c

1.08 Objavljeni znanstveni prispevek na konferenci 1.08 Published Scientific Conference Contribution

Rik Opsommer ∗

THE TOWN ARCHIVES OF IEPER: "PAST AND PRESENT"

Abstract: Since Ieper used to be a very important town in the Middle Ages, it had one of the most notable town- archives in . However its marvelous historical sources were almost completely destroyed during the Great War. Between 1919 and 1991 the historical and archival activity was organized inside the town's library. Only in 1991 the town archives were re-established. In less than two decades the (new) archives not only significantly enlarged it's collection and manpower but could move to one of the best archives building in the country. The Ieper town archives work closely together with the state archives. However the typical Belgian situation of federal and regional governments leads to a surrealistic legal framework concerning archives. Our archives try to be the key-player in historical and genealogical research in the southern part of West-. Furthermore we try to have good contacts with local historical organizations and with local and regional archives in the whole of Europe.

Key words: local archives, history of archives, archival legislation, archival service, archives and public relations

Izvleček: Mestni arhiv Ieper: preteklost in sedanjost Ker je bil Ieper v srednjem veku pomembno mesto, je imel enega izmed najbolj znanih mestnih arhivov v Belgiji. Njegovi najznamenitejši zgodovinski viri pa so bili skoraj povsem uničeni med prvo svetovno vojno. Med letoma 1919 in 1991 je bila arhivska dejavnost organizirana znotraj knjižnice, mestni arhiv pa je bil ponovno ustanovljen šele leta 1991. V manj kot dveh desetletjih je arhiv močno povečal svoje zbirke in kadre ter se preselil v eno najboljših arhivskih stavb v državi. Ieperski mestni arhiv tesno sodeluje z državnim arhivom. Tipična belgijska situacija zveznih in regionalnih vlad pa vodi k nedorečenemu zakonskemu okviru delovanja arhivov. Arhiv v Iepru se trudi biti pomemben faktor pri zgodovinskih in rodoslovnih raziskavah v južnem delu province Zahodna Flamska. Prav tako skuša obdržati dobre odnose z lokalnimi zgodovinskimi organizacijami ter lokalnimi in regionalnimi arhivi v vsej Evropi.

Ključne besede: lokalni arhivi, zgodovina arhivov, arhivska zakonodaja, arhivska služba, arhivi in odnosi z javnostjo

1 c cc cc c c c c c c c ccccc

∗ Prof. dr. Rik Opsommer, Stadsarchief Ieper - Universiteit Gent, Stadsarchief Ieper, Weverijstraat 7, 8900 Ieper, Belgium. 1 We would like to thank town librarian Eddy Barbry for his support.

c

c c c cc c c c ccc c c c c c ccc c cc

1 THE HISTORY OF IEPER c c cccc cc c c c c cc c c c c ccc c c c c c ccc cccc cc cc c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c cc cc c c c c c cc

2 Ieper, Elverdinge and are all mentioned in , ARCHIVES DÉPARTEMENTALES DU (Lille, State Archives), 16 G 1 (Chapitre Saint Pierre de Lille), 16 G 463; Stéphane LEBECQ, La charte de Baudouin V pour Saint-Pierre de Lille (1066), une traduction commentée, in: Revue du Nord, 86 (2004), p. 567-583. 3 On these events one can consult Romain VINCKIER, Ieper Tuindag. Zesde eeuwfeest, Ieper, 1983. 4 On the diocese of Ieper one can consult Claude DUHAMEL, Het bisdom Ieper 1607-1646, , 1993, (unpublished master's thesis); Rosa HERPELYNCK, Het bisdom Ieper 1762-1789, , 1991. 5 On the fortifications one can consult Octaaf MUS, Hugo CONSTANDT, a.o., Omtrent de vestingstad Ieper, (Monumenten beleven), , 1992.

c

c c c c c cc c c c ccc cc c c c cc c cc c c c c cc c c c c cc

Picture 1: Ieper town seal (around 1400)

2 THE HISTORY OF THE TOWN ARCHIVES OF IEPER (DUTCH: STADSARCHIEF) UNTIL 1914 c c c c c c c c c c ccc c c

6 On the reconstruction of Ieper one can consult Koen BAERT, Jean-Marie BAILLEUL, a.o., Ieper de herrezen stad, , 1999. 7 Filip WYFFELS, De archiefwetgeving van de Franse periode 1788-1814, (Archief- en bibliotheekwezen in België. Extranummer, 33), Brussels, 1987. 8 Until the Belgian law on the Commissions of Public Assistance of March 10, 1925, some aspects of charity also were provided by the Charity Bureau (Dutch: Burelen van Weldadigheid).

c

c cc cc c ccc cccc ccc c cc c c c c cc c c c c cc cc c c cc c cc cccc cc ccc ccc cc ccc c cc c c c c c

9 Isidore DIEGERICK, Inventaire analytique et chronologique des chartes et documents appartenant aux archives de la ville d', 7 volumes, Ypres, 1853-1868. 10 Arthur MERGHELYNCK, Vade-mecum pratique et utile de connaissances historiques et indicateur nobiliaire et patricien de ces contrées, Tournai 1897; Kristof PAPIN, Zoekgids voor het fonds Merghelynck. Vijf genealogische vormingsavonden, Ieper, 1997. 11 Emile DE SAGHER, Notice sur les archives communales d'Ypres et documents pour servir à l'histoire de Flandre du XIIIe au XVIe siècle, Ypres, 1898. 12 Perhaps the most important one was the edition of the oldest town accounts. Guillaume DES MAREZ, Emile DE SAGHER, Comptes de la ville d'Ypres 1267 à 1329, (Commission royale d'histoire), 2 volumes, Bruxelles, 1909- 1913. 13 Guillaume DES MAREZ, Carlos WYFFELS, Analyses de reconnaissances de dettes passées devant les échevins d'Ypres 1249-1291, (Commission royale d'histoire), Brussels, 1991. This edition is based on a manuscript written by Des Marez in 1898-1899. 14 IEPER, STADSARCHIEF (= Ieper, Town Archives) (Further as SAI), Stadsarchief, Rapport des séances du Comité d'administration de la ville d'Ypres pendant les jours de terreur et de ruine de novembre 1914, p.23: "Le beffroy et les halles ont pris feu, nous n'avons aucun espoir de sauver ces bâtiments, par suite du manque d'eau et manque de bras". 15 SAI, Ieperse Aanwinsten, 206-207, 270-272.

c

c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c cc c c c c

3 EVERYTHING LOST? ccc c c c c ccc ccc c c c cc cc cc cccc c c ccc c c c c cc cc c c c c c c cc c cccc c c

16 Karel VELLE, Joëlle DHONDT, Inventarissen van de archieven van de Hoven en Rechtbanken voor Oorlogsschade in Vlaanderen en rechtsopvolgers 1919-1936, (Rijksarchief te Beveren. Inventarissen, 59), Brussel, 2001. 17 BRUSSEL, ALGEMEEN RIJKSARCHIEF (= Brussels, State Archives), Dienst der Verwoeste Gewesten, 2497. 18 BEVEREN, RIJKSARCHIEF (= Beveren, State Archives), Rechtbank Oorlogsschade Ieper, 120, nr. 49146, Hof Oorlogsschade Gent, 34, nr. 15549. 19 Erik AERTS, Geschiedenis en archief van de Rekenkamers, (Algemeen Rijksarchief en Rijksarchief in de Provinciën. Gidsen, 27), Brussels, 1996.

c

ccc c cc c c cc c cc c c cc c cc c c c ccc c c c c c cccccc c c c cc c ccc ccc c c c c c c ccccc c c c cc c cccc c cccc c

20 SAI, OCMW-Archief, Oorkonden Heilige Geest, 105. 21 Until the the county of Flanders was divided in a number of "kasselrijen". Parts of present day Ieper, however were situated in the "kasselrij" of . 22 Catalogue des livres de la bibliothèque publique de la ville d'Ypres, Ypres, 1867. 23 The oldest newspaper present is the number 40 edition of "Le Propagateur" from January 13, 1819. 24 www.historischekranten.be (consulted on January 6 t 2012).

c

4 THE TOWN ARCHIVES AS PART OF THE TOWN LIBRARY (1919-1991) c c c c ccc c c cccccc cccc c c c ccccc c c c ccc c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c ccc ccccc ccc c c c cccc c ccc c c c

5 THE TOWN ARCHIVES OF IEPER BEFORE MOVING TO THE NEERSTAD (1991- 2009) cc c c c c c c c c c c ccc cccccc c c c c c c c cc c c c

25 Officialy: "Overeenkomst voor in bewaring geven van archief en teruggave van gemeentearchief aan de stad Ieper" from August 18, 1992. Some archives of the villages now being part of Ieper were given back to the town at the same moment.

c

c c c cc c ccc c c c c c c c cc cc ccccc cc c c cc c c c c ccc c c c c c c cc cc c c c c c c ccc cc c c c ccc c ccc c c ccc c

6 THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK c c cc cc c c cc c c c c c c c c c c c c cccc c c ccc

26 At present this commission has 14 members: 2 archives staff, a representative from the Town Library, a representative from the Town Museum, a representative from the State Archives, 4 local historians and genealogists and 5 politicians. 27 The contract remarkably also stipulated that in the reading room of the new archives building, the coat of arms of the Public Centre for Social Welfare had to be clearly visible. 28 Belgisch Staatsblad, 12/081955, 19/052009. 29 Belgisch Staatsblad, 5/08/2010.

c

c c ccccc c c c c cc cccccc c c c c c c c c cc c c ccc cccccc cc cc ccc ccccc c c ccccc ccccccc c c c c cccc c cc

7 THE NEERSTAD-BUILDING cc c c c ccc c ccc c c c cc c cc ccc cc c c c cc cc c c cc c c c c

30 The VVBAD or "Vlaamse Vereniging voor Bibliotheek, Archief en Documentatiewezen" was founded to promote libraries in Flanders in 1921. Since 1984 it has a section for archivists. On its history: Frans HEYMANS, Nu van hooger hand... Vijfenzeventig jaar Vlaamse Vereniging voor Bibliotheek-, Archief- en Documentatiewezen, Antwerpen, 1996.

c

c c c cc c c cccc ccc c c c c

Picture 2: Entrance to the library and the archives in Ieper

Picture 3: Archives' reading room

31 First mentioned in 1483. SAI, Ieperse Aanwinsten, 93.

c

8 OUR COLLECTIONS c c c cc cc c ccccc cc ccc c c c c c ccccc cc cc c c cc ccc c cccc ccc c c c c c c c c c c cc c c c ccc c cc ccc c c ccc cc ccccc cc c c c c c cc c c c c cccc c

32 SAI, Kasselrij Ieper, 1 ste reeks, 237-238. 33 Nicolas HUYGHEBAERT, Abbaye de Notre-Dame à Messines, in: Monasticon belge, 3: Province de Flandre occidentale, Liège, 1960, p. 211-238, with references to older inventories. 34 Acquired from the families Hellwig (2000), Haaga (2000) and Broesamle (2010). 35 SAI, Abdij , 18/11/1219. 36 SAI, Ieperse Aanwinsten, 63.

c

c c c c c c c cccc cccc c c c c c c c cc c c c c ccc cc cc c c c c c cc c c c cc c cccc c c ccc ccc cc c c c c c c cc c c c c cc c c cc cc c c c cccc c c c c c c c cc

37 Norbert LAMERANT, Luc PYNCKET, Inventaris van het Scoutsarchief Master de Cock, Ieper, 2011. 38 One of our most important items is a map of the "kasselrij" Veurne from 1648, of which only three copies are known to exist. SAI, Kaarten en Plannen, 165. 39 Alphonse DIEGERICK, Essai de bibliographie yproise. Étude sur les imprimeurs yprois 1547-1834, Ypres, 1881.

c

cc c c cc ccc cc ccc cccccc ccc c c cc cc ccc ccc c c c c ccccc cccc cc cccc cccc c cc c c c c c c c c cc c c cc ccc c cc c c c cccc c cc c c c c c c c c cc

40 SAI, Oude Drukken, 873/LINE/1531, 34/(09)/1571. 41 Jan BREYNE, Arno Brys luister van Ieper, Ieper, 1976. 42 Pol MORISSE, Marcel TRYBOU, Gent-Ieper 50 jaar Kattekoers, Ieper, 1990 43 SAI, Gulden boek 1944-1967. 44 Roger VERBEKE, G. MANDELINCK, a.o., De eerste Poolse pantserdivisie en de bevrijding van Vlaanderen in 1944, , 1984.

c

c cc cc ccc c cccc

9 HOW TO DISCOVER OUR COLLECTIONS, THE NUMBER OF VISITORS AND HOW WE REACH THE PUBLIC ccc c c c c c c c c c c c cccccc cc c c c c cc cc cccc ccc ccc ccc cc c cc cc c c c c c ccccc c c c c cc c cc ccc cc cc c

45 www.ieper.be/default.aspx?SGREF=2517 (consulted on January the 6 th , 2012). 46 Adlib is a Dutch firm which, since 1986, develops software for libraries, museums and archives. www.adlibsoft.com (consulted on January 6, 2012). 47 Winob or "West-Vlaams Informatienetwork van Openbare Bibliotheken" takes almost all the costs at their expenses. www.winob.be (consulted on January 6, 2012).

c

c c cccc cc cccc ccc cc cc c c c cc c c

10 PUBLICATIONS, EXHIBITIONS, LECTURES, AND PUBLIC RELATIONS c c c cc c cc c cccc c c c c c cc c cc c ccc c c c c c c c c c c c ccc

48 More information can be obtained by sending an e-mail to [email protected]. 49 www.facebook.com/stadsarchief.ieper (consulted on January the 6 th , 2012). 50 , tijdschrift voor genealogie en familiekunde in de Vlaamse en Franse Westhoek (since 1985); Iepers Kwartier, tijdschrift voor heemkunde (since 1965); De Omwalling, mededelingenblad van het Genootschap voor Geschiedenis en Vestingbouwkunde Ieper (since 1992); De Boezingenaar (since 1974); Flambertus (since 2001); Selebeke (since 2007). 51 Jan BREYNE, Sabine DEJONCKHEERE, a.o., Kattenhistories. Van Kattenfeest tot Kattenstoet, Ieper, 2000; Jules ALLEMON, Rik OPSOMMER, a.o., Vauban en de Ieperse vestingen, Ieper, 2007 (a separate catalogue exists in French); Rik OPSOMMER, Katrien GOUDESEUNE, a.o., Op 't perron. Trein en tram in Ieper, Ieper, 2011.

c

11 COOPERATION WITH OTHER SCIENTIFIC, HERITAGE AND LOCAL INSTITUTIONS cccc c c c c c c cc c c ccc ccc c c c c c c c cc cccc cc ccccc ccc c c cccc cc c c c c c c cccc ccccc c c c

SELECTIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY ON THE HISTORY OF IEPER AND ITS ARCHIVES 52 • Ieper door de eeuwen heen • c Inventaris van het archief van de Commissie van Openbare Onderstand Ieper. Oud regime zonder de oorkonden Bijdragen tot de geschiedenis van de liefdadigheidsinstellingen te Ieper • c De geschiedenis van de middeleeuwse grootstad Ieper. Van Karolingische villa tot de destructie in 1914 • c c Bibliotheek- en Archiefgids • c Archief- en Bibliotheekwezen in België,

52 This bibliography contains the basic literature on which our article bases. More detailed archival, book and article references can be found in the footnotes. Elderly literature has not been listed.

c

POVZETEK

MESTNI ARHIV IEPER: PRETEKLOST IN SEDANJOST

c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c cc c c c c c cc c c c

c

c c c

Načrt mesta Ieper, konec 18. stoletja