Belgische Senaat, Sectie Archivering en Historiografie / Sénat de Belgique, Section Archivage et Historiographie

The role of the Senate was thoroughly redefined in the fourth constitutional reform (1993); since then it mainly serves as a ‘reflection chamber’. The Senate has the right to discuss and to amend bills (right to review), or to propose own bills to the Chamber. The Archiving and Historiography Department team (an archivist, two documentalists and a secretarial assistant) grew around the Senate archives. In 2006, the General Affairs Department was reorganised. The archive - the most famous series of which is the senators' biographical files - was housed in its own 'Archiving and Historiography' section. The fact that the Senate archive was considered as a stand-alone entity made it possible to start integrated archive management according to the philosophy of the Lifecycle concept, which means that archive management already starts at the creation of the document.  

Copies of archival documents may be requested.  

The Archiving and Historiography Department aims to document and publish the history of the Senate, by cooperating in publications, activities and making accessible archival sources. The Department's range from 1831 to today. These general sources of course contain priceless information, for example regarding the organisation of the Jewish recognised religion, anti-Semitism, the refugee issue during the interwar period, the persecution of Jews during the Second World War, post-war commemoration initiatives, attacks against Jewish institutions, the legislation on Holocaust denial, laws on ritual, but for example also naturalisation applications by foreign Jews.  

The purpose of the Archiving and Historiography Section is to document and make known the history of the Senate by participating in publications, activities and making archive sources accessible. In this context, the section manages the historical and administrative archives of the Senate.  

In order to consult a document that is not accessible online, researchers must contact the Senate Archivist who will reply to their request within 15 working days. If the archivist refuses access to the records, they must provide a reason. Researchers, if they so wish, can then lodge an appeal in writing with the Clerk of the Senate. Once researchers have received a permission to consult the requested document(s), they must make an appointment with the Department in order to view the documents in our reading room. For further information on the regulations related to the consultation of unpublished documents held by the Senate Archives, see: http://www.senate.be/contact/20170619_reglement_N.pdf (in Dutch) http://www.senate.be/contact/20170619_reglement_F.pdf (in French) The documents produced in the current legislative term are not public. Documents containing personal information are only public 100 years after the birth or 20 years after the death of the person concerned.