Archives of the Onafhankelijkheidsfront

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 2127

Title:: Archives of the Onafhankelijkheidsfront

Title (official language):: Archief Onafhankelijkheidsfront

Creator/accumulator:: Onafhankelijkheidsfront; Front de l’Indépendance

Date(s):: 1941/1980

Extent:: ca. 150 linear metres

Scope and content:: This voluminous fonds is currently being processed. By means of the existing partial finding aid, we can see that a number of files are relevant for this guide. We firstly note a file regarding the so-called “Joodse Zuiveringscommissie” (“Jewish purge committee”) of the Onafhankelijkheidsfront (1944-1946). We also mention the correspondence of the OF – i.a. with the periodical Regards (published by the Centre Communautaire Laïc Juif), with local sections, official institutions, etc. The documentation contains press clippings and excerpts from periodicals i.a. regarding antisemitism, the persecution of the Jews in Germany, the (extreme right party) Vlaams Blok and the persecution of the Jews, etc. Lastly, we point out different series concerning the membership administration of the OF – including membership cards, lists of names, and several series of individual files (e.g. those produced in the framework of the procedures for the official recognition as resistance fighter).

Archival history:: Donation from the Onafhankelijkheidsfront in 2008.

Administrative/biographical history:: The Onafhankelijkheidsfront – Front de l’indépendance (OF)(‘independence front’) was a resistance organisation, created at the initiative of (and de facto led by) the Communist Party (KPB). By the spring of 1941 the KPB had made another ideological turn, and henceforth considered – especially since the invasion of the USSR (June 1941) – ‘German imperialism’ as the only real enemy. The first steps were taken in the region of Liège (cfr. the Front wallon pour l’indépendance du pays) in late 1941. By 1942 the OF had become a national organisation. Its mission was to unite the ensemble of resistance groups and unorganised resistance fighters into one organisation. Within the OF, Catholics were active as well as Freemasons, liberal freethinkers, communists, democratic Flemish nationalists, etc. The local and regional committees also varied greatly in ideological composition. Furthermore, the OF created resistance groups, aimed at specific segments of the population such as youths, teachers, lawyers, physicians, women, … From 1943, the OF was by far the largest resistance organisation. The Milices patriotiques – patriottische milities (‘patriotic militia’) formed its armed wing, in addition to the ‘professionals’ of the Partisans armés – Gewapende Partizanen (‘armed partisans’) within the KPB. Among the activities of the OF we notably mention the preparation and distribution of illegal newspapers, the organisation of strikes, he reclaiming of public space (through posters, pamphlets), acts of sabotage, attacks on enemy infrastructure and on collaborators, organisation of and assistance to defaulters (werkweigeraars), etc. Its relationship with the Belgian government in London (reluctant to arm the OF) remained tense for a long time. By March 1944 the OF had recognised the authority of ‘London’. This loyalty was rewarded: Pierlot included OF-secretary-general Fernand Demay in his government (September 1944). The OF, which had become a real mass organisation in the meantime, played a key role during the Liberation. Relevant for this guide is the inclusion of the Comité de Défense des Juifs – Joods Verdedigingscomité (‘Jewish defence committee’) within the OF. (J. Gotovitch, “Front de l’Indépendance”, J. Gotovitch, “Partisans Armés (PA)” and M. Steinberg, “Résistance (juive)”, in P. Aron & J. Gotovitch, Dictionnaire de la Seconde Guerre mondiale en Belgique, Brussel, André Versaille, 2008, pp. 198-201, 328-329 and 393-395.)

Access points: locations:: Liege

Subject terms:: Antisemitism; Communism; Communism--Communist parties and organisations; Fascism; Fascism--Fascist parties and organisations; Jewish self-defence and resistance; Newspaper clippings; Publishing; World War II

Access, restrictions:: The fonds is being processed and is, for the time being, not open for consultation.

Finding aids:: There is a (presently somewhat obsolete) inventory: J. Timmerman, Inventarisering van het archief van het Onafhankelijkheidsfront berustend in het Huis van het Verzet – Nationaal Museum van de Weerstand, thesis, VUB, 2005.

Yerusha Network member:: State Archives of Belgium

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