Memorial column resistance fighter Gaston Roelandts - Steenbrugge

This column has a coat of arms with painted Belgian Lion and inscription: "l'union fait la force" , "In honorable memory of Gaston Roelandts born in Oostcamp Steenbrugge on September 14, 1896 and executed by the German captors in Ertvelde Rieme on July 21, 1943" . "Should the memory of his heroic death strengthen national consciousness in the hearts of the rising generation" .

The column was designed by Louis François Charels at the request of the family. She stands opposite the castle of the Roelandts family.

Gaston Roelandts, born in Oostkamp, was a well- known Bruges industrialist and owner of an oil mill. He was an intelligence agent for Brave-Bravery among others. He was very active and had a radio station at Steenbrugge Abbey . He was betrayed in circumstances never fully clarified and executed on 21 July 1943. An entire arsenal of weapons was found at his home (see p.48 here).

Shortly after the liberation, Dom Modest Van Assche was arrested and imprisoned in the prison of Bruges. He was accused of having told the resistance fighter Gaston Roelants . He had hidden weapons and ammunition in the abbey, as well as two brothers who were aware of this.
After the mediation of Minister Herman Vos, the abbot was released, but a month later he was interned again, following a controversial testimony from SD employee Gerhard Kling, a German SS man who had been punished by his superiors for blackmail and extortion.

Besides in the prison of Bruges, Modest Van Assche also spent a few months in the prison of Forest near Brussels. Dom Modest Van Assche's guilt was never proven, but the already severely depressed abbot was mentally and physically abused.

Dom Modest died in the Sint-Janshospitaal in Bruges on 30-10-1945 during his captivity .

Willem Vandenameele