Fonto : History of the poorest in Europe
Introduction
Looking back through history, we can say that, in general, we know a great deal about of the aristocracy and upper classes and a little of mainstream society, but hardly anything at all of those who lived in extreme poverty. They tend to be mentioned only in passing, referred to with suspicion as a troubled and miserable group, and ignored as individuals. Those who live in extreme poverty today are themselves often ignorant of both the inhumane situation in which their ancestors lived and their struggle for a better future. This is why they are so often, but wrongly, ashamed of their origins. And those in more favourable situations, knowing little of all this history, consider them a threat to social order.
Joseph Wresinski (1917-1988), founder of the International Movement ATD Fourth World, wanted to change all this. As a result, he asked members of the ATD Fourth World Volunteer Corps and friends of the association to shed light upon the history and the ancestors of the very poorest in Europe.
One such example can be found in the book Grande Pauvreté: Fatalité Ou Injustice?, written by Henri van Rijn about the Berger-Meermens-Smit family: “When, at the end of March 1916, Germany announced that it planned to invade the Netherlands… all leave (for members of the armed forces) was cancelled. The German threat began to cast a shadow. Nevertheless, from June 1916 onwards, Willem was ’struck off through inspections (by the Dutch army)’ after thirty-three years of service, a result of problems with his legs and a hernia. An annual pension of three hundred and sixty florins was accorded to him. After that, Willem, at the age of sixty, tried to bolster his income by working as an ’errand boy’. When, in 1993, I explained all this to André, his great-grandson, he asked where Willem found the courage to do such work given that his legs had already been troubling him for years beforehand.”
The Fonto Project
The Fonto project, which began in September 2000 and set itself up in Delft (Netherlands) six months later, has as it main aim that of reconnecting those who live in situations of extreme poverty in Europe today with the history of those who had to live through the same situation in times past. In doing so, the project looks to increase the understanding of all about the role those living in extreme poverty in Europe have, and had, in building a democratic society where Human Rights are a reality for everyone.
Fonto, above all, works towards placing the history of people, families and groups in extreme poverty within the context of history in general. The goal is not only to collect written and printed documents, but also objects and artefacts linked to their lives and their struggle to get out of poverty. At the same time, this research also takes into account illustrations and photographs and other objects which give insight into the way in which society treated such people, families and groups in the past.
Within the framework of the International Movement ATD Fourth World, Fonto works with the Research and Training Institute as well as the International Joseph Wresinski Centre.
Organisations With Whom Fonto Is In Partnership
In the Netherlands: the International Institute of Social History in Amsterdam; the association ’De Ommerschans’; and IREWOC (which undertakes international research into child labour) in Amsterdam.
In Belgium: Beweging Mensen met Laag Inkomen en Kinderen in Gand; MIAT (a museum of industry and textile archaeology) in Gand; the Museum over Vrijheidsberoving (a museum of deprivation of liberty) at Merksplas; and AMSAB (the Institute of Social History of Flanders).
Principle Work Of The Fonto Project
- To prepare the recording of books for Fonto and to search for the funding to acquire more such documents;
- To find support from others throughout Europe for this process of finding books and documents and recording them;
- To build a network of correspondents across Europe to support the Fonto project;
- To make contact and build links with museums and other institutions interested in this field of work;
- To begin identifying and harvesting the history and stories of places and moments that are or have been important in the lives of those in extreme poverty.
Projects For The Future
- Setting up and putting in place of temporary expositions on certain themes which could travel around Europe;
- Organising conferences on particular periods of history from the basis of certain concrete examples;
- Creating a website to share the knowledge and information found through the Fonto project, presenting the discovered objects and documents and setting out the links established with museums and other institutions;
- Explaining the work and discoveries of the Fonto project through articles in the Revue Quart Monde.
Further Information
For further information on the Fonto project or to support it by sending articles (sourced and dated), books etc., please contact:
