Cycling route Death Valley de Peel - Castle on fire (#5)

Castle on Fire

Prominent noble families such as Van Cuyck and Van Brederode have linked their names to the 15th century castle in Asten-Heusden.
The last witch trials in Brabant were held here under Bernard de Merode. Later owners - wealthy merchants - did not live at the castle. As a result, decay set in. In 1935, Clemens Ernest, baron van Hövell to Westerflier, conceived the plan to restore the country estate to its former glory. Between 1938 and 1941 he had the northern wing rebuilt. His daughter, Damsel Elisabeth, and his son-in-law Alexander van der Heijden were allowed to live there.
They only enjoyed it for a short time. In October 1944, they looked for a safer place due to constant war violence. The lord of the castle asked the American soldiers stationed in Asten to keep an eye on things. It was of no use. In the early morning of October 5, 1944, the castle was set on fire with phosphorus grenades by a German patrol.
The restored castle largely went up in flames and was not rebuilt. Since the 1980s, the impressive ruin - of which the original war fire marks can still be seen - has been protected from further decay by the Asten Castle Heritage Preservation Foundation.

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Source

• Text: TracesOfWar
• Photos: Martin Damen