solivella, who directed the National Archive of Catalonia for more than two decades, leaves a fundamental legacy in the preservation of the country's documentary heritage.
The historian and archivist Josep Maria Sans i Travé, born in Solivella in 1947, died this Sunday, June 14, at the age of 78. Considered one of the most outstanding personalities in contemporary Catalan archival studies, he dedicated his life to historical research, teaching and the defense of Catalonia's documentary heritage.
His institutional career was closely linked to the Generalitat of Catalonia, where he served as head of the Archives Service, general director of Cultural Heritage and director of the National Archive of Catalonia between 1992 and 2015. From these positions he promoted the modernization of the Catalan archival system and played a decisive role in the consolidation of the network of local and regional archives in the country.
As a researcher, Sans i Travé focused his studies on the history of Catalonia from the 11th to the 15th centuries, with special interest in the Catalan notary public, the medieval and modern Generalitat and the military orders. His extensive bibliographical production constitutes a reference contribution to the knowledge of the Catalan past.
Among his latest publications , Els Fets de Solivella del 1936 stands out, a work published in 2025 in which he returned to the historical memory of his native town, thus closing a career marked by academic rigor and commitment to the preservation of collective memory.
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