MRAX archives

Collection

Holding institution:: Centre for Historical Research and Documentation on War and Contemporary Society

Holding institution (official language):: Centre d’Études et de Documentation Guerre et Sociétés Contemporaines

Postal address:: Luchtvaartsquare 29 / Square de l’Aviation 29, 1070 Bruxelles (Anderlecht)

Creator/accumulator:: Mouvement contre le Racisme, l'Antisémitisme et la Xénophobie

Scope and content:: This fonds is not arranged and no inventory exists. It is highly likely that the fonds is of interest for our guide – it contains, for example, a number of files concerning antisemitism. We also point out the large series of files regarding individuals aided by the MRAX (primarily Turkish and North African immigrants, however).

Archival history:: The transfer of the archives to the CEGESOMA was completed in 2013.

Administrative/biographical history:: The current Mouvement contre le Racisme, l'Antisémitisme et la Xénophobie (MRAX) finds it origin in the Union des Juifs contre le racisme, l’antisémitisme et pour la paix, founded in 1950 by Jewish communist former resistance fighters (including Hertz and Yvonne Jospa). The mission of this organisation was to disseminate articles about the situation of the Jews in Belgium through the French periodical Droit et Liberté. Soon the association changed its name to MRAP-Belgique (Mouvement de lutte contre le racisme, l’antisémitisme et pour la paix). After the arrival of immigrant workers from the Mediterranean in the 1960s, the MRAP started to focus more on problems of accommodation, integration, the struggle for more rights and better working conditions, anti-racism, etc. For this purpose a ‘legal reception service’ was created in 1969. The stronger emphasis on fighting xenophobic tendencies in Belgian society was confirmed in 1966, when the organisation adopted its current name. Since 1975 the MRAX has been a non-profit association. Today, the MRAX is one of the main Belgian organisations active in the field of anti-racism, combating antisemitism, Islamophobia and other forms of discrimination, the recognition of the rights of illegal immigrants and asylum seekers, etc. (“Du MRAP au MRAX…” http://mrax.be/wp/du-mrap-au-mrax-2/; M. Roeges, “MRAX-archieven overgedragen aan het CEGESOMA” http://www.cegesoma.be.)

Subject terms:: Aid and relief; Anti-Fascism; Antisemitism; Communism; Communism--Communist parties and organisations; Jewish political activity; Migration; Migration--Immigration

Access, restrictions:: The fonds is currently being reordered and inventoried; it is virtually inaccessible at the time of writing. Researchers are required to contact Mr. Mathieu Roeges (mathieu.roeges@cegesoma.be).