Memorial War Volunteers Hasselt

The National Monument for the War Volunteers, designed by E. Droogmans, was unveiled in Hasselt on Sunday September 10, 1961 by Colonel François Carton de Wiart, representative of King Baudouin.

It was founded by the National Federation of War Volunteers, which paid tribute to the promoters of Belgium's independence in 1830, to the so many volunteers of the First and Second World War and to the fighters who left for Korea in 1950 under the UN flag.

The carved part in French white stone was executed by artist Raf Mailleux, veteran and war wounded 1940-1945, from Genk (Winterslag).
The plaster model is kept in the City Museum.

The central part of the monument is made of French white stone. Against a rectangular background, a war volunteer is symbolically depicted in side view and in relief. He steps forward with shield and sword as symbols of chivalry, which he will use to lawfully oppose an attacker.
At the bottom are the coats of arms of the then nine provinces.
The inscription at the top reads: "VOLUNTARIIS / PATRIA / MEMOR".
On the back, under a crowned letter V, you will find information about the inauguration, the architect and the sculptor.
Below the memorial is a bluestone basement and left and right flanking trapezoidal rubble stone walls.
The monument is reached via two quarry stone terraces, connected by four bluestone steps. The whole is surrounded by rubble stone walls.

Source: Heritage object - war memorials

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Source

• Text: Fedor de Vries + Marie-Christine Vinck
• Photos: Marie-Christine Vinck