The Yser Towers ( nl, IJzertoren) are a monument complex near the

Yser river The Yser ( , ; nl, IJzer ) is a river that rises in French Flanders (the north of France), enters the Belgian province of West Flanders and flows through the ''Ganzepoot'' and into the North Sea at the town of Nieuwpoort. The source of the Yse ...

Diksmuide (; french: Dixmude, ; vls, Diksmude) is a Belgian city and municipality in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of proper and the former communes of Beerst, Esen, Kaaskerke, Keiem, Lampernisse, Leke, N ...

West Flanders ) , settlement_type = Province of Belgium , image_flag = Flag of West Flanders.svg , flag_size = , image_shield = Wapen van West-Vlaanderen.svg , shield_size = , image_map ...

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...

. The first tower was built in 1928–30 to commemorate the Belgian soldiers killed on the surrounding

Yser Front The Yser Front (french: Front de l'Yser, nl, Front aan de IJzer or ), sometimes termed the West Flemish Front in British writing, was a section of the Western Front during World War I held by Belgian troops from October 1914 until 1918. The front ...

during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

and as a monument to

Christian pacifism Christian pacifism is the theological and ethical position according to which pacifism and non-violence have both a scriptural and rational basis for Christians, and affirms that any form of violence is incompatible with the Christian faith. Chr ...

. However, it subsequently became an important political symbol for the

Flemish Movement The Flemish Movement ( nl, Vlaamse Beweging) is an umbrella term which encompasses various political groups in the Belgian region of Flanders and, less commonly, in French Flanders. Ideologically, it encompasses groups which have sought to promo ...

and was destroyed in 1946 as a result of its association with Flemish nationalist collaboration in German-occupied Belgium in

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. The current tower was rebuilt alongside the remains of the original and copied its design. It was finished in 1965. It remains a site of political significance to Flemish nationalists and is the center for their annual Yser Pilgrimage (''IJzerbedevaart'').

Tower

First tower, 1930–1946

The idea for a distinct monument in

Flanders Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, ...

to commemorate the Flemish soldiers killed in the

Belgian Army The Land Component ( nl, Landcomponent, french: Composante terre) is the land branch of the Belgian Armed Forces. The King of the Belgians is the commander in chief. The current chief of staff of the Land Component is Major-General Pierre Gérard. ...

had been discussed since at least 1916 under the patronage of the priest

Cyriel Verschaeve Cyriel Verschaeve (30 April 1874 – 8 November 1949) was a Flemish nationalist priest and writer who collaborated with the Nazis during the Second World War. He was recognised as the spiritual leader of Flemish nationalism by the ideology's adhere ...

. The project was associated with the

and particularly the former ''

Frontbeweging The ''Frontpartij'' (Dutch language, Dutch; "Front Party") was a Belgium, Belgian political party that campaigned for increasing recognition for the Flemish people and their language. Originating from the earlier ''Frontbeweging'' ("Front Movement ...

'' which had emerged among Flemish soldiers in 1917. After some initial efforts, construction on a -high tower-shaped monument near the

at Kaaskerke near

began in 1928. The site was symbolic because the Yser had represented the front-line of the Belgian Army for most of the war. The tower was finished in 1930 and incorporated the ''Frontbewegings

cruciform Cruciform is a term for physical manifestations resembling a common cross or Christian cross. The label can be extended to architectural shapes, biology, art, and design. Cruciform architectural plan Christian churches are commonly described ...

motto "All for Flanders—Flanders for Christ" (''Alles Voor Vlaanderen, Vlaanderen Voor Kristus'', abbreviated to AVV—VVK) and was unveiled at the 11th annual Yser Pilgrimage (''IJzerbedevaart''). In following years, the human remains of a number of "Yser Symbols" (''IJzersymbolen'') were reburied in the crypt of the tower, including the

Van Raemdonck brothers Edward and Frans Van Raemdonck were two siblings killed while serving in the Belgian Army in World War I whose story subsequently became prominent within the popular memory of the conflict in post-war Flanders. Born in Temse in East Flanders in ...

and Joe English. Initially associated with

, the site soon became one of the most important symbolic political locations for the Flemish Movement and became associated with its largest contemporary political movements, notably the authoritarian

Flemish National League The (Dutch language, Dutch for "Flemish National Union" or "Flemish National League"), widely known by its acronym VNV, was a Flemish Movement, Flemish nationalist political party active in Belgium between 1933 and 1945.Verdinaso Verdinaso (''Verbond van Dietsche Nationaal-Solidaristen'', ), sometimes rendered as Dinaso, was a small authoritarian and fascist political party active in Belgium and, to a lesser extent, the Netherlands between 1931 to 1941. Verdinaso was foun ...

. The association of the Flemish Movement, especially the VNV, with

collaborationism Wartime collaboration is cooperation with the enemy against one's country of citizenship in wartime, and in the words of historian Gerhard Hirschfeld, "is as old as war and the occupation of foreign territory". The term ''collaborator'' dates to t ...

during

German occupation of Belgium during World War II The German occupation of Belgium (french: link=no, Occupation allemande, nl, Duitse bezetting) during World War II began on 28 May 1940, when the Belgian army surrendered to German forces, and lasted until Belgium's liberation by the Western ...

led two former members of the

Belgian Resistance The Belgian Resistance (french: Résistance belge, nl, Belgisch verzet) collectively refers to the resistance movements opposed to the German occupation of Belgium during World War II, German occupation of Belgium during World War II. Within Be ...

to illegally destroy the tower with

dynamite Dynamite is an explosive made of nitroglycerin, sorbents (such as powdered shells or clay), and Stabilizer (chemistry), stabilizers. It was invented by the Swedish people, Swedish chemist and engineer Alfred Nobel in Geesthacht, Northern Germa ...

on the night of 15–16 March 1946 as a reprisal. The ruins of the first tower were retained and were subsequently modeled into the Peace Gate (''Paxpoort'') in 1950.

Second tower, 1965–present

The second tower still stands at the site near to the remnants of the first. It was built to roughly the same design as the first but is larger at tall. The four sides of the base of the tower read "Never war again" in the three languages of Belgium, as well as in English. Work began in July 1952. The crypt was finished on 11 November 1958 and the tower itself was officially inaugurated on 22 August 1965. The tower houses the Yser Museum (''Museum aan de IJzer'') which belongs to the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...

network of

peace museum A peace museum is a museum that documents historical peace initiatives. Many peace museums also provide advocacy programs for nonviolent conflict resolution. This may include conflicts at the personal, regional or international level. Peace m ...

s. The museum houses the large painting, ''The Golden Canvass of Flanders'' (''Het Gulden Doek van Vlaanderen'') by Dutch-born Belgian painter

Henry Luyten Henry Luyten or Jan Hendrik Luyten (21 May 1859 in Roermond – 21 January 1945 in Brasschaat) was a Dutch-born Belgian painter. He is known for his genre scenes, marines, landscapes, portraits and animal scenes.Trench of Death" (''Dodengang'').

External links

{{Use dmy dates, date=May 2012 Towers in Belgium Museums in West Flanders Diksmuide World War I memorials in Belgium 1946 in Belgium Buildings and structures completed in 1930 Buildings and structures completed in 1965 Buildings and structures demolished in 1946 Flemish Movement World War I museums in Belgium

Tower

First tower, 1930–1946

Second tower, 1965–present

See also

Further reading

External links