Archives of the Union des Déportés Juifs de Belgique

Collection description

Scope and content:: This fonds contains a rich correspondence, summaries and notes of meetings, files concerning the organisation of pilgrimages to Mechelen and Auschwitz, minutes of meetings, personal archival material of Maurice Pioro (principally related to his capacity as president of the UDJB and co-president of the Fondation Mémorial National aux Martyrs Juifs de Belgique (1987)), press clippings, invitations and photographs (dated ca. 1980-2001). The part of the archives transferred in 2014 contains correspondence, photographs, publications and educational material.

Administrative/biographical history:: The Union des Déportés Juifs de Belgique, formerly Union des Déportés Juifs et Ayants Droit en Belgique (‘union of Jewish deportees and right holders in Belgium’) was founded in 1956. Its headquarters was established at rue du Progrès 431 in Brussels. The objective of the association is to unite the Jewish deportees, Jewish political prisoners and their right holders living in Belgium, and to give moral and material support to these former deportees and prisoners. The association aims to defend the material and moral interests of its members, and to ensure their representation. Unlike political prisoners, Jewish “racial” deportees can’t benefit from a recognised status. The UDJB fights against fascism and antisemitism. It intervened in the trial against war criminals, notably as the civil party in the Kiel trial. The first president of the association was Hersch Zuckerman, followed in 1960 by Maurice Pioro; since 2000 Misha Eisenstorg is its president. The organisation of the annual pilgrimage to the former Sammellager in Mechelen is one of the current principal activities of the association. (« Statuts ", Annexe au Moniteur belge, 25 February 1956, pp. 292-293.)

Subject terms:: Commemoration; Correspondence; Holocaust; Holocaust--Concentration camps; Holocaust--Survivors; Monuments and memorials; Personal records; Prisoners

Access, restrictions:: Access requires the authorisation of the archivist of the Jewish Museum of Belgium.

Finding aids:: There is a preliminary inventory at the Jewish Museum of Belgium. No finding aid exists for the archives transferred in 2014.