Joseph Wybran archives

Collection

Scope and content:: This fonds notably contains correspondence, identity papers of Joseph Wybran, his marriage booklet, photos, certificates and attestations, honorary distinctions but also press cuttings and messages addressed to his relatives following his assassination. We also find numerous personal and religious objects, including a kippa, a student cap (penne d’étudiant), a tallis and prayer books. (See boxes 193 to 197)

Administrative/biographical history:: Joseph Wybran was born in Brussels in 1940. He studied medicine at the ULB and specialised in clinical immunology. He had a remarkable career in Belgium as well as internationally. Wybran was also active in the Jewish community – he was a member of the executive bureau of Solidarité avec Israël (1982-1989), participated in the board meetings of the Athénée Maïmonide, of the Central Jewish Consistory of Belgium and of the Communauté israélite de Bruxelles, where he tried to reconcile religion with scientific advances. From 1977 until 1987, he was the president of the Aide médicale belge à Israël and later of the B’nai B’rith section in Brussels. In 1988 he became the president of the CCOJB, until his assassination on 4 October 1989. (T. Delplancq, "Wybran, Joseph", in J.-P. Schreiber, Dictionnaire biographique des Juifs de Belgique. Figures du judaïsme belge, XIXe-XXe siècles, Bruxelles, De Boeck, 2002, pp. 367-368.)

Subject terms:: Ceremonial objects; Correspondence; Education; Education--Schools and universities; Health and medical matters; Newspaper clippings; Personal records; Professions; Professions--Scholars (secular), scientists, and academics; Vital records

Access, restrictions:: Access requires the authorisation of the archivist of the Jewish Museum of Belgium.

Finding aids:: There is a preliminary inventory of the Jewish Museum of Belgium.