David Trotsky (1904-1945) Collection

The collection consists of printed matter, such as newsletters, posters, programs, playbills, reports, notices, circulars, questionnaires, notes, by-laws, membership cards, flyers, invitations, election materials, and clippings. These relate to the political, social, cultural, economic and religious institutions of Belgian Jewry between the two World Wars, mainly in Brussels and Antwerp. It includes political materials on Zionist, Bundist and Communist organizations: Hashomer Hatsair, Keren Kayemet, Poale Tsion, Royte Hilf (Red Aid Society for Political Prisoners), and Gezerd (Association to Aid Jewish Colonization in the Soviet Union). Documents related to labor unions include the Union of Handbag Makers, Union of Women Cutters, unions for bankers, leather workers and diamond workers, Federation of Unions in Brussels, and the Merchants’ Association. Cultural and educational organizations are represented through Yiddish schools, copies of diplomas from the Peretz School in Brussels, Jewish sports clubs, performances from Jewish theaters, concerts, films, art exhibitions, and the Jewish People’s Club, the Gezelshaft-Kinder Fraynd (Society for Friends of Children), posters for a children’s camp, a children’s journal Grininke Beymelekhh (Green Trees), university circles, the Jewish Student Union, Jewish Press Club, and Jewish libraries. Religious and charitable institutions include the rabbinate, religious schools, synagogues, Khesed shel Emes (Burial Society), Hakhnosas Kalah (Aid Society for Poor Brides), Beys Lekhem (Charity for the Poor), G’milas Khasodim (Benevolent Society), women’s aid societies, Union of Polish Jews, Union of German-Jewish Refugees, Council of Jewish Organizations, Der Natsionaler Komitet fun Arbaytloze (National Unemployment Committee), Comite de Secours pour les Chomeurs Juifs (Relief Committee for Unemployed Jews), and landsmanshaftn. There are also materials on antisemitism, including leagues against antisemitism, boycotting the Nazi regime and extracts from antisemitic propaganda, pamphlets and invitations from missionary societies, business cards of commercial establishments, and newspaper clippings on the Jewish problem in Belgium. The documents are dated 1907-1940, the bulk of which are from 1920-1938.