BNB-sector Ronse

Collection

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

Creator/accumulator:: Mouvement National Belge; Belgische Nationale Beweging

Scope and content:: This fonds contains a number of relevant files. See for example the letter regarding suggestions for tracing textile factories that produced the fabric for i.a. the yellow badges (no. 71), the (reproduction of a) letter concerning the Shoah in Belgium and Poland (no. 76), press clippings regarding commemorations of the liberation of the concentration camps and killing centres (nos. 83-85) and lastly a file concerning the remembrance ceremony on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the end of the Second World War and the liberation of the camps, held in Ronse on 6 and 7 May 1995 (no. 96). We also note file no. 3, containing a copy of the book Hommage des Juifs de Belgique à leurs Héros et Sauveurs 1940-1945. Extermination, Sauvetage et Résistance des Juifs de Belgique written by Maxime Steinberg.

Administrative/biographical history:: The Mouvement National Belge (MNB)(‘Belgian national movement’) was created in December 1940 in Brussels, at the initiative of the Catholic journalist and functionary Camille Joset. This mostly francophone organisation primarily recruited in (petit-) bourgeois milieus. Ideologically, it belonged to the category of rather conservative, loyalist and belgicist (Belgian nationalist) resistance groups. Its clandestine periodical La Voix des Belges (from 1941) was distributed all over Belgium. Regarding the resistance activities of the MNB, we notably point out the gathering of intelligence for the ‘Mill’ network, the evacuation of people to England, its role in Comète (the escape line for shot down pilots), its assistance to Jews and defaulters (werkweigeraars) thanks to the many functionaries in its ranks, sabotage, etc. In February 1944 the MNB was hit hard by the German repression. As a result, the organisation was not able to play the role it had wanted to in the liberation of the country. In total the MNB had almost 15,000 recognised members. (F. Maerten, “Mouvement National Belge (MNB)”, in P. Aron & J. Gotovitch, Dictionnaire de la Seconde Guerre mondiale en Belgique, Brussel, André Versaille, 2008, pp. 279-280.)

Subject terms:: Commemoration; Holocaust; Holocaust--Concentration camps; Holocaust--Liberation; Holocaust--Rescue and resistance; Holocaust--Righteous Among the Nations; Holocaust--Yellow star; Jewish self-defence and resistance; Trade and commerce; Trade and commerce--Clothing and textile trade; World War II

Finding aids:: M. Decrits, Inventaris van het archief van de Verzetsgroep de “Belgische Nationale Beweging – Sector Ronse” (1940-1995), I 41 (Rijksarchief te Ronse), Brussel, ARA-AGR, 2008.