This week Sabine’s battlefield guide Saturday is back in Stene
Henri leroeye the local priest in Stene Describing how the Germans terrorised the inhabitants with all kind of rules.
You need to know that Henri’s parish was partly in Stene and partly in Oostende, somewhere in 1915 the Germans decided that the people living in the part of the parish in Oostende where no longer allowed into to Stene, meaning loads of children no longer allowed to go to school. No longer going to church and Henri was no longer allowed to visit the ill and dying that were technically in Oostende. He did not like it at all.
There were two schools one was led by the nuns teaching boys and girls and then you had the state school where Mr. Bruynooghe was the oldest teacher.
It must be said that the Germans hated everything that sounded French or English, they would not tolerate any sign or shop in English or French. The word estaminent( pub), which was perfectly integrated in the Flemish language, had to go. Flemish was tolerated for a while but not a single message was translated by the German local occupier, the population had to learn German according to the commanders because now they were German! ( I have seen pamphlets and there is even a book that proves that they did use both languages)
Since the officers did not have hunting dogs, some of the pupils who were taking lessons from Master Bruynooghe were taken out of class when the officers wanted to hunt. They had to look for the wildlife ; in the winter there was no heating in the school, so the children had to stay at home. Regularly the classes were requisitioned for soldiers and then they did not turn up.
In February 1915, our priest was warned by Mr Bruynooghe that two officers were looking for him. When Henri arrived in the village, suddenly a soldier or an officer appeared from the café of Charles Vermeire, the following conversation took place: Are you the priest of Steene? Yes
Do you know the mayor of Steene? Is he an honest man? Yes, an honest man, do you know he is in prison? In prison, why? Do you know Pieter Lefever, Florimond Tanghe? In the meantime the German looked at his sheet with names? Henri could read along and the following he wrote down:
To my great surprise, I read the following names in Flemish and not in German
Leroeye village priest
Vandeweghe mayor
Lefever milkman, town councillor
Charles Sanders , merchant
Tanghe slaughterer
Strange I thought, all these people will be arrested, I have to be careful now
Ha, the German said: I tell you, all are dishonest people! Spies, rascals! We have proof, all those men meet in your house every week! What do you do during those meetings?
We look for the best way to help the poor.
And politics? Do you not talk about politics? I don’t claim that we never talk about events, as if I didn’t know! said the German, at the mayor’s house we found an English car hidden away. Lefever and Tanghe have been over the front line and returned!!! And Sanders is driving to Bruges! the meetings are being held at your place and you are not talking about politics!!!!!!
I was stunned by these accusations, so we were considered spies. It didn’t take me long to realise why we were falsely accused; someone wanted to set up the Assistance and Recovery Committee without us! The German said: don’t you know that meetings are forbidden? That is not forbidden, I replied . It is forbidden after the appointed hour in the evening. We have never met in the evening! That is what you say, said the German.
I don’t know whether my answer pleased or displeased him, but his tone changed. I should arrest you too, but will wait, know that you are under surveillance and make sure that you never hold another meeting without the town secretary Mr. Ameloot !!! Can’t a meeting be held without him then ? the answer was no!!!!!! part of this conversation was held on the street the last part in the house. after the German left , the maid said that others had come by an hour earlier and she was questioned about the meetings and who was there and at what time the meetings took place. She had said the same as Henri, only she also said that certain meetings were not held in the parsonage after the allowed hour, but on other places in the village by other people and that there were even Germans present. Very soon that same day, Henri found out that indeed the mayor , Tanghe and lefever were taken prisoner.
The reason why is for next week
Sorces :
archief van het bisdom oorlogsverslagen parochie Stene