Office of the World Jewish Congress in London.

In this fonds we firstly point out the relevant files containing correspondence with the WJC office in Brussels, Jewish organisations and individuals (files nrs. C2/1002 and C2/1317; years 1959-1962), with the Belgian ambassadors in London concerning the Bergen-Belsen memorial (C2/1766; 1948-1952), with He’atid – Federation of Zionists (C2/1196; 1942-1947), with the Conseil des Associations Juives de Belgique and concerning heirless Jewish property in Belgium (C2/1631; 1949-1963), regarding cultural affairs (C2/4226; 1956-1957), regarding publications, education, cultural issues, … (C2/4236; 1957-1961) and the European Special Conference on Anti-Semitic Incidents held in Brussels (C2/833; 1960). Belgium is also mentioned in the correspondence in files nrs. C2/551 and C2/554 (for 1955). Documents concerning anti-Jewish legislation in Belgium (1940-1942) can be found in nrs. C2/1199, C2/2054 and C2/2094. The following files contain correspondence, reports, interviews, articles, addresses, … on the situation of the Jews and Jewish organisations in Belgium before, during and after the war – see C2/1868 (1936-1940), C2/79 (1940-1941), C2/2862 (from Aaron Steinberg’s papers; 1942-1945), C2/2771 (correspondence with i.a. the Belgian government; 1942-1944), C2/1068 (correspondence with the Belgian embassy in London and Belgian ministers; 1941-1955) and C2/1792 (1954-1968). The following files concern “various aspects of Jewish life” in Belgium, such as Nazism, anti-Semitism and discrimination, for the years 1961-1967: C2/10297, C2/10201, C2/10477, C2/10526, C2/10549, C2/10733 and C2/10763. Concerning war crimes (and requests of the WJC for witnesses and testimonies), i.a. in Belgium, see C2/10751 (1962) and C2/10581 (1964). Relevant speeches (i.a. of René Cassin and Robert Dreyfus), reports, notes, resolutions, cables and other documents on the Fifth Plenary Assembly (1966), held in Brussels, can be found in C2/1335, C2/1409, C2/4093 and C2/4094. Other relevant files contain: documents on extradition agreements between the Israeli government and i.a. Belgium (C2/11164; years 1956-1957); newspaper clippings i.a. from Belgium concerning the Second Plenary Assembly (C2/1466; 1948); press releases, correspondence and reports on the Jews in the USSR and the World Conference of Jewish Communities on Soviet Jewry held in Brussels in 1971 (C2/1789; 1954-1971); correspondence and other documents concerning trips to i.a. Belgium (C2/1869; 1942-1946); comments of Léon Kubowitzki on an article on Belgium published in the USA (C2/1884; 1942); reports and press clippings i.a. concerning the efforts of Léon Kubowitzki for the recognition of Israel by Belgium, and receptions in his honour (C2/1949; years 1947-1948); correspondence, agenda and other documents regarding the European executive meeting in Brussels (C2/4335; 1960); testimonies and other documents concerning wartime experiences, i.a. in Belgium (C2/10125; 1962); material on Belgian neo-Nazi Jean Thiriart (C2/2195; 1960-1965) and Flemish nationalist extremism (C2/2214; 1966). Lastly, this fonds contains documentation and other documents (clippings, press releases, correspondence) on a wide range of topics. Belgium is mentioned in the following files, which concern: restitution (C2/11234 and C2/11236; resp. 1946-1960 and 1955-1959), heirless property and assets (C2/11239 and C2/11240; resp. 1959-1962 and 1958), compensation for Nazi victims (C2/11248, C2/11249, C2/11250, C2/11254, C2/11256, C2/11264, C2/11357 and C2/11373; resp. 1950-1956, 1960, 1959, 1957, 1956, 1961-1966, 1961-1965 and 1962-1965), Jews and Judaism (C2/12020, C2/12344 and C2/12345; resp. 1946-1956, 1963-1964 and 1958-1963), Jewish orphans (C2/11853 and C2/11854; resp. 1945-1953 and 1954-1958), the Roman Catholic Church and the Jews (C2/11835; 1964-1966), Christian-Jewish relations (C2/11813; 1955-1966), the Arab world and Arab boycott (C2/11792; 1955-1957), neo-Nazism and anti-Semitism (C2/11905, C2/11511, C2/11519, C2/11600, C2/2233 and C2/2116; resp. 1954-1960, 1960-1964, 1958, 1961-1963, 1966 and 1959) and Nazism and ex-Nazis (C2/11410 and C2/11421; resp. 1962-1964 and 1957).