Het verzet in Antwerpen (The Resistance in Antwerp)

A conference (in Dutch) with guests Nico Wouters and Nel de Mûelenaere, moderated by Jan Naert.

Antwerp was one of the most important cities of resistance in Flanders during the Second World War. A diverse and extensive underground resistance network developed early in the war that would eventually play an essential role in one of the most decisive feats of the Resistance in Belgium: helping the Allies liberate the port of Antwerp.

The book 'Stad in verzet. Antwerpen tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog' recounts the history of this achievement, as well as focusing on, among other things, British intelligence missions, the role of women in the Resistance, Marcel Louette as leader of the Witte Brigade, the organized Jewish Resistance and the Resistance within the police.

The book includes contributions by Nico Wouters (CegeSoma/State Archives), Frank Seberechts (Stadsarchief Antwerpen), Babette Weyns (UGent & VUB), Michèle Corthals (UAntwerpen), Dorien Styven (Kazerne Dossin), Janiv Stamberger (Vredescentrum), Jan Laplasse (Instituut van Bedrijfsrevisoren) and Herman van Goethem (UAntwerpen). The foreword is by Bart De Wever.

Moderated by Jan Naert, Nico Wouters and Nel de Mûelenaere will discuss the book and the future of resistance research in Flanders and Belgium on 26 September at 14.00. What role can new initiatives such as the Resistance History Network and the VUB chair 'Sporen van het Verzet' play in this? What are the issues and challenges for the future? And are there any potential pitfalls? This book launch and subsequent discussion will take place in CegeSoma's conference room as part of the Public History Meetings series in partnership with the ASBL 'Les Amis du CegeSoma'.

Everybody welcome!

Nel de Mûelenaere teaches contemporary history at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and is the convenor of the course 'Sporen van het verzet' (Traces of Resistance') with Dany Neudt. Her research focuses on the intertwined themes of food, resistance, and solidarity in Belgium during and between the two World Wars.
 

Nico Wouters is the Director of CegeSoma and a specialist in the history of the Second World War and the politics of memory. In addition to numerous articles, his book 'Bezet bedrijf', which focuses on the wartime history of the NMBS, was published in 2023 and, in 2024, he contributed to the edited book 'Stad in verzet' on the Resistance in Antwerp.

 

Jan Naert holds a doctorate in history (UGent) and has worked as an archivist at the General State Archives 2 ( Depot Cuvelier) since 2022. Between 2020 and 2022, he conducted research on Antwerp victims of Second World War at the FelixArchive. He recently published “Hoeders van de staat. Burgemeesters in bezet en bevrijd België (1914-1921)" (ASP).