Algemeen Kledingwerk

Members of the board of Algemeen Kledingwerk are posing in front of the flag (1920's). This liberal charitable organisation was founded in Antwerp in 1893 to provide the children in need of the city schools with clothing.

Algemeen Kledingwerk

The archives of Algemeen Kledingwerk including photographs, diplomas, medallions are preserved at Liberas. The flag seen on the previous photograph is one of the eye-catching items in this collection.

Cyclists Club "Het Blauwe Wiel", Antwerp (1925)

Members of the Cyclists Club "Het Blauwe Wiel" pose with bikes, trophy and pennon. Blauwe Wiel was part of the organisation Liberale Eerste Wijk in Antwerp.

Cyclists Club "Het Blauwe Wiel", Antwerp

Theatrical company "Met Tijd en Vlijt" from Wetteren (1928)

The company started as a singing group in 1860, before becoming a theatre ensemble, remaining active for more than a hundred years. In this shot from 1928 members of the troupe are gathered around the banner.

Banner from "Met Tijd en Vlijt" (1910), Wetteren

Made for the 50th anniversary of the troupe in 1910, this flag is preserved with the company's archives by Liberas.

Homage to Edward Pecher (1938)

Born into a liberal family from Antwerp, Edward Pecher (1885-1926) was a lawyer, member of Parliament, president of the Liberal Party and briefly Minister of Colonies. In this 1938 homage by the Federation of Liberal Mutual Insurances of the province of Antwerp, the marble bust of Pecher, commissioned following his untimely death in 1926, takes centre stage.

Edward Pecher

The marble bust of Pecher.

Bond D'Hauwer

Bond D'Hauwer was a liberal health insurance fund founded in Renaix in 1919. In this photograph from 1945 the board members are gathered around the flag.

Bond D'Hauwer

The flag of the Bond D'Hauwer kept at Liberas and depicted on several photographs of the organisation.

Election campaign of 1949

On 26 June 1949 Belgian women were allowed to vote for the first time in parliamentary elections. The Liberal Party, in the opposition, was focusing heavily on the taxation policy of the government. Several posters seen here can be found in the collection of Liberas.

Liberal Party, poster for the election campaign of 1949

Liberal Party, poster for the election campaign of 1949

Liberal Party, poster for the election campaign of 1949

The Liberal Women's Association of Nieuwpoort (1956)

The Liberal Women of Nieuwpoort had reason to celebrate this November of 1956: the honorary president of the association, Mrs. L. Symoens (seated in the centre) donated a new flag, proudly displayed during the banquet. MP and mayor of Ostend, Adolphe Van Glabbeke (standing, 4th from right) and his wife (seated, 2nd from right) were guests of honour.

The Liberal Women's Association of Nieuwpoort

The flag of the association.

Posters for the elections of 1958

The Liberal Party could face the elections of 1958 with confidence. The achievements of four years of government in a purple coalition with the socialists were reflected in posters boasting optimistic titles like "Liberal country. Happy country" and "Welfare and social advantages". The electorate, however, decided otherwise and the Christian Democrats won the elections. The school conflict which had resurfaced in the previous years and strongly divided the country once again, remained unresolved so far.
All the liberal posters seen here are preserved at Liberas.

Liberal Party, poster for the election campaign of 1958

Liberal Party, poster for the election campaign of 1958

Liberal Party, poster for the election campaign of 1958

Liberal Party, poster for the election campaign of 1958

Adolf Van Glabbeke (1904-1959), one of the leading men of the Liberal Party and the Liberal Trade Union after the war. He was elected in 1936 and seated in the Parliament until his death, held several minister posts and was mayor of Ostend from 1953 to 1959. He was also president of the Liberal Union (ACLVB/CGSLB) from 1944 through 1959.

Liberas before Liberas (1958)

The building where Liberas is housed since 1986 was initially a primary school of the city of Ghent, built in 1858-1861 and equipped with a residence for the head teacher. By the 1970's it had morphed into a boarding school for boys and until 1998 our institution shared the building with the sculptors department of the Arts Academy.

Liberas today