ANTWERP : JEWISH ANTWERP

Antwerp is a city with many faces and a lot of different aspects of every-day life. A unique feature of the city is the presence of a large Jewish 'Hassidic' community. It is mainly located in the Diamond district near the Central Station. Some of the most important streets are: Pelikaanstraat (Diamond District), the City Park, Belgiëlei and Charlottelei. Estimations about the number of Jewish citizens in Antwerp nowadays vary from 15.000 to 20.000. Before the Second World War, the Jewish community of Antwerp consisted of more than 55.000 inhabitants.

The Jewish presence in Antwerp is certainly not a new phenomenon. Already in the 13th century there was a Jewish group. These 'Ashkenazi' Jews had originally come from Central Europe. Their presence was tolerated in the Duchy of Brabant because they were helpful in providing financial means in the developing Duchy. However, in the 14th century, they were blamed for having caused the plague and subsequently killed or expelled from the Brabantine cities (Brussels and Antwerp mainly).

A second Jewish immigration wave took place at the end of the 15th century. In Spain and Portugal the Catholic kings had re-conquered the Iberian peninsula on the Moors. At the same time, the Jews were expelled. Many 'Marrono' Jews from Portugal settled in Antwerp. Emperor Charles V tried to have them banned from Antwerp. The Antwerp authorities, however, protected them in a certain way because they had become essential to the financial development of Antwerp as the new world harbor. Because of the relentless prosecution by the Catholics, a lot of Jewish people were attracted by the anti-catholic Calvinism. After the separation of the Low Countries, a lot of Jewish left Antwerp to settle in Holland, which explains the large Portuguese-Jewish Colony  that settled in Amsterdam. All through the 17th century Jewish people remained present in Antwerp, but they had to keep a very low profile in order to survive.

During the Age of Enlightenment (18th century), the situation improved a little bit. But numerous restrictions (extra taxes, a law that said that only the oldest son of a Jewish family could marry, etc...) ensured that the Jewish community in Antwerp remained very small and almost invisible. However, the Antwerp Magistrates again showed themselves more tolerant towards Jewish people, mainly because of their economic importance. Everything changed with the 'Edict of Tolerance', issued by Emperor Joseph II of Austria.   Jews were again allowed to integrate completely in the social and economic life of the cities under Austrian rule (of which Antwerp was one).

This emancipation was confirmed by the French Republic in 1791 and continued under Napoleon. Under the Dutch regime, and later, after the Belgian Independence, the Jewish group in Antwerp remained relatively small (about 38 families). In 1832 the 'Central consistory of Israelites in Belgium' was founded, which, until today, has remained the officially recognized superior institution of the Jewish community in Belgium. During that time, the Jewish area was situated more in the old center of Antwerp.

 After 1880 a third immigration reinforced the Jewish presence in Antwerp. A lot of eastern European Jews immigrated to escape the pogroms and settled in Antwerp where they found work in the diamond industry. By 1901 the city counted 8.000 Jewish inhabitants. By 1933 this number had risen to 55.000. This group did no longer represent one Jewish way of living or one Jewish way of thinking. All the different political and religious views could be found among this large community.

The Benelux countries were invaded by the Nazis on May the 10th 1940. Antwerp Jews shared the same fate as the other Jewish people in Nazi-occupied countries: many were transported to the concentration camps. The Nazis were frequently angered by the 'soft' attitude of the Belgians towards the 'Jewish Problem'. Indeed, a lot of Belgians managed to save Jewish children by hiding them in schools, monasteries, sometimes by 'adopting' them into their own families.

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