Metadata: Archives of the Université Nouvelle de Bruxelles
Collection
- Country:
- Belgium
- Holding institution:
- Archives of the Université Libre de Bruxelles
- Holding institution (official language):
- Archives de l’Université Libre de Bruxelles
- Postal address:
- Campus du Solbosch AX1.222, Avenue Franklin Roosevelt 50 / Franklin Rooseveltlaan 50, 1000 Bruxelles
- Phone number:
- +32 02/650.35.66
- Email:
- archives@ulb.ac.be
- Reference number:
- ArUnLib-Brussels-001Z
- Title:
- Archives of the Université Nouvelle de Bruxelles
- Title (official language):
- Fonds Université Nouvelle de Bruxelles
- Creator/accumulator:
- Université Nouvelle
- Date(s):
- 1894/1919
- Extent:
- 6.2 linear metres
- Scope and content:
- This fonds is divided in three sections: the archives of the central administration, the archives of the faculties, schools and institutes, and lastly the archives of societies linked to the university. Of interest are especially the files related to students - in particular foreign students, including many Jewish students from Russia and Eastern and Central Europe. The following files are of great importance: no. 1Z176-183 “aid to students” (1910-1917), no. 1Z247-263 “bulletins of enrolment for courses” (1895-1919), no. 1Z264-280 “registers of enrolment for courses” (1897-1919), no. 1Z288 “student population, statistical tables” (1894-1918), no. 1Z289-298 “individual files of students” (516 files in total, arranged alphabetically), no. 1Z299 “various certificates of students not enrolled at the University”, no. 1Z310-335 “correspondence concerning the students” (1894-1919) and no. 1Z336-354 “files concerning exams (inscription bulletins, forms, results)”. We also find interesting files in the “Collection of printed, typed or handwritten courses and lectures of the University and the Institute”, for example no. 1Z450 “Institut des Hautes Études – syllabus of the class of S. Katzenelenbogen: Hebrew Language, year 1”. This fonds furthermore contains the hand written or typed theses of the students (83 in total). They were preserved almost in their entirety, and the theses are indicative of the philosophical and political tendencies of the students and the institution; there are many theses related to women’s rights. Concerning Judaism, see thesis no. 1Z537 – the thesis in economics titled Émigration juive and written by S. Katzenelenbogen.
- Administrative/biographical history:
- The Université Nouvelle (‘new university’) opened its doors in 1894. Its creation was the result of a dispute within the Université Libre de Bruxelles, by students and professors who wished to safeguard the principle of free inquiry (libre examen). This real generational conflict between a conservative board of directors and socialist or progressive liberal students and professors led to the resignation of many professors and the creation of a new university. From its inception, the Université Nouvelle accommodated a large foreign student population, primarily from Central and Eastern Europe – from Bulgaria, Romania and Russia. The university had neither statutes nor regulations until 1912, when the Institut des Hautes Études gained more autonomy. At that time it became important to write down the customs and operating mode of the various institutions. Guillaume De Greef was the only rector of the university; he held this function from 1896 until 1919. The Université Nouvelle was never officially recognised as a university – the official reason was that it lacked the four faculties required, but in reality conservatives disliked the university. The Université Nouvelle included several affiliated institutes, such as the Institut géographique, the Institut des fermentations and the Institut des Hautes Études. The latter is the only institute that survived; it became the Institut des Hautes Études de Belgique. The university remained open during the First World War. Deprived of the massive enrolment of Bulgarian and Romanian students after the war, it could no longer sustain itself financially and was forced to close down. The Université Nouvelle was dissolved in 1919. (A. Despy-Meyer, Inventaire des archives de l’Université Nouvelle de Bruxelles (1894-1919), Bruxelles, Institut des Hautes Études – Service des archives de l’ULB, 1973.)
- Access points: persons/families:
- Katzenelenbogen, S
- Finding aids:
- A. Despy-Meyer, Inventaire des archives de l’Université Nouvelle de Bruxelles (1894-1919), Bruxelles, Institut des Hautes Études – Service des archives de l’ULB, 1973.
- Yerusha Network member:
- State Archives of Belgium
