PARC LAMBIN: A RECENTLY RENOVATED PLACE OF REMEMBRANCE

Inauguration of the redevelopment of Parc Lambin
A large number of people, including many members of the families of the victims, gathered in Parc Lambin on Friday 16 May 2014 to rediscover this renewed place of remembrance.

The place called "Parc Lambin" was the scene, in December 1944, of a massacre of 7 resistance fighters by the "Sonderkommandos".
Only one of the arrested resistance fighters, Eudore Weinquin, managed to escape, although seriously injured.
It is thanks to his testimony that we were able to learn about the events.

The victims: Armand BASTIN, 27 years old - Sylvain MARTIN, 43 years old - Antoine BOLLET, 24 years old - Jean NADIN, 18 years old - Léon DETHOR, 33 years old - Emile REMY, 50 years old - Alfred HUBERTY, 42 years old.
The survivor: Eudore WEINQUIN, born in 1914

The site belonged to the Catin family until 2010. This graciously gave it to the municipality of Houffalize.

The idea to redevelop the site came about in the context of the call for projects "Unit for the management of funeral heritage" for the commemorations of wars 14-18 and 40-45. In December 2012, Minister Furlan signed a grant of 60% of the cost of the project.

"On December 16, 1944, the German Battle of the Bulge erupted "of the last chance". The sondercommandos, special units of the Gestapo that operated in the wake of the combat troops, had the main objective of searching for and liquidating members of the resistance movement. Immediately after their return to Houffalize, the Germans carried out searches. Apparently they could have reached out to a compromising list of names of the resistance fighters of the B.N.B. (Belgian National Movement). On Friday, December 22, 1944, the tragedy that took place here began.

On December 22, 1944, the Germans invaded the homes of several residents of Nadrin. They arrested Eudore Weinquin, Emile Remy and Léon Dethor and took them to 'la Vieille Auberge' in Houffalize. There they joined Sylvain Martin, another member of the B.N.B., who had meanwhile been arrested in Wilbrin. The next day, December 23, they were all questioned at the town hall. There they were also joined by Antoine Bollet and Jean Nadin of Houffalize who had also been arrested. Some of them were beaten and worked with their fists.

After their interrogation, the prisoners were taken here. Emile Remy tried to escape, but was immediately shot. Successively, Jean Nadin, Sylvain Martin and Antoine Bollet were killed in cold blood. Then it was Eudore Weinquin's turn. The German pulled the trigger, but the shot did not go off. He fled under a hail of bullets, one of which broke his jaw. Without clogs at his feet, he managed to escape through the snow-covered fields. Totally lost and with frozen feet, he arrived in Engeux around midnight, where his wounds were being treated. After the flight of Eudore Einquin, Léon Dethor was the next to be executed. The next day, Armand Bastin and Alfred Huberty were in turn arrested in Wilbrin, interrogated and executed on the spot.

The sad news of the massacre was announced by Eudore Weinquin. On February 2, 1945, the site of the event was visited by an American researcher, accompanied by two residents of Nadrin. After the snow and earth that covered the bodies were swept away, he discovered a mass grave containing the bodies of the five people killed on December 23. All were killed at closer range with a neck shot. The bodies of Armand Bastin and Alfred Huberty were not surrendered until 23 April 1945. Because the discovery had not been made, it was rumored that they had been executed in the vicinity of Houffalize. After weeks of fruitless searching, they were finally found just a few meters from their unfortunate colleagues."

Hermans Cor Meerle