Welcome to CegeSoma (State Archives)

Who are we? CegeSoma is the fourth operational direction of the State Archives and the Belgian centre of expertise for the history of 20th century conflicts. We conduct fundamental historical research, develop public history projects, conserve archives and documentation and are engaged in societal debate.

Focus

Belgian volunteers during the Korean War: 1950-1953, photo no. 15202 (Louis Verdijck Collection, in the Korean Volunteer Battalion), Rights reserved, Cegesoma/State Archives.

Wanted: photos, letters and other archives on Belgium and the Korean War!

It was seventy years ago last summer that the Korean War (1950-1953) ended in an armistice. A real peace never happened. In the summer of 2025, we will commemorate the 75th anniversary of the start of the war.

Agenda

Conference

The last 242 executions in Belgium: military justice and executions as part of the repression of collaboration after World War II.

Conference-debate (in French and in Dutch) with guests, Élise Rezsöhazy, Dimitri Roden, Stanislas Horvat and Dirk Luyten

After World War Two, in Belgium, 242 collaborators and war criminals condemned to death were shot. Not...Read more

29/11 2023
Conference

Hoeders van de Staat. Burgemeesters in bezet en bevrijd België en Noord-Frankrijk (1914-1921). (Guardians of the State. Mayors in occupied and liberated Belgium and northern France (1914-1921)).

Conference (in Dutch) with as guests Jan Naert, Sophie De Schaepdrijver and Luc Vandeweyer. A discussion moderated by Nico Wouters.

During World War I, at a time when Belgium and northern France were under particularly harsh...Read more

13/12 2023
Conference

Scènes de Crimes. La photographie policière, témoin de l'enquête judiciaire. (Crime Scenes Police photography, a witness to the judicial investigation)

Conference-debate (in French) with guests, Laurence Druez, Xavier Rousseaux and Police Commissioner Pierre Simon A discussion led by Alain Colignon

On 1 April 2019, a major part of the photographic...Read more

20/12 2023