Metadata: Churches – other religions
Collection
- Country:
- Belgium
- Holding institution:
- State Archives in Antwerp
- Holding institution (official language):
- Rijksarchief te Antwerpen
- Postal address:
- Sanderusstraat 81, 2018 Antwerpen
- Phone number:
- +32 (0)3 236 73 00
- Reference number:
- SAA-Beveren-PAA 642
- Title:
- Churches – other religions
- Title (official language):
- Kerken – andere erediensten
- Creator/accumulator:
- Provincie Antwerpen; Province d’Anvers; province of Antwerp
- Date(s):
- 1838/1968
- Scope and content:
-
In this fonds we find material related to the construction, management and furnishing of buildings related to the non-Catholic (recognised) religions.
We find nine files (nos. 939-947; dated 1871-1968) for the main synagogue in Bouwmeesterstraat (in Antwerp), concerning its establishment and recognition, the design and construction of the synagogue by Ernest Stordiau, the renovation of the roof, reparations related to war damage (i.a. of the ritual slaughterhouse), the purchase of ritual objects including Torah scrolls etc.
Four files (nos. 948-951; dated 1922-1961) relate to the auxiliary synagogue in Oostenstraat. We note material concerning the design and construction of the synagogue by Joseph De Lange, and reparations of war damage.
File no. 952 (1951-1956) concerns the “preliminary auxiliary synagogue” at Terliststraat 35.
We note three files (nos. 953-955; dated 1951-1959) related to the Verenigde Israëlitische Gemeenten, and concerning reparations of war damage to the Jewish school in the Jacob Jordaensstraat 23/25 and to the religious schools in the Lange Leemstraat 313 and 321.
The files nos. 956-961 (years 1912-1961) concern the synagogue of the Orthodox Jewish community Machsike Hadass at Oostenstraat 43, and relate to the construction of the synagogue by Jules Hofman, the request for subsidies for the construction of a new synagogue by NV Machsidath and architect B. Durlet, reparations of war damage (i.a. to the ritual baths), the placement of furniture designed by Rie Haan etc.
Concerning the auxiliary synagogue of this community situated in the Jacob Jacobsstraat 22 we find two files (nos. 962-963, dated 1955-1963), related to the purchase of real estate, the renovation of the auxiliary synagogue and other construction works by architect C. De Winter, and to the construction of a children’s home and school for primary and higher education (including a boarding school, synagogue and mikveh) in Wilrijk.
Lastly, we note six files (nos. 964-969; dated 1874-1964) concerning the synagogue of the Sephardic community in the Hoveniersstraat. They relate to the reparations to the synagogue in the Pieter Potstraat, the construction of the synagogue by Joseph De Lange, reparations of war damage (i.a. to the stained glass windows and electricity) etc.
- Administrative/biographical history:
- The present division of Belgium into provinces dates back to the French period, when the Southern Netherlands were split up into nine départements (decree of 14 Fructidor, year III). Since the division of the province of Brabant in 1995 Belgium has ten provinces. For almost 150 years, the Provinciewet of 1836 remained the legal framework. The constitutional reforms of 1970 and 1980 also affected the provinces, who escaped elimination but were thoroughly reformed (law of 6 July 1987). Since 1 January 2002 the organic law regarding the provinces is a competence of the Regions; both the Flemish and Walloon Regions have since issued their own provincial decrees. A province is headed by a governor. He/she is assisted by a provincial executive (bestendige deputatie; today called ‘deputatie’ in Flanders, ‘collège provincial’ in Wallonia) selected from the provincial council. The tasks and competences of the provinces were only vaguely described in the Provinciewet. In practice, the provincial executive and the governor primarily supervise(d) lower administrations including municipalities, the Public Centres for Social Welfare and church councils (kerkfabrieken). The province also has the authority to create certain institutions such as schools. The governor is responsible for keeping the peace, public order and security; for this purpose he is authorised to call upon the Gendarmerie (Federal Police, since 1998). As a consequence of these tasks and competences, provincial archives contain documents on a wide range of subjects such as public works, public health, finances of the municipalities and local institutions, elections, provincial education, public order etc. Among the general sources we notably mention minutes of meetings but also the (published) Bestuursmemoriaal in which the decisions, circulars, regulations etc. of the provincial bodies are included. Relevant for this guide are the documents resulting from the organisation and supervision of recognised religions (incl. budgets, accounts, appointment and housing of rabbis, works to synagogues). Provincial archives also contain documents regarding policy during the Second World War, including material on the anti-Jewish ordinances, registration of Jews, deportation, spoliation etc. (P. van den Eeckhout, “De provincies”, 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. 105-138.)
- Access points: locations:
- Antwerp
- Access points: persons/families:
- Hofman, Jules, 1859-1919
- Stordiau, Ernest, 1855-1937
- Access, restrictions:
- Consultation of documents older than 30 years containing personal information 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:
- There is an unpublished inventory.
- Yerusha Network member:
- State Archives of Belgium
