The Resistance Medal 1940–1945 (, ) was a
Belgian war medal established by
royal decree
A decree is a legal proclamation, usually issued by a head of state, judge, royal figure, or other relevant authorities, according to certain procedures. These procedures are usually defined by the constitution, Legislative laws, or customary l ...
of the
Regent
In a monarchy, a regent () is a person appointed to govern a state because the actual monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge their powers and duties, or the throne is vacant and a new monarch has not yet been dete ...
on 16 February 1946 and awarded to all members of the
Belgian armed resistance during the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
and to members of the
intelligence service
An intelligence agency is a government agency responsible for the collection, analysis, and exploitation of information in support of law enforcement, national security, military, public safety, and foreign policy objectives.
Means of info ...
who operated in occupied territories and participated in combat actions aimed at the
liberation of Belgium
The Liberation of Belgium from German occupation began on 2 September 1944 when Allied forces entered the province of Hainaut and was completed on 4 February 1945 with the liberation of the village of Krewinkel. The liberation came after fou ...
.
Award description
The Resistance Medal 1940–1945 was a 39mm in diameter circular bronze medal. Its
obverse
The obverse and reverse are the two flat faces of coins and some other two-sided objects, including paper money, flags, seals, medals, drawings, old master prints and other works of art, and printed fabrics. In this usage, ''obverse'' ...
bore the upper body of a young woman facing left in defiance with her right fist clenched. The reverse bore the relief inscription in
Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
on three lines "1940 RESISTERE 1945" superimposed over a laurel wreath.
The medal was suspended by a ring through a suspension loop from a 37 mm wide black silk
moiré ribbon with two central 1 mm wide red stripes 5 mm apart and 4 mm light green edge stripes. The colours of the ribbon were symbolic, the black denoting the dark days of the German occupation and/or the clandestine nature of the resistance, the green stood the hope of liberation and the red for the spilled blood of the resistance members.
Notable recipients (partial list)
The individuals listed below were awarded the Medal of the Armed Resistance:
*Lieutenant General Ernest Engelen
*Cavalry Major General Jules François Gaston Everaert
*Lieutenant General Jules Joseph Pire
*Lieutenant General Alphonse Verstraete
*Lieutenant General Joseph Leroy
*Cavalry Lieutenant General Jules De Boeck
*Police Lieutenant General Louis Joseph Leroy
*
Achille van Acker
Achille Van Acker (8 April 1898 – 10 July 1975) was a Belgian politician who served three terms as the prime minister of Belgium between 1945 and 1958. A moderate from Flanders, Van Acker was a member of the Belgian Socialist Party (PSB–BSP ...
*
Edmond Leburton
Edmond Jules Isidore Leburton (18 April 1915 – 15 June 1997) was a Belgian politician who served as the prime minister of Belgium from 1973 to 1974.
He first entered Parliament representing Huy, Belgium.
Prime Minister of Belgium
Leburt ...
*Alfons Vranckx
*
Baron Albert Lilar
*Count Harold d’Aspremont Lynden
*
Count Jean-Charles Snoy et d’Oppuers
*
Viscount Omer Vanaudenhove
*Geraard van den Daele
*Count Count Jean d’Ursel
*Baron Pierre van Outryve d’Ydewalle
*
Count Charles of Limburg Stirum
Count Charles Gaëtan Corneille Marie François-Xavier Ghislain de Limburg-Stirum (15 September 1906 – 14 June 1989), a Count of the Holy Roman Empire and Knight of the Golden Fleece (Austrian branch), was a member of the House of Limburg-Stirum. ...
* Robberechts Henri
* Marcel Verriest
* Josephine Baker
See also
*
Resistance during World War II
During World War II, resistance movements operated in German-occupied Europe by a variety of means, ranging from non-cooperation to propaganda, hiding crashed pilots and even to outright warfare and the recapturing of towns. In many countries, r ...
*
Resistance movement
A resistance movement is an organized group of people that tries to resist or try to overthrow a government or an occupying power, causing disruption and unrest in civil order and stability. Such a movement may seek to achieve its goals through ei ...
*
Orders, decorations, and medals of Belgium
Belgium has established numerous orders of knighthood, decorations and medals since its creation in 1830.
Below is a list of those awards.
The order of precedence is difficult to establish as Belgium does not keep an up-to-date listing with dormant ...
References
Other sources
* Quinot H., 1950, ''Recueil illustré des décorations belges et congolaises, 4e Edition.'' (Hasselt)
* Cornet R., 1982, ''Recueil des dispositions légales et réglementaires régissant les ordres nationaux belges. 2e Ed. N.pl''., (Brussels)
* Borné A.C., 1985, ''Distinctions honorifiques de la Belgique, 1830–1985'' (Brussels)
External links
Bibliothèque royale de Belgique(In French)
(In French)
(In French and Dutch)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Medal of the Armed Resistance 1940-1945
Military awards and decorations of Belgium
Awards established in 1946
1946 establishments in Belgium