Metadata: Gaston Eyskens
Collection
- Country:
- Belgium
- Holding institution:
- State Archives in Leuven
- Holding institution (official language):
- Rijksarchief te Leuven
- Postal address:
- Vaartstraat 24, 3000 Leuven
- Phone number:
- +32 (0)16 31 49 54
- Email:
- rijksarchief.leuven@arch.be
- Reference number:
- SA-Leuven-518-400
- Title:
- Gaston Eyskens
- Title (official language):
- Gaston Eyskens
- Creator/accumulator:
- Eyskens, Gaston
- Date(s):
- 1923/1987
- Extent:
- 62.5 linear metres
- Scope and content:
- The archives of Gaston Eyskens contain correspondence, files and various documentation relevant to this guide. First we note the impressive series of files related to speeches held by Eyskens. Here the file nos. 666, 748, 808, 847, 979, 1024, 1028, 1098, 1103, 1104, 1131, 1212 and 1235 are relevant. They cover the years 1958-1984 and concern i.a. Belgio-Israeli relations (friendship dinners, anniversaries, celebrations of the independence of Israel, etc.), activities of the De Belgische Vrienden van de Hebreeuwse Universiteit van Jeruzalem, the Medal of the Justice award to Eyskens’ brother-in-law John de Petter, etc. The series of correspondence dating back to Eyskens’ term as prime minister is also relevant. See nos. 5108, 5176, 5270, 5271, 5422, 5622, 5633, 5900, 6573 – i.a. with the Fédération sioniste de Belgique, Israeli ambassador Amiel E. Najar, Israeli president Izhak Benzvi, Émile Bernheim, Israeli prime minister Golda Meir, etc. covering the years 1958-1971. In the section ‘Jewish connection’ we find incoming letters, minutes of meetings and other documents, produced by Eyskens in his capacity as board member and vice president of the Belgische Vereniging voor Vriendschap met Israël and as honorary president of the De Belgische Vrienden van de Hebreeuwse Universiteit van Jeruzalem, and/or sent by other organisations sympathising with Israel or the Jewish population; see the files no. 7270-7272. Lastly we mention no. 168 (correspondence, notes, documentation concerning the Shoah), no. 7239 (including an outgoing letter to Jacques Basyn, president of Les Amis belges de l’Alyah des Jeunes) and no. 7276 (including documents received by Eyskens as member of the Nationale Katholieke Commissie voor de Betrekkingen tussen Christenen en Joden); the documents date from the period 1945-1980. We also want to mention that the general series of correspondence (especially the correspondence in nos. 28-112) also contain material concerning organisation sympathising with the Jewish population.
- Administrative/biographical history:
- Gaston Eyskens (1905-1988) was one of the most influential Belgian politicians of the 20th century. He combined an academic career as an economist and financial expert (i.a. at the Catholic University Leuven, the Centrale Hogeschool voor Christelijke Arbeiders in Heverlee, various interuniversity initiatives) with a political engagement within the Catholic party (CVP). Eyskens, elected as a member of parliament for the first time in 1939, belonged to the (radical) flamingant wing and held functions in both employers’ organisations (the Vlaams Economisch Verbond) and the workers’ movement (ACW). He was also active as administrator of the Nationale Delcrederedienst and as an auditor with the Kredietbank voor Handel en Nijverheid and the Antwerpse Diamantbank. As a politician Gaston Eyskens, in his capacity as CVP-parliamentary group leader, minister in the Belgian government and prime minister (three times between 1949 and 1968), played an active and often key role in the central political, social-economic and societal events in post-war Belgium such as the Gutt operation, the founding of NATO, the ‘Royal Question’, the ‘School Struggle’ of 1958, the sanitation of the coal mining sector, the independence of the Belgian Congo, the language legislation, the first state reforms, etc. He ended his political career in 1973. Apart from his political and academic activity, Eyskens was a highly sought-after speaker and he was interviewed dozens of times. Important for this guide is that Eyskens (especially after the Second World War) developed much sympathy for the Jewish population and the State of Israel – see his involvement in De Belgische Vrienden van de Hebreeuwse Universiteit van Jeruzalem and the Belgische Vereniging voor Vriendschap met Israël. (F. Cardyn & K. Corens, “Gaston Eyskens (1905-1988)”, in ODIS - Database Intermediary Structures Flanders (accessible on http://www.odis.be); M. Therry, Inventaris van het archief van Gaston Eyskens (1905-1988), I 1 (Rijksarchief te Leuven), Brussel, ARA-AGR, 2001, 2 vol.)
- Access points: persons/families:
- Benzvi, Izhak
- Bernheim, Émile
- Eyskens, Gaston
- Meir, Golda
- Najar, Amiel E
- Access, restrictions:
- Consultation requires the written permission by Mark and Erik Eyskens (or their descendants) until 22 February 2018. After that the fonds is freely accessible. There are specific access restrictions for some files – see attachment 3 in the inventory mentioned.
- Finding aids:
- M. Therry, Inventaris van het archief van Gaston Eyskens (1905-1988), I 1 (Rijksarchief te Leuven), Brussel, ARA-AGR, 2001, 2 vol.
- Yerusha Network member:
- State Archives of Belgium
