The career of Josep Maria Sans Travé (Solivella, 1947 - 2026), a medievalist and former director of the National Archives of Catalonia, has been met with widespread condolences across the region. Meetings of the Centre d’Estudis de la Conca de Barberà, attended by historians and scholars, were crucial for understanding his significant work, bridging local studies with Barcelona's institutions.
Sans Travé passionately defended his convictions, provided context to explanations, and shared insights into pivotal cultural decisions from both current times and the 1980s and 1990s. Encounters with him, whether in Montblanc or Barcelona, during inaugurations at the Museu d’Història de Catalunya or events at Palau Robert, were a source of motivation and energy to advance projects.
His deep involvement in Catalan cultural, historical, and academic life over the past half-century has garnered widespread recognition. The National Archives of Catalonia mourns the loss of a "bulwark of erudition, heritage, and culture," while the Department of Culture of the Generalitat emphasizes his contribution to "Catalonia's documentary memory."
Institutions such as the Montblanc City Council, which considered him an adopted son, the Conca de Barberà Regional Council (which awarded him the Premi d’Honor in 2017), the Tarradellas Archive, Sàpiens magazine, Cultura i Paisatge, and Pagès Editors, among many others, have expressed their sorrow. The Institut d’Estudis Vallencs described him as a "fundamental figure in archival science in Catalonia," highlighting his dedication to preserving and studying the country's memory.
