The Second World War was a turning point in the history of the 20th century and its historiography continues to be re-examined and internationalized. The Chair, which Baron Jean-Charles Velge wanted to see created, enables a renowned international researcher to be invited each year to give a series of lectures.

Filippo Focardi is Professor at the Università degli Studi di Padova. His publications deal with the history of Fascism and World War II, the memory of the Italian resistance, war crimes committed in Italy but also by Fascist Italy, as well as relations between Germany and Italy since the 19th century. His latest publication, Il cattivo tedesco e il bravo italiano. La rimozione delle colpe della seconda guerra mondiale (Laterza, 2013) (The wicked German and the good Italian. The dismissal of World War II guilt), shows how construction of the memory of world War II in Italy was firstly a response to the imperatives of foreign policy, thus obscuring the question of Italian responsibility regarding Fascism and war crimes.

The Baron Jean Charles Velge Fund, created within the King Baudouin Foundation, provides support for research in the field of contemporary history. Created at the ULB in honour of Jean Vanwelkenhuyzen, historian of the Second World War, the fund is financing the award of this chair for a period of 10 years (until 2022).