Hero's walk WWI and WWII Nieuwstraat 19

The Heroes' Walk in Ingelmunster tells the story of several freedom fighters with a striking story from one of the world wars via various locations.
Along the route, which is just over 4 km long, you will stop at nine facades. Each memorial plaque has a QR code with which you can read the extensive stories of all the heroes.

At Nieuwstraat 19 there is a memorial plaque for ERNEST (1874-1918) and VICTOR (1907-1944) SCHOTTE.

In the brochure "Heldenwandeling WOI en WOII", published by the municipal council of Ingelmunster, Kurt Windels, we find the following information:

"Ernest Schotte succeeded his father as municipal secretary in 1900. Together with mayor Remi Callens, he tried to keep the demands of the German occupier as bearable as possible for the population. During the war, Ernest kept a diary with an overview of the events, which provided a harrowing picture of the war in a small community. The diary ends abruptly a year before the armistice. In October 1918, secretary Schotte was wounded in the foot by a grenade from the retreating Germans. A few days before the liberation, on 20 October 1918, he died of his injuries in Ghent.

Victor Schotte was a second cousin of Ernest.
He lived in the Nieuwstraat and continued his father's weaving mill. He was active in the Ingelmunster association life and also worked for the community. He was, among other things, fire chief from 1929 to 1941 and chairman of the local Red Cross from 1939 to 1944.
During the war, he was platoon commander for Ingelmunster in the resistance movement 'Doodsbrigade'. In February 1944, the ‘black police’ raided his home for inspection, where the brigade was meeting.
Shortly afterwards, on 18 February, Victor Schotte was arrested and taken away.
He died on 13 December 1944 in the Gross-Rosen camp."

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Source

• Text: TracesOfWar
• Photos: Wim Wouters