Antwerp Commemorates - Persecution of the Jews

The persecution of the Jews during World War II is one of the darkest chapters in the city’s history. Many thousands of Antwerp Jews did not survive the war. They were put on transports by the German occupying forces and sent to the death camps. The police and city authorities did not try to stop this; in fact, they even helped. Jewish people who did manage to escape this fate lived in constant fear. Sometimes, though, they could count on help and support from neighbors, friends, or colleagues.

During this walk, you will hear the personal stories behind familiar locations in the city. But first, watch the short introductory film above.

This walk was commissioned by the Antwerp municipal authorities as part of Antwerp Commemorates
Concept and text: Geheugen Collectief
Translation: Jane Hedley-Prole
Multimedia: MediaMixer

The images shown in the video footage are from the following collections: Dossin Barracks, Jewish Museum of Belgium, Cegesoma, Otto Spronk/Otto Kropf Collection, War Victims Archive of the Belgian State Archives, Bundesarchiv, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, and the Antwerp City Archives.
The video clip “Regina goes back to the place she hid” is a montage from “A hole in the wall,” a film by Jo Peeters, curator of the Walloon Resistance Museum.
Despite having made every attempt to do so, we have not succeeded in tracing the origin of certain photos. Should anyone holding the rights to these photos recognize them, they are invited to contact the Antwerp municipal authorities.

Thanks to:
CegeSoma – Centre for Historical Research and Documentation on War and Contemporary Society (ODV4 Belgian State Archives)
War Victims Archive (Belgian State Archives)
Hendrik Conscience Heritage Library
Jean Dillen and Joris Wuyts
Jewish Museum Brussels
Joyce Bloch and Rachel Hakker (granddaughters of Jos Hakker)
Dossin Barracks
Mady Rozengarten
Regina Sluszny, President of the Belgian Forum of Jewish Organisations
Antwerp City Archives
Peace Centre of the Province and City of Antwerp

📏 5 km
🕑 2 hours