Secretariat of king Leopold III. Robert Capelle

Collection

Web address:: http://www.arch.be/index.php?l=nl&m=praktische-info&r=onze-leeszalen&d=koninklijk-paleis

Title (official language):: Secretariaat van koning Leopold III. Robert Capelle

Scope and content:: This fonds contains a file (no. XIE) concerning interventions of king Leopold III on behalf of individuals arrested by the occupier. In addition, we point out the nos. IIe/1/a-c (notes i.a. about the treatment of the Jewish population in Nazi-Germany) and IIe/1/b (a letter by Chaim Weizmann, including the note “les Juifs en Allemagne au début de l’année 1939”), covering the years 1938-1940.

Administrative/biographical history:: The tasks of the Sécrétariat du Roi / Secretariaat van de Koning (1909-1924, 1934-1951) exceeded those of a mere private secretariat, and were often similar to those of the cabinet of the King. Under the reign of Albert I, the secretariat (led by Max-Léo Gerard) primarily took care of financial, economic and business-related matters. During the (active) reign of Leopold III, secretary Robert Capelle kept in touch with the ministers and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stayed informed about government negotiations and crises. From 1945 to 1950, secretary Jacques Pirenne held this function. The Queen generally had her own secretariat coordinating Her Majesty’s various occupations – mainly in the social, humanitarian and cultural field. Her secretary also directly supervised the secretariat’s Social Service. This service, set up by queen Elisabeth, assisted citizens seeking justice or some form of relief, and sometimes even provided material support. (G. Janssens, “De medewerkers van het Staatshoofd in België: taken en archief (1831-2011)”, in Museum Dynasticum, no. 2, 2011, pp. 49-61; G. Janssens, “Het Staatshoofd”, in P. van den Eeckhout & G. Vanthemsche, 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. 266-295.)

Finding aids:: G. Janssens, Inventaris van het archief van de Secretaris van koning Leopold III (Robert Capelle) (1903-1933) 1934-1945 (1945-1967), preliminary version, 2011. There is an (unpublished) detailed finding aid for the series of files “XV”. A hand written inventory also exists.