Museum Massacre Ascq 1944

The memorial site comprises a museum and the burial mound of the executed (Item 114590). It is dedicated to civilians and encourages reflection on the violence used against unarmed civilians during conflicts.

The museum includes artifacts, photographs, and posters, and chronicles in chronological order the history of the town of Ascq, the pre-war period, the mobilization, the occupation, the resistance (V.D.N. = Voice of the North), the massacre, the post-war trial, and reconciliation. One of the artefacts is a cloak that belonged to Robert Tréhoust, one of the victims, the bullet impacts can be seen here.


The core of the exhibition is, of course, the massacre that took place on the night of 1-2 April 1944, at this site by members of the 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitlerjugend,". A model was made of this.


The massacre occurred after a local resistance group (Groupe D’Ascq) derailed a freight train around 10:45 PM on April 1st. The train was moving at a snail's pace, and the consequences were minimal: no major damage, no injuries; the train was able to depart that same night.
Unfortunately, this convoy also carried troops of the 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitlerugend," and an enraged 26-year-old company commander, Obersturmführer (1st Lieutenant) Walter Hauck, demanded immediate reprisals. Starting at 11:15 PM, sleeping civilians in the vicinity of the station were taken from their beds for "Station Work." Women were also taken but later released. The unfortunate victims were gathered at various locations and executed at the station. Anyone who tried to intervene was also executed, such as Father Cousin, who was beaten to death and then shot. The gendarmes who came to help were fired upon and rendered powerless.
The executions stopped around 1:30 a.m. when a vehicle carrying senior German officers appeared and put an end to the action.
The horrific toll: 86 dead, 11 wounded, and seven fortunate surviving hostages.

For current visiting hours, please visit the website of the museum.

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Source

• Text: Fedor de Vries & Francky De Rous
• Photos: Jhonny Bastiaensen (1, 2, 3, 4), Francky de Rous (5, 6, 7, 8)