Rising from the Ashes - twice.
 

 

by Patrick Smith    April 2024

I have been visiting Belgium on a reasonably regular basis for over 20 years.  In February this year, my visit included the opportunity of visiting Leuven (Dutch) (French: Louvain) in the Flemish region of the country.  It is the capital and largest city of Flemish Brabant.  The purpose of the visit was to see the University of Leuven’s library building (pictured below).  There are, as you’ll be aware, many exceptionally attractive and ornate buildings often with fascinating histories in continental Europe and this building was certainly no exception.

 

Image:  PJA Smith

From 1425, there were few books available in the early years of Leuven University; often they were only in the keeping of professors.  In 1636 the Latin scholar Erycius Puteanus (1574-1646) founded a library in the old Clothmakers’ Hall (the present University Hall).  The library expanded over the next centuries until the university was abolished by the French occupiers in 1797.  It was moved to the central School in Brussels, with the most valuable of its books being transferred to the National Library in Paris. 

 

In 1816, King William I of the Netherlands opened national universities in Ghent, Liege and Leuven and the old library was ceded to the new university, with money made available to expand and renew the library’s collection.  After secession from the Netherlands in 1830, the newly independent kingdom of Belgium saw the creation of new catholic universities in Mechelen (1834) and Leuven (1835).  Donations of some scale enhanced the importance of the library in Leuven.  The library grew signficantly over time.  Professors bequeathed their private libraries and modernisation took place between 1912 and 1914.

 

                                           Image:  PJA Smith

                                          Image:  PJA Smith

Atlas at the top of the façade

(I have often wondered how regularly any building's features and carvings are checked for stability !)

What made the story of this building particularly interesting (and disturbing) was the fact that German soldiers set fire to it in the first month of the First World War.  (It reminded me somewhat in style of the Cloth Hall in Ypres, also ruined in WW1 and rebuilt).  Only a few books and papers survived.  Following national and international outrage, many American fundraisers, along with the personal efforts of Herbert Hoover (1874-1964) chairman of the Commission for Relief of Belgium (CRB) (and US President 1929-1933) made the building of a new library possible.  Designed by Whitney Warren, it was in neo-renaissance style. The CRB was the parent organisation of the Belgian American Educational Foundation.  Prominent Belgians and Americans living in Belgium approached the American Ambassador to Great Britain to seek aid for the very serious food shortages in the country.  Hoover set to work and paid his own expenses.  The CRB’s executive headquarters were located in London.

 

This was not the end of the library’s awful misfortune.  On 16th May 1940, an exchange of German-British artillery fire during the Battle for Leuven saw the library heavily damaged. Cellars were bomb-proof but sadly the building was burned down again.  The heat of the fire was extremely intense, melting reinforced glass floors, allowing molten glass to destroy contents of the cellars, including antique coins.  Due to the mass evacuation of the city, there is apparently little known about exactly what happened.

 

Reconstruction to the specification of the original plans took place again (1945-1970).  The library was in use fully from 1951 and became a protected monument in 1987.  For our visit, an audio tour in the language of choice was available.  Being your typical Englishman, I was relieved.

 

I have to say that the quality of the building’s construction and features, both externally and internally, was very impressive and as with so many imposing buildings, the solidity can be sensed all around.  There were a number of plaques set into stonework which recognise the part the USA played in assisting with the initial rebuilding with what were significant funds back in the 1920s (around $1,600,000) and although it involved ‘just a building’, it struck me that even back in those times, it was possible to do this, seemingly selflessly, without hesitation and with foresight, reaching out and contributing towards the future peace of Europe and the wider world.  Perhaps this would not have been possible just one year after completion of the first rebuilding, for 1929 saw the Wall Street Crash and start of The Great Depression.

 

 

                                           Image:  PJA Smith

The tablet (in English) in the picture above, reads:


To Commemorate the work of the
Commission for Relief of Belgium
Herbert Hoover, Chairman
For its share in safeguarding the health assuring the food supply and maintaining the solidarity of the civilian population of Belgium during the Great War 1914-1915.

And to acknowledge the Endowment given by
the Commission for the support of this University in 1919
and gifts from
the CRB Educational Foundation inc
for the completion of this building from 1923-1928
This Tablet
was placed by the Catholic University of Louvain
July 4 1928

                                           Image:  PJA Smith

                                           Image:  PJA Smith

Bust of Herbert Hoover on the main staircase

The painting below is one of two on the main staircase leading up to the Reading Room.  It is titled ‘East Yorkshires’  (2017) by Sam Dillermans, a Belgian painter and - I’m assuming - depicts soldiers from that regiment in Flanders during the Great War. It commemorates the catastrophic fire of 1914.  His other painting is ‘Remains of the Menin Road’.

Image:  PJA Smith

The Library building has a magnificent bell tower, 99 metres high which houses a carillon comprising the Liberty Bell of Louvain.  American engineers donated a timepiece and 48 bells, one for each American State at the time.  This carillon commemorated the 1,792 American engineers who died in Europe during the First World War.  Today, a seven metric ton bass bell marks the hour of each day with 63 bells in total - all together weighing 35 metric tons.  I marvel at how these things were installed at such height.

 

Part of our visit involved climbing a small diameter metal spiral staircase to the top of the tower where the bells were housed and where a 360 degree view of Leuvan could be appreciated.  As the staircase passed through the various floors, we were able to stop and read about the building’s experiences on some excellent illuminated displays.

 

                                                               Image:  PJA Smith

The Bell Tower.  (Excuse the photographer, it is actually perfectly perpendicular !).

                                               Image:  PJA Smith

Above: As much as I could see of the Liberty Bell, presented by members and friends of the various engineering bodies and societies of the US.  At least one bell, I noticed, was cast by a company in Croydon, London.  I believe this was the Gillett and Johnston Bell Foundry, established in 1844 and which operated until 1957 when the company was sold.  The company cast bells for installation all over the world, as far away as New Zealand.

                                            Image:  PJA Smith

Above:  One of the 63 carillon bells with its hammer.

                                    Image:  PJA Smith

A very old model, located in the cloister, of the top section of the bell tower

The main and beautifully silent reading room of the building has the most impressive wooden balustrading around the gallery.  As the room was in use by students, I did not feel that I should be photographing it, so unfortunately no picture appears here.

Image:  PJA Smith

A view over Leuven from the top of the bell tower.
(A car park of at least three levels operates underneath the tree-lined square).

Our visit was followed by a guided tour (completely in English !) of Leuven Town Hall around the corner, led by a superb guide who was about to retire after 40 years service. Then an al-fresco meal in the centre and a very welcome, cool, Trappist Dubbel Belgian beer.

 

We live in relatively wealthy times both monetarily and technologically.  Doesn’t it feel like we are going backwards when we don’t rejuvenate some of our beloved buildings which have such potential to hold art and culture in all its forms ? - and which are actually still standing !  Are some of the skills required scarce now ?

 

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