Van der Vinck – De Groof Charles and Georgette

Collection

Holding institution (official language):: Amsab - Instituut voor Sociale Geschiedenis

Scope and content:: In file no. 1.8 of this fonds we note the brochure “Laatste brief van Piet Akerman [sic] aan zijn moeder” (1936), related to the Jewish communist Piet Akkerman, killed in Spain. The same file also contains an appeal (1939) by his sister Vera Akkerman to vote for the communist party. We also note the file no. 11.27 which includes election propaganda for the communist party in Antwerp (1964), written in both Dutch and Yiddish.

Administrative/biographical history:: Charles Van der Vinck (1928-1994?) was a communist militant and trade unionist. He was active in the resistance and held various functions within the communist party after the war – initially in the sections in Antwerp and Borgerhout, later also within the Central Committee of the party (1964-1982). From 1962 onwards he was responsible for the ‘Diamond Group’ of the party; together with his wife Georgette De Groof, he distributed the periodical De Schijf. Van der Vinck became a militant of the socialist union in 1955, in particular of the union ACOD (section Ministries). He would play an important role in the union, i.a. as member of the Nationaal Uitvoerend Bureau, the Nationaal Comité, the ABVV-Bureau Antwerpen, the ABVV-Bestuur Kempen, as secretary of ACOD-Ministeries-Antwerpen (1962) and as Gewestelijk Algemeen Secretaris (1982). Van der Vinck was also the co-founder and secretary (1984-1994) of the Stichting Anti-Fascisme. After his retirement he served as board member of the Vrienden van het Vredescentrum and president of the vzw Jef Van Extergem. (“Charles Van der Vinck (1928-1992)”, in ODIS - Database Intermediary Structures Flanders (accessible on http://www.odis.be))

Subject terms:: Communism; Communism--Communist parties and organisations; Communism--Communists; Jewish languages; Jewish languages--Yiddish; Jewish political activity

Access, restrictions:: M. Vermandere, Plaatsingslijst van het archief van Van der Vinck- De Groof Charles en Georgette (1936-1980), Antwerpen, Amsab-ISG, 1993.