Archives of ABVV-District Antwerp

Collection description

Collection

Country:: Belgium

Holding institution:: Amsab – Institute of Social History

Holding institution (official language):: Amsab - Instituut voor Sociale Geschiedenis

Postal address:: Bagattenstraat 174, 9000 Gent

Phone number:: +32 9 224 00 79

Web address:: www.amsab.be

Email:: info@amsab.be

Reference number:: AmsabISH-Ghent-508

Title:: Archives of ABVV-District Antwerp

Title (official language):: Archief van ABVV-Gewest Antwerpen

Creator/accumulator:: Algemeen Belgisch Vakverbond; Fédération Générale du Travail de Belgique

Date(s):: 1868/1987

Extent:: 3 boxes

Scope and content:: File no. 20 (dated 1964) concerns the attitude of (mayor of Antwerp) Lode Craeybeckx regarding the membership of Jews of the Vlaamse Conferentie der Balie van Antwerpen (the bar in Antwerp), Nazism and antisemitism before and during the Second World War.

Administrative/biographical history:: The socialist Algemeen Belgisch Vakverbond (ABVV) – Fédération Générale du Travail de Belgique originated in April 1945 from a fusion of the pre-war Belgisch Vakverbond with several other organisations, notably some that had played a role in the resistance. Formal ties with the Belgian social democratic movement were cut, although the relationship between the union and the political movement became closer with the creation of the Socialistische Gemeenschappelijke Actie (1950) in the context of the ‘Royal Question’. For a long time, until the strike of 1960-1961, the core of ABVV-policy was the struggle for structural economic reforms. Combined with the rising Walloon federalist movement, this also paved the way for reforms within the ABVV. The federalisation of the union started from the end of the 1960s, with the creation of interregional unions within its departments. Since the Second World War, the ABVV operates as one of the payment institutions within the framework of compulsory social security (an achievement i.a. negotiated by the predecessor of the ABVV). Apart from union representation of its members in the strict sense and its mutual society (mutualiteit), the socialist union also offers extensive social and legal services as well as a wide range of educational and cultural activities. We also point out its role as one of the social partners in the Belgian social dialogue model. (D. Luyten, “De vakbonden”, in P. van den Eeckhout & G. Vanthemsche (ed.), Bronnen voor de studie van het hedendaagse België 19e – 21e eeuw. Tweede herziene en uitgebreide uitgave, Brussel, Koninklijke Commissie voor Geschiedenis / Commission Royale d’Histoire, 2009, pp. 925-944.)

Access points: locations:: Antwerp

Access points: persons/families:: Craeybeckx, Lode

Subject terms:: Antisemitism; Nazism; Socialism; Socialism--Socialist parties and organisations; World War II

Finding aids:: There is an unpublished list.

Yerusha Network member:: State Archives of Belgium

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