Memorials Municipality Bellaire

Memorial at the wall of the municipality of Bellaire to remember and commemorate the military and civilian victims of the First and the Second World War.

A special note and explanation about the the memorialplate of 1914-1918. At this plate the number of burned houses and executed civilians are mentioned. This event took place at August 6th 1914, two days after Germany invaded Belgium. A total of 6 houses were burned down and 3 civilians were executed.

The German army ruled with tyranny at local communities. If resistance by local community obstructed the advance of the Germans, houses were burned. Local citizens accused for espionage ore civilians who shot (so called franc-tireurs) at the Gemans from their houses were executed, and their houses burned down.

In Belgian history these villages are refered to as 'marter villages'. The village of Visé was hit hard at these first days of Worldwar 1.

That is why the number of burned houses en murdered citizens are mentioned on several memorials in the villages in the line of the advance of German army in 1914.

Houses which were built up after the war, can be regognised even untill this day. They all have a markingstone in the facade with letters; ORD and year. Mostly 1920 to 1926. See for example pfotograph 4 and 5 with three houses in Moelingen (B) with marker ORD 1920. These houses can be found throughout the route of advance of the German army at the villages of, Soumagne, Barchon, Blegny, Dalhem, Warsage, Herve, Visé, Mouland, Fouron, Battice, Liège and many more.

ORD would stand for; Office des Régions Dévastées.

Organisation for the devastated areas. This organisation was responsible for reconstruction of the houses in the areas the German army, at the time of their advance in 1914, burned down houses

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Source

• Text: Ed Lewandowski
• Photos: Ed Lewandowski