Glabbeek is launching a unique heritage initiative by placing memorial walls in its 6 cemeteries for all its war victims. The municipality was one of the first in Flanders to permanently protect the graves of fallen soldiers, resistance fighters, and veterans in its cemetery regulations since 2013. This perpetual protection ensures these graves will not disappear and no longer require family retribution payments.
Originally, there were 447 war graves across Glabbeek's 6 cemeteries. Unfortunately, 382 graves disappeared before 2013, leaving only 65 today. Through these new memorial walls, the municipality aims to revalue this lost war heritage. The walls also list the names of 114 war victims buried elsewhere but who had ties to Glabbeek or fell in the village.
This project is driven by Edmond Denruyter of the Glabbeek Heritage Circle (HKG) and Mayor Peter Reekmans, who have conducted extensive research. Each cemetery now features a memorial wall with information on 561 war victims and (vanished) war graves per sub-municipality. Visitors can access details about fallen soldiers and civilians through QR codes.
“"A total of 46 soldiers fell in our village during the two world wars. Additionally, 35 soldiers and 43 civilians from our sub-municipalities perished during both conflicts. While the Heritage Circle already had a substantial archive, we discovered many new names, data, and stories in recent months. The current generation of 50-somethings is the last to hear these stories from their parents or (great)grandparents. If we didn't archive this today, many names and stories of war victims risked being forgotten in the future."
Denruyter emphasizes the importance of archiving these stories, as the current generation is the last to hear them firsthand. The memorial walls for each sub-municipality are now accessible, and via the heritage website www.vensteropglabbeek.be or the QR codes, all war victims from each sub-municipality can be consulted. The HKG encourages anyone to report any forgotten names.
