‘Jours de Guerre’ collection of RTBF radio Mons

Collection description

Collection

Country:: Belgium

Holding institution:: Centre for Historical Research and Documentation on War and Contemporary Society

Holding institution (official language):: Centre d’Études et de Documentation Guerre et Sociétés Contemporaines

Postal address:: Luchtvaartsquare 29 / Square de l’Aviation 29, 1070 Bruxelles (Anderlecht)

Phone number:: +32 (0)2 556 92 11

Web address:: http://www.cegesoma.be/

Email:: cegesoma@cegesoma.be

Reference number:: CHRDWConS-Brussels-AA 1593

Title:: ‘Jours de Guerre’ collection of RTBF radio Mons

Title (official language):: Collection 'Jours de Guerre' RTBF radio Mons

Creator/accumulator:: Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie; Radio-Télévision belge de la Communauté française

Date(s):: 1990/1995

Extent:: 12 binders and 101 audio cassettes

Scope and content:: This file contains transcribed interviews and testimonies about the Second World War by witnesses as well as experts and historians, used in preparation of the radio broadcasts titled Jours de Guerre of the RTBF. From series A (interviews of witnesses), we note i.a. no. 218 Marco Ambramowicz (related to hidden Jewish children, aid to Jews by Catholics) and no. 250-251 (multiple witnesses, concerning the deportations incl. the XXth transport). From series B (interviews with experts), we note interviews with i.a. Maxime Steinberg (see nos. 19, 101-102, 170-174, 204-207, 236-239 and 303-306, resp. concerning the anti-Jewish measures in 1940, Jews in Belgium in 1941 and the persecution of the Jews in the USSR, the Wannsee conference and the “Endlösung”, anti-Jewish measures in 1942 and Auschwitz, the rescue of Jewish children, the deportation of Jews and the XXth transport), Jean Vanwelkenhuyzen (nos. 119-121 and 216-217, respectively concerning the status of Jews in France and the Jews in Vichy-France) and Francis Balace (no. 222, concerning antisemitism in France). Lastly, we mention no. 3 from the series C (written testimonies), consisting of an interview with Liliane Jadot-Richir (i.a. about aid to Jews).

Administrative/biographical history:: The Belgisch Nationaal instituut voor Radio-Omroep (Belgian National Institute for Radio Broadcasting)(NIR) was created in 1930 as a public institution, based on the model of the BBC. The institute, having received a de facto monopoly on radio broadcasts, partly took over the staff and broadcasting infrastructure of private radio stations. The first television programs were broadcast in 1953. During the Second World War, the installations of the NIR were used by the occupier for the propaganda of Sender Brüssel. The Belgische Nationale Radio-omroep (BNRO), created in 1942 by the exile government, broadcasted from London. After the Liberation the BNRO merged with the NIR. The ‘communautarisation’ of the Belgian state also heavily influenced the structure of the public broadcasting organisation. From 1937, there were independent directorates for the broadcasts in Dutch and French, with common administrative bodies. In 1960, the NIR was split up in three institutions: the Instituut van de Nederlandse Uitzendingen (BRT) (Dutch broadcasts), Instituut van de Franse Uitzendingen (RTB) (French broadcasts) and Instituut van de Gemeenschappelijke Diensten (IGD) (common services). The IGD was gradually phased out and eventually dissolved in 1977, the date of the definitive separation of the public broadcasting organisation. From the late 1970s onwards, individual broadcasting decrees for the two institutions were passed; the French-speaking RTBF and the Dutch-speaking BRT/BRTN/VRT went their separate way. Since the late 1980s, the public broadcasting institutions are faced with competition from private broadcasters. Today, RTBF and VRT are highly autonomous although they are financed by their respective Communities. Their relationship with the government is defined in administrative agreements with the Vlaamse Gemeenschap and the Communauté française respectively. Both public broadcasters are located in Brussels at the Reyerslaan (since 1968); before that they were based at the iconic Flagey building (1938-1968). Relevant for the present guide are the so-called ‘uitzendingen door derden’ (broadcasts by third parties), existing since the 1950s. Judaism (as an officially recognised religion) is one of the religious and philosophical communities receiving airtime on public broadcasting. (J. Derwael, Archief van de Belgische Radio en Televisie. Instituut van de Nederlandse Uitzendingen en rechtsvoorgangers, I 503, Brussel, ARA-AGR, 2011.)

Access points: locations:: Auschwitz; Mons

Access points: persons/families:: Ambramowicz, Marco; Balace, Francis; Jadot-Richir, Liliane; Steinberg, Maxime; Vanwelkenhuyzen, Jean

Subject terms:: Antisemitism; Antisemitism--Antisemitic measures; Children; Historical research; Holocaust; Holocaust--Concentration camps; Holocaust--Deportation; Holocaust--Hiding; Holocaust--Rescue and resistance; Jewish-Christian relations; Legal status of Jews; Radio and television; Testimony

Finding aids:: F. Maerten, Inventaire Archives ‘Jours de Guerre’ (radio), 1990-1995, Brussel, CEGESOMA, 1998 (list AA 1593). Finding aid L.2.1.1/48 , available in the reading room, contains a list of the audio cassettes.

Yerusha Network member:: State Archives of Belgium

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