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In 1940, while on a visit to one of her daughters, Jessie
Leleux (née Stentiford) found herself trapped in Belgium as the
German occupation of that country began.
The theme running through our articles this year has been emigration
but this particular emigration takes some beating! Jessie was 77 years
old, she was a British National and Germany and Britain were at war plus
she was in a country where three languages are spoken - we simply have
no idea how she survived but somehow, she did. What we do know is that
this was no token occupation. |
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Belgian Flag of Occupation
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At the centre of this picture is King
Leopold III of the Belgians. He surrendered to the Germans in May 1940
but the Belgian Government had fled to London and continued staunchly to
oppose the occupation. After the war, Leopold had to abdicate in favour
of his eldest son who became King Baudouin.
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Belgian Jews were the chief target of the reign of terror
inaugurated by the Germans as soon as they arrived. Their property and
businesses were confiscated and they were deprived of their civil
rights. From 1942, all Jews were forced to wear a yellow Star of David
and an operation to round them up began. At first they worked on
construction projects, in clothing and armament factories and in stone
quarries but gradually more and more were deported by the German
military police to holding camps at Breendonk and Mechelen before being
sent to Auschwitz. In just two years, between 1942 and 1944 some 25,000
Jews from Belgium were sent to their deaths there.
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Just feeding Jessie would have been a problem for
her family as food rationing came in. The Belgian civilian population
refused to cooperate with the Germans, especially in the deportation of
the Jews so she would not have had to fear being turned in but, like
everyone else she would have had to live with the danger and devastation caused
firstly, by the German invasion and secondly, by Allied air raids. Aided
by an underground Belgian army, the British and Americans entered the
country to liberate it in September 1944.
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The
so -called "Battle of the Bulge"
One
of the most decisive battles of World War 2
Map
by courtesy of UK Airfields |
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The Germans mounted The Battle of the Bulge - an unsuccessful
counterattack against American troops who held their positions in
the face of heavy opposition. By January 1945, Belgium was once more a
free country and the war in Europe was coming to an end. |
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The American War Memorial at Bastogue,
Belgium - a key site in the Battle of the Bulge during which Americans
sustained heavy losses.
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Back to Issue 19
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