Queen Elisabeth Monument - Tournai

Not far from the bust of King Albert I in Parc Crombez is a bas-relief with a medallion depicting Queen Elisabeth in profile.

It is the work of sculptor Stella LAURENT.

A little further on there is a bronze bust as a tribute to Albert I, the King of the Belgians from 1909 to 1934, during an eventful period for Belgium, including the turbulence of the First World War.

During the First World War , Elisabeth played a strange double role, as Belgium went to war with her native Germany. Elisabeth stayed in touch with her family in Germany during World War I and is said to have provided her husband's military cards to her family in Germany. Elisabeth was photographed several times as a nurse during this war. These pictures served to strengthen the morale of the Belgians . However, she never really performed any duties as a nurse.

After the First World War, Elisabeth became popular with the Belgian population through her work for the Red Cross and other initiatives for war veterans.

Willem Vandenameele