LIBRARIES AND ARCHIVES 6. BELGIUM

G . M I L I S - P R O O S T AND L . MILTS University of Ghent

GENEXALLY SPEAKING, historians working on Belgian history are provided with a useful network of libraries and archives. The organization of the state archives is modelled completely on the French system, elaborated shortly after the French Revolution. This supposes the existence of a central depot in Brussels (Archives gkndrates du royaume: Algemeen Rijksarchiefl, and a depot in each of the eight other provinces. More recently state archives have been opened in some smaller towns also. Normally those archives centralize the documents from the political, social and ecclesiastical institutions, which existed in these provinces, before their abolition in the late eighteenth century. The Brussels depot keeps also the records of the central authorities (from the Burgundian period onwards),l while some, like Brussels, Ghent, and LiBge keep those of the old principalities (Brabant, Flanders, Likge).

For the greater part of the documents either printed or manuscript invent- ories are available. A complete list of published inventories has been pub- Iished recently, by J. NicodBme, Rkpertoire des inventaires &s archives conservi!es en Belgique, parus avant le 1" janvier 1969. Repertorium. . . . Brussels, 1970, as no. 2 of the extra series of the specialized periodical Archives et bibliothkques de Belgique: Archief- en bibliotheekwezen in BelgiZ. Another periodical, issued by the Flemish Library association bears the title: Bibliotheekgids. The central archives at Brussels are rich but difficult to find one's way about; a very handy guide has been written by M. Van Haegendoren, Les archives gdndrales du royaume: Het algemeen Rijksarchief te Brussel, BrusseIs, 1955, mentioning all the collections and the instruments to make them accessible for consultation.

The network of state archives preserves also the documents of municipal origin of the pre-revolutionary period. Some larger towns, however, have kept their own archives as well as the state archives open for consultation. Among the most important: Antwerp, Bruges, Brussels, Ghent. The his- torian has to bear in mind, however, that a lot of documents have been des- troyed by numerous war-activities on 'Europe's battlefield' : the archives of the town of Ypres were destroyed in the First World War, those of the bishopric and the town of Tournai in the Second. This has also been the case in a lot of North-French towns and bishoprics (e.g. Arras, Thkrouanne), whose history is to be studied in the context of the Low Countries.

1 Important collections of documents, emanating from central authorities are preserved too in Lille (Archives ddpartementales du Nord); Simancas (Arehivo general de Simancas, Valladolid), Vienna (Oesterreiehisches Staatarehiv).

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232 LIBRARIES AND ARCHIVES

With regard to contemporary history, some governmental departments (e.g. Foreign affairs, and formerly, Colonial affairs) keep very important documents, but they can only be consulted with written permission. Nor- mally no objection will be made for documents older than 100 years or even 50 years for scholarly purposes.

Recently a centre for the history of the Second World War has been created with an increasing stock of documents, books, and photographs. Consultation of the original documents is in many cases difficult or even impossible.

The Royal library, Albertina, in Brussels, the direct heir of the library of the Burgundian dukes (mid-fifteenth century) moved into new buildings recently. It acquires by a Copyright Act ips0 facto all the Belgian publications, of which a monthly list is published : Bibliographie de Belgique-Belgische bibliografie. Publications on Belgium, but published abroad, are listed as well. The manuscripts are catalogued by J. Van den Gheyn, Catalogue des manu- scrits de la Biblioth2que royale de Belgique, Brussels, 1906-36, 12 vols., but actually a new extensive catalogue on cards is in preparation, and accessible as far as possible.

In the second place one can consult the University libraries of Ghent (founded 1817), Louvain (founded mid-fifteenth century, but destroyed in both World Wars), Liege (founded 1817) and Brussels (founded 1835). Some towns, like Antwerp, Bruges, Mom and Tournai, have important libraries for historical research, as also do some ecclesiastical houses (abbeys, seminaries, etc.). For about ten years, Belgian contemporary historians have published very useful and important inventories of newspapers, some of which are difficult to find. These inventories are published by the Centre universitaire d’histoire contemporaine (CIHC/ICHG), and deal e.g. with Antwerp, Bruges, Brussels, Ghent, Namur and Tournai. Specimens of a great part of these newspapers are preserved in the Music international de la Presse in Brussels. For a complete list (with indication of the days and hours of opening, addresses, specialities, formalities for admission), see J. Van Hove, REpertoire des organismes de hcumentation en Belgique, Brussels, 1947 (partly super- seded); R. C. Lewanski, European library directory. A geographical and bibliographical guide, Firenze, 1968 and J. Verougstraete, Inventaire des centres belges de recherche disposant d’une biblioth2que ou d’un service de documentation: Inventaris . . . Brussels, 1967, and the Annuaire administratif et judiciaire a2 Belgique: Administratief. . . jaarboek voor Belgic. Generally admission to the libraries and archives is free, on presentation of a passport. No photographs or letters of introduction are required. But in non-public libraries (abbeys, etc.), a letter of introduction can be helpful, and it is advisable, or even necessary to write in advance and make an appointment. Normally no objection will be made to the use of ink or ball-point pen.

A very efficient loan service between the Belgian libraries exists, as it does with those in many other countries. It works slowly with Great Britain (by intermediary of the National central library in London).

G. MILIS-PROOST AND L. MILIS 233

A R C H I V E S

1. Archives gknkrales du royaume-Algemeen Rijksarchief. Ruusbroekstraat, Brussels. Printed guide by M. Van Haegendoren, mentioned above. Open from 9 a.m. till 5 p.m.

2. Archives du royaume-Rijharchieven in: Antwerp, Beveren-Waas, Bruges, Courtrai, Ghent, Hasselt, Ronse (for the Flemish part of the country); Arlon, Huy, Liege, Mons, Namur, Saint-Hubert, Tournai (for Wallonia). 9 a.m.-5 p.m. For main information, see Archivum, vol. XV, 1965, where the most important collections of each depot are enlisted.

3. Chief municipal archives: Antwerp (Venusstraat 11) Bruges (Breidelstraat) Brussels (Townhall) Ghent (Abrahamstraat 13) Smaller depots are only opened during some hours a day or even some hours a week, or on appointment only. It may be useful therefore to write first to the archivist (letters may be addressed to the townhall (h6tel de ville, stadhuis).

4. For contemporary history : Department of foreign affairs, Quatre Bras- straat 2, Brussels 1. African Archives, Koningsplein 7, Brussels 1. Royal Army Museum, Jubelpark 3, Brussels 4. Centre for the study of lhe Second World War, Jozef I1 straat 77, Brussels. Royal museum for Central Africa, Park, Tervuren.

5. Antwerp, .4rchief en Museum voor Vlaams kultuurleven, Minder- broedersrui, Antwerp. Important collection of documents relating to the literary and cultural history of Flanders (mainly 19th-20th cent.).

6. Ecclesiastical archives.= Mainly: Likge, Evkh6.

Bruges, Groot seminarie, Potterielei 72. Abbey of Averbode (0. Praem.). Abbey of Tongerlo (0. Praem.).

For all practical details, as far as they are not yet superseded by the above mentioned repertories, see Archivum, vol. V, 1955.

a J. Van den Wieuwenhuizen, Les archives et bibliothdques religieuses en Belgique- Religieuze archieven. . ., Brussels, 1968 (Archives et bibliothkques de Belgique) (extra series, nr 1).

234 LIBRARIES AND ARCHIVES

L I B R A R I E S

1. Brussels, Bibliothtque royale-Koninklijke Bibliotheek Albertinu, Keizers- laan 4, Brussels. 2,100,000 vol., 32,000 mss., 45,000 maps, 3,000 incun. Open from 9 a.m. till 6 p.m. (The special reading-rooms only from 9-12 a.m. and 2-5 p.m.).

2. Ghent, Universiteitsbibliotheek, Rozier 9. 1,500,000 vols., 7,000 mss., 20,000 maps, 644 incun. 9 a.m.-9 p.m. (6 p.m. in summer).

3. Likge. Bibliothtque de I’Universitk, 1, Place Cockerill, 1,500,000 vols., 527 incun.

4. Louvain, Universiteitsbibliotheek, Mgr. Ladeuzeplein. 1 ,000,OOO vols., 180 incun., 30 mss.

5. Brussels, Bibliothtque de 1’ Universiti, Rooseveltlaan 50, 750,000 vols. 6. Antwerp, Stadrbibliotheek, H. Conscienceplein. 800,000 vols., 120

7. Brussels, SociPtt des Bollandistes, 300,000 vols. (hagiography). Sint-

8. Maredsous, Abbuye de Saint-Benoit. 175,000 vols. (Benedictine history.) 9. Louvain, Abdij Keizersberg. 120,000 vols. (medieval studies).

10. Antwerp, Ruusbroec-genootschap, Prinsstraat 17. 55,000 vols. (devotion,

11. Antwerp, Museum Plantijn-Moretus, Vrijdagmarkt. 50,000 vols., 600

12. Brussels, MusPe royule &Art et $Histoire. 200,000 vols. (art, archaeology,

13. Mariemont, Musde. 80,000 vols. (history, art, prehistory). 14. Brussels, MwPe international de la Presse, Maalbeekstraat, 3 (news-

15. Brussels, Salle byzantine, Museumstraat 5, (byzantine history).

incun., 265 mss.

Michielslaan 24, 800 mss., 80 incun.

piety, ascetism), 200 mss.

mss., 427 incun. (special coll.: printing in Antwerp).

prehistory).

papers, leaflets).