The Resistance in Belgium platform: the buzz, questions... and answers!
Launched on October 21, 2024, the Resistance in Belgium online platform has already been visited tens of thousands of times. But its consultation has also given rise to many questions and reactions, which our team tried to answer as adequately as possible.
As a reminder, this platform will provide progressive access to the biographical records of all the men and women who applied to be recognized by the Belgian state for having taken part in the fight against Nazi occupation in 1940-1944. To date, more than 42,000 biographical records have been compiled from the archives of the Belgian State Security Service, relating to intelligence and action services.
The opening of the platform aroused great interest not only in the written press, but also on radio and television, as can be seen from our press review. A wave of site visits followed, with well over 10,000 hits every day during the week of October 21.
At the same time, reactions poured in at CegeSoma's e-mail address. Over the past month, they've numbered in the hundreds! Most preface their messages with congratulations on this valuable tool for family and local history. But more often than not, the e-mails are accompanied by questions or comments.
The most frequent remarks concern the absence of the person or persons sought in the database. It is worth pointing out that the database does not yet include people who applied to be recognized for armed resistance, civilian resistance, or resistance by the underground press. The inclusion of those members of the underground forces is scheduled to take place in spring 2025 for those who applied for resistance status through the underground press, in spring 2026 for civilian resistance applicants, and at the end of 2027 for armed resistance fighters. In addition, in order to comply with privacy legislation, only people born over one hundred years ago will be listed on the online platform. This will be the case for everyone from 2028 onwards.
Another recurring question concerns the procedure for accessing State Security files. You can find the answer to this question here: State Security archive files (AA1333) | Cegesoma. Some people are surprised that they don't have access to digitized files. Unfortunately, such a financial and human investment is out of CegeSoma's reach. On the other hand, we have been able to answer the questions of several local historians on how to find all members of the Resistance in one or more communes, since the path to follow is clearly specified here: Search by domicile - Resistance in Belgium.
In general, you'll find the answers to most of your questions here: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - Resistance in Belgium
We would also like to thank those of you who have pointed out the presence of incorrect data in a small number of biographical files, and provided us with supporting evidence. Errors on our part, despite all the checks we have carried out, but also sometimes attributable to the people who compiled the files in the aftermath of the war. Please do not hesitate to continue to send us your requests for corrections, and we will make them directly if we feel they are justified.
Finally, several people have expressed a desire to join our team of volunteers. All volunteers are welcome. The only conditions are: spend one day a week encoding data on the identity and activities of resistance members, and any repression they suffered, at the State Archives in Brussels; have a good working knowledge of French or Dutch, and if possible both languages; have an analytical mind, capable of rigorously applying multiple instructions; enjoy teamwork. There's no shortage of work ahead, since the contents of tens of thousands of personal files on candidates for both civilian and armed resistance status have yet to be encoded. Contact us for more information.
Access to the platform: https://resistanceinbelgium.be