The Culture of the Archive in Belgium between 1750 and 1914 as an Exponent of Archival Developments in Europe

These days archives consider accessibility of paramount importance. Historians looking for sources or citizens searching for pieces of evidence make grateful use of that accessibility. But archival documents could not always be freely consulted. In fact for a long time they were kept under lock and key. Thus it appears that governments have become more inclined to share their secrets with a growing group of archival users. Unfortunately so far there has been little research into the mechanisms, ideas, and practices behind this evolution. Belgium in particular poses an interesting case since in no other country did archives become so accessible so early on. This makes the lack of research into the archival history of this country all the more regrettable.

The subject of this project is the culture of the archive in Belgium between 1794 and 1914: the continuously more complex organisation, usage and experience of archives. By combining the perspective of the archivist and the archival user, this project is more ambitious than previous studies. Seeing that in international research the influence of modern state formation on the archives has become clear, the role of Belgium as a pioneer will not only be analysed on its own, but also by comparing it to the developments in its neighbouring countries. In this way, the project connects to recent European research of the development of archival science and the importance of archives in historiography.