Welcome to the CEGES-SOMA
The Centre for Historical Research and Documentation on War and Contemporary Society is a public federal research institution which collects documentation and carries out research on the wars and conflicts of the twentieth century and their impact on Belgium.
Since 1969, the Centre collects archives, books, periodicals, newspapers, photographs, interviews, posters and leaflets. This documentation is accessible through the Pallas integrated information system and can be consulted in the reading room of the monumental buildings at the Square de l'Aviation in Brussels.
Decease of Maxime Steinberg, historian of the persecution of the Jews in BelgiumWith the death of Maxime Steinberg on Monday 26 July 2010, we also bid farewell to the pioneer of the history of the Jewish drama in Belgium. He was born in Brussels on 13 December 1936, second child of Mendel Majer (Max) Sztejnberg and Ruchla Helman, originating from a Russian/Polish sjtetl. Like many of his contemporaries, father Sztejnberg broke early on with the traditionalism of his religious-orthodox family. He established himself as shoemaker in Brussels where he married in 1930.Read more... |
Tony Judt, historian of post-war Europe has diedOn 8 August 2010, the British-American historian Tony Judt has died. He was one of the leading historians of 20th century European history. His synthesis Postwar in particular is proof of this.Read more... |
Next SeminarsWe cordially invite you to our next series of seminars which will start in the autumn. Please visit our website regularly to keep informed of our activities. |
IUAP - Socio-political history of Belgian justiceInternational conference 'Justice in Wartimes and Revolutions: Europe, 1795-1950' In September 2011, the CEGES-SOMA will organise, in collaboration with some of the other partners of the IUAP-project 'Socio-political history of Belgian Justice', an international conference on 'Justice in Wartimes and Revolutions: Europe, 1795-1950'. Click here for the call for papers for the conference.
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International conference. Privacy & scientific research: from obstruction to constructionOn 22 and 23 November 2010, the Commission for the Protection of Privacy will organise an international conference on privacy and historical research. The aim of the conference is to conciliate historical research and the respect for the privacy legislation by proposing good practices. The Ceges/Soma has cooperated to the concept and preparation of the conference which, with regard to historical research, is constructed around three themes: the judicial archives concerning the punishment of the collaboration after the Second World War, the archives of the Security Police and the Intelligence Services in the countries of the former Eastern bloc after the implosion in 1989 and the archives of the Francoist repression (1936-1975) in Spain after the transición from dictatorship to democracy. Click here for the conference website.
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Justice and the history of lawA new branch in the collection domain of the library War or armed conflicts in general and justice have much ground in common. The punishment of the collaboration and the international-juridical aspects of warfare are the most obvious examples. The interest for questions such as armed conflicts and human rights, the punishment of war criminals, the juridical position of prisoners of war or the question of the legitimisation of warfare has greatly increased. Read more... |
From prisoners of war mail to resistance archiveThe archives acquired during the previous academic year cover nearly all the circumstances of the occupation. The main subjects are resistance, political imprisonment and patriotic circles after the war and in a lesser degree the year 1940 and the German occupier. The most important acquisition as far as volume is concerned is undoubtedly the several meters sub-archive of Agalev/Groen key figure Ludo Dierickx. This archive not only concerns the Green Movement but also his activities in the context of the unity of Belgium (AA 2230, cf. extensive article). Read more... |
Moscow posts part of Katyn massacre documents onlineWednesday 28 April 2010, the Russian government published seven 'top secret' documents, some twenty pages in all, on the website of the national archives (www.rusarchives.ru/publication/katyn/spisok.shtml). The texts concern the massacre of about 22,000 officers and other members of the Polish elite by the Soviets in the spring of 1940 in Katyn, but also in Kalinin (today Tver in Russia), Kharkov (Ukraine) and other places in Ukraine and White Russia.Read more... |
