Polak-Suetens Jos and Jeanne

Collection description

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

Scope and content:: In this fonds we mainly find documents related to the private life of the Polak-Suetens family as well as the activities of the couple in various associations. We firstly note documents such as membership cards, postcards, announcements of the deaths of various individuals, etc. but also photos of the Polak and Swillens families (1876-1981). Concerning the activity of Jos Polak and Jeanne Suetens in various organisations, we find the usual types of documents: minutes of meetings, notes, invitations and circulars, documentation (brochures, clippings, publications), correspondence (see for example in file no. 14.125 correspondence with Sylvain Brachfeld about the relations between the Jewish population and the Belgian socialist party), etc. In addition we note a number of files consisting of memos, texts, notes etc. related to lectures, presentations, articles, slideshows, etc. of Polak and Suetens. The fonds contains iconographic material as well, such as photos taken by Jos Polak. The photos are mainly portraits of authors, artists, journalists and politicians, and photos of events and exhibitions, as well as photos used in Polak’s slideshows.

Administrative/biographical history:: Jos Polak (1918-2008) was councillor for the socialist party in the province (1957-1988) and city (1968-1970, 1981-1982) of Antwerp. He was also an active member, collaborator and/or board member of various socialist organisations such as Socialistische Voorwacht (1945-1957), Eigen Kracht, the Raad van Toezicht van Huisvesting and the Koöperatief Verbond. In addition, Polak was a gifted amateur photographer. He was the co-founder of the Socialistische Foto- en Kinokring Antwerpen (1945), a member of the board of the Federatie van Arbeiders Foto- en Kinokringen (from 1965) and the creator and president of the Socialistisch Centrum voor Amateuristische Kunstbeoefening (from 1989). His wife Jeanne Suetens was also active within the socialist movement in Antwerp, i.a. in the ABVV as a youth leader of the Syndikale Jeugd, in the cabaret De Rode Troubadours, but especially in women’s organisations such as the Socialistische Vooruitziende Vrouwen, the Koöperatieve Vrouwen, the women’s group Stuivenberg (1964-1975) and the Socialistische Vrouwen Antwerpen Centraal. She first worked for the city libraries in Antwerp and later for the AMVC-Letterenhuis; from 1970 until retirement, Suetens worked for the Antwerp city archives. (unpublished list of the Polak-Suetens Jos and Jeanne archives (BE / AMSAB-ISG / 525)

Access points: persons/families:: Brachfeld; Polak family; Polak-Suetens family; Polak, Jos; Suetens, Jeanne; Swillens family

Subject terms:: Correspondence; Feminism; Feminism--Feminists; Jewish political activity; Personal records; Photographs; Socialism; Socialism--Socialists