Louisa DELOGE was transferred from St.Gilles Prison to Essen prison in Germany arriving on July 16th 1942. Marceline and Yvonne Deloge were also transferred to Essen prison on the 26th July arriving on the 27th July 1942. On the 8th to the 11th June 1943, all three and the sixteen others arrested in Brussels were put on trial for activity in favour of the enemy and other charges at the Essen City Court. The president of the court was Landgerichtdirektor BERG assisted by assessors Landgerichtsrat VENNEBUSCH and Amtsgerrichtsrat OEING. The trial was of nineteen people who had been involved in concealing the British Soldiers. The Deloges were charged with activity in favour of the enemy some of the others were also charged with espionage and possession of anti-German propaganda. The prosecution outlined the meetings they had with the soldiers and how at Louisa's invitation they had stayed at the Deloge apartment in Rue General Capiaumont for nineteen days in February 1941, despite Marceline DELOGE's apprehension. The prosecution also outlined meetings the accused had had with the British soldiers at the racecourse and in restaurants called "Le Sanglier and Le Belle Meuniere" there is suggestion of romantic attachment between the one of the soldiers and one of the accused. Some of the accused claimed they thought the British soldiers were Dutch. The charges of espionage that some were accused of, involved a map of the Wevelgem airfield in their possession and evidence from a witness called DENEYER who was a tenant in the Deloge household and the anti-German propaganda charges were to do with copies of the underground paper "La Libre Belgique". In files from the Bundesarchiv in Berlin an internal memo mentions an "agent provacateur" and seems to instruct that the espionage case cannot proceed.

Those before the court and the verdicts and sentences were a follows:

Alfred George Jones in Brussels 1940/41

Alfred JONES born Port Talbot Wales 18/8/1914. Son of a railway signalman. Said to be a former professional boxer (this is what Alfred told people, but was probably just a story). Bookmaker and British Army Corporal who had been part of the troops made prisoners of war after the defeat of the 51st Highland Division at St. Valery. He had been arrested on the 28/10/1941 in Brussels. Accused of activity in favour of the enemy and espionage.
Acquitted.

Francois STRENS born 23/1/1902 Brussels St Gilles. Funeral Director of Chaussee de Charleroi Brussels. Married to an Englishwoman who had taken their child to England at the start of the war. Detained on 9/9/1941. A Leader of the group. Accused of activity in favour of the enemy, espionage and possession of anti-German propaganda.
Not guilty of espionage. Guilty of activity in favour of the enemy 6 years.

Marie Germaine DARMONT-COLLET born Bovesse Namur 22/4/1899. Widow since 1940 and nurse of Rue Jean Van Volsem Brussels. Mother of co-accused Jean Darmont. Detained 3/9/41. Accused of activity in favour of the enemy and espionage.
Guilty 3 years.

Dr Paul George Marie JANSSENS born Bree 31/1/1909. Waiter & former lawyer of Rue de la Fourche Brussels. At the outbreak of war was a sous-officer and was captured near Bruges. He was freed in June 1940. Detained 12/1/1942. Accused of activity in favour of the enemy and espionage.
Not guilty of espionage. Guilty of activity in favour of the enemy. 3 years.

Jean Francois VANDENHOVE born Brussels-Ixelles 8/12/1900. Son of a baker. Stationer, English interpreter for a travel agent and newsagent/tobaconist of Rue Washington Brussels. Detained 2/10/1941 Accused of activity in favour of the enemy, espionage and possession of anti-German propaganda.
Not guilty of espionage. Guilty of activity in favour of the enemy 8¼ years.

Florence Maria DUCHENE born Brussels 18/6/1906. Milliner of Rue Sans-Souci Brussels.Detained 25/9/1941. Accused of activity in favour of the enemy.
Guilty 2 years.

Dr Jacques PENS born Charleroi 25/3/1909. Chemist of Rue Belliard Brussels. Detained 3/12/1941. Accused of activity in favour of the enemy.
Guilty 3 years.

Emile Louis TOUSSAINT born Brussels-Ixelles 16/1/1914. Artist-Painter of Chausee de Vleurgat Brussels-Ixelles. Son of an Anmerican exporter living in the United States his mother was Belgian, Toussaint studied at the L'Acadamie Royale des Beaux-Artes Brussels he then worked for Coca-Cola in Brussels. In 1940 he volunteered for service with the American medical services and in January 1941 volunteered for service in the Finnish armed forces during the Russo-Finnish war (there seems to be some evidence that he was a pilot in the Finnish Air Force). He was detained 12/12/1941. Accused of activity in favour of the enemy.
Guilty 4 years.

Greta Julia THIRY born Brussels 18/4/1912. Dancer of Rue Fosse-aux-Loops Brussels. Daughter of a theatre director.Detained between 3/11/1941 and 18/12/1941 Re-detained 12/1/1942. Accused of activity in favour of the enemy.
Guilty 3 years.

Alice Marie de WERGIFOSSE (Marie-Alix) born Arville, Luxemboug, Belgium 18/11/1891. Hotelier of Chaussee de la Hulpe Brussels-Boitsford. Detained 15/10/1941. Accused of activity in favour of the enemy.
Acquitted.

Elise AUSSELOOS nee Gillard born Etterbeek Brussels 17/1/1901. Housewife of Chaussee d'Ixelles Brussels. Detained 9/9/41. Accused of activity in favour of the enemy.
Guilty 4 years.

Elise Alice de LOMBAERT born Brussels-Molenbeek 21/6/1900. Shop Cashier in Bon Marche Brussels of rue Van Bergen, Brussels-Koelkelberg. Detained 5/11/1941. Accused of activity in favour of the enemy.
Guilty 2 years.

Marceline DELOGE nee Henrotin born Yvoz-Ramet near Liege 8/9/1876. Tailoress of Rue de General Capiaumont Brussels. Detained 3/10/1941. Accused of activity in favour of the enemy.
Guilty 2 years.

Louisa DELOGE born Maillen near Namur 25/8/1906. Milliner of Rue de General Capiaumont Brussels.Detained 13/9/1941. Accused of activity in favour of the enemy.
Guilty 5 years.

Yvonne DELOGE born Haversin/Seranchamps near Namur 15/12/1909. Shopworker of Rue de General Capiaumont Brussels.Detained 13 or 15/09/1941. Accused of activity in favour of the enemy.
Guilty 3 years.

Urbain RUSCART born Bruges 22/5/1892. Son of a Police Superintendent. Stockbroker of Avenue de la Jonction Brussels-St Gilles. After the First World War worked for an English Bank in England returned to Belgium in 1933. Married to an Englishwoman who died in 1940. Detained 28/1/1942. Accused of activity in favour of the enemy.
Guilty 4 years.

Jean DARMONT born Saint-Servais 23/11/1922. Son of co-accused Marie Germaine DARMONT-COLLET. Bank employee of Rue Jean van Volsem, Brussels-St.Gilles. Detained 3/9/1941. Accused of activity in favour of the enemy.
Acquitted.

Clara Marie STRENS born Brussels-Forest 8/8/1904. Sister of Francois Strens Of Chaussee de Charleroi Brussels. Detained 5/11/1941. Accused of activity in favour of the enemy.
Guilty 6 months.

Antoinette Veronique BURY born Brussels 26/3/1897. Hotel proprietor of Rue Godecharle, Brussels. Detained 2/11/41. Accused of activity in favour of the enemy.
Acquitted.

Two others, Bernadette Rossion a student and Anna Duchene were named in the charges but do not appear to have been tried.

The trial seems to have been conducted in a fair and legally correct way even the sentences seem comparatively mild, ignoring the illegality of the war, it seems even in 1943, some sections of the Nazi state were determined to maintain decent standards. All who were accused of espionage were acquitted of that charge and therefore escaped a death sentence.

next page