The Aarschot-Ourodenberg Communal Cemetery contains a plot of honour with the graves of civilians who were executed by the Germans and there are other civilian graves scattered throughout the cemetery. 

Above: Headstone of Jan Baptist Peeters 1869 – 1914

There are several memorials in the town of Aarschot:

1) Markers in the Grote Markt

There are numerous signs in the town such as:

• The restored house of Mayor Tielemans
• The red letter box marks the possible spot from where Colonel Stenger was shot

Above: Aarschot Market Square

2) The Tielemans Memorial Column

Widow Tielemans bought land near the place where her husband, son and brother-in-law were executed and in 1923 financed the erection of a memorial column – a stone obelisk crowned with a cross, surrounded by weeping willows, palm trees and rose bushes.  It is dedicated to Joseph Tielemans Bourgmastre, Emile Tielemans President de la Commission des Hospices Civils d’Aerschot and Louis Tielemans.  The land was donated to the civic authority.

Above: The Tieleman’s Memorial Column

3) 1937 Monument

A wooden cross was erected and a weeping willow planted after the war but when the civic authorities embarked upon building work in 1936, they were removed.  Due to the ensuing protest a new monument, a bluestone memorial column was erected in 1937.  It is in the art deco style similar to the surrounding houses, its shape suggests a cross with the lily of Aarschot’s coat of arms at its base with the word, “Martyrdom”.

Above: The 1937 Memorial

4) The St. Roch Memorial, the De Vroey Memorial Chapel

The father of 2½ years old Josef De Vroey (1912-1999) was one of the victims.  In the 1960’s, Josef collected testimonials of 34 Aarschot citizens and published them in his booklet, “Aarschot Wednesday August 19, 1914”.  He also was the driving force behind the construction of a memorial chapel where his father and other victims had been murdered.  The building was the work of Marc Dessauvage (1931-1984), inaugurated in 1965.  At the entrance of the church is the statue, “Reverie” by sculptor Gustave Wouters.

Above: “Reverie” by sculptor Gustave Wouters at the entrance of the De Vroey Memorial Chapel.