Vloethemveld

The Vloethemveld is an extremely valuable nature reserve with a unique wealth of plants, located at the intersection of the municipalities of Jabbeke and Zedelgem. It belongs to the Natura 2000 network of protected areas in Europe. Among other things, the three heather species (shrub heather, common heather and red heather) are exceptional, as are the many rare insects, including the butterfly, the greenhorn, the heather sable locust and the emerald dragonfly. Birds of prey are also regularly observed in the area, such as the buzzard, the sparrowhawk, the tree falcon, the peregrine falcon and the kestrel.

During the 20th century, the Vloethemveld was given a military purpose. During the First World War, 18,000 German soldiers stayed in these parts. They had the trees cut down and the trunks were used for the trenches on the Yser. After the Second World War, the Vloethemveld was converted into an immense Allied prisoner of war camp, the largest of its kind. Between January 1945 and mid-1946, about 100,000 prisoners stayed here, mainly of German and Baltic origin. Meanwhile, the locals knew little or nothing about this camp. British soldiers, reinforced with Belgian conscripts, took care of the security and there was virtually no contact with the outside world. It explains why the prisoner-of-war camp of Vloethemveld is not part of our collective memory. Numerous relics and works of art are reminders of this dark episode.

Yvan Vandamme