“I saw three men killed before my eyes… Needless to say, on a personal level, I feel very happy, despite the shortages we must impose on ourselves, especially now, with the liberation of our country. By the afternoon, most of the city and the port were in Allied hands… Meanwhile, the war continues. May the horrors end quickly, and forever!” A rare letter, mimeographed and signed by hand by a Belgian resistance fighter from Antwerp named G. Jbche, who narrowly escaped certain death. The letter vividly describes the liberation of Antwerp, the liberation of Belgium, and the final battles during the German enemy’s retreat. Dated within the letter: October 12, 1944. French.
Text of the Letter:
“Antwerp, October 12, 1944
Dear Mr. Benban,
I am gladly taking advantage of the kind offer made to me by Mr. Billiard to
share news from Antwerp with you, now that the liberation of these regions seems fully alive. Mr. Bouliare will have the opportunity to describe to you in more vivid terms the victorious events… In Brussels and Antwerp (September 4)… I have thought about you often since August 22, the day when Paris succeeded in shaking off its oppressors…
Liberation Day, Monday, September 4, in the afternoon. Well, skirmishes occurred in my street, as in almost every place. I saw three men killed before my eyes… Needless to say, on a personal level, I feel very happy, despite the shortages we must impose on ourselves, especially now, with the liberation of our country.
You will understand me better when I tell you that in 1940, during the Belgian Army’s surrender, I was taken prisoner. I managed to escape with two of my friends, after which we obtained civilian clothes that allowed us to return home safe and sound. Unfortunately, upon arriving, all soldiers, career or not, were required to report to the local Flukommandantur under penalty of death. Incidentally, I never followed this ‘Verordnung.’ Later, I learned that the Feldkommandantur had found the complete list of militia members recruited in 1939 and 1940 in the local gendarmerie…
It seems the list disappeared at the right time thanks to people with good intentions toward the potential victims that this designation could have caused. Well, what a relief!
You will certainly be interested to hear about our good boss, Mr. Modeste Verlaine. As usual, he traveled from Kalmthout (20 km northeast of Antwerp) on Monday, September 4. The English breakthrough happened so quickly that by noon that day, they were already at Antwerp’s gates via Bode (having left Brussels only that morning!). By the afternoon, most of the city and the port were in Allied hands, so Mr. Modeste could not return home. The following weeks were dedicated to clearing the docks (north of the city) and the surrounding area. The clearing is still ongoing and far from complete, so Mr. Modeste remains stuck here, even though he goes daily to the frontlines to try and find a gap through which he can join his people, who seem to be in a more critical situation. For two days, the Germans persisted specifically around his villa in Kalmthout, and no one in the area managed to evacuate… Needless to describe the moral state of this worthy man. At these moments, more than ever, I feel the greatest admiration for the courage and composure he has shown. He still finds ways to provide his supervisory instructions from the dramatic location where he finds himself. May his boundless dedication be well rewarded! As for Mr. Van Asche, I have not yet received any word from him, though I learned only two days ago that he is still in America, where he is currently involved in exporting cigarettes to the Belgian Congo. His business must be thriving. Meanwhile, the war continues. May the horrors end quickly, and forever! In closing, I offer my sincerest wishes for you and your family, and especially ask you to be my interpreter to Mr. Jean.
Sincerely yours,
G. jbche.”
[2] leaves (printed on both sides). Condition: Very good.
