Jean Vanwelkenhuyzen

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Jean Vanwelkenhuyzen (born March 27, 1927 in Brussels ; † February 21, 2008 there ) was a Belgian historian and from 1969 to 1989 head of the research center CEGES , which was specifically dedicated to the history of the Second World War .

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Jean Vanwelkenhuyzen, son of the francophone Brussels bourgeoisie, studied at the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) and obtained a degree in political and diplomatic sciences in 1953, and subsequently in economics and finance. He got a job in the university administration and began to be interested in the history of the Second World War from around 1960 under the influence of Jacques Willequet . In his role as head of the newly founded research center, he built up extensive documentation and began a rich publication activity. In 1978 he obtained a doctorate in political and diplomatic sciences with a thesis on the "Warning Signals from Berlin" from October 9, 1939 to May 10, 1940. Jean Vanwelkenhuyzen's position was, however, due to the then very different view of the Second World War in Flanders and affected in Wallonia.

Vanwelkenhuyzen's sense of diplomacy and his good connections with the royal bourgeoisie were very useful to the institute in its early years. The research center received generous financial donations, was able to acquire rich archive material and received international attention. In 1988 Vanwelkenhuyzen was appointed as the only representative of the Francophonie in the historian's commission, which had to judge the Waldheim affair .

His difficulties in expressing himself in Dutch and his unreservedly positive assessment of the role of King Leopold III. during the Second World War, however, ultimately led to his dismissal as head of the institute. He was accused of suppressing documents available in the institute that suggested a more critical view of the king. In the spring of 1989 the scientific committee of the oversight ministry unanimously demanded the removal of Jean Vanwelkenhuyzen. Minister Louis Tobback accepted them.

Jean Vanwelkenhuyzen's retirement took place in March 1992, but he remained extremely active as a journalist until his death and published numerous, strongly psychologically oriented studies on the period from 1933 to 1940.

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personal data
SURNAME Vanwelkenhuyzen, Jean
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Belgian historian
DATE OF BIRTH March 27, 1927
PLACE OF BIRTH Brussels
DATE OF DEATH February 21, 2008
Place of death Brussels