World Jewish Congress

World Jewish Congress 

World Jewish Congress Records, 1918-1982 (bulk 1940-1980) 

World Jewish Congress 

World Jewish Congress Records, 1918-1982 (bulk 1940-1980) 

ca. 146,5 l.m 

488.4 linear feet (1221 Hollinger boxes) 

Collection containing the files of the New York office of the World Jewish Congress, 1918-1982, with the bulk of materials dated between 1940-1980. Records include cables, correspondence, memos, minutes, photographs, press releases, publications, reports and research files. Subjects include: WJC organization, antisemitism, Israel, Jewish unity, Jewish rights, Jewish communities, Holocaust-era and World War II relief and rescue, Jewish-Arab relations, Soviet Jews, and Zionism. This collection also contains some material from the American Jewish Congress. 

This fonds is incredibly rich in information regarding the relation of the WJC with Belgium and the Belgian Jewish community, the refugee question before the war, the Shoah in Belgium, the immediate postwar reconstruction and relief effort, the restitution issue, Jews in the former Belgian Congo, … The files in “Series A. Central Files” (1919-1976) contain correspondence, minutes, records of conferences, and miscellaneous other materials. In its “Subseries 2. Executive Files” – holding files of several WJC leaders – we note the files “Belgium, Kubowitzki, Aryeh L.” (box A9, folder nr. 17; year 1936) and “Belgium, Administrative Committee meeting (box A9, nr. 18; year 1938). In “Subseries 3. Plenary Assemblies, Pre-1936 Conferences and Special Conferences”, see: “5th Plenary, payments of half-fares to Brussels, correspondence” (box A63, nr. 10; year 1966). In “Subseries 4. Committees”, see: “Special European Conference of the World Jewish Congress re: anti-Semitism, Brussels, Belgium, 29 Mar[ch] 1960” (box A90, nr. 10). “Series B. Political Department/Department of International Affairs and United Nations” (1919-1977) contains the files of the political department, i.a. charged with representing the WJC with governments and international organisations, providing (political) support for refugees before the Second World War, etc. In its “Subseries 3. United Nations Files” we find the files “Belgium” (box B80, folder nr. 10; year 1945) and “Restitution, Belgium” (box B95, nr. 19; 1946). Series C (1918-1979) holds the records of the Institute of Jewish Affairs, established in 1941 to study the situation of world Jewry between 1916-1941 and to elaborate a post-war policy which would guarantee the rights of Jews around the world. Its “Subseries 1. Executive files and correspondence” contains two files entitled “Belgium” (box C19, folder nrs. 12-13; years 1945-1951). In “Subseries 2. Research materials, reports and publications”, see “[The Jewish Catastrophe, Its Background and Aftermath] Part IV. Catastrophe, The Conspiracy Against the Jewish People, anti-Jewish legislation, Belgium” (box C84, nr. 7; years 1940-1942) and “[The Jewish Catastrophe, Its Background and Aftermath] Part IV. Catastrophe, The Conspiracy Against the Jewish People, anti-Jewish legislation, war criminals: Belgium […]” (box C84, nr. 8; 1938-1943). In “Subseries 3. War Crimes and Retribution”, see “International Law, Jewish issues, law courts, Belgium-France” (box C151, nr. 2; years 1932-1943); "Argentina, legislation re: Belgian children” (box C152, nr. 9; 1940);"Belgium, legislation” (box C153, nr. 2; 1941-1944);"Belgium, reports, correspondence” (box C166, nr. 4; 1940-1945);"[The Basic Problem of Retribution] France, Belgium, Norway [part 5]” (box C175, nr. 11; 1944);"Belgium, call for prosecution of war crimes” (box C187, nr. 5; 1943);"Belgium, Hochberger, Henry, investigation” (box C187, nr. 6; 1949);"Belgium, Malines-[Mechelen], correspondence with justices” (box C187, nr. 7; 1965);"Belgium, “Nioke”” (box C187, nr. 8; 1962);"Belgium, pre and post liberation decrees on property and citizenship” (box C247, nr. 2; 1941-1947);"Belgium, indemnification and reparations” (box C247, nr. 3; 1945);"Belgium, restoration of rights” (box C247, nr. 4; 1945);"Belgium, restitution reports” (box C247, nr. 5; 1945-1947) and “Belgium, restoration of rights, reparations” (box C247, nr. 6; 1947-1961). The “Series D. Relief and Rescue Departments” (1939-1969) holds records documenting the relief and rescue efforts of the WJC for refugees, displaced persons, survivors, Jewish children, etc. In its “Subseries 3. Location Service” we note the files “Refugees from Belgium in Switzerland” (box D49, folder nr. 2; years 1942-1943);"Belgian Jews liberated from Buchenwald and Dachau” (box D49, nr. 3; 1945);"Belgian children” (box D49, nr. 4; 1945);"Jews in Belgium” (box D49, nr. 5; 1945) and “Belgium and France, general” (box D60, nr. 24; 1945). From “Subseries 4. Child Care Division”, see: “Belgium, children” (box D78, nrs. 15-16; 1945), “Belgium, financial reports” (box D78, nr. 17; 1946-1948) and “Biographies (A–Z), Brussels, Belgium, and list of correspondents” (box D82, nr. 1; 1946-1947). In “Subseries 6. Advisory Council on European Jewish Affairs”, see: “Belgian Jewish Representative Committee” (box D95, nr. 2; 1942);"Belgium (A)” (box D99, nr. 7; 1942-1943);"Belgium (B)” (box D99, nr. 8; 1942-1943);"Belgium (D–N)” (box D99, nr. 9; 1942-1942);"Belgium (P–V)” (box D100, nr. 1; 1942-1943);"Kubowitzki, Aryeh L., lecture, “Situation of Jews in Belgium and France”” (box D113, nr. 2; 1945) and “Glanz, Rudolf, rescue work in Belgium” (box D115, nr. 2; 1943-1945). We point out that this series also contains numerous other files with reports and correspondence to/from Aryeh L. Kubowitzki, who was i.a. the first director of the Rescue Department. Series F (1942-1976) contains files of the Organisation Department, responsible for i.a. fundraising, commemorations, maintaining relations with Jewish organisations, etc. In its “Subseries 2. Office files” we note: “Africa, Belgian Congo” (box F13, folder nr. 24; years 1948-1959) and “Europe, Belgium” (box F14, nr. 9; 1947). In “Series G. Administrative Departments” (1936-1979) we find, in “Subseries 6. Finance”, the following files: “Bookkeeping correspondence (Belgium)” (box G69, folder nr. 3; years 1947-1949) and “Fundraising campaigns (International), Belgium” (box G79, nr. 5; 1948). In “Series H. Alphabetical Files” (1919-1981) we note materials – correspondence, minutes, reports, documentation – assembled by the New York office of the WJC. It contains an impressive amount of files on Belgium. See: “Belgian Congo” (box H56, folder nrs. 12-13; years 1943-1959), “Belgian Congo, reports, publications” (box H56, nr. 14; 1944, 1958);"Belgium” (box H56, nrs. 15-16, box H57, nrs. 1-10 and box H58, nrs. 1-3; 1942-1978);"Belgium, Aide aux Israélites Victimes de la Guerre […]” (box H58, nrs. 4-5; 1944-1947);"Belgium, anti-Jewish legislation, reports” (box H58, nr. 6; 1940);"Belgium, Belgian authorities” (box H58, nrs. 7-8; 1943-1945);"Belgium, Belgian Jewish Committee […]” (box H58, nrs. 9-10; 1942-1947);"Belgium, Borenstein, Balbine, “The Economic Life of the Jews in Belgium”” (box H58, nr. 11; 1945);"Belgium, Borenstein, Balbine, reports” (box H58, nr. 12; 1946);"Belgium, Brussels office, immigration, children, relief” (box H58, nr. 13; 1945);"Belgium, Bulletin d'Informations” (box H58, nr. 14; 1946);"Belgium, childcare” (box H58, nr. 15; 1946-1949);"Belgium, claims” (box H58, nr. 16 and box H59, nr. 1; 1952-1959);"Belgium, clippings” (box H59, nrs. 2-3; 1945, 1949-1950);"Belgium, Comité de Défense des Juifs, reports” (box H59, nr. 4; 1942-1944);"Belgium, Comité Israélite des Refugiés Victimes des Lois Raciales “COREF”” (box H59, nr. 5; 1945-1946);"Belgium, concentration camps and Jewish population” (box H59, nr. 6; 1942-1943);"Belgium, Conseil des Associations Juives de Belgique […]” (box H59, nrs. 7-10; 1944-1950);"Belgium, displaced persons, refugees” (box H59, nr. 11; 1946-1948);"Belgium, Dutch committee in Brussels” (box H59, nr. 12; 1945);"Belgium, economic reconstruction, reports” (box H59, nr. 13; 1941);"Belgium, extermination plans, documentation” (box H59, nr. 14; 1942-1943);"Belgium, Federation of Polish Jews in Belgium” (box H59, nr. 15; 1946);"Belgium, Free Movement”(box H59, nr. 16; 1943);"Belgium, situation reports” (box H59, nrs. 17-18; 1940-1941, 1945-1947);"Belgium, heirless property” (box H59, nr. 19; 1950-1951);"Belgium, Hulp aan Joodsche Slachtoffers van den [Oorlog]” (box H59, nr. 20; 1946-1947);"Belgium, immigration” (box H60, nr. 1; 1946);"Belgium, individuals, A-L” (box H60, nr. 2; 1944-1948);"[idem], M-V” (box H60, nr. 3; 1944-1948);"Belgium, Jewish News from Belgium” (box H60, nr. 4; 1945);"Belgium, Jewish Representative Committee” (box H60, nr. 5; 1943-1944);"[Belgium, JRC], Belgian contacts” (box H60, nr. 6; 1943-1944);"[Belgium, JRC], Belgian embassy, food parcels” (box H60, nr. 7; 1943-1944);"[Belgium, JRC], Belgian Information Center” (box H60, nr. 8; 1943-1944);"[Belgium, JRC], Belgian Jewish Committee, London” (box H60, nr. 9; 1944-1945);"[Belgium, JRC], Belgian Jewish Defense Committee” (box H60, nr. 10; 1945-1947);"[Belgium, JRC], Belgium War Relief Society” (box H60, nr. 11; 1944-1945);"[Belgium, JRC], contacts, Bontchek, S.” (box H60, nr. 12; 1945);"[Belgium, JRC], contacts, Lewkowicz, N.” (box H60, nr. 13; 1945-1946);"[Belgium, JRC], Dzierlatka, Abraham, immigration” (box H60, nr. 14; 1943-1945);"[Belgium, JRC], list of deportees repatriated” (box H60, nr. 15; 1945);"[Belgium, JRC]” (box H60, nr. 16; 1944-1946);"[Belgium, JRC], repatriation” (box H60, nr. 17; 1945);"Belgium, Jewish situation reports” (box H60, nr. 18; 1949-1952);"Belgium, location inquiries and assistance” (box H60, nr. 19; 1944-1946);"Belgium, publications” (box H60, nr. 20; 1942, 1945-1946);"Belgium, reports, correspondence” (box H60, nr. 21; 1946);"Belgium, Office Department” (box H61, nr. 1; 1957-1960);"Belgium, Ofipresse” (box H61, nr. 2; 1945);"Belgium, Perelman, Felix, manuscript (untitled)” (box H61, nr. 3; s.d.);"Belgium, Polish Jewish refugees in Belgium” (box H61, nr. 4; 1945);"Belgium, recovery of cultural property, Prins, Izak” (box H61, nr. 5; 1945-1946);"Belgium, rehabilitation” (box H61, nr. 6; 1944);"Belgium, relief and rescue” (box H61, nrs. 7-9; 1943-1948);"Belgium, relief and rescue, Brussels office” (box H61, nr. 10; 1945-1946);"Belgium, relief and rescue, victims list” (box H61, nr. 11; 1944);"Belgium, restoration of rights, restitution, war damages, legal status” (box H61, nr. 12; 1944-1948);"Belgium, Synagogue du rite Portugais, Antwerp” (box H61, nr. 13; 1947);"Belgium, Underground Zionist Movement” (box H61, nr. 14; 1944);"Belgium, United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration” (box H61, nr. 15; 1945-1946);"Belgium, World Jewish Congress, Belgium office, Borenstein, Balbine” (box H62, nr. 1; 1945-1946);"Belgium, World Assembly of Youth” (box H62, nr. 2; 1966);"Belgium, Zionist Federation” (box H62, nr. 3; 1945-1946);"France, Reading, Eva, trip to France and Belgium” (box H120, nr. 11; 1944), “France, Reiss, Anselm, visit to France and Belgium, report” (box H120, nr. 12; 1945);"South Africa, Belgian Congo” (box H306, nr. 9; 1948) and “Turkey, Belgian Jews in Turkey” (box H332, nr. 5; 1945). Finally, we mention “Series J. Non-print materials and miscellaneous” (1930-1982), mostly containing photographs. We note the file on “Children's homes in Belgium, France, Poland (Otwock), Slovakia, Italy, and Yugoslavia” (box J11, folder nr. 3; s.d.). The series also contains photographs of individuals (such as Jewish children in Belgium) – see box J2, nrs. 17, 28, 10 and 118; box J3, nrs. 61B, 83B and 210A; box J4, nrs. 7A, 179, 212 and 213, box J5, nrs. 2 and 73. The aforementioned box D82, nr. 1 contains documentation on some of these persons. 

Organized into ten series: I. Central Files, II. Political Department/Department of International Affairs, III. Institute of Jewish Affairs, IV. Relief and Rescue Department, V. Culture Department, VI. Organization Department, VII. Administrative Department, VIII. Alphabetical Files, IX. Publications and X. Non-Print materials.