National Archives are inaccessible as building is in disrepair

The Joseph Cuvelier Depot, one of the most visited buildings in Belgium's National Archives, has been inaccessible since mid-July because of a broken lift.

But this broken lift is just one symptom of a much larger problem, Bruzz reports, as the building in its entirety is in a state of disrepair.

The depot holds 50km of historical documents, including valuable fragments about collaboration and colonisation.

Researchers regularly load carts with archives to bring the documents to the reading room, as the depot plays a crucial role within the State Archives.

In the first few days after the lift went out of service, a narrow stairwell was used as an alternative, but this proved unsustainable.

“We found ourselves in a situation where people with specific questions could be helped quickly, while students who needed more archives could not,” archivist Reinout Vander Hulst said.

“And as a service provider, we couldn't allow that. Everyone is equal before the law.”

The State Archives have been struggling with staff shortages and outdated infrastructure for some time.

“In Brussels, we are 40km short of the shelving we need to store the archives we have to take in,” said Xavier Jacques-Jourion, director general of the State Archives, adding that the building itself is not suitable for storing archives.

“Ideally, we should actually get a new building,” he added.

The Buildings Agency, owner of the State Archives, announced that an analysis will be carried out in early September to identify the necessary adjustments. It is not yet clear when the lift will finally be working again.

In the meantime, researchers who need the archives are facing considerable delays.

“I’m giving a guest lecture at the VUB using archive material,” said Vander Hulst.

“The first thing I will do is advise my students to make an appointment at the State Archives as soon as possible. But my colleagues will probably do the same. There is likely to be a flood of students once the lift is repaired.”

Professor Gillian Mathys of Ghent University described the situation as “Kafka-esque”.

Mathys supervises several master's and doctoral students who may encounter problems due to the technical defects: “A few weeks or months of delay could mean that they graduate late. And all because of a broken lift.”