AFTEr Recent Belgian initiatives Education | Remembrance | Research Material and moral reparations 2012 2.....AFTER.THE.HOLOCAUST..|..Introduction

CREDITS.|.This.booklet.is.being.published.at.the.initiative.of.the.FPS.Chancellery.of.the.Prime.Minister,.in.cooperation.with. the.FPS.for.Foreign.Affairs,.the.Institut.des.Vétérans.-.INIG,.the.Flemish.Community,.the.Wallonia-Brussels.Federation.and. the.German-speaking.Community.of.Belgium.

Editorial supervisor.|.Françoise.Audag-Dechamps,.acting.President.of.the.Management.Committee. Illustrations.|.Cover.and.pages.7-8-10-13-17-25-29.:.©.IV-INIG.-.Pages.18-20.:.©.GrenzGeschichteDG.an.der.AHS Pages.24.:.©.Kazerne.Dossin.-.Pages.23-26-34-37.:.©.Jewish.Museum.of..–.. Graphic design.|.Kaat.Flamey,.KA.AD.-.Printing.|.Lowyck Legal deposit.|.D/2012/9737/4 TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Introduction...... 5

II. Overview of the initiatives...... 6

A. Initiatives in the areas of education, remembrance and research 6 1. In general 6 2. Teaching, Remembrance education 10 i. In Flanders 11 ii. The French Community 14 iii. The German-speaking Community 18 3. Remembrance 21 4. Research 26

B. Initiatives in the area of material reparations 28 1. The Study Commission into the fate of the Belgian Jewish . Community’s assets which were plundered or surrendered or . abandoned during the 1940-1945 war 28 2. The Indemnification Commission for the Belgian Jewish . Community’s assets that were plundered, surrendered or . abandoned during the 1940-1945 war 30 3. Cultural goods, works of art and judaica: a continuous study 31 i. Cultural goods and works of art in general 31 ii. Judaica 32 4. The Belgian Judaism Foundation 34

C. Initiatives in the area of moral compensation – Welfare programmes 35 1. Welfare Programmes - Federal Public Service Social Security . Directorate-General War Victims 35 2. The Belgian Judaism Foundation 36

III. Practical information...... 38 rECENT BELGIAN INITIATIvES: EduCATION | rEmEmBrANCE rESEArCh | mATErIAL ANd mOrAL rEPArATIONS 1 2012

1.This.brochure.was.updated.to.December.2011. AFTER.THE.HOLOCAUST..|..Introduction.....5.

I. INTrOduCTION

The.Holocaust.was.for.all.humankind,.and. In.the.part.concerning.the.initiatives.under- for.Europe.in.particular,.an.extreme.historic. taken.in.the.area.of.material.and.fi.nancial. experience,.which.stretches.the.human. compensation,.a.special.section.is.devoted. mind.to.the.limits.of.understanding. to.looted.cultural.goods.and.judaica.as.the. restitution.and.investigations.in.this.area.is. Belgium.was.and.still.remains.deeply.mar- not.yet.fi.nished. ked.by.the.Holocaust..Our.country.intends. to.keep.the.memory.of.that.painful.period. Lastly,.let.us.emphasise.that.many.Belgian. of.its.past.alive.and.assume.the.conse- political.and.parliamentarian.leaders.sho- quences.of.it..That.is.expressed.in.a.strong. wed.interest.and.concern.for.the.subject.. commitment.by.all.the.public.authorities,. In.the.past,.public.apologies.were.made.on. at.federal,.federated.and.local.level..Beyond. various.occasions.on.behalf.of.the.Govern- that.commitment,.the.issue.involved.is.for. ment,.Belgium.and.the.local.authorities.for. Holocaust.remembrance.to.become.deeply. the.suffering.endured.by.the.Jewish.com- rooted.throughout.society,.through.educa- munity..Emphasis.was.placed.on.the.duty. tion.in.particular. of.the.Government.and.of.every.citizen.to. never.forget.the.tragic.events.of.the.Holo- This.brochure.therefore.aims.to.give.an. caust. overview.of.the.most.important.actions. and.relevant.initiatives.undertaken.by.the. For.further.information.and.as.a.guide.for. Belgian.authorities.and.institutions.con- the.interested.and.concerned.reader,.at.the. cerning.the.Holocaust..These.initiatives.are. end.of.this.brochure.an.overview.of.all.rele- described.in.three.subdivisions,.namely.the. vant.addresses.of.Belgian.administrations,. initiatives.concerning.education,.remem- institutions.and.services.is.included.. brance.and.research,.initiatives.in.the.fi.eld. of.material.and.fi.nancial.compensation.and,. lastly,.those.in.the.area.of.moral.compen- sation.(social.welfare.programs).. 6 AFTER THE HOLOCAUST | Overview of the initiatives

II. Overview of the initiatives A. Initiatives in the areas of education, War (IV-INIG). IV-INIG has developed activities remembrance and research which preserve and remember the Holocaust, other Nazi crimes and acts of Resistance. For example, the Institute organised a meeting with 1. In general 2,000 young people and Veterans from all over Europe at the Buchenwald Concentration Camp Belgium is an active member of the Task Force in April 2008. 450 participating young people for International Cooperation on Holocaust from Belgium went to this meeting by a special Education, Remembrance, and Research.2 train travelling from Brussels to Weimar. This network represents a prime international platform for the exchange of educational The following projects are further worth projects, experiences and material on the mentioning: Holocaust. Belgium’s participation is based on a joint effort between the Federal government • The exhibition ”Deportation and Genocide, a and the Communities that together decided European Tragedy” to submit this country’s candidacy for the presidency of the Task Force. At the request Since 2010, the Institute has been making of the Belgian authorities, Belgium will hold the travelling exhibition “Deportation and the presidency in 2012. The presidency (inter Genocide, a European Tragedy” available alia) will coincide with the opening of the to schools free of charge. This exhibition new Museum in (see below). That presents and analyses the different functions presidency will make it possible for Belgium assigned to the concentration system in the to share the Belgian experience in the areas of Nazis’ ideological project. The exhibition education, remembrance and research, but also, follows that system chronologically from the more importantly, to emphasise its significance first improvised camps, passing through the for the future. A deeply rooted commitment rapid establishment of the Dachau model to the duty of Holocaust remembrance will be followed by an internationalisation of the further enhanced by that presidency. system and its spectacular growth after the outbreak of the Second World War, to end in Belgium is firmly committed to the principles of the murderous chaos of the death marches. the Stockholm Declaration. At the federal level, two main government bodies are working in • Map of and Other cooperation with NGOs on projects implemented Detention Centres within this scope: Let us firstly mention the National Institute On 1 April 2011, the Institute presented the for Invalids of War, Veterans and Victims of second edition of this map to the Humboldt

2Website: www.holocausttaskforce.org AFTER THE HOLOCAUST | Overview of the initiatives 7 University.of.Berlin..This.historical.map.of. Germany.and.Central.Europe.is.the.most. comprehensive.ever.produced.up.to.now.on. this.subject..It.mentions.over.2,200.places. spreading.from.northern..to.Ukraine.. Those.places.include.21.concentration.camps,. 6.extermination.camps,.838.Kommandos,.509. prisons,.498.camps.(non.KZ),.95.stalags,.46. ofl.ags,.103.work/re-education.camps.and.70. transit.or.labour.camps.for.racial.deportation,. 6.euthanasia.centres.and.24.camps.for. Gypsies..All.the.places.have.been.meticulously. listed,.categorised.and.indexed..This.project. is.the.outcome.of.two.years’.research.and. the.result.of.fruitful.cooperation.between.the. Belgian.National.Institute.for.Veterans.–INIG. and.the.National.Geographical.Institute3...

• Train of 1000

. From.5.to.10.May.2012,.the.Institute,.the. Auschwitz.Foundation.and.the.International. Federation.of.Resistance.Fighters.will. organise.the.gathering.and.the.journey. of.1,000.young.people.from.Brussels.to. Auschwitz,.in.a.train.specially.chartered.for. the.occasion:.the.Train.of.1,000. . Leaving.from.Brussels,.this.train.will.also. take.a.number.of.young.people.on.board.in. the.different.stations.where.it.will.stop..It. will.therefore.carry.about.a.thousand.young. Belgians.and.other.Europeans.who,.in.the. presence.of.the.Camps’.last.survivors,.will. commemorate.the.victory.of.democratic.forces. over.Nazi.Germany.

3Website: www.ign.be AFTER THE HOLOCAUST | Overview of the initiatives 9

In addition to the commemoration, the journey in a broad series of situations: expression in has several objectives: public places or in places open to the public, or in written documents, whether printed or not, > Educational: to make it possible for those distributed on a large scale or merely addressed 1,000 young people to visit the Auschwitz to several persons or exposed to the public Museum and the Birkenau extermination eye. The penalty is severe but proportionate: camp and to have firsthand awareness of a prison sentence of 8 days to one year, a the Nazi concentration camp and genocide fine of 26 to 5,000 euro4, but also, and it is a system, particularity of the Act, it may be ordered that > Memory: to visit the camp in the company of the full judgement or an extract of it be inserted survivors and witnesses, in one or more newspapers and be displayed, > Social awareness: to raise self-awareness at the convicted person’s costs. Lastly, so about the subject of concentration camps as to ensure maximum effectiveness in the and consequently of the absolute negation of protection of the dignity and the remembrance Human Rights. of all , the Centre, together with any association having legal personality The meeting also wishes to receive media for at least five years on the date of the events, coverage as much as possible so as to highlight and which proposes, through its statutes, to that massive and symbolic mobilisation defend the moral interests and the honour of of European youth gathering together for the Resistance or of deportees, are expressly Democracy and against political extremism. permitted to appear in court in all litigation proceedings to which the application of the The second Federal institution is the Centre abovementioned Act of 23 March 1995 could give for Equal Opportunities and Opposition to rise. Racism (hereafter referred to as the Centre). The Centre therefore plays a role in the fight Negationism punished against and, more precisely, within the framework of the Act of 23 March A recent example concerns a French negationist 1995. Since 1995, Belgium has enacted a law who was living in Belgium at the time of the aimed at repressing Holocaust negationism acts. He had in particular sent brochures (Act of 23 March 1995 tending to repress the developing the thesis that the gas chambers had denying, minimalising, justifying or approving never existed to several secondary schools of the of the genocide committed by the German French Community. After the Centre’s institution National Socialist regime during the Second of civil action, that person was sentenced on 19 World War). It punishes negationist statements June 2008 by the Brussels Magistrate’s Court,

4See Article 2 of the Act of 26 June 2000 relating to the introduction of the euro into legislation concerning the subjects referred to in Article 78 of the Constitution. 10 AFTER THE HOLOCAUST | Overview of the initiatives

on the basis of the Act of 23 March 1995, to one schoolchildren in the 6th year of primary school year’s imprisonment and to the payment of the and three groups of 170 students in the final sum of 1,500 euros, for reparation of the moral year of high school, to make them familiar with damage suffered, to the Centre. That decision notions such as identity, respect, participation was subsequently upheld on 21 September 2011 and openness to the world, culminating in two by the Brussels Appeal Court.5 main visits: the Nazi camps of Breendonk and Auschwitz. The educational aim was to invite Lastly, let us add that the Centre launched a students to make a link between history and the pilot project aiming at mapping, developing and moral choices they might have to make in their consolidating actions in the educational field of personal lives. democracy through the study of the historical reality of the Second World War in Belgium (with an emphasis on Holocaust and Resistance).6

2. Teaching – Remembrance education

Considerable progress has been made in recent years in the area of in school curricula. All three autonomous Communities (which are competent for education policy) promote the teaching of the history of the Holocaust in schools, in classes such as history, literature, ethics or religious instruction.

Generally speaking, it is worth mentioning the following projects: In 2005-2006, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration camps, the “Schools for Democracy” pilot project was implemented. This project was coordinated by the Centre for Equal Opportunities and Opposition to Racism. This initiative put together three groups of 200

5This decree and any other relevant case law are available on the website of the Centre for Equal Opportunities and Opposition to Racism - www.diversite.be - Resources – Legislation & Case law. 6See infra 2. Teaching – Remembrance education – “Schools for Democracy”. AFTER THE HOLOCAUST | Overview of the initiatives 11

Another project was the international “A connected with remembrance education. Classroom of Difference” program, aimed at The first is world orientation which reserves helping teachers overcome the difficulties of attention to socioeconomic, socio-cultural, teaching Holocaust history at school. The initial political and judicial phenomena. The second program was developed by the A WORLD OF discipline concerns social skills and the DIFFERENCE Institute. As far as Europe is third, languages and, more particularly, the concerned, this program was developed farther functioning of cultures. Within the scope of by the Bernheim and Evens Foundations and these educational attainment goals, children the “European Jewish Information Centre”. in primary education are taught about the They are the local expression of a Comenius Holocaust, with teaching adapted according to program developed for three years in Italy, the their age and their living environment. , France and Belgium. This project In secondary education, remembrance education concluded with a final seminar for teachers from and related subjects such as tolerance and the three Belgian Communities at Yad Vashem in Human Rights are dealt with, above all, within March 2008. the scope of the “history” attainment goals and interdisciplinary attainment goals. History You will find hereafter an overview, by classes obviously deal with the Second World Community, of remembrance education War and the Holocaust. It does not, however, initiatives. only involve gathering together knowledge about the past but also becoming aware of the i. In Flanders influence of the past on current society. In the context of interdisciplinary attainment goals, the Subjects such as tolerance, Human Rights, intention is to make pupils understand existing etc. are dealt with in teaching through the final participation procedures, basic freedoms and educational attainment goals. Those are the rights and the functioning of a democracy, but objectives which are compulsory for each school also to show them how to live together in a and which the Flemish Parliament lays down by multicultural and democratic society. In this decree. The concrete implementation of the final respect, the tragedy of the Holocaust represents educational attainment goals comes within the one of the most sombre pages of the history of schools’ autonomy and educational freedom. humankind. Remembrance education is adapted more particularly according to the pupils’ age. In practice, the very diverse and elaborate range Among the teaching objectives of primary of remembrance education support tools gives education, there are mainly three disciplines schools the opportunity to select the media 12 AFTER THE HOLOCAUST | Overview of the initiatives

most appropriate to their concrete context new Kazerne Dossin non-profit association takes and which best meets their needs. It allows on this task in cooperation with other actors teachers to introduce their students to a variety working in the field of remembrance education of opinions and principles. And it offers schools like, for example, the Fort van Breendonk7, the the possibility of working on remembrance Auschwitz Foundation and “In Flanders Fields” education in their own city or region, starting Museum8, and with the educational guidance from the immediate living and experiential departments from the various educational environment of the students. networks and the Education and Training Department. Together they form the Special The extensive field of support in peace education Committee for Remembrance Education or BCH and remembrance education therefore clearly (Bijzonder Comité voor Herinneringseducatie). offers practical and didactic advantages. But it also introduces problems such as finding The coordination task of the BCH further something suitable for young children. involves implementing structural consultation Consultation with several experts in addition to between the various providers of remembrance information on the relevant needs in the field education material. A significant concrete of education has made it clear that there is an result of this consultation is the website www. urgent need for making the Belgian field of herinneringseducatie.be, a user-friendly remembrance education more transparent for overview of all study days, workshops, activities, Flemish schools. teaching packages and initiatives dealing with remembrance education. Teachers can find a Remembrance education and the Kazerne great deal of inspiration on this site but can Dossin (Barracks) also offer colleagues their own initiatives and suggestions. The website and other initiatives The Flemish government therefore decided of the Special Committee (BCH) clearly offer a to attribute a central role to the vzw Kazerne valuable contribution to increasing the quality Dossin (Barracks) to ensure the coordination of the support that is offered in remembrance of remembrance education in the Flemish education: support that meets the diverse needs teaching system. The role assigned to the and requirements of schools and helps schools Kazerne Dossin fits within the framework of the to work with remembrance education in a expansion of the current Jewish Museum for qualitative manner. Deportation and Resistance and its conversion into a new museum complex vzw Kazerne The BCH was also entrusted with the task Dossin. Memorial, Museum and Documentation of promoting the quality of remembrance Centre on Holocaust and Human Rights. The education. In this respect, it decided not to

7Website : www.breendonk.be 8Website : www.inflandersfields.be AFTER THE HOLOCAUST | Overview of the initiatives 13

impose standard “quality criteria”, but rather to develop a “toetssteen” (touchstone), an instrument making it possible for anyone who is active in the field of remembrance education (school teams, individual teachers, teacher trainers, educational coaches or staff within organisations) to assess their own projects. That instrument was developed within the BCH, through the contribution by various outside persons. Teacher trainers and grassroots teachers together with academics and researchers were associated with its development.

The “toetssteen” is structured around three major objectives: (1) knowledge and understanding; (2) empathy and involvement (3) reflection and action. This triptych was borrowed from literature and practice. The three key objectives need to be spread out to a certain extent. In actual fact, knowledge and understanding form a foundation in order to be able to provide a first-rate job during the following two phases. Without knowledge and understanding, empathy and involvement together with reflection and action remain an empty shell. If knowledge and empathy are unable to be applied in the context of reflection and action, they remain superficial and moralising. A set of reflection questions were drafted for each of the three objectives. These are orientation questions from which to draw inspiration and which highlight less pertinent factors. The ultimate aim is for the 14 AFTER THE HOLOCAUST | Overview of the initiatives

“toetssteen” to be accessed online as a practical “Democracy or Barbarity” and multilayer questionnaire offering a basis for self-reflection or teamwork assessment.9 One of the specific tasks of the “Democracy or barbarity” educational coordination unit, ii The French Community founded in 1994 and currently attached to the General Secretariat of the French Community, The Government of the French Community is is to coordinate citizenship and human rights working on intensifying citizenship education education matters together with issues related in school so as to raise pupils’ awareness of to work in the area of history and remembrance. the issues of active citizenship for a better It is aimed at all the networks and systems of understanding of society and increased education, primarily at secondary level. In 2008, involvement. it published the Citizenship memento in the French Community (Mémento de la citoyenneté A mechanism was developed (by Decree dated en Communauté française), which provides 12 January 2007)10 which is structured around an inventory of more than 200 institutions and three complementary subject areas: associations proposing information, resources and activities to teachers. - the creation and the dissemination of an abstract entitled “Contributions to future In addition to these structural measures, the citizenship development”; French Community supports the initiatives - the implementation of cycles or levels by school partner associations and develops of interdisciplinary activities concerning with them projects in step with young people citizenship; and topical issues, whether they concern the - the generalisation and the recognition of defence of Human Rights and democratic participatory structures for pupils within the values, the combat against racism, work in the 5th and 6th years of primary education and area of remembrance and equal opportunities, pupils attending standard and specialised awareness of cultural diversity or even active secondary education (class representatives involvement in local democracy. and pupils’ councils). The French Community strengthened and This mechanism additionally strengthens the structured its action in the area of genocide practices already developed within schools with remembrance and education, including the direct support of the French Community or Holocaust remembrance, with the Decree of through partner associations. 13 March 2009 concerning the passing on of

9For further details: www.herinneringseducatie.be/ADVISEERT/Toetssteen. 10 Decree of 12 January 2007 relating to the strengthening of education in responsible and active citizenship within institutions organised or subsidised by the French Community, M.B. 20 March 2007. AFTER THE HOLOCAUST | Overview of the initiatives 15

remembrance of crimes of genocide, crimes of classroom reflection in small groups. The against humanity and war crimes and acts educational development proposed concerns of resistance or movements that resisted pupils from 5th and 6th years of primary the regimes that perpetrated such crimes11. school. For pupils in the first years of secondary The purpose of the Decree mainly aims at education, the schools received the work “I was the passing on of knowledge of some tragic a child in the Warsaw ” by Larissa Cain. political and social events of history, primarily among the young generations, with a view to On the initiative of the educational coordination the development of responsible citizenship and unit, “Democracy or barbarity”, schools the promotion of democratic values. The Decree received the DVD “Modus Operandi”, intended emphasises the educational dimension of the for pupils in the upper forms of secondary activities organised by the approved centres and school, accompanied by an educational booklet within the framework of the selected projects. containing the entire content of the film in the form of questions and answers. The film deals Since 2008, the French Community has been with the persecution of in Belgium. The sending out a circular inviting institutions “Democracy or barbarity” team also provided from all levels to organise activities within the reference works to help the teachers to framework of the International Remembrance initiate the discussion with the young people. Day on 27 January in memory of Holocaust In addition, at the schools’ request, Hugues victims. Publications that can be used in Lanneau, the director and Willy Perelsztejn, the this context are made available to teachers. film’s creator and producer regularly attended For instance, in 2009, on the occasion of the discussions after the showing of the film. International Remembrance Day, all the schools in the French Community received tools In 2009, “Democracy or barbarity” published intended for their pupils to encourage reflection “Words of stone. Traces of history” (“Paroles de on the matter. The CRECCIDE (Regional and pierres. Traces d’histoire”), a tool for teachers Community Crossroads for Citizenship and devoted to places of history and remembrance, Democracy)12 has developed an awareness- including the Holocaust, and to the two World raising tool dedicated specifically to the Wars in Belgium. Holocaust entitled “For an educational approach to the Holocaust for 10 to 14 year olds”. . In 2010, the Map of Nazi Concentration Camps A part of that tool analyses the work “Lieneke’s and Other Detention Centres, published by notebooks” by Jacob Van der Hoeden. It is the IV-INIG, was distributed in all secondary composed of 9 notebooks, which can be a focus education institutions.

11See below 3. Remembrance, for the description of the content and the objectives of this Decree. 12Website : www.creccide.org 16 AFTER THE HOLOCAUST | Overview of the initiatives

For 2011, the work by Anne Roekens, “Belgium - On 27 January 2011, the Brussels French- and the persecution of the Jews” (“La Belgique speaking Parliament and the French et la persecution des Juifs”) (La Renaissance Community (Democracy or barbarity) du Livre/CEGES, 2010) was made available to organised a study day entitled “Maxime secondary schools and teachers. The French Steinberg Study day. Places of memory, places Community financially supported and provided of history. From the work of remembrance to widespread distribution of the abridged version the duty of history” devoted to the integration of the report “Docile Belgium (“La Belgique of visits to places of remembrance (Holocaust docile”) drawn up in 2007 by the CEGES at the remembrance in particular) into a teaching request of the of Belgium (cf. below). process. - Teachers from all the teaching networks of the The French Community also supports the French Community regularly attend training initiative “Train of 1,000” where a thousand or sessions organised at Yad Vashem. so young Belgians and Europeans will travel to Auschwitz, in a train specially chartered for To address the issue of the Holocaust in their the occasion. That journey’s threefold goals are classes, many teachers organise repeated visits education (visit to the Auschwitz Museum and to places located both in Belgium (Mechelen) to the Birkenau extermination centre, firsthand and abroad (Auschwitz-Birkenau). Likewise, awareness of the Nazi concentration camp witnesses are frequently approached to come and genocide system), memory (visit in the and share their experience with pupils in company of survivors and witnesses) and social schools. It is worth emphasising that visits to awareness (cf. above). places of remembrance connected with the Holocaust form a significant part of the projects In the area of initial and continuous training acknowledged and funded by the French provision, several initiatives were taken so as to Community within the scope of the Decree of 13 raise awareness of the Holocaust issue among March 200913. stakeholders in the world of education: - Many training courses are proposed to The website (www.decretmemoire.cfwb. teachers of all the networks, within the be) set up within the scope of the Decree is framework of the IFC (Institut de Formation en destined to become the reference portal of the cours de Carrière) which provides mid-career initiatives taken in the French Community and training, and/or by acknowledged operators an information tool for teachers involved in the such as Accredited training or Resource work of history and remembrance. Centres within the scope of the Decree of 13 March 2009.

13See 3. Remembrance, for the description of the three types calls for projects. AFTER THE HOLOCAUST | Overview of the initiatives 17

Through the intermediary of the Democracy or barbarity unit, the French Community makes a range of tools available to teachers (reference works, educational folders, collection of documents, evidence and testimony, etc.). Those tools are either produced by the French Community or purchased to be distributed among teachers.

iii. The German-speaking Community

In the German-speaking Community too, the Holocaust is not broached exclusively in history instruction. It is often also dealt with in mother tongue classes, religion and ethics, in the first and second stages of secondary education. This is done through visits by witnesses to schools, lectures by authors, shared book readings or project-oriented work. All secondary schools in the German-speaking Community organise regular visits for the students to the Kazerne Dossin (Barracks)-Jewish Museum of Deportation and Resistance (JMDR) in Mechelen and the National Memorial.

Pupils from the German-speaking Community have already attended the international youth meeting at the Flossenbürg Memorial four times. This meeting always takes place in July at the time of the liberation commemorations.

Pupils involved from three secondary schools of the German-speaking Community will also take part in the “Train of 1,000” project. They have 18 AFTER THE HOLOCAUST | Overview of the initiatives

already done a great deal of work on the issue On the occasion of the 65th anniversary of of the Holocaust, other Nazi crimes and the the liberation of European countries and meaning of Human Rights (cf. above). the camps from the yoke of Nazi , GrenzGeschichteDG, during a gathering Various adult education institutions in the of survivors at the Sachsenhausen and German-speaking Community organise lectures, Flossenbürg Memorials in April 2010, screened seminars and excursions on contemporary for the first time the documentary “Charles history and the Holocaust as part of their ‘life Dekeyser – Ich habe Glück gehabt wie man es long learning’ programmes. kaum beschreiben kann” (“Charles Dekeyser – I was incredibly lucky”) which the department All these institutions can use the material on actually produced. This film is also used in offer at the German-speaking Community’s secondary education in the German-speaking “GrenzGeschichteDG” [Border History] (www. Community. The author and the producer won grenzgeschichte.eu). This department at the the Dexia prize for the best German-speaking Autonomous College in Eupen is the centre for cinematographic production in Belgium. In 2012, regional research in contemporary and social the French and Dutch versions will be available. history, for remembrance work and Holocaust education in the Eastern part of the country and in the Meuse-Rhine Euregio.

As part of the multidisciplinary political education programme, GrenzGeschichteDG involves witnesses from the region - Survivors of the Holocaust and other Nazi crimes, resistance fighters, persons who helped escapees. As such people are unfortunately becoming fewer and fewer, GrenzGeschichteDG secures the legacy of these witnesses through professionally conducted life-story interviews and also through documentary film productions. These works are designed so that they can be used as is for teaching purposes. AFTER THE HOLOCAUST | Overview of the initiatives 19

In May 2011, the documentary containing retten Menschen während der NS-Zeit und testimony about Helmut Clahsen “Von der Besatzung” [Silent Rescuers – People Schutzengeln auf zwei Beinen und Verrätern rescuing people during the Nazi era and the in der eigenen Familie” (“Guardian angels and occupation]. Survivors, scholars and committed traitors within the family”) had its première citizens reported on their personal fate and showing in Eupen. With his brother, the Jewish rescue situations in the Netherlands, Belgium, child Helmut Clahsen survived the Nazi terror Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Austria and thanks to the help of very many persons. They Hungary. hid in more than 40 places in Belgium and Germany. For the 65th anniversary of the attack on the 20th deportation train from Belgium, with the Research and interviews with witnesses on support of the City of Eupen, the government the topic “Jewish life in north of the German- and the Belgian rail board, GrenzGeschichteDG speaking Community from 1920 to today” are hosted a photo exhibition by the Mechelen also well under way and will be subsequently Jewish Museum of Deportation and Resistance used for a cinematographic project and a on the only train transporting Jews in Europe publication. that was stopped to free the prisoners, entitled “1200 Gesichter – Erinnerung an Transport XX” In addition to testimonials and contemporary [1200 Faces – Remember Transport XX] from 8 history lectures, GrenzGeschichteDG also to 31 May 2008 at the Eupen train station. The organises tours of escape, resistance and high point of the opening ceremony was the persecution locations in the Dutch-German- speech by Régine Krochmal, now 91 years of Belgian and the Luxembourg-German-Belgian age, who managed to escape from the train on border areas. For these visits, schools can also her own. In the run-up to the presentation, she use audio guides in French and German that can arrived in Eupen already on 27 February 2008, be downloaded from the website. and was able to tell some 200 students her life Eminent domestic and foreign writers read story and to urge them to take an active part in from their works on the Holocaust before local this project. students and partly a wider audience as well. To commemorate the 25th anniversary GrenzGeschichteDG is currently in serious of the German-speaking Community, negotiations to acquire one of the few preserved GrenzGeschichteDG organised, on behalf of the cattle trucks from ‘Transport XX’ which were Community government and Exil-PEN (writers used to deport Jews. The aim is to present it as in exile), an international event from 1 to 4 April an extracurricular learning and remembrance 2009 on the topic: “Stille Retter – Menschen venue in the German-speaking Community. 20 AFTER THE HOLOCAUST | Overview of the initiatives

Under the motto “Then persecuted – now The “Crocus Project” was geared to students forgotten”, a Euregional event was held in upper primary schools and the first two for the first time on 27 January 2001 at the years of secondary education. This project was Father Damian secondary school in Eupen on carried out in the German-speaking Community. Holocaust remembrance day. Representatives Developed by the Holocaust Educational Trust of different groups of victims – Jews, political Ireland,14 it has since been disseminated prisoners, Jehovah’s witnesses, homosexuals worldwide. The trust makes yellow crocus – from Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands bulbs available which are planted by students participated in the inter-generational dialogue in autumn to commemorate the one and a with students from these three countries who half million Jewish children who died in the presented projects on the topic. Holocaust. This is certainly one way to give Euregional further education courses for upper primary school students a first insight into teachers on such topics as “Nazis, occupation the Holocaust and to warn them of the dangers and the war” and “The history of Jews in the of discrimination, prejudices and intolerance. borderland” have already been organised on several occasions. Contacts with ‘witnesses’ also took place. 3. Remembrance

In continuity with holocaust remembrance education projects, the following initiatives are also worth pinpointing in the area of remembrance.

In December 2004, the Belgian Government designated January 27 as “Remembrance Day of the Genocide committed by ”. The remembrance ceremony in Auschwitz on 27 January 2005 was attended by H.M. King Albert II and the Prime Minister at the time, Mr. G. Verhofstadt. In 2006 Belgium, in its capacity as Chairman in Office of the OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe), organized an OSCE Holocaust Remembrance Day in Brussels to which representatives of all 56 participating States were invited.

14Website : www.holocausteducationaltrustireland.org 15 This number may increase, since requests to be awarded this title may still be submitted. See also: “The Encyclopaedia of the Righteous Among the Nations. Rescuers of Jews during the Holocaust. Belgium”, Dan Michman (ed.), Yad Vashem, Jerusalem. 2005, 296 pp. The work was produced with the support of the Commission of the European Communities, the Conference on Jewish Material Claims against Germany and the Belgian government. AFTER THE HOLOCAUST | Overview of the initiatives 21

On 8 May, various ceremonies are also held Within the scope of remembrance initiatives, to commemorate the liberation; in 2011, the reference can be made to the Decree of 13 Federal government was officially represented March 2009 by the French Community18. at the commemorative ceremonies at the Tomb The purpose of this Decree is to further the of the Unknown Soldier in Brussels and at the emergence of initiatives aimed at encouraging National Monument of the Resistance in Liège. the passing on of that remembrance and perpetuating the existing projects. Up to now, 1,584 Belgian citizens15 were awarded the title of “Righteous among the Nations” for In concrete terms, the Decree organises support having saved the lives of thousands of Jews. for: Pages of testimony of the “Righteous among the Nations”, some of which are Belgian16, are - Resource Centres: they must set up platforms featured on the Yad Vashem website. The title the purpose of which is to provide the target of “Righteous Among the Nations” is an official groups with transversal or comprehensive title awarded by Yad Vashem on behalf of the information about the historical facts forming State of and of the Jewish people by non- the subject of the Decree. They are recognised Jews who, at the risk of their lives saved Jews for five years. during the Holocaust. That title is awarded by a - Accredited Centres: They may be on a smaller special Committee on the basis of established scale than the Resource Centres. They have regulations and criteria. to comply with a more limited number of On 8 May 2007, the Prime Minister and the requirements to receive support and are Minister of Defence at that time inaugurated recognised for two years. a commemorative plaque in homage to the - Organisations or schools answering calls for “Righteous” of Belgian and to the citizens projects: every year, three types of calls for who, at the risk of their lives, came to the projects are launched. assistance of Jews persecuted during the Nazi occupation. That commemorative plaque is to The first type of call for projects aims at be found in the Albertine gardens at the Mont gathering, enhancing, exploiting or preserving des Arts in Brussels. During the ceremony, the evidence in relationship with the subject of the Prime Minister once again made apologies17 Decree. for the collaboration of the authorities with the A second type of call for projects aims to Nazis in the context of the persecution and the organise visits to places of remembrance and deportation of the Jews. seminars intended for teachers, in relationship with the subject of the Decree.

16 Website : www.yadvashem.org - Righteous – Featured Stories - Belgium 17In 2002, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the deportation of Jews from Belgium, the Prime Minister recalled in Mechelen our country’s share of responsibility, by referring to the role played by a number of Belgian officials and civil servants and authorities in that tragedy. In 2005, apologies for that responsibility were explicitly made in front of the entire international community at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem. 18Decree of 13 March 2009 relating to the passing on of the remembrance of crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and acts of resistance or movements having resisted the regimes that aroused those crimes. 22 AFTER THE HOLOCAUST | Overview of the initiatives

A third type of call for projects is aimed at concerning any matter relating to the purpose of projects in relationship with the subject of the Decree. the Decree but neither concerns evidence or The educational coordination unit “Democracy or testimony nor visits to places of remembrance. barbarity” coordinates and monitors the actions supported by the French Community within the Twenty or so projects were recognised and framework of the Decree. It is also assigned to funded by the French Community in 2009 collect and disseminate information about the and 2010. It should be emphasised that, in issues affected by the Decree. the three categories, the vast majority of the projects are related to the Holocaust, to the 40 monuments and places of remembrance Nazi concentration camp system and to the Resistance. Furthermore it may be mentioned that in The resource and accredited Centres recognised Belgium, more than 40 monuments are within the framework of the Decree19 propose dedicated to the remembrance of the victims significant and varied resources: publications, of the Holocaust. Among the best-known are seminars, training, visits to places in Belgium the National Monument to Belgian Jewish or abroad, exhibitions, activities in schools, Martyrs in Anderlecht and “Les Territoires de awareness-raising actions intended for the la Mémoire”, an educational centre in Liège, general public, etc. Those resources not only which adopts an educational view geared concern the themes referred to by the Decree towards the future20 and the National Fort but also, and on a broader scale, issues involving Breendonk Memorial. For instance, the Union the fight against extremisms and the promotion des Déportés Juifs en Belgique- Filles et Fils of the values of democracy. de la Déportation (Union of Jewish Deportees in Belgium – Sons and Daughters of Deportation) The Council for the passing on of remembrance, organises an annual ceremony that takes place set up within the framework of the Decree and at the abovementioned Monument in Anderlecht, composed of representatives from the academic in the presence of a hundred or so children world, from civil society and from the Ministry from Jewish and non-Jewish schools. That of the French Community, was established ceremony is devoted to the Holocaust – “Yom on 30 June 2009. In addition to its role in the Hashoa” - to the rising of the procedures for the recognition of centres and to the attack on the 20th transport headed and calls for projects, it gives opinions to the for Auschwitz. This Union is also responsible Government of the French Community, either for the annual pilgrimage in front of the Dossin on its own initiative or when requested to do so, Barracks in Mechelen which takes place in the

19The list, the references of the centres and any other information concerning the initiatives taken in the French Community can be found at the address: www. decretmemoire.cfwb.be 20Website: www.territoires-memoire.be AFTER THE HOLOCAUST | Overview of the initiatives 23

first weeks of September. His Majesty, King and the Belgian Judaism Foundation. The Albert II together with the Prime Minister at the Flemish Government purchased a copy of it for time, Mr Guy Verhofstadt, have already attended all its public libraries. this commemoration and every year the federal government is represented.

Another important place or remembrance, already previously mentioned, is the Dossin Barracks, formerly the Jewish Museum for Deportation and Resistance (subsequently referred to as the Kazerne Dossin-JMDR), which is located in Mechelen in the SS-Samellager of the period. These barracks are also called ‘the Waiting Room of Death’ due to the central role it played in the deportation of 25,834 Jews (among whom 514 from northern France) and 351 Gypsies (among whom a certain number from northern France) to Auschwitz from 1942 to 1944. Plans and the construction of a refurbished museum “Kazerne Dossin. Memorial, Museum and Documentation Centre The safeguarding of archives is a crucial on Holocaust and Human Rights” in Mechelen aspect of the duty of remembrance. The State are making good progress and the inauguration Archives of Belgium, active in the Belgian ITS is scheduled for 2012. The funding for this (International Tracing Service) network, have in project is provided by the Flemish Government. the recent years focused special attention on Another noteworthy initiative of the Kazerne safeguarding, preserving and making accessible Dossin-JMDR is the publication of a 4-volume the archives of and World War II, series of 18,522 portraits of the 25,000 especially the archives of the Belgian authorities deportees from Mechelen to Auschwitz. This on the German spoils and the Belgian restitution work, published in February 2009, is the and indemnification activities. Among these achievement of 10 years’ work in archives and archives are the very rich individual files of of 3 years’ scanning. This unique memorial to the former Foreigners’ Police, an invaluable the deportation was sponsored inter alia by the source for the relatives of deported foreigners European Commission, the Claims Conference21 and for the historical study of the impact of

21The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, website: www.claimscon.org 24 | na de Shoah | Een overzicht van de initiatieven

the Holocaust in Belgium. These 40,000 or so files are currently being digitised by the Kazerne Dossin-JMDR. Yearly, they allow the of Belgium to answer accurately hundreds of inquiries from deported persons or their close relations. In 2009, the General Archives of the Kingdom received a digitised copy of the archives of the ITS, kept in Bad Arolsen, in Germany. Over 80 million digitised pictures, representing some six terabytes, can be currently accessed by researchers, victims of persecutions or their close relatives.

Through cooperation between the Federal Public Service Social Security Directorate- General War-Victims, the Study Commission, the Indemnification Commission and the Kazerne Dossin-JMDR, many documents and personal belongings (referred to as ‘relics’), which had been confiscated from the deportees at the Dossin barracks in Mechelen, were restored to families.

In 1992-93, the Belgian authorities granted subsidies, via the non-profit making organisation Sauvegarde d’Auschwitz a.s.b.l., for the purpose of the preservation of the buildings and land in Auschwitz-Birkenau. In 2005, they took the initiative of revamping the Belgian permanent exhibition of Auschwitz, so as to actively uphold the duty of remembrance. That exhibition project, implemented in 2005, was managed by the JMDR and the required subsidies AFTER THE HOLOCAUST | Overview of the initiatives 25

were granted by the National Lottery and the de Documentation Juive Contemporaine Judaism Foundation of Belgium. The Minister of (Contemporary Jewish Documentation Centre - Defence also provided a material contribution. Paris) and obviously the JMDR (Mechelen). Furthermore, every year, the Museum in That important collection of records relating to Mechelen receives subsidies from the public the Second World War is not the only one, far authorities intended for the upkeep of the from it, as shown by “the lists of Palestinian Belgian permanent exhibition. exchanges” or the study concerning looted books Belgium also provides a contribution to the which were both the subject of publications. The Auschwitz-Birkenau International Foundation. Museum further manages several thousand files of private persons, in addition to the collections Jewish Museum of Belgium of Jewish institutions and organisations which are regularly made available on request to A last institution obviously worth mentioning is the Jewish Museum of Belgium. The Jewish Museum of Belgium was relocated in a new and larger space in the heart of Brussels, with financial support from the Belgian authorities and other partners. The Jewish Museum of Belgium organises permanent and temporary exhibitions; it offers educational services and different activities showing the richness of Jewish culture and history. In 2007, with financial support from the Claims Conference, the Jewish Museum of Belgium digitised, via the JMDR, the some 83,000 original files of the “Register of Jews” (those persons who declared that they were Jewish pursuant to the German order in December 1940) which it preserves and created a database which may be consulted in its premises subject to compliance with the terms of the Privacy Act. That base researchers or private individuals in search of was copied, as a measure of security, for the their roots. The Museum also preserves several Yad Vashem (Jerusalem), the US Holocaust hundred items of drawings, objects and photos Memorial Museum (Washington), the Centre in the departments. 26 AFTER THE HOLOCAUST | Overview of the initiatives

As far as teaching is concerned, in addition to the permanent exhibition room devoted to the Holocaust since 2010, in 2014 – as from the inauguration of the new museum – a more comprehensive circuit will be opened concerning the Holocaust in Belgium and its consequences. Furthermore, from April 2012, the educational guide books will integrate guided tours on that site into the current exhibition, after the renovation of the National Memorial to Jewish Martyrs (located in Anderlecht). Lastly, for the adult audience, during the museum Tuesdays, specialised conferences about the Holocaust both in Belgium and abroad are organised. Jewish community in Belgium was published 4. Research in 2001 (see below). In 2000, a PhD thesis was also published having highlighted the extensive 22 In addition to education and remembrance, collaboration of the authorities . As research into the Holocaust in Belgium plays a a result of these different studies devoted to major role. That is reason for the founding of the the despoilment of Jewish assets and to the Centre for Research and Studies on the History collaboration of the authorities of the city of of the Second World War in 1969. It is currently Antwerp, there was increasing support within known as the Centre for Historical Research the Jewish community for an in-depth study to and Documentation on War and Contemporary be conducted into the possible involvement of Society (CEGES). Many archives are preserved the Belgian authorities in the persecution and at the Centre illustrating the persecution of deportation of the Jewish population during the Jews in Belgium. The CEGES was involved in Nazi occupation of Belgium. The result was a the “Study Commission into the fate of the research project conducted by the CEGES at the Belgian Jewish Community’s assets which request of the Belgian Senate on behalf of the were plundered or surrendered or abandoned Federal authorities. The latter also funded the during the 1940-1945 war” set up in 1997 by the project. The report was presented to the Senate 23 Belgian government. The final report by that in 2007. The said study forms an important Commission assigned to conduct research into contribution in this area. the plundering and looting of the assets of the

22Lieven Saerens, scientific contributor at the CEGES, author of “Vreemdelingen in een wereldstad. Een geschiedenis van Antwerpen en zijn joodse bevolking (1880-1944)”, Lannoo nv, Tielt, 2000, 800 pp. 23The same year, the findings of the research project were also published in book form, both in French and in Dutch: ‘La Belgique docile : Les autorités belges et la persécution des Juifs en Belgique pendant la Seconde Guerre Mondiale’, (Docile Belgium: Belgian Authorities and the persecution of Jews in Belgium during the Second World War) Rudi Van Doorslaer (ed.), Emmanuel Debruyne, Frank Seberechts, Nico Wouters, with the cooperation of Lievens Saerens, published by Editions Luc Pire and CEGES, 2007, 2 vol., 1546 pp.; “Gewillig België. Overheid en Jodenvervolging tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog”, Rudi Van AFTER THE HOLOCAUST | Overview of the initiatives 27

Since November 2010, le CEGES has been Association of former political prisoners in involved in the far-reaching European EHRI Auschwitz-Birkenau and Silesian Camps and project (European Holocaust Research Prisons), whose prime objective is the study of Infrastructure24). Funded by the Seventh history and the remembrance of Nazi crimes Framework Programme of the European and genocides, awareness of them, the passing Commission, that project brings together on of that remembrance and knowledge and the 20 institutions from 13 countries with the preservation of the archives relating to them. aim of developing a portal which will offer The Association set up a non-profit-making online access to the scattered archives of Study and Documentation Centre to achieve its the Holocaust in Europe. The purpose is to goals: Mémoire d’Auschwitz (Remembrance of stimulate and internationalise research into Auschwitz). The two institutions work together to the persecution of the Jews. The project will promote scientific research and multidisciplinary continue to run until September 2014. The publications with a view to broadening CEGES manages and coordinates two Work understanding of the historical processes Packages. The contribution by CEGES is twofold; which led to the coming to power of the Third its contribution is situated, at the level of the Reich and to Nazi crimes and genocides while identification of the institutions and collections developing teaching projects intended for the and, on the other hand, at the level of the various education sectors in particular, and for examination of any problems related to privacy society in general. law in the different countries. Both institutions have significant collections of archival materials, a well-stocked library, In December 2010, a partnership agreement was together with a vast range of audiovisual concluded between the CEGES and the “Kazerne documentation which is available to the public, Dossin/JMDR”, which means in particular that to researchers, students, teachers and young a representative of the CEGES is now a member people.25 of the “Kazerne Dossin/JMDR” standing consultative committee. The Foundation for Contemporary Remembrance (La Fondation de la Mémoire Auschwitz Foundation contemporaine – De Stichting voor de Eigentijdse Herinnering) was founded in 1994 Another institution that should be mentioned and also actively conducts research in this is the Auschwitz Foundation. That institution area. The Foundation’s activities are supported was founded in 1980 by the Amicale Belge by the Ministry of Defence and the Belgian des Ex-Prisonniers Politiques d’Auschwitz- Judaism Foundation. The research work of Birkenau, Camps et Prisons de Silésie (Belgian this Foundation is structured around two key

Doorslaer (ed.), Emmanuel Debruyne, Frank Seberechts, Nico Wouters, with the cooperation of Lieven Saerens, Meulenhoff|Manteau and SOMA, 2007, 1163 pp. To reach a broader audience, an abridged French version appeared in 2010, with the support of the French Community: “La Belgique et la persécution des Juifs”, Anne Roekens, La Renaissance du Livre and CEGES, 2010, 124 pp. Since 2011, a Dutch version is also available: “Gewillig België”, Anne Roekens, De Bezige Bij, Antwerp, 2011, 166 pp. 24Website : www.ehri-project.eu 25Bron website: www.auschwitz.be 28 AFTER THE HOLOCAUST | Overview of the initiatives

notions: ‘remembrance’ and ‘vigilance’. For B. Initiatives in the area of material reparations instance, the Foundation conducts historical research into the Belgian Jewish community in the 20th century and collects evidence. It Since 1997, the Belgian authorities have taken conserves that evidence and those essays and and implemented various measures aimed archives together with photographic material. at identifying, restoring and indemnifying the Every year, it also publishes the review “Les assets despoiled to the detriment of Holocaust Cahiers de la Mémoire contemporaine” (The victims and at promoting the welfare of Contemporary Remembrance Notebooks), many .28 These initiatives may be articles of which are devoted to the tragedy of placed within an international perspective. The the Holocaust.26 opening of a series of archives (e.g. concerning the fate of stolen gold) resulted in a worldwide As a conclusion, let us mention that, since 2000, search for unrestored Jewish assets. At Belgian several theses and monographs have been level, the National Committee of the Belgian published on the following subjects: Jewish community for restitution (CNCJBR)29 Jewish refugees, the escape of Jewish deportees asked the government of the time to take the from the 20th convoy and Jewish members of necessary steps. The Belgian public authorities the ; the assistance to Jews have always closely involved the Belgian Jewish (Jewish children) and post-war problems of the Community, represented by the CNCJBR, in this return of these children to their community; entire process. the “Association of the Jews in Belgium”, founded by the Nazis; the Belgian diamond trade and the Jewish educational system during the 1. The Study Commission into the fate of Occupation; the Belgian Jewish Community’s assets Belgian ‘Jew hunters’, Liège and the Jews which were plundered or surrendered or during the Occupation, Jewish cultural assets in abandoned during the 1940-1945 war Antwerp and Kalmhout and the re-establishment of the Jewish In July 1997, a Study Commission into the fate of community in Belgium after WWII. the Belgian Jewish Community’s assets which Like several monographs devoted to the were plundered or surrendered or abandoned persecution of Jews in Belgium, including during the 1940-1945 war was set up in Belgium, a recent one, they put the emphasis on the as part of a constructive dialogue between the German approach while reserving special Belgian Jewish Community (the CNCJBR being attention to the great responsibility of the more specifically the initiator) and the Belgian German military authority.27 authorities. That Commission was assigned the

26Bron website: www.fmc-seh.be 27“De Shoah in België”, Insa Meinen, De Bezige Bij, Antwerp, 2011, 333 pp. Initially published in German: “Die Shoah in Belgien”, Insa Meinen, Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, Darmstadt, 2009, 254 pp. 28 The examination of the initiatives is limited to those subsequent to 1997. The various efforts made by the Belgian authorities in the aftermath of the war are therefore not explicitly mentioned. 29Now called: National Committee of the Belgian Jewish community for Restitution and Remembrance. AFTER THE HOLOCAUST | Overview of the initiatives 29

task of “investigating the fate of the Belgian The investigations conducted in these sectors Jewish Community’s assets appropriated, lost (with the exception of furniture and domestic or abandoned in those circumstances” (Art. 1 of possessions) made it possible to locate and the Royal Decree of 6 July 1997 concerning the identify despoiled and not restored assets within founding of a Study Commission into the fate of insurance companies, financial institutions and the Belgian Jewish Community’s assets which the Belgian State.31 were abandoned at the time of their deportation during the 1940-1945 war, M.B. 12 July 1997).30

The Study Commission conducted investigations in the following areas: - the financial sector; - real-estate assets; - life insurance; - businesses; - the diamond sector; - art objects and cultural assets; - furniture and domestic possessions (overall investigation).

30See also the Act of 15 January 1999 concerning the Study Commission into the fate of the Belgian Jewish Community’s assets, which were plundered or surrendered or abandoned during the 1940-1945 war, M.B. 12 March 1999. 31The Study Commission’s final report may be consulted on the website: www.combuysse.fgov.be/index-oldsite. html 30 AFTER THE HOLOCAUST | Overview of the initiatives

2. The Indemnification Commission for the occupying German authorities, was considered Belgian Jewish Community’s assets that for indemnification.33 When the despoiled person were plundered, surrendered or abandoned was deceased, a rightful claimant, in the first, during the 1940-1945 war second or third degree, could submit a claim.

As a result of the findings made by the Study Individual compensation amounting to EUR Commission, contained in its final report of 35.2 million July 2001, the Act of 20 December 2001 (M.B. 24 January 2002) set up the Indemnification The Act of 20 December 2001 identified the Commission for the Belgian Jewish assets that would be taken into consideration Community’s assets.32 At the outcome of the for indemnification, namely the assets and negotiations conducted with the CNCJBR, the possessions looted or abandoned of which amounts identified by the Study Commission restitution had not been made by the State, were paid by the State, the banks and the financial institutions or insurance companies. insurance companies. Those payments, Those assets could neither have already been which represented a total amount of 110.6 the object of any compensation, indemnification million euros, were payments in full discharge or reparation and should have been identified for the bodies concerned, which meant an by the Study Commission or the Indemnification extinguishment of the right to submit any other Commission (cf. Art. 6 of the Act). In view of the indemnification claim for the material assets special circumstances, mainly the fact that the and financial losses affected by the Act. This records were not complete, the Commission amount was paid into the special account chose in all fairness to award lump sum opened at the Belgian National Bank and indemnification when there were sufficient placed at the disposal of the Indemnification indications making it possible to identify Commission. despoilment, but no proof or trace of the assets could be found on a frozen account (Art. 8 of the The Indemnification Commission then began Act). the individual indemnification procedure. The claims could be submitted until 9 September All in all, the Indemnification Commission 2003. Any person residing in Belgium at any processed 5,220 despoilment files, with the total time whatever during the period from 10 May amount of individual compensation amounting 1940 to 8 May 1945, whose assets had been to 35.2 million euros. It closed the examination plundered in Belgium as a result of anti-Jewish and the processing of the files on 31 December measures or anti-Semitic acts committed by the 2007.34 The law laid down that the remaining

32Act of 20 December 2001 relating to the indemnification of the Belgian Jewish Community’s assets, which were plundered, surrendered or abandoned during the 1940-1945 war, M.B. 24 January 2002, amended by the Acts of 8 April 2003, M.B. 17 April 2003, 9 July 2004, M.B. 15 July 2004, and 20 July 2006, M.B. 28 July 2006. 33The Act did not therefore lay down any nationality requirement. 42% of the claims came from abroad. 34The Indemnification Commission’s final report may be consulted on the website: www.combuysse.fgov.be AFTER THE HOLOCAUST | Overview of the initiatives 31

financial balance would be paid to a public utility claimants and the restudying of the Belgian and foundation, in the event the Belgian Judaism German sources, about 160 reports were drawn Foundation (see infra 4. Judaism Foundation). up regarding disappeared or lost works of art and cultural goods. These detailed reports led 3. Cultural goods, works of art and judaica: to financial proposals of indemnification which a continuous study the Commission followed. For instance, two historical clocks from the Royal Museums of Art As mentioned above, the Belgian Study and History and one book from the Royal Library Commission, in accordance with the of Belgium were returned in 2002 to the heirs conclusions of the Washington Conference and and claimants who had submitted an individual more specifically with the agreement on the claim. Washington Principles on Nazi-Confiscated Art, investigated the lost, plundered and abandoned i. Cultural goods and works of art cultural property and works of art having in general belonged to members of the Jewish community in Belgium, more specifically to victims of the The Study Commission studied the procedures Holocaust. Simultaneously a historical study was and ways in which Jewish cultural property was undertaken to clarify the cultural losses suffered despoiled in Belgium during the Holocaust. by Jewish owners and organisations, and the A profound investigation was also made of ways these cultural goods were plundered and the Belgian restitution efforts after WWII. The disappeared during and after World War II. The Office de Récupération Economique (ORE) was Belgian Study Commission also studied and nationally and internationally responsible for investigated indirectly, in a more general way, the Belgian recovery of cultural goods from the plundered cultural property of religious the public domain and from private individuals communities and associations in Belgium. and associations and was also responsible for the liquidation of Nazi material. Their activities The Indemnification Commission, as mentioned were seriously hampered by the prevailing above, depended for the examination of the chaotic situation after the liberation and difficult individual claims which concerned or might working relations with other services, claims concern disappeared cultural goods on the for repossession by (Jewish) owners and the constant expertise of the unit Restitution of quartering of Allied troops and material. Looted Jewish Cultural Goods of the Federal Public Planning Service Science Policy. On From 1999, an important search for lost Jewish the basis of the data provided by individual cultural property was undertaken in cultural 32 AFTER THE HOLOCAUST | Overview of the initiatives

institutions and museums in Belgium. The cultural spoils and post-war restitution policies aim was to locate works of art and cultural in Belgium, including complete lists of the goods transferred by the ORE after World War cultural goods, will be made available for the II and to investigate unclear and unidentified public on the internet. Secondly, PPS Science provenances. The approach used is comparable Policy will continue to provide information free with the one used to investigate MNR- of charge to victims, their heirs and their legal works35 of art in France and NK-works36 in representatives concerning their cultural losses, the Netherlands. On the basis of two written and also to auction houses and to cultural inquiry lists, details were demanded of all institutions, in pursuance of the Washington acquisitions, deposited works of art and the Principles. Thirdly an awareness campaign, handled or restituted cultural goods by the in cooperation with the Communities, will be ORE. By consulting the available archives and organized to widely inform all cultural actors correspondence written during the war and after of the Washington Principles and the Terezin the war years, a clear picture was established of Declaration. the involvement of the cultural institutions and museums in the despoilment and restitution ii. Judaica activities. This investigation was carried out in full cooperation with the Communities, The Judaica issue is best illustrated with the responsible for the cultural domain in Belgium. help of an example. After the inquiry in 24 cultural institutions and On Easter Monday 14 April 1941, one public museums, a total of more than 300 cultural incident occurred, which proved to be an isolated objects were discovered with an unclear, event in the history of the persecution of Jews unidentified or a Jewish provenance, linked to in Belgium. A small anti-Semitic mob invaded World War II. the Jewish quarter of Antwerp breaking dozens of windows and displays and setting fire to two The provenance of those cultural goods and the house of Markus continues to be investigated. This investigation Rottenberg. The synagogues were desecrated will make it possible to restore goods to their and plundered. The Torah scrolls, sacred books rightful owners or their heirs. If necessarily, and furniture were openly burnt in the streets when the provenance remains unclear, further and buildings were set on fire. National-Socialist inquiries will be undertaken and international services were present and did not intervene. The attention will be drawn to these cultural goods some 200 to 400 pillagers were mostly members by PPS Science Policy. In the next years, a of collaborationist organisations. German comprehensive study of the history of the soldiers were also present.

35“The ‘MNR’, meaning the ‘Musées Nationaux Récupération’, refers to the national museums recovery programme. It has a database of works of art retrieved in Germany at the end of the Second World War but never claimed by their rightful owners. Those works were entrusted by the Office des biens privés (Office of private goods – OBIP) to the custody of the Department of Museums of France pursuant to the decree dated 30 September 1949.” (source website: www.culture.gouv.fr/ documentation/mnr/pres.htm). 36NK-works: NederlandsKunstbezit-collectie. “The NK collection constitutes the remainder of the works of art retrieved in Germany in particular after the Second World War. This collection is managed by the public authorities and was entrusted to the custody of the Instituut Collectie Nederland (Netherlands Institute for Cultural Heritage - ICN).” (source website: www.herkomstgezocht.nl/nl/nkcollectie/woordenboek.html). AFTER THE HOLOCAUST | Overview of the initiatives 33

an inquiry and research for lost Jewish cultural In August 1940, shortly after the occupation of property were conducted in the most important Belgium, the had targeted cultural institutions and museums in Belgium. and ransacked Jewish and Zionist organisations Special attention was given to the provenance both in Belgium and in northern France. After of religious objects and silverware collections. the liberation of Belgium, the local Jewish The investigation in the Belgian cultural community was partly compensated by the institutions showed that, besides the discovery Ministry of Reconstruction for material damage of some objects, that those silver objects were and the synagogues were re-consecrated. not registered or deposited in Belgian cultural institutions in mass. The findings were published In 2001 and 2002, after successful Belgian- in the final report of the Study Commission. The Russian negotiations, Belgian ‘Trophy’ archives Jewish Museum of Belgium discovered in the were returned by the Russian Federation. The nineties, 450 books written in Hebraic script in archives, mostly military documents from the an attic which had been confiscated, during the Belgian Ministry of National Defence, contained war years, by the “Anti Jewish National Agency 14 dossiers from Jewish organisations (such for and Flanders”, a collaborationist as the Alliance Israelite-Committee Antwerp organisation created with the help of the Sipo- and the editorial board of Hatikva, newspaper SD. of the Fédération Sioniste de Belgique). Those 14 dossiers together with 74 dossiers belonging More importantly, the Jewish Museum to leading Jewish personalities were returned of Belgium, active in the research of lost to the rightful organisations and owners. The cultural Jewish property, was one of the first reason for the small amount of documents, international Jewish museums to fully cooperate less than 1% of the total of the Belgian ‘Trophy’ in the provenance research, as stipulated by the archives, was that the main objective of the Nazi Washington Conference. services, such as the Einsatzstab Reichsleiter Rosenberg in Belgium, was primarily the As a conclusion, let us emphasise the need confiscation of library material. Most of to attach increased attention to the (personal) those books and libraries remain until now religious Jewish objects and the cultural unrecovered. property of associations. More extensive research should be conducted in this area The Belgian Study Commission made a if we are to fully understand the devastating profound investigation of the Nazi spoils and despoilment during the war years in Belgium. the Belgian restitution efforts after WWII and 34 AFTER THE HOLOCAUST | Overview of the initiatives

4. The Belgian Judaism Foundation

As stipulated in the Act of 20 December 2001, the financial balance remaining after the Indemnification Commission had concluded its work, was transferred to a public utility foundation, namely the Belgian Judaism Foundation. Justified collective restitution is thereby guaranteed. In the statutes of the Belgian Judaism Foundation, it is stipulated that the Foundation is formed with the aim of gathering together Jewish assets plundered or abandoned on the territory of Belgium between 1940 and 1945 for which no rightful claimant was able to be found (M.B. / B.S. 30 July 2004. The Foundation’s mission is also set out in the Statutes, i.e. the management of the Foundation’s intangible capital and the periodic distribution of the interest from that capital by means of subsidies so as to make it possible for the Belgian Jewish Community to ensure its continuity. Applications for subsidies must also meet certain conditions. It is mentioned that the projects must concern: Holocaust remembrance; social issues, in the widest meaning of the word, education, worship and everything related to it, culture, solidarity and support for the Jewish victims of the Second World War, in particular for Holocaust survivors, including those who settled in Belgium after the Liberation, solidarity with persons, such as Gypsies, who, like the Jewish Community, were the AFTER THE HOLOCAUST | Overview of the initiatives 35

victims of discriminations, racist persecutions C. Initiatives in the area of moral compensation or ‘racial’ deportation during the Second – Welfare programmes World War, solidarity with persons outside the Jewish Community, among whom the Belgian Righteous among the Nations; 1. Welfare Programmes - Federal Public the combat against anti-Semitism and Service Social Security Directorate-General intolerance; War Victims scientific and historical research into Jewish subjects or subjects relating to the Second In Belgium, victims and survivors of the World War, etc. Holocaust can benefit from a series of general measures aimed at improving the welfare of One of the initiatives of the said foundation those who suffered from the Second World War. is the “Solidarity 3000” action. The Belgian The legislator has already adopted several Acts Judaism Foundation was anxious to guarantee containing measures in favour of Holocaust personal compensation of at least 3,000 euros survivors. For instance, the Act of 26 January for the despoilment of their material assets to 1999 created the status of the Jewish child each victim of anti-Jewish persecutions. That hidden during the Second World War and the sum was awarded to those persons who had status of Jewish political prisoner for those not already been personally indemnified (and who did not have Belgian nationality during had not received at least 3,000 euros) under the Second World War. This recognition is an the German Reparation Acts or the Belgian honorary recognition of their status. The Royal Indemnification Act. If necessary, the Foundation Decree of 19 April 1999 established the creation made up the difference between the 3,000 euros of the medal of Jewish political prisoner. and the compensation received. In 2003, the legislator devoted a whole series of new measures in favour of victims from the Jewish and Gypsy communities particularly concerning deportees, the orphans of deportation and children and adults in hiding. The lifelong annuity for the orphans of deportees, adults and children who were in hiding as well as the compensatory pensions, annuities and fixed rate compensation for deportees are worth mentioning in this respect. The Act of 11 April 2003, making provision for new measures on behalf of war victims, 36 AFTER THE HOLOCAUST | Overview of the initiatives

substantially complements the assistance provided to the various categories of persons, victims of anti-Jewish persecution at that time, as well as to their children, children in hiding or orphans.

2. The Belgian Judaism Foundation

The Belgian Judaism Foundation (see above) is a foundation devoted to Holocaust remembrance and provides its support to the Belgian Jewish community in the social and psycho-medical- social fields and in the areas of education, culture and worship. AFTER THE HOLOCAUST | Overview of the initiatives 37 38 AFTER THE HOLOCAUST | Practical information

III. Practical information

General information Flemish Ministry of Education and Training Boulevard Roi Albert II - Koning Albert II-laan 15 Federal Public Service B-1210 Brussels Chancellery of the Prime Minister Tel.: +32 (0)2 553 88 51 Rue de la Loi - Wetstraat 16 Fax: +32 (0)2 553 88 35 B-1000 Brussels E-mail: [email protected] Tel.: +32 (0)2 501 02 11 Website: onderwijs.vlaanderen.be Website: kanselarij.belgium.be Website Indemnification Commission: . Ministry of the French Community www.combuysse.fgov.be Boulevard Léopold II - Leopold II-laan 44 B-1080 Brussels Federal Public Service Tel.: +32 (0)2.413.29 53 Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development E-mail: [email protected] Cooperation Website: www.cfwb.be rue des Petits Carmes - Karmelietenstraat 15 B-1000 Brussels Flemish Ministry of Culture, Youth, Sport and Media Tel.: +32 (0)2 501 81 11 Rue d’Arenberg - Arenbergstraat 9 Website: www.diplomatie.be B-1000 Brussels Tel.: +32 (0)2 553 06 79 Specific information Fax: +32 (0)2 553 68 43 E-mail: [email protected] Federal Public Planning Service Science Policy Website: www.cjsm.vlaanderen.be Avenue Louise - Louizalaan 231 B-1050 Brussels Educational coordination unit “Democracy or barbarity” Tel.: +32 (0)2 238 34 11 Ministry of the French Community - General Secretariat Fax: +32 (0)2 230 59 12 Office 3F338 E-mail: [email protected] Rue A. Lavallée – A. Lavalléestraat 1 [email protected] B-1080 Brussels Website: www.belspo.be/belspo Tel.: +32 (0)2 690 83 52/53/54 Fax: +32 (0)2 690 85 84 Federal Public Service Social Security E-mail: [email protected] Directorate-General War-Victims Website: www.enseignement.be/dob Square de l’Aviation - Luchtvaartsquare 31 B-1070 Brussels Ministry of the German-speaking Community Tel.: +32 (0)2 528 91 00 Gospertstraße 1 Fax: +32 (0)2 528 91 22 B-4700 Eupen E-mail: [email protected] Tel.: +32 (0)87 59 63 00 Website: warvictims.fgov.be Fax: +32 (0)87 55 28 91 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.dglive.be AFTER THE HOLOCAUST | Practical information 39

GrenzGeschichteDG an der The State Archives of Belgium Kazerne Dossin. Memorial, Museum Autonomen Hochschule Rue de Ruysbroeck - . and Documentation Centre on in der DG Ruisbroeckstraat 2 - 6 Holocaust and Human Rights Monschauerstraße 26 B-1000 Brussels Goswin de Stassartstraat 153 B-4700 Eupen Tel.: +32 (0)2 513 76 80 B-2800 Mechelen Tel: +32 87 59 05 00 Fax: +32 (0)2 513 76 81 Tel.: +32 (0)15 29 06 60 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Fax: +32 (0)15 29 08 76 E-mail: [email protected] Website: arch.arch.be E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.grenzgeschichte.eu Website: www.kazernedossin.eu National Committee of the Belgian Jewish community for Restitution and Auschwitz Foundation - The Centre for Equal Opportunities Remembrance Remembrance of Auschwitz and Opposition to Racism Avenue Ducpétiaux - . Rue des Tanneurs - . Rue royale - Koningsstraat 138 Ducpétiauxlaan 68 Huidevetterstraat 65 B-1000 Brussels B-1060 Brussels B-1000 Brussels Tel.: +32 (0)2 212 30 00 Tel.: +32 (0) 2 512 79 98 Fax: +32 (0)2 212 30 30 The Belgian Judaism Foundation Fax: +32 (0) 2 512 58 84 E-mail: [email protected] Avenue Ducpétiaux - . E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.diversite.be Ducpétiauxlaan 68 Website: www.auschwitz.be B-1060 Brussels Institute for Veterans - National Tel.: +32 (0)2 538 45 00 Bijzonder Comité Institute for Invalids of War, Veterans Fax: +32 (0)2 534 30 32 Herinneringseducatie (Special and Victims of War (IV-INIG) E-mail: [email protected] Committee for Remembrance Boulevard du Régent - . Website: www.fjb-sjb.be Education) Regentlaan 45/46 Goswin de Stassartstraat 153 B-1000 Brussels Jewish Museum of Belgium B-2800 Mechelen Tel.: +32 (0)2 227 63 00 rue des Minimes - Miniemenstraat 21 Tel.: +32 (0)15 29 06 60 Fax: +32 (02 227 63 31 B-1000 Brussels Fax: +32 (0)15 29 08 76 E-mail: [email protected] Tel.: +32 (0)2 512 19 63 E-mail: Website: www.warveterans.be Fax: +32 (0)2 513 48 59 [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.herinneringseducatie.be Centre for Historical Research Website: www.mjb-jmb.org and Documentation on War and Foundation for Contemporary Contemporary Society (CEGES-SOMA) Remembrance Square de l’Aviation - Luchtvaartsquare 29 Avenue Victoria - Victorialaan 5 B-1070 Brussels B-1000 Brussels Tel.: +32 (0)2 556 92 11 Tel.: +32 (0)2 650 35 64 Fax: +32 (0)2 556 92 00 Fax: +32 (0)2 650 35 99 e-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.cegesoma.be Website: www.fmc-seh.be .

Recent Belgian initiatives Education | Remembrance | Research Material and moral reparations 2012 FEDERAL.PUBLIC.SERVICE.CHANCELLERY.OF.THE.PRIME.MINISTER,.RUE.DE.LA.LOI.16,.1000.BRUSSELS