View of the Ostend cemetery, taken by the photographer Conevin. You can see on the photograph the tombs of Isaac Klener and his wife Esther Orenstein. (© Collection MJB)
Local Jewish communities are usually the best sources of information regarding cemeteries. However, there are still other sources with additional information.
In most newspapers you will find obituaries and information about births and marriages. See Dratwa Daniel : Répertoire des périodiques juifs parus en Belgique de 1841 à 1986, Bruxelles : Pro Museo Judaico – Centre d’Etudes du Judaisme Contemporain, 1987
Begraafplaats Schoonselhof – Antwerpen (Schoonselhof cemetery – Antwerp)
Krijgsbaan 100, 2660 Hoboken, Antwerpen – Phone : 32-(0)3 740 36 40
The former cemetery of ‘Kiel’ has been closed in 1935. Inquiries can be requested at the administration office of the Schoonselhof cemetery in Hoboken (Antwerpen), which has the Register of the old Kiel cemetery. Remainings and tombstones of the former Kiel cemetery have been transferred to the Shomre Hadas cemetery at Putte, the Netherlands.
Other Antwerp Jewish cemeteries
The three Jewish communities of Antwerp have their own cemeteries at Putte, the Netherlands, with concessions in perpetuity, since the beginning of the 20th century. Information can be obtained at the secretaries of each of those communities.
There is also another burial society managed by the Frechie Foundation.
Office of the Frechie Foundation
Hovenierstraat 55, bus 100, 2018 Antwerpen – Phone : 32-(0)3 239 21 05
Open Monday to Friday from 9H00 till 13H00 (except civil and Jewish holidays)
E-mail : info@frechie-stichting.org or frechie.stichting@skynet.be – Website : www.frechie-stichting.org
The Sephardic Jewish community has no cemetery of their own. Most of their burials take place at the premises of the Frechie Foundation and some other at the cemetery of the Shomre Hadas. Very few Sephardic burials take place at the cemetery of the Machzike Hadas.
Other cemeteries in Belgium
Since the law of 1998, concessions of Belgian cemeteries are renewable, according the wishes about concession years of the descendants in cooperation with the burial societies created by Jewish communities. (See: Jewish communities of Belgium at the website)
Brussels
With the exception of the classified heritage-listed Dieweg (Uccle) cemetery, there are the following burial sites (generally open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) at Auderghem, Dilbeek, Etterbeek, Kraainem and Wezembeek-Oppem.
Wallonia
There are burial sites for Jews in Arlon, in Marcinelle for the agglomeration of Charleroi and in Robermont and Eysden for the province of Liège. The province of Namur having dismantled the cemetery of St Servais, a lawn with a monument showing the 40 Jewish deceased was erected in Putte within the cemetery of the Frechie Foundation on March 12, 1970
Flanders
Apart from the province of Antwerp, there are also burial sites in Ghent and Ostend (confer Resources and services/recommended digital resources) in the provinces of East and West Flanders.
For inquiries of the cemetery in Eijsden (the Netherlands), contact the Jewish community of Liège.
For inquiries of the cemetery in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, contact the Jewish community of Arlon..
