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The web site of the IJZERTOREN - Peace Domain.
 

Flemish Emancipation Memorial
"Yzer"Tower Pax Gate Crypt

A STORY OF PEACE AND FREEDOM

Previous History :

In 1914, King Albert I launched an appeal and promised legal and actual equality for Flemings after world war one, causing thousands of Flemish boys to enlist or vonlunteer for the army.

The disappointment was huge. The army that was at the front largely consisted of Flemings and was nevertheless led exclusively in French. The Front Movement originated as a defensive action; its three basic elements were : self-govemment or freedom for Flanders, no more war - peace in other words - and truce or tolerance.Moreover, the French phrase "mort pour la patrie" (i.e. fallen for his country) stood on the gravestones of the Flemish soldiers as well.

As a reaction, the "Comité voor Heldenhulde" (i.e. tribute to the heroes committee) originated in 1916 and it designed the well-known "tribute tombstones" with the "AVV-VVK" inscription (i.e. "Alles voor Vlaanderen, Vlaanderen voor Kristus" or "All for Flanders, Flanders for Christ").

Hundreds of those little tombstones would soon be destroyed by those who hated the Flemish.

Pelgrimages:

As a tribute to the fallen Flemings, pilgrimages to the graves along the "IJzer" river were organized from the year 1920 on. The first one of its kind led to the grave of Joe English, a Flemish-Irish front soldier who designed the hero tribute cross.

Construction of a 50 meters hero tribute cross was started in 1928; the first "Yzer" Tower was thoroughly and efficiently destroyed by unknown individuals who hated the Flemish (probably soldiers ?) in 1946.The Pax Gate was constructed out of the rubble in 1950. On the comers it pictures famous fallen front soldiers, who were buried in the Crypt together with others.

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