Carl Requette archives

Collection

Creator/accumulator:: Belgisch Commissariaat voor de Repatriëring; Commissariat belge au rapatriement

Scope and content:: The archives of Carl Requette, liquidator of the Belgisch Commissariaat voor de Repatriëring, contains i.a. general correspondence with international organisations and foreign countries related to the reimbursement of repatriation expenses. We also point out files concerning the practical and financial processing of the repatriation of civilians (including Jews). Lastly, the fonds contains relevant files related to missions in various European and non-European countries, as well as a number of files concerning disputes (see e.g. no. 176 about the “Kleefeld affair”, and no. 270 titled “repatriation of Jews – recoveries”).

Administrative/biographical history:: The Belgisch Commissariaat voor de Repatriëring / Commissariat belge au rapatriement (Belgian Commissariat for Repatriation) was created by the exile government in London in the summer of 1944. Its temporary mission was to coordinate the safe repatriation of thousands of Belgian refugees, deportees, displaced persons etc. This extremely challenging task was rendered even more difficult due to the lack of overview and reliable information, the limited means at its disposal, the security situation and the absence of infrastructure to accommodate the refugees. The Commissariat initially operated as a decentralised service under the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare, and later under the Ministry for War Victims. Because the Commissariat had virtually completed its mission, dismantlement began in August 1945 – first by a committee of liquidators, later through the administratie van Registratie en Domeinen of the Ministry of Finances. Officially, the Belgian Commissariat for Repatriation was dissolved only in 1967. (J.-M. Yante & P.-A. Tallier (ed.), F. Plisnier, S. Carnel, G. Coppieters & V. Pirlot, Gids van de instellingen van openbaar nut in België. Deel II. Band 1. Notities van de parastatalen onderworpen aan de wet van 16 maart 1954 en van diegene die daarvoor afgeschaft werden (notities 1 tot 159), Guides/Gidsen no. 70, Brussel, ARA-AGR, 2008, pp. 280-282.)

Subject terms:: Citizenship; Refugees; Resettlement of Jews; Restitution and compensation

Finding aids:: M. Trigalet & L. Vandeweyer, Inventaire des archives de Carl Requette. Service de liquidation du Commissariat belge au rapatriement. Recouvrement des avances faites dans le cadre de l’opération de rééquipement hospitalier de la Belgique 1948-1973, I 442, Brussel, ARA-AGR, 2009.