Algemeen Rijksarchief 2 - Depot Joseph Cuvelier / Archives Générales du Royaume 2 – Dépôt Joseph Cuvelier
- National Archives 2 - Joseph Cuvelier repository
- ARA2-AGR2
Address
Phone
History
The French law of 26 October 1796 (5 Brumaire V) laid the foundations of the organisational structure of the present-day Belgian State Archives. The law stipulated that the archives of institutions and administrations abolished by the French authorities were to be collected and preserved at the regional metropolis of each newly created ‘Département’. In 1831, the archive depot in Brussels was officially named the “Archives Générales du Royaume” (National Archives of Belgium). By virtue of the Royal Decree of 17 December 1851, the “Archives de l’État dans les Provinces” (State Archives in the Provinces) were placed under the authority of the National Archivist.
Now broadly known as ‘the State Archives of Belgium’, the National Archives and the State Archives in the Provinces are a federal academic organisation that forms part of the Belgian Federal Science Policy Office (BELSPO). The State Archives are made up of the National Archives in Brussels and 17 State Archives that are distributed throughout the country. The State Archives’ role is to ensure the proper preservation of archival documents produced and managed by the state authorities. In order to fulfil its responsibilities, the State Archives issue directives and recommendations; conduct inspections and organise training for civil servants. The State Archives also act as an advisory body for the construction and preparation of premises for the conservation of archives and for the organisation of archive management within public institutions. The State Archives obtain and preserve (following sorting) archival documents that are at least 30 years old from courts, tribunals, public authorities, notaries and from the private sector and private individuals (companies, politicians, associations and societies, influential families, etc. that have played an important role in society). They ensure that public archives are transferred according to strict archival standards.
Archival and Other Holdings
The National Archives of Belgium 2 – Joseph Cuvelier repository preserves the archives of the external services of the Federal Public Service Justice (penal institutions), the courts and tribunals under the responsibility of the Brussels-Capital Region (justices of peace, police tribunals, Court of Cassation, etc.), the Federal Public Service Economy (patents), the Ministry for Reconstruction (files on war damages), the archives of military courts, and business archives.
Finding Aids, Guides, and Publication
There are several online search engines: keyword, archives, creator, persons, themes (http://search.arch.be/). In order to facilitate access to documents, archivists produce academic reference works aimed at users, such as archive group overviews, guides, historical source studies and, in particular, inventories and search guides with detailed indexes. The search guides can be consulted in the reading room, and they are currently subject to a digitisation initiative, which aims to make them fully accessible on-line or via the intranet available on the computers in all the depositories of the State Archives.
State Archives guides and inventories may also be downloaded or purchased from the following link:
Opening Times
Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays upon appointment: from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 1 p.m. to 4.30 p.m.
July and August: Tuesday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 1 p.m. to 4.30 p.m.
Conditions of Access
In order to access the reading room of National Archives 2 - Joseph Cuvelier, researchers must make an appointment via the following email address: agr_ar_2@arch.be
Accessibility
The State Archives are committed to ensuring access to its reading rooms and other common areas for all users. Several improvements have been made in recent years to facilitate access for people with reduced mobility (parking spaces, access ramps, toilets, etc.). For further information about access to the National Archives 2 - Joseph Cuvelier, please contact the institution by phone or email.
Reproduction Services
For information on reproduction services and fees, please visit the following web page: http://arch.arch.be/index.php?l=en&m=practical-information&r=reproductions
Sources
State Archives in Belgium website consulted on 16/07/2019
Pierre-Alain Tallier (dir.), Gertjan Desmet & Pascale Falek-Alhadeff, Sources pour l'histoire des populations juives et du judaïsme en Belgique/Bronnen voor de geschiedenis van de Joden en het Jodendom in België, 19de-21ste eeuw, Brussel, ARA-AGR/Avant-Propos, 2016, 1,328 p.