There is no problem to inquire files older than 100 years. But if you are not a close relative, the ability to obtain records of less than 100 years old, depends on the goodwill of the City Registrar. Authorization can never been refused to a direct descendant (son, daughter, grandchild), but access to files by uncles, aunts, first cousins depends on the goodwill of the person in charge. It is more difficult for far distant family or people with no family connections at all to obtain permission without valid reason. The Civil Court of First Instance in Antwerp has the right to grant authorization, but it is unlikely that genealogists will obtain it.
Personal access of the files in the city archives is, as just mentioned, possible for descendants after an official request to the City Archives. In turn, the City Archives must obtain authorization from the Municipal Council. Once permission granted, files may only be consulted in the facilities of the archives.
This is a non-exhaustive list of state, provincial and municipal archives that may be useful for Jewish genealogical research. Opening hours of the respectively archives can differ. Check with the website of the involved archive.
Brussels
State Archives of Belgium
Rue Ruysbroeck 2, 1000 Brussels
Phone : 32-(0)2 513 76 80 ; E-Mail : archives.generales@arch.be ; Website : www.arch.be
The most important files kept here are the Police files of foreigners. These are individual files (often with picture) gathering information of each foreigner having lived or living in Belgium. Most of the Belgian municipalities also keep records of the Police Files of their foreigners in their archives.
The State Archives hold also similar documents for the whole country. This institution maintains the archives of the federal governmental institutions, as well as the archives and registers of the former Province of Brabant.
Analog and digital pictures can be executed by the electronic reader; in some occasions even free of charge, according to the internal rules of the reading room.
The access card to all the States Archives in Belgium is free of charge.
Archives Service for War Victims (Service Archives des Victimes de Guerre)
Square de l’Aviation 31, 1070 Brussels
Phone : 32-(0)2 528 91 00 ; E-Mail : aos_avg@arch.be
Since January 1st, 2018, these archives are part of the State Archives of Belgium. As its name suggests, all people who have resided in Belgium during the two armed conflicts last century have a file in this service establishing all the damages they have suffered. This is extended to each individual who has any rights on their assets, even if he resides abroad.
Antwerp
Rijksarchief Antwerpen-Beveren (State Archives of Antwerpen-Beveren)
Kruibekesteenweg 39, 9120 Beveren
Phone : 32-(0)3 750 29 77 ou 32-(0)3 236 73 00 ; E-mail: rijksarchief.antwerpen-beveren@arch.be
Open Tuesday to Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday until 4 p.m., but July and August, closed on Saturdays.
You can find here the civil municipal records of the city of Antwerp until 1900 on microfilm
Stadsarchief Antwerpen: Felixarchief (City Archives of Antwerp)
Oude Leeuwenrui 29, 2000 Antwerpen
Phone : 32-(0)3 338 94 11 ; E-mail: stadsarchief@antwerpen.be ; Website : www.felixarchief.antwerpen.be
Open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
To obtain copies of documents as civil records (birth, wedding and death) kept in Antwerp dating after 1920, write to :
Stadsloket van de Dienst voor Burgerlijke Stand van de Stad Antwerpen
Lange Gasthuisstraat 21, 2000 Antwerpen
Phone : 32-(0)3 221 13 33 ; E-Mail : district.antwerpen@antwerpen.be ou info@antwerpen.be
For the district of Berchem :
Dienst van Burgerlijke Stand van het district Berchem
Grote Steenweg 150, 2600 Berchem
Phone : 32-(0)3 338 40 00 ; E-mail : district.berchem@antwerpen.be
For the district of Borgerhout :
Dienst van Burgerlijke Stand van het disctrict Borgerhout
Moorkensplein 19, 2200 Borgerhout
Phone : 32-(0)3 221 13 33 ou 32-(0)3 338 17 77 ; E-mail: district.borgerhout@antwerpen.be
If you do not get permission of the City Registrar to view documents and/or files from after 1920, you have to ask the permission for doing research to :
Voorzitter van de Rechtbank van Eerste Aanleg (Chairman of the Civil Court of First Instance)
Bolivarplaats 20/1, 2000 Antwerpen
Phone : 32-(0)3 257 80 11 from 8 a.m. till 16 p.m.
Antwerps Joods Historisch Archief – Archief van Sylvain Brachfeld
Website : https://felixarchief.antwerpen.be/
Brabant
Archives de la Ville de Bruxelles (Archives of the City of Brussels)
Rue des Tanneurs 65, 1000 Brussels
Phone : 32-(0)2 279 53 21
E-Mail: archives@brucity.be ; Website : www.archives.bruxelles.be
Open Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Documents and files can be consulted in the reading room: especially population registers 1846-1900 and population indexes (1856-1960)
Civil records from the register office of the 18th century are kept here
For obtaining copies of civil records (birth, wedding and death) after 1920, you have to write to the
Echevin de l’état Civil de Bruxelles (alderman of the civil status)
Boulevard Anspach 6, 1000 Brussels
Hainaut
Archives de l’État de Mons (State Archives of Mons)
Avenue des Bassins 66, 7000 Mons
Phone : 32-(0)65 40 04 60 ; E-Mail : archives.mons@arch.be
Open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4.30 p.m.
The documents and records of the civil registration office of the 18th century are kept here.
Limburg
Rijksarchief Hasselt (State Archives of Hasselt)
Bampslaan 4, 3500 Hasselt
Phone : 32-(0)11 22 17 66 ; E-Mail: rijksarchief.hasselt@arch.be
Open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4.30 p.m.
Liège
Archives de l’État de Liège (State Archives of Liège)
Rue du Chéra 79, 4000 Liège
Phone : 32-(0)4 252 03 93 ; E-Mail : archives.liege@arch.be
Open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Archives de la Ville de Liège (City Archives of Liège)
Rue de la Tonne, Bâtiment BM67, 4000 Liège
Phone : 32-(0)4 221 66 55 ; E-mail: archives@liege.be
Luxembourg
Archives de l’État de Luxembourg (State Archives of Luxembourg)
Parc des Expositions 9, 6700 Arlon
Phone : 32-(0)63 22 06 13 ; E-Mail : archives.arlon@arch.be
Open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4.30 p.m.
Malines
Stadsarchief Mechelen (City archives of Malines)
Hof van Habsburg, Goswin de Stassartstraat 145, 2800 Mechelen
Phone : 32-(0)15 20 43 46 et 32-(0)15 20 39 43
E-Mail : stadsarchief@mechelen.be ; Website : https://stadsarchief.mechelen.be
Open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
In Belgium a death certificate must always be drawn up at the place where a person died. In the case of people who died at the Dossin Barracks, you will find the death record at the city Registrar of Mechelen. In case the deceased person has been resident in Antwerp, Brussels or elsewhere in Belgium, a copy of the death certificate will have been sent to the city of the deceased official residence.
Kazerne Dossin (former Joods Museum van Deportatie en Verzet/ancienne Musée Juif de la Déportation et de la Résistance)
Goswin de Stassartstraat 153, 2800 Mechelen
Phone : 32-(0)15 29 06 60 ; E-Mail : info@kasernedossin.eu ; Website : www.kazernedossin.eu
This museum is located opposite the former Dossin Barracks, where the Germans gathered most of the Jews who would be deported to Auschwitz. Between August 4, 1942 and July 31, 1944, there were 28 convoys of deportees, i.e. 25.257 Jews deported to Auschwitz.
More than two thirds were gassed at arrival at Auschwitz. Only 1.207 Jews survived.
For personal information write to archives@kazernedossin.eu
Namur
Archives de l’État de Namur (State Archives of Namur)
Boulevard Cauchy 41, 5000 Namur
Phone: 32-(0)81 65 41 98 ; E-Mail : archives.namur@arch.be
Open Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
East Flanders (Oost-Vlaanderen)
Rijksarchief Beveren (State Archive Beveren)
Kruibekesteenweg 39, 9120 Beveren
Phone : 32-(0)3 750 29 77 ; E-Mail : rijksarchief.antwerpen-beveren@arch.be
Open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
In addition of information of the province of East Flanders, this archive contains also data relating to Flanders as a region, data which are not available in the provincial depositories of the State Archives
Rijksarchief Gent (State Archives of Ghent)
Bagatenstraat 43 , 9000 Gent
Phone : 32-(0)9 265 76 70 ; E-Mail : rijksarchief.gent@arch.be
Open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m..
West Flanders (West-Vlaanderen)
Rijksarchief Brugge (State Archives of Bruges)
Predikherenrei 4A, 8000 Brugge
Phone : 32-(0)50 33 72 88 ; E-Mail : rijksarchief.brugge@arch.be
Open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
