Oud-Heverlee installs first Stolpersteine for resistance fighters

The municipality of Oud-Heverlee has placed its first Stolpersteine (stumbling stones) to commemorate Albert Blanchart and Rik Verreydt, two resistance fighters who opposed the German occupation during World War II.

Verreydt, who was active in the KAJ youth movement, helped organize activities to assist young workers and farmers in evading forced labor in Germany. The resistance efforts included providing false documents, hiding individuals, and disseminating information to undermine the occupier.

Local officials noted that the memorial serves to keep the memory of the war alive and highlights the courage required to resist. Tine Eerlingen, Alderman of Culture, emphasized the importance of these commemorations in the current geopolitical climate to remind citizens that war is never the best solution.