Metadata: War damage files, used by the Buysse Commission
Collection
- Country:
- Belgium
- Holding institution:
- National Archives of Belgium 2 – Joseph Cuvelier Repository
- Holding institution (official language):
- Archives Générales du Royaume 2 – Dépôt Joseph Cuvelier
- Postal address:
- Hopstraat 26-28 / Rue du Houblon 26-28, 1000 Bruxelles
- Phone number:
- +32 (0)2 274 15 00
- Web address:
- http://www.arch.be/
- Email:
- agr_ar_2@arch.be
- Reference number:
- NAB2-Brussels-545-269
- Title:
- War damage files, used by the Buysse Commission
- Title (official language):
- Dossiers dommages de guerre, traités par la Commission Buysse.
- Creator/accumulator:
- Ministerie van Wederopbouw; Ministère de la Reconstruction
- Date(s):
- 1944/1977
- Extent:
- 7 linear metres
- Scope and content:
- This fonds constitutes a major source for the history of the spoliation of the Jews in Belgium. The files are arranged by province – we note ca. 290 files for the province of Antwerp, 180 for Brabant, some 20 for Liège, 5 for Luxembourg, 4 for Limburg and one file for East Flanders. These files of Jewish war damage victims contain the surname, first name, occasionally the name of the spouse, nationality and the dates of the file. The files vary in size and content. Some are very detailed and provide a meticulous description of all the destroyed or stolen goods found in the home before the war and their value: furniture, clothes, dishes, food stores etc. Some files also contain plans and photographs. Many cases concern applications submitted following the destruction of property but also loss and theft of movable goods. The files provide an excellent overview of the administrative procedures undertaken by the applicants in order to obtain compensation. They offer a detailed perspective on the private life of civilians.
- Administrative/biographical history:
- The Ministry of Reconstruction was created in the spring of 1946, following the merger of the Ministry for War Victims and the Ministry for War Damages. The communist Jean Terfve became the first Minister of Reconstruction (1946-1947). The two most important services of the ministry were the Bestuur der Schade aan Personen (‘administration for damage to individuals’) and the Bestuur der Oorlogsschade aan Private Goederen (‘administration for damage to private property’). The first one was notably in charge of according the different statuses (civilian resistance fighter, defaulter, political prisoner etc.) and payment of financial support linked to a particular status. The Bestuur der Oorlogsschade aan Private Goederen was composed of nine provincial directorates and one central directorate, and was notably responsible for granting financial compensation to individuals and private organisations (including companies) whose property was damaged or destroyed during the war. It managed 48 cooperatives supporting the reconstruction in various ways. The Ministry of Reconstruction was active until mid-August 1952. Its duties regarding war victims were transferred to the Ministry of Public Health and Family. The administration of war damages to private property was handed over to the Ministry of Public Works and Reconstruction. (P. Bourgeois, Le Ministère des victimes de la guerre (1945-1946). Le Ministère des dommages de guerre (1945-1946). Le Ministère de la Reconstruction (1946-1952). Organisation et compétences, Miscellanea Archivistica Studia no. 42, Brussel, ARA-AGR, 1993.)
- Access points: locations:
- Antwerp
- Brabant
- East Flanders
- Liege
- Limburg
- Luxembourg
- System of arrangement:
- The files are arranged by province
- Access, restrictions:
- Consultation requires the authorisation of the Algemeen Rijksarchivaris or his representative. This authorisation is granted on the basis of a research declaration signed by the researcher.
- Finding aids:
- F. Strubbe, Inventaris van de dossiers Oorlogsschade, behandeld door de Commissie Buysse, Bruxelles, ARA-AGR, 2012. For more information on the war damage archives, see also F. Antoine, Les dossiers individuels des dommages de guerre aux biens privés (Deuxième Guerre mondiale), Jalons de recherche/Zoekwijzers n°27, Bruxelles, ARA-AGR, 2011 and F. Antoine, De individuele dossiers « Oorlogsschade aan private goederen " (Tweede Wereldoorlog), Jalons de Recherche/Zoekwijzers n°33, Brussel, ARA-AGR, 2012.
- Yerusha Network member:
- State Archives of Belgium
