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 those 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 is building an inventory of the names of war victims who lived or died in Antwerp during the World War II. These casualties belonged to one of four different victim groups: Holocaust victims, civilian victims of Nazi violence, civilian victims of military violence and military victims. FelixArchief is using sources from various archives for this research. The research will continue until 2023. Everyone can search the provisional list of names. Until now, the research has focused mainly on Holocaust victims and victims of Nazi violence. The city of Antwerp also has many names of Belgian civilians and soldiers who did not survive the violence of the war.
A new memorial will be erected on the quays along the Scheldt by the Pilotage Building near the Antwerp district of 't Eilandje. The design team that will create the monument will be chosen in an international design competition. The cornerstone will be laid in 2024.
Antwerp has several WWII monuments already, but this monument is the first to bring together all the deceased victims who had a connection with Antwerp. The new memorial aims to bring different communities and generations together to commemorate World War II. It will also be a place for gathering, educating and reflecting.
The physical monument will be complemented by a digital monument: an online environment about the provisional – and later final – list of victims’ names. At a later stage, the digital monument will give the victims’ families and other interested parties the opportunity to commemorate the victims of World War II.
The search for the names of the war dead will never fully end. That is why people will still be able to make changes and add names after the 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 >
