“I’ve done this for my country”. Those were the last words of Leon Trulin. This statue before you immortalizes him. Leon Trulin a young Belgian resistance fighter. He was only eighteen when he was executed. This statue stands as a tribute to his bravery.
Leon Trulin was born in Ath Belgium in 1897. He was the penultimate child in a family of eight. His family moved to Lille after his father died. Leon worked in a fur factory. He was injured in an accident. During his recovery he read extensively. He developed a remarkable intellect for a working-class man of his era. He then found work in a metalworking factory. In the evenings he took typing lessons and enrolled at the School of Fine Arts.
In 1914 war broke out. Leon Trulin tried to join the Belgian army but was deemed too frail. He instead took on intelligence missions. He frequently traveled to northern France. With his friend Raymond Derain he created the network “Noel Lurtin” an anagram of his name. They also used the codename Leon 143. From Ath to Brussels Antwerp to the Dutch border they gathered crucial intelligence.
In the night of August 3 1915 Leon and Raymond were arrested. They were heading towards Putte-Kapellen near the Belgian Dutch border. They were caught crossing barbed wire and electric fences. They were taken to the Beguine prison in Antwerp. Leon was held in cell 176 from August 4 to 5. On the evening of November 5 he was transferred to Lille Citadel. He rejoined his comrades there.
On November 8 1915 Leon Trulin was sentenced to death. The sentence was handed down in a summary hearing in the German military tribunal. The tribunal was located in the offices of the newspaper La Depeche rue Nationale. Leon Trulin Marcel Gotti and Raymond Derain were condemned to death. Others received lesser sentences. Leon Trulin’s death sentence was approved by the governor of Lille General von Heinrich. No appeal was possible. Leon Trulin was only 18.
In the ditches of the Citadel the young Leon Trulin was executed. He was shot twelve times. His death became a symbol of courage. Lille paid many tributes to his memory. This statue stands in his honor. It serves as a testament to his sacrifice. His final letter to his mother is poignant. It illustrates his love for his country and his forgiveness of his enemies. Leon Trulin’s story is etched in the heart of Lille. This statue ensures his memory endures.