The city of Antwerp's names project aims to bring World War II into the present so that future generations can continue to commemorate this global conflict. The project focuses on the names of the victims who lived or died in Antwerp. It also reflects on the suffering of those who survived and of the victims’ families, who were scarred for life by the horrors of war.
FelixArchief – Antwerp City Archives made an inventory of the names of war victims who lived or died in Antwerp during the World War II. These casualties belong to one of four different victim groups: Holocaust victims, civilian victims of Nazi violence, civilian victims of military violence and military victims. FelixArchief used sources from various archives to conduct their research. The provisional list of names can be accessed and searched by anyone.
A new memorial will be erected on the quays along the Scheldt by the Pilotage Building near the Antwerp district 't Eilandje. A multidisciplinary design team, led by Bureau Bas Smets, is responsible for the monument's design. The cornerstone will be laid in 2025.
Antwerp already has several WWII monuments, but this one will be the first to bring together and honour all the war casualties with a connection to the city. The new memorial aims to bring different communities and generations together to commemorate World War II. It will also serve as a place for gathering, education and reflection.
The physical monument is complemented by a digital monument: this website of the Antwerp Names Project which contains the definitive list of victims' names. Relatives and other interested parties have the opportunity to (individually) commemorate the victims of World War II through the digital monument.
The search for the names of the war casualties will never fully end. That is why people will still be able to make changes and add names to the digital monument after the physical memorial has been completed.
Frequently asked questions about the project
The city wants to be as clear and transparent as possible about the research and plans of the monument. Frequently asked questions about this project are listed in the FAQ section on this site
To the FAQ >Search through the current list
During the research phase of the Namur project, you can search the provisional list of fatalities here. To find a victim, you can enter surname, first name or year of birth.
Search in the list >
About FelixArchives – Antwerp City Archives
FelixArchief – Antwerp City Archives takes care of the documents of the Antwerp city council and the city administration with all its departments. It also stores many other archives. Many institutions, private individuals, associations and companies with an Antwerp connection have entrusted their archives to us.
To the FelixArchief website >
