Metadata: Population archives, Aliens series
Collection
- Country:
- Belgium
- Holding institution:
- Municipality of Schaerbeek
- Holding institution (official language):
- Commune de Schaerbeek
- Postal address:
- Rue Anatole France 29 / Anatole Francestraat 29, 1030 Bruxelles (Schaerbeek)
- Phone number:
- +32 (0)2 244 75 32
- Reference number:
- MunSchaerbeek-Brussels-Fonds Population, Série Étrangers
- Title:
- Population archives, Aliens series
- Title (official language):
- Fonds Population, Série Étrangers
- Creator/accumulator:
- Commune de Schaerbeek; Gemeente Schaarbeek; Municipality of Schaerbeek
- Date(s):
- 1921/2016
- Date note:
- 1921 - present
- Extent:
- ca. 50 linear metres
- Scope and content:
-
The “Série Étrangers” of the Population archives consists of two sub-series.
The first sub-series contains the files of the years 1921-1935. They consist of information forms (from the Sûreté Publique) filled out for each alien residing in the municipality. The forms mention i.a. the surname, first name, date and place of birth, nationality of the concerned, his parents, and of his spouse and children; last residence abroad (including street and house number); date of arrival in Belgium; previous residence in Belgium; moral conduct; military service status; nature of travelling documents and identity papers; whether the individuals are political refugees etc.
The second series is formed by the files from the years 1935-1995. There is a complete individual file (as opposed to simply one form) for each alien. These files vary in size. They often contain correspondence, administrative documents, often also photographs. They provide information on i.a. changes of residence; the legal status; income, expenses and monthly rent; marital status; place and date of birth; nationality; profession; date and place of marriage; last and/or legal residence abroad; date of arrival and any previous residence in Belgium; request for authorisation to employ a foreign worker etc. The information form also contains basic biographical information on the parents of the concerned individual. The files also include reports of various municipal services, police reports, declarations of destitution and others.
- Administrative/biographical history:
- The municipality is one of the levels of government with which citizens most often come into contact. Its tasks and competences were first established by the decree of 14 December 1789, and by the order of 19 Frimaire year IV [1795-96]. After Belgian independence, the legal framework was provided by the Gemeentewet of 1836 and later the ‘Nieuwe Gemeentewet’ (1988). Since 2002, the organic law regarding municipalities is a competence of the Regions. Until 1980, municipalities were supervised by the provincial and central authorities. Today, there is a division of powers between the federal and regional governments. A municipality is led by a mayor, who is also the head of the local police. He/she is assisted by a college of aldermen, selected from the municipal council. Currently, there are 589 municipalities in Belgium. Before the large-scale fusions in the 1970s – in other words, for a large part of Belgian history – there were 2359 municipalities. The municipality had/has, among others, competences regarding the management of its assets, institutions and staff; municipal revenue and expenditure; Civil Registry; health and safety in public places; urban planning and environment; public works; militia; education; elections etc. This is reflected in the sources held in municipal and city archives. Important general sources include the (sometimes published) minutes of meetings and records of the municipal council and college of aldermen (often indexed by subject). We also refer to all kinds of administrative reports and general correspondence. The series of sources of the Civil Registry (e.g. birth, marriage and death certificates, population registers, registers of arrival and departure) are crucial for historical research on individuals. Relevant for this guide are notably the alien registers (since 1933), and the alien files preserved in some larger cities. Of major importance are also the accounts, correspondence and other material regarding the recognised religions. They contain information on their operation, budgets, assets but also the appointment of ministers, donations to religious communities, various conflicts etc. Building permits and files regarding environmental permits contain information and usually blueprints of buildings. Lastly, in many municipal and city archives there are specific series of sources regarding policy during the First and Second World War. We mention e.g. the various anti-Jewish ordinances, documents regarding the spoliation of the Jews, the so-called Jodenregister (register of Jews), correspondence related to the implementation of the anti-Jewish policies etc. (J. Art & E. Vanhaute (ed.), Inleiding tot de lokale geschiedenis van de 19de en de 20ste eeuw, Gent, Mens & Cultuur, 2003; P. van den Eeckhout, “De gemeenten en de lokale openbare instellingen”, 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. 31-92.)
- Access points: locations:
- Schaerbeek
- Subject terms:
- Correspondence
- Migration
- Migration--Immigration
- Photographs
- Refugees
- Vital records
- System of arrangement:
- The files of the first series are arranged by year, and then chronologically (by date of creation of the file). The files of the second series are ordered by entry number.
- Access, restrictions:
- Access requires the authorisation of the members of the College of Mayor and Aldermen.
- Finding aids:
- There is a card index, but is not available to the public; searches by name are carried out by the staff of archives department.
- Yerusha Network member:
- State Archives of Belgium
