Max Buset archives

Collection

Scope and content:: In this file we note, in no. 90, apart from copies of the bulletin Jewish Labour News also other periodicals from Jewish organisations (1947-1948). Nr. 165 contains correspondence concerning the relations between the Belgian Socialist Party and Palestine, as well as copies of Jewish Labour News. In file no. 168 we finds notes by Isabelle Blume on Palestine. The files no. 187, 188 and 189 belong to the series “dossiers étrangers” related to Palestine/Israel, respectively for the years 1946-1947, 1947-1948 and 1949-1952. Nr. 191 contains general correspondence (1946-1952) concerning war victims and various organisations of prisoners of war, deported persons, resistance members, etc. Lastly we note the file no. 225, containing Buset’s correspondence (1945-1948) with David Ferdman i.a. concerning appointments, interventions for individuals and Jewish organisations.

Administrative/biographical history:: Max Buset (1896-1959) came from a working class family. He started working as a draftsman for the Ateliers de Haine Saint Paul and the Société franco-belge de la Croyère. Thanks to scholarships of the Central d’Éducation Ouvrière (CEO) he was able to study economic and social science at the ULB and Ruskin College (1921), the college of the British Labour Party. Buset became a professor at the École Ouvrière Supérieure, secretary of the CEO (1929), and leader of the Bureau d’Études Sociales of the Belgian Labour Party. In the framework of the campaign for the Plan van de Arbeid he became the director of the periodical Plan. Buset was a member of parliament (1932-1959) for the district Thuin. As an opponent of the neutrality policy of De Man and co, he was active in the support for the Spanish Republic i.a. by supporting the Republican Army and providing relief for Spanish citizens and children. Buset stayed in England during the Second World War, where he became active in the BBC. After the Occupation he became the president of the Belgian socialist party (1945-1949). As a convinced unitarist, Buset played an important role in the “Royal Question”. In 1948 he was appointed Minister of State. (L. Flagothier & R. Flagothier, Inventaire d’Archives du Fonds Max Buset, Brussel, Fondation Louis de Brouckère, 1982.)

Access points: persons/families:: Blume, Isabelle; Buset, Max; Ferdman, David

Subject terms:: Correspondence; Holocaust; Holocaust--Deportation; Holocaust--Rescue and resistance; Jewish political activity; Mandatory Palestine; Prisoners; Professions; Professions--Scholars (secular), scientists, and academics; Socialism; Socialism--Socialist parties and organisations; Socialism--Socialists; State of Israel

Finding aids:: L. Flagothier & R. Flagothier, Inventaire d’Archives du Fonds Max Buset, Brussel, Fondation Louis de Brouckère, 1982.