Ministry of the Interior

Collection description

Scope and content:: This fonds contains files concerning the Second World War and the immediate post-war period. We notably mention the following files: no. 9 Commission de la Reconnaissance Nationale (1946-1951); no. 16 “Complaints against personnel having breached its civic duties during the Occupation”; no. 24 “Agents who refused to continue their services in the German administrations”; no. 30 Office pour le rapatriement des réfugiés (1940-1942) and no. 83 “Repression of administrative collaboration (on the local, provincial and central levels)” (1947-1951). (This fonds is indirectly related to the Jewish population.)

Administrative/biographical history:: From 1831, the Ministry of the Interior was in charge of general administration, relations with the provinces and municipalities, elections, militia, garde civique, statistics, recognised religions, prisons, welfare and public safety, and matters regarding education, public health and economic affairs. These competences changed in the course of many successive reorganisations of the ministry, notably as a result of the transfer of competences regarding recognised religions, prisons, welfare and public safety to the Ministry of Justice. In the 19th century, this ministry was considered a “catch-all ministry”, as it contained the nuclei of several large future departments. Many commissions, committees and workgroups were created by royal or ministerial decree in order to advise the ministry, its sections and services. We notably point out the Commission de la reconnaissance nationale. (R. Terrizzi, Le Ministère de l’Intérieur (1830-1994). I. État de l’administration centrale et répertoires des commissions et services publics, Miscellanea Archivistica Studia n°74, Bruxelles, ARA-AGR, 1995.)

Subject terms:: Holocaust; Holocaust--Collaboration; Refugees; Resettlement of Jews; World War II

Finding aids:: J. Gallant, Inventaire sommaire des archives provenant du ministère de l’Intérieur, 1973.