The Jewish Museum of Belgium owns the largest archives collection related to Belgian Judaism. Covering the period from 19th century to the present day, the archives are essentially composed of hundreds of private donations (from the Errera, Kahlenberg, Levi, Lounsky Katz families and the actress Suzy Falk), from Jewish associations archives (Arbeter Ring, La Solidarité Juive, Palestinian Office or scouts units) and of documents about the museum life.
Among those, the ‘Jewish Registry’ deposited by the Jewish Social Service deserves a particular attention : its 45000 index cards have been digitised by the Jewish Museum of Deportation and Resistance in Mechelen and a database has been created allowing an easy research through the 56000 listed residents.
The purpose of the archives integrated into the collections of the Jewish Museum of Belgium is to collect, preserve, study, exhibit and promote a very large archival documentation depicting the diversity of Jewish life and traditions, primarily in Belgium and in Europe.
We manage more than 300 linear meters of documents. Our online inventory is available on this link.
The collections on the Second World War and the Holocaust can be consulted online on this link : EHRI
This heritage constitutes an extraordinary field of research widely open to the public. We invite and welcome every day amateurs and professional historians, genealogists and anyone wishing to conduct research.
The archive department of our museum is by no means the dormitory of the past. Adapted to contemporary needs, these precious documents remain part of the Belgian and European Jewish heritage for anyone to encounter, consult, analyse and interpret with today’s insight.
