Gent - Stolpersteine
Information: Wikipedia
A Stolperstein literally "stumbling stone", metaphorically a "stumbling block" is a sett-size, 10 by 10 centimetres (3.9 in × 3.9 in) concrete cube bearing a brass plate inscribed with the name and life dates of victims of Nazi extermination or persecution.
The Stolpersteine project, initiated by the German artist Gunter Demnig in 1992, aims to commemorate individuals at exactly the last place of residency—or, sometimes, work—which was freely chosen by the person before he or she fell victim to Nazi terror, euthanasia, eugenics, was deported to a concentration or extermination camp, or escaped persecution by emigration or suicide. As of 29 March 2018, over 67,000 Stolpersteine have been laid in 22 countries, making the Stolpersteine project the world's largest decentralized memorial.
The majority of Stolpersteine commemorate Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Others have been placed for Sinti and Romani people (then also called "gypsies"), homosexuals, the physically or mentally disabled, Jehovah's Witnesses, black people, members of the Communist Party, the Social Democratic Party, and the anti-Nazi Resistance, the Christian opposition (both Protestants and Catholics), and Freemasons, along with International Brigade soldiers in the Spanish Civil War, military deserters, conscientious objectors, escape helpers, capitulators, "habitual criminals", looters, and others charged with treason, military disobedience, or undermining the Nazi military, as well as Allied soldiers.
On Wednesday 6th December 2023 a stumbling stone was placed for Karel Poffyn at Graslei in Gent.
List of Stolpersteine in the city of Gent
Bevrijdingslaan 112: WILFRIED DOUSSY
Fortlaan 93-94: JEAN INGELS
Gelukstraat 11: CHARLES ONGENA
Graslei 14: KAREL POFFYN
Groot-Brittaniëlaan 88: JOZEF SPEECKAERT
Hendrik Waelputstraat 11: LEOPOLD BOONE
Kortrijksepoortstraat 240: CHARLES COLYN
Kortrijksepoortstraat 244: OVCHIE LEMPERT
Kortrijksesteenweg 890: MICHEL CLOQUET
Meersstraat 138: VICTOR DE PAEPE
CAMILLE HAEGEMAN
GUSTAVE LABENS
ROGER LAMMERTYN
JULIUS MATTHYS
MAURICE WANZELE
Monterreystraat 63: MAURICE VANDEPUTTE
Paul Fredericqstraat 91: ROBERT MUSSCHE
Reep 1: MAURICE DEVOS
Sint-Joriskaai 5: MARTHA GEIRINGER
Sint-Salvatorstraat 157: JOZEF IMPENS
Veldstraat–Hoornstraat: SOPHIE LOEB
MARGARETA BLOCH-LEVY
MARCEL LEVY
Willem van Nassaustraat 20: LOUIS BOONE
Zwijnaardsesteenweg 419: GASTON DE ROO
Bevrijdingslaan 112
hier woonde
WILFRIED DOUSSY
geb. 1922
verzetsstrijder
‘onafhankelijkheidsfront’
gearresteerd 31.7.1941
gedeporteerd 21.9.1941
uit Breendonk
vermoord 14.4.1942
Neuengamme
Bevrijdingslaan 112
here lived
WILFRIED DOUSSY
born 1922
resistance fighter
‘independance front’
arrested 21.7.1941
deported 21.9.1941
from Breendonk
murdered 14.4.1942
Neuengamme
Wilfried was born as a Belgian in Terneuzen on December 8, 1922. Already at the beginning of December 1940, as a young student of barely eighteen years old, he was co-founder of the first resistance cells at Ghent University. Good friends at the university included Jan Everaert (returned from KZ Neuengamme) and Pieter Dossche (+ KZ Neuengamme 2/5/1942). Only a few months later they joined the Patriotic Militia of the Independence Front, Sector III Ghent. Wilfried was recruited by André Mandrycxs, who would later play a leading role in the Belgian solidarity and resistance committee in the Neuengamme concentration camp on the outskirts of Hamburg.
Until the date of his arrest, Wilfried recruited new members, organized armed resistance groups and participated in numerous acts of sabotage. He systematically collected useful military intelligence and was publisher and distributor of the clandestine press, such as 'London-Moscou' and 'Student Signal'. Together with his friends he was co-leader of a well-organized mass patriotic uprising against the occupying forces. However, Wilfried was denounced together with friends and arrested on July 31, 1941, because of his political beliefs and patriotic activities in student circles. He had paper sheets with him and a ribbon with the Belgian tricolor, from which he cut pieces for the people of Ghent. First he spent 3 weeks in the 'Nieuwewandeling' prison in Ghent, after which he was locked up in the Fort of Breendonk for 1 month.
He then belonged to the very first Belgian convoy to a German concentration camp, more specifically that of KZ Neuengamme in Hamburg. On September 22, 1941, this convoy with 256 Belgian Political Prisoners left for Hamburg, where it arrived on September 24, 1941. Wilfried was assigned camp number 06273. In the end, only 54 Belgians from this very first convoy KZ Neuengamme survived, that is only 1 in 5!. Wilfried lasted less than 7 months in the main camp of Neuengamme. Already on April 14, 1942, two weeks after his friend Pieter Dossche (NG-06277), he died there of exhaustion and illness.
In addition to the many medals that were awarded to him posthumously, he was also posthumously promoted to Captain of the Armed Resistance.
Fortlaan 93-94
hier woonde
JEAN INGELS
geb. 1907
weerstander
geheim leger
Comete
gefusilleerd 20.10.1943
Nationale Schietbaan
Brussel
Fortlaan 93-94
here lived
JEAN INGELS
born 1907
resistance fighter
secret army
Comete
executed 20.10.1943
National Shooting Range
Brussel
Jean Ingels was born in Saint-Laurent on June 13, 1907. He was a resistance fighter, got arrested and shot on January 20, 1943 at the National Tir in Schaerbeek.
Gelukstraat 11
hier woonde
CHARLES ONGENA
geb. 1903
verzetstrijder
‘overste Geheim Leger’
‘inlicht./actiedienst’
gearresteerd 13.5.1942
gedeporteerd 30.7.1942
Bochum, Natzweiler
vermoord 17.2.1945
Dachau
Gelukstraat 11
here lived
CHARLES ONGENA
born 1903
resistance fighter
‘head Secret Army’
‘info / action service’
arrested 13.5.1942
deported 30.7.1942
Bochum, Natzweiler
murdered 17.2.1945
Dachau
Graslei 14
hier werkte
KAREL POFFYN
geb. 1897
verzetsstrijder
‘Geheim Leger’
gearresteerd 19.8.1944
gedeporteerd
Neuengamme
bezweken 6.12.1944
Meppen-Versen
Graslei 14
here worked
KAREL POFFYN
born 1897
resistance fighter
‘Secret Army’
arrested 19.8.1944
deported
Neuengamme
perished 6.12.1944
Meppen-Versen
Karel Jozef (Charles Joseph) POFFYN, was born in Sint-Amandsberg on 25 October 1897 and died in Meppen-Versen on 6 December 1944, he was married to Emma Verdonck and had 2 sons, Jozef and Theophiel. He worked as an “auxiliary electrician” at the Telegraaf en Telefoon (R.T.T.) company in the Schippershuis on the Graslei in Ghent. He was a veteran and war volunteer of the First World War and a member of the National Fighters' Union (N.S.B.). He was injured in the eyes by a gas attack on the Yzer front, hence the dark glasses.
At the outbreak of the Second World War he brought office machines and money from the R.T.T. in safety. In July 1941 he joined the armed resistance through Gérard Willemot and became a soldier of the Secret Army, zone III, sector Ghent. He belonged to a sabotage group of refuge “Le Héron” under the command of Maurice Claeys (who died later at the same place and date). He had to go into hiding because of his activity. Their last assignment was to sabotage the German military headquarters in the R.T.T. building during the last week of August 1944, but he was previously arrested by the “Secret Field Police” (G.F.P.) on 19/08/1944. That night, 5 other R.T.T. employees were arrested. He was interrogated at the headquarters of the “Sicherheitspolizei und Sicherheitsdienst” (SIPO-SD), the Hubain villa on the corner of Krijgslaan and de Smet de Naeyerplein, and locked up in the Nieuwe Wandelen. He was transferred to Germany via Merksplas and stayed in the Neuengamme extermination camp, number 44,715. He was further transferred to the subcamp Meppen-Versen where he died on 06/12/1944.
His remains were buried with military honors in the plot of the Wester Cemetery in 1953 after a funeral mass in St. Peter's Church.
Groot-Brittaniëlaan 88
hier woonde
JOZEF SPEECKAERT
geb. 1907
weerstander
geheim leger
gearresteerd 17.7.1944
gedeporteerd 1944
Neuengamme
vermoord 5.1.1945
Blumenthal
Groot-Brittaniëlaan 88
here lived
JOZEF SPEECKAERT
born 1907
resistance fighter
secret army
arrested 17.7.1944
deported 1944
Neuengamme
murdered 5.1.1945
Blumenthal
Jozef Speeckaert was born on April 1, 1907. He was a young Belgian resistance fighter. Arrested and deported to the Blumenthal concentration camp where he was assassinated on January 5, 1945.
Hendrik Waelputstraat 11
hier woonde
LEOPOLD BOONE
geb. 1907
weerstander
geheim leger
gearresteerd 1.6.1944
gedeporteerd 1944
Neuengamme
overleden 3.5.1945
Cap Arcona
Lübecker Bucht
Hendrik Waelputstraat 11
here lived
LEOPOLD BOONE
born 1907
resistance fighter
secret army
arrested 1.6.1944
deported 1944
Neuengamme
died 3.5.1945
Cap Arcona
Lübecker Bucht
Leopold Boone born on September 27, 1907. He was a young resistance member.
Arrested on June 1, 1944, he was deported to Neuengamme and killed on May 3, 1945 during the attack on Cape Arcona in Lübecker Bucht.
Kortrijksepoortstraat 240
hier woonde
CHARLES COLYN
geb. 1888
weerstander
geheim leger
gearresteerd 18.7.1944
gedeporteerd 1944
Neuengamme
vermoord 26.1.1945
Blumenthal
Kortrijksepoortstraat 240
here lived
CHARLES COLYN
born 1888
resistance fighter
secret army
arrested 18.7.1944
deported 1944
Neuengamme
murdered 26.1.1945
Blumenthal
Charles Colyn was born on February 11, 1888. He was arrested on July 18, 1944 for acts of resistance. Deported to Neuengamme concentration camp and died in Blumenthal.
Kortrijksepoortstraat 244
hier woonde
OVCHIE LEMPERT
geb. 1908
Bessarabie
gearresteerd 21.1.1943
geïnterneerd Mechelen
gedeporteerd 1943
Auschwitz
dodenmars
vermoord
Kortrijksepoortstraat 244
here lived
OVCHIE LEMPERT
born 1908
Bessarabie
arrested 21.1.1943
internated Mechelen
deported 1943
Auschwitz
death march
murdered
Ovchie Lempert was born in Bessarabia, in Kichineff on 01.20.1908. Engineer and resistance member, he was arrested on January 21, 1943, imprisoned at the Kazerne Dossin. Deported by the XXth convoy of 04.19.1943 to Auschwitz, where he was assassinated.
Kortrijksesteenweg 890
hier woonde
MICHEL CLOQUET
geb. 1921
weerstander
geheim leger
gearresteerd 18.7.1944
gedeporteerd 1944
Neuengamme
vermoord 19.12.1944
Blumenthal
Kortrijksesteenweg 890
here lived
MICHEL CLOQUET
born 1921
resistance fighter
secret army
arrested 18.7.1944
deported 1944
Neuengamme
murdered 19.12.1944
Blumenthal
Michel Cloquet was born on 07.29.1921. He was arrested on 07.18.1944 for acts of resistance and sent to the Neuengamme concentration camp. Subsequently he was transferred to Blumenthal where he died on January 26, 1945.
Meersstraat 138
hier werkte
VICTOR DE PAEPE
geb. 1902
weerstander O.F.-F.I.
gearresteerd 12.8.1944
gedeporteerd 1944
Neuengamme
overleden 1.5.1945
Lübeck
Meersstraat 138
here worked
VICTOR DE PAEPE
born 1902
resistance fighter O.F.-F.I.
arrested 12.8.1944
deported 1944
Neuengamme
deceased 1.5.1945
Lübeck
Meersstraat 138
hier werkte
CAMILLE HAEGEMAN
geb. 1904
weerstander O.F.-F.I.
gearresteerd 12.8.1944
gedeporteerd 1944
Neuengamme
overleden 2.5.1945
Cap Arcona
Lübecker Bucht
Meersstraat 138
here worked
CAMILLE HAEGEMAN
born 1904
resistance fighter O.F.-F.I.
arrested 12.8.1944
deported 1944
Neuengamme
deceased 2.5.1945
Cap Arcona
Lübecker Bucht
Meersstraat 138
hier werkte
GUSTAVE LABENS
geb. 1912
weerstander O.F.-F.I.
gearresteerd 12.8.1944
gedeporteerd 1944
Neuengamme
vermoord 3.5.1945
Sandbostel
Meersstraat 138
here worked
GUSTAVE LABENS
born 1912
resistance fighter O.F.-F.I.
arrested 12.8.1944
deported 1944
Neuengamme
murdered 3.5.1945
Sandbostel
Meersstraat 138
hier werkte
ROGER LAMMERTYN
geb. 1922
weerstander O.F.-F.I.
gearresteerd 12.8.1944
gedeporteerd 1944
Neuengamme
vermoord 17.1.1945
Blumenthal
Meersstraat 138
here worked
ROGER LAMMERTYN
born 1922
resistance fighter O.F-F.I.
arrested 12.8.1944
deported 1944
Neuengamme
murdered 17.1.1945
Blumenthal
Meersstraat 138
hier werkte
JULIUS MATTHYS
geb; 1905
weerstander O.F.-F.I.
gearresteerd 12.8.1944
gedeporteerd 1944
Neuengamme
overleden 23.4.1945
Schip Athen
Lübecker Bucht
Meersstraat 138
here lived
JULIUS MATTHYS
born 1905
resistance fighter O.F.-F.I.
arrested 12.8.1944
deported 1944
Neuengamme
deceased 23.4.1945
Schip Athen
Lübecker Bucht
Meersstraat 138
hier werkte
MAURICE WANZELE
geb. 1907
weerstander O.F.-F.I.
gearresteerd 12.8.1944
gedeporteerd 1944
Neuengamme
vermoord 6.12.1944
Blumenthal
Meersstraat 138
here worked
MAURICE WANZELE
born 1907
resistance fighter O.F.-F.I.
arrested 12.8.1944
deported 1944
Neuengamme
murdered 6.12.1944
Blumenthal
The 6 were arrested on August 12, 1944 by the Geheime Feldpolizei in their workshop, the Optique et Instruments de Précision, a company that made optical instruments for the 'German Aviation'. Accusation: 'delay or sabotage in production'. They were first imprisoned in the Nieuwewandeling, but eventually ended up on the last large convoy to the Neuengamme concentration camp. They never came back.
Monterreystraat 63
hier woonde
MAURICE VANDEPUTTE
geb. 1888
weerstander
geheim leger
gearresteerd 9.12.1942
gedeporteerd 1943
vermoord 9.11.1944
Gross-Rosen
Monterreystraat 63
here lived
MAURICE VANDEPUTTE
born 1888
resistance fighter
secret army
arrested 9.12.1942
deported 1943
murdered 9.11.1944
Gross-Rosen
Maurice Vandeputte was born on July 28, 1888. He was arrested for being a resistance member and deported to Gross-Rosen concentration camp.
Died in Gross -Rosen on 11.9.1944.
Paul Fredericqstraat 91
hier werkte
ROBERT MUSSCHE
geb. 1912
weerstander O.F.-F.I.
gearresteerd 31.8.1944
gedeporteerd 1944
Neuengamme
overleden 3.5.1945
Cap Arcona
Lübecker Bucht
Paul Fredericqstraat 91
hier werkte
ROBERT MUSSCHE
geb. 1912
weerstander O.F.-F.I.
gearresteerd 31.8.1944
gedeporteerd 1944
Neuengamme
overleden 3.5.1945
Cap Arcona
Lübecker Bucht
Robert Camiel Mussche was born in Wondelgem on December 7, 1912. He was a Belgian poet and communist member of the Belgian resistance.
In 1944, Mussche went into hiding in Brussels where he stayed in an apartment for months until his betrayal. He was arrested and taken on the very last means of transport to the Neuengamme concentration camp. At the end of the war, the camp was cleared and the prisoners were taken on ships to the Bay of Lübeck, with the intention of transferring them to neutral Sweden. However, the ships were bombarded by English planes who were afraid that the ships would carry German troops. Mussche died in the bombing in Lübecker Bocht on May 3, 1945.
Reep 1
hier was gevangengezet
MAURICE DEVOS
geb. 1897
verzetsstrijder
‘BMWO’
gearresteerd 5.9.1944
gemarteld
vermoord 6.9.1944
in de Reep geworpen
Reep 1
here was held in capture
MAURICE DEVOS
born 1897
resistance fighter
‘BMWO’
arrested 5.9.1944
tortured
murdered 6.9.1944
thrown in the Reep
Maurice De Vos, born in 1897, was a resistance fighter in WWII and arrested on September 5, 1944. He was interrogated in the buildings of the "Old Seminary" and ultimately murdered on September 6, 1944. Maurice was in the resistance with the BMW (Belgian Military Resistance). . He helped escapees, kidnapped people, and certainly also the pilots, to safety. Maurice was tortured and eventually shot in the head at the Reep. His body was dumped in the Reep, weighted down with a sewer cover.
Sint-Joriskaai 5
hier woonde
MARTHA GEIRINGER
geb. 1912
gevlucht 1938
uit Wenen
gedeporteerd 1943
vermoord jan 1943
Auschwitz
Sint-Joriskaai 5
here lived
MARTHA GEIRINGER
born 1912
fled 1938
from Wenen
deported 1943
murdered Jan 1943
Auschwitz
Yvonne Fontaine, born on 23 July 1904, died 10 March 1985 lived on Sint-Joriskaai in Ghent and also had her doctor's practice there. Doctor Fontaine and the people around her were involved in many resistance activities during the Second World War.
The doctor himself hid a Jewish refugee for years in the house on Sint-Joriskaai, the Viennese biologist Martha Geiringer. Doctor Yvonne's ex-husband eventually reported the refugee to the Germans. Martha Geiringer later died in Auschwitz.
Sint-Salvatorstraat 157
hier woonde
JOZEF IMPENS
geb. 1903
verzetsstrijder
‘Geheim Leger A.S.’
Sector haven van Gent
gearresteerd 6.3.1942
gefusilleerd 17.4.1942
Rieme
Sint-Salvatorstraat 157
here lived
JOZEF IMPENS
born 1903
resistance fighter
‘Secret Army A.S.’
Sector harbour Gent
arrested 6.3.1942
executed 17.4.1942
Rieme
Jozef Impens, arrested on March 6, 1942 and shot on April 17, 1942 in Rieme. He was convicted as a resistance fighter of the 'Secret Army' in the Port of Ghent sector. For his actions against Nazi Germany, he received the death penalty 7 times during the trial. Ultimately buried in the secret cemetery in Hechtelt, grave no. 24.
Veldstraat - Hoornstraat
hier woonde
SOPHIE LOEB-BLOCH
geb. 1873
gedeporteerd 1943
uit Mechelen
vermoord
Auschwitz
Veldstraat - Hoornstraat
here lived
SOPHIE LOEB-BLOCH
born 1873
deported 1943
from Mechelen
murdered
Auschwitz
Veldstraat - Hoornstraat
hier woonde
MARGUERITTE BLOCH
geb. 1900
gedeporteerd 1942
uit Mechelen
vermoord
Auschwitz
Veldstraat - Hoornstraat
here lived
MARGUERITTE BLOCH
born 1900
deported 1942
from Mechelen
murdered
Auschwitz
Veldstraat - Hoornstraat
hier woonde
MARCEL LEVY
geb. 1900
gedeporteerd 1942
uit Mechelen
vermoord
Auschwitz
Veldstraat - Hoornstraat
here lived
MARCEL LEVY
born 1900
deported 1942
from Mechelen
murdered
Auschwitz
At the corner of the Veldstraat in Gent lived the Bloch – Loeb - Levy family. Sophie Loeb, wife Bloch was born on February 8, 1873, her daughter Margareta Bloch - Levy, born in Ghent on August 11, 1900, as well as Marcel Levy, husband of Margareta, born in Luxembourg on December 19, 1891. They owned and managed a renowned Bakery-Pastry Shop. These three people were arrested because they were Jewish, locked up in the Dossin barracks and deported to Auschwitz.
Margareta Bloch and her husband Marcel Levy were deported by the 3rd convoy on August 15, 1942, Sophie Loeb-Bloch was deported by the XXth convoy on 04.19.1943.
"The Bloch bakery was founded in 1898 by the descendants of two families of Alsatian Jews under the name of Pâtisserie Viennoise. The grandmother of the current owner, Jacques Bloch, added a tea room to it. To do so, she took advantage of the absence of her husband, who was opposed to the idea, while the latter was away on a trip. .During World War II, the family fled Nazi persecution.
Jacques Bloch lives his youth in exile in New York. His mother kept the bakery, but in 1943, she was deported to Auschwitz from which she would not return. "After the war, we rekindled the oven with Nazi propaganda books," recalls Jacques Bloch, who is an anti-fascist, atheist and Freemason. He calls himself a "bad Jew" since he opens on Saturdays. But, on Easter, he bakes unleavened bread, on the Festival of Lights (Hanukkah) he prepares "sufganiot", Hanukkah fritters for children. And on Purim, he bakes "hamantaschen" (Haman's Pockets), cakes filled with poppy seeds.
Willem van Nassaustraat 20
hier woonde
LOUIS BOONE
geb. 1919
verzetsstrijder
l’As
verraden 1944
gedeporteerd 19-7-1944
uit Gent
overleden 3-5-1945
Cap Arcona
Neustädter Bucht
Willem van Nassaustraat 20
here lived
LOUIS BOONE
born 1919
resistance fighter
l’As
betrayed 1944
deported 19-7-1944
from Gent
deceased 3-5-1945
Cap Arcona
Neustädter Bucht
Zwijnaardsesteenweg 419
hier woonde
GASTON DE ROO
geb. 1904
verzetsstrijder
gearresteerd 1.6.1944
gedeporteerd 19.6.1944
Buchenwald
vermoord 25.12.1944
Mittelbau-Dora
Zwijnaardsesteenweg 419
here lived
GASTON DE ROO
born 1904
resistance fighter
arrested 1.6.1944
deported 19.6.1944
Buchenwald
murdered 25.12.1944
Mittelbau-Dora
Gaston De Roo. Ghent resident. Surveyor. Socialist politician. Leaves collaborationist union. Sabotage actions. Arrest 1 June 1944. Died on December 25, 1944 in Dora concentration camp. 40 years old.