Was it courage or desperation that filled their hearts? The Square du train de Loos in Lille. It commemorates a harrowing event. This square stands as a stark reminder of a tragic chapter in Lille’s history. The deportation of 871 prisoners, just two days before Lille’s liberation. On September 1, 1944, the air in Loos was thick with anticipation. Allied forces were closing in. The Germans were retreating. Yet, amidst this chaos, a chilling plan was unfolding. At the Loos prison, hundreds of prisoners, mostly Resistance members, were rounded up. They were herded onto trucks. Their destination: the Tourcoing train station. Imagine the Square du train de Loos. Picture the fear in their eyes as they were transported. They were crammed into cattle cars, 80 to 90 people per car. The Square du train de Loos remembers their suffering. The train, known as “The Last Train from Loos”, snaked its way through Belgium and the Netherlands. It finally arrived in Cologne, Germany, on September 3rd. The same day Lille was liberated. A cruel twist of fate. From Cologne, the prisoners were dispersed to various concentration camps. Sachsenhausen, Buchenwald, Mülheim. Many perished. Only 275 returned home. The Square du train de Loos serves as a memorial. It honors their sacrifice and resilience. It stands as a testament to the horrors of war. And a beacon of hope for a future free from such atrocities. Their stories echo here, in the Square du train de Loos.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to