Brugge, SPQB, Senatus Populusque BrugiensisWindow in the College residence
in anticipation of a visit by Napoleon
This post is a little piece of indulgience on my part.
Albert Folens' associations with the Belgian city of Brugge (Bruges) are fairly tentative. His aunt was a nun there. He nearly ended up in prison there. And some of his relations live there today.
My own associations with the city are somewhat stronger.
I spent an academic year in the College of Europe in 1967/8 (Promotion Comenius) and returned on the fiftieth anniversary of my graduation in 2018 to celebrate with fellow students on the site of St. John's Hospital where Folens' aunt was a nun. I like to fantasise that Dweerstraat is named after my stay there (Ó Duibhir). And I finally traced a book, in which RTÉ tells us Folens claimed to be a war criminal, to a bookshop on the Potterierei in Brugge.
The city itself has very strong associations with the "Battle of the Golden Spurs", a battle which has inspired the Flemish cause through the ages and which is celebrated in the famous Flemish novel "The Lion of Flanders" by Frederick Conscience. This novel was a formative influence in Folens' young life.
St. John's Hospital
The Battle of the Golden SpursMarket Square
Commemorating my stay in Brugge?
Willy Tibergien who sent me the bookThank you Willy
The book misquoted by RTÉ
Me in Schiphol July 2023Finally, not Brugge but Schiphol airport in Amsterdam, Netherlands. I passed through here in both directions this year and on the return journey thought of Albert Folens' flight to Ireland from this very spot some 75 years ago.
You can follow my adventures regarding the title of this post here. But I do think the College owes me the piece of paper to confirm my continuing honorary residence in Brugge, even if I am not strictly entitled to the "Freedom of the City".
If you're interested in Albert Folens, you can read about him in a new book by his daughter.
This is a link to the book launch:
In what sense was Folens "calumnised" by the Irish media?
ReplyDeleteFolens was portrayed as a war criminal in the 2007 RTÉ programme HIDDEN HISTORY: IRELAND'S NAZIS. The accusation was outrageous. He admitted to having been in the Flemish Legion but never saw combat and while working for the German Security Service he was actually helping the Resistance. The programme, echoed by the Irish Independent at leas was outrageous and should never have been screened.
ReplyDeleteCan you attach a link to the documentary please.
DeleteI'm afraid you'll have to ask RTÉ for that. As far as I know it is not on the player. It would be interesting to see them put it up and stand over it if they dared.
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