Archive of the Devisenschutzkommando

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 585

Title:: Archive of the Devisenschutzkommando

Title (official language):: Archief Devisenschutzkommando.

Creator/accumulator:: Devisenschutzkommando Belgien

Date(s):: 1940/1944

Language:: German; French

Extent:: ca. 20 linear metres

Scope and content:: This fonds concerns the spoliation of the Jews (both Belgians and non-Belgians) in Belgium during the German occupation. We notably find files concerning the opening of safes and the subsequent confiscation of their contents. Generally they consist of standard forms filled out by companies, lists, reports of these type of operations etc.

Administrative/biographical history:: The Devisenschutzkommandos (DSK) were created by the German authorities to supervise the ordinances and legislation regarding foreign exchange (Devisen) in the occupied territories. Their operation should be seen within the broader context of the economic and fiscal policies of the Third Reich. The Belgian DSK was founded on 11 May 1940. This service consisted, apart from technical staff, of about 30 functionaries and had its headquarters in Brussels, with smaller local branches in Antwerp, Ghent, Liège and Charleroi. In Belgium, the DSK focused its attention notably on the diamond industry. In addition the DSK also registered, opened, and seized bank safes owned by Jews. Valuables, securities, shares etc. were sold and the proceeds deposited in blocked accounts with the Emissiebank or spoliation banks. In these operations the DSK cooperated closely with the Sipo and the Brüsseler Treuhandgesellschaft. The service was also responsible for many arrests of individual Jews and entire families. The DSK Belgium de facto ceased to function from the summer of 1944, due to the evacuation following the Allied landings and their rapid advance through France and Belgium. (K.-I. Krähling, Das Devisenschutzkommando Belgien 1940-1944, Master’s thesis, Universität Konstanz, 2005; I. Meinen, De Shoah in België, Antwerpen, De Bezige Bij, 2011; Studiecommissie betreffende het lot van de bezittingen van de leden van de joodse gemeenschap van België, geplunderd of achtergelaten tijdens de oorlog 1940-1945, De bezittingen van de slachtoffers van de jodenvervolging in België: spoliatie, rechtsherstel, bevindingen van de Studiecommissie., Brussel, Diensten van de Eerste Minister, 2001.)

Access points: locations:: Belgium

Subject terms:: Nazism; Nazism--Nazi parties and organisations; Plunder; Trade and commerce

Finding aids:: Y. Hostie, Devisenschutzkommando, Brussel, CEGESOMA, 1988. A contemporary finding aid can be found in no. 113 of the fonds. The fonds is also described in the database of the CEGESOMA.

Links to finding aids:: http://pallas.cegesoma.be/pls/opac/plsp.getplsdoc?lan=N&htdoc=general/opac.htm

Yerusha Network member:: State Archives of Belgium

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