At CNH we deliver customer inspired innovation The result: industry leading products that make farming more productive Our photo series gives a behind-the-scenes glimpse of where modern harvesting comes to life Discover our Harvesting Center of Excellence – Zedelgem Belgium – home of the award-winning New Holland CR11 combine our New Holland Harvesting Center of Excellence produces the industry leading CX and CR combine harvesters It is also the birthplace of Europe’s first self-propelled combine harvester We recently announced the latest developments for the site, a €150 million five-year investment plan to expand both research & development and production capabilities This plan focuses on further enhancement and production of the new CR11 our New Holland brand’s next generation flagship combine harvester This machine uses advanced artificial intelligence technologies to deliver the high productivity and yield our customers’ demand and unique sensors to assess crop nutrient composition are just a few of its extraordinary features Automation to drive productivity is at the heart of the CR11 combine and this principle holds true for its production as well The assembly and logistics area will be completely redesigned using lean principles Automated guided vehicles will move the combines through the assembly line The combines will be comprehensively tested and inspected in the four new inline test stations To find out more and view the photo gallery, visit: bit.ly/BreakingNewGround_en CNH Zedelgem: Where big farm machinery meets cutting edge tech To find out more and view the photo gallery, visit: bit.ly/BreakingNewGround_en CNH Industrial (NYSE: CNHI) is a world-class equipment and services company Driven by its purpose of Breaking New Ground the Company provides the strategic direction and investments that enable the success of its global and regional Brands Case IH and New Holland supply 360° agriculture applications from machines to implements and the digital technologies that enhance them; and CASE and New Holland Construction Equipment deliver a full lineup of construction products that make the industry more productive The Company’s regionally focused Brands include: STEYR precision technology and the development of autonomous systems; Hemisphere a leading designer and manufacturer of high-precision satellite-based positioning specializing in tillage and seeding systems; Miller manufacturing application equipment; Kongskilde seeding and hay & forage implements; and Eurocomach producing a wide range of mini and midi excavators for the construction sector Across a history spanning over two centuries CNH has always been a pioneer in its sectors and continues to passionately innovate and drive customer efficiency and success CNH’s 40,000+ employees form part of a diverse and inclusive workplace For more information and the latest financial and sustainability reports visit: cnh.com For news from CNH and its Brands visit: media.cnhindustrial.com mediarelations@cnhind.com A collision has taken place between a bus and a passenger train at a level crossing in the West Flemish village of Zedelgem. The bus that had broken down on the level crossing was dragged along by the train. The drive of the bus had already evacuated the passengers, most of whom children, just prior to the crash. The Mayor of Zedelgem Annick Vermeulen (Christian democrat) told VRT News that “We should be grateful for the swift action taken by the bus driver. The bus broke down and he decided to make everyone get off. Thank goodness, I can't think of what would have happened otherwise, especially with all those children that were on the bus.” The level crossing on the Koning Alberstraat in Veldegem is completely closed to both road and rail traffic. Part of the bus is still hanging from the train. The crash caused the train to derail and it came to a halt several hundred metres down the track.  Disruption to rail services in West Flanders The Belgian rail company NMBS’ spokesman Bart Crols told VRT News that “Pretty much everyone that was on the train escaped injury. We need to examine whether any damage has been any technical or infrastructural damage. So, it will be some time before the train will be towed away.” Disruption to rail services in West Flanders is likely to continue for some time. A replacement bus service is operating to ferry passengers between the stations in Bruges and Lichtervelde. ​CategoriesCategoriesEnglishECONOMY, INNOVATIONRecord-breaking combine harvester to be built in West Flanders17 January 2024 A company in West Flanders will manufacture a record-breaking combine harvester that can process 2 tonnes of product a minute CNH Industrial announced a 150 million euro investment in a new production line for its Zedelgem plant on Wednesday will pave the way for the production of its new-generation combine harvester and a complete redesign of its assembly line the Italian-American multinational will start production of the new model in Zedelgem where it will build machines for export around the world the site manufactured 2,900 combine harvesters which can harvest not only grain but also chickpeas Ten years of research has gone into its development “A farmer invests all year round but makes his money when he harvests,” CNH spokesperson Marc Bomberna told De Tijd “Knowing the challenges facing global agriculture it is crucial that we improve that process as much as possible with better technology.” The investment will be spent on improving the assembly line as well as renovating and extending the logistics area Introducing a wireless automated vehicle guidance system will enable different models to be assembled on the same line at the same time Bomberna: “This is the biggest step in 25 years for our combine technology The ultimate goal is a self-driving machine.” The new machine is due to go into production in February and March much of the current production will be replaced by the new model Zedelgem is one of CNH Industrial's main sites “As one of the largest employers in West Flanders CNH is decisively choosing the future with this expansion and investment,” said minister Hilde Crevits of Flemish Christian democrats CD&V “It proves once again that CNH is an important partner in getting more innovation to farmers.” #FlandersNewsService | The new combine harvester at the CNH International site in Zedelgem © BELGA PHOTO MAAIKE TIJSSENS Copy linkGet updates in your mailboxYour email addressSubscribeBy clicking "Subscribe" I confirm I have read and agree to the Privacy Policy rapid and high-quality information 24 hours a day from Belgium and abroad to all Belgian media not to mention entertainment and lifestyle our journalists and press photographers produce hundreds of photos and news stories Since the end of March 2022 English has been added as a language businesses and various organisations that need reliable information Belga News Agency also offers a comprehensive range of corporate services to meet all their communication needs www.belganewsagency.eu ‘Supporting’ Its Workers in More Ways Than One New Holland Agriculture a global agricultural brand of CNH Industrial N.V the Belgian Minister of Agriculture and Work at its New Holland Agriculture plant in Zedelgem The Zedelgem facility focuses on developing and building combine harvesters balers and forage harvesters for global export Minister Crevits' visit focused on product innovation and “feasible work” – that is using technology to assist employees in their daily activities – at Zedelgem the "Center of Excellence" for New Holland harvesters worldwide assembly line and was shown several demonstrations of “feasible work” in practice One of the production employees showed how he was guided “live” by a screen during the assembly process The screen shows the next action to be performed thereby virtually eliminating potential errors demonstrated how it assisted him in his daily activities An exoskeleton is an outer suit that is worn over an employee’s uniform that provides additional support to the arms and shoulders when lifting heavier objects These enhancements to the production line follow the significant investments CNH Industrial has made in Belgium with regards the transition to Industry 4.0 Infrastructure improvements have included a new virtual reality room where machinery can be ‘virtually’ constructed in a digital 3D environment as well as new durability testing facilities Investment has also focused on sustainable power with facilities enabling the recovery of electricity used in the testing environment Zedelgem’s role as a Center of Harvesting Excellence has led to numerous innovations from the site’s 370 employees dedicated to product development securing CNH Industrial’s position in the top ten listing of Belgian inventors The New Holland site in Zedelgem is one of the largest employers in West Flanders the company made its breakthrough in 1952 with the launch of the first European self-propelled combine machines developed in Zedelgem harvest more than a quarter of the world’s grain CNHCNHCNH Industrial (NYSE: CNH) is a world-class equipment manufacturing application equipment; and Eurocomach CNH’s 35,000+ employees form part of a diverse and inclusive workplace For more information and the latest financial and sustainability reports visit: cnh.com  For news from CNH and its Brands visit: media.cnh.com  More from CNH A Latvian collaborator kicks the bodies of Jewish women and children into a ditch after their execution Update (October 2022):  The Zedelgem monument was removed in June 2022. See coverage in Het Nieuwsblad (Google translation here) See report on the Zedelgem monument by an international panel of 15 historians and detailed collection of this ongoing controversy by The Belgians Remember Them group which played a seminal part in fighting the whitewashing Zedelgem — Update: This monument was removed in June 2022 A monument to the Waffen-SS in the middle of Western Europe The Legion was composed of the 15th Waffen Grenadier (1st Latvian) and the 19th Waffen Grenadier (2nd Latvian) divisions of the SS. The Anti-Defamation League shows the 15th Division’s insignia as an example of hate signs used by neo-Nazis Today, Latvia itself hosts annual marches celebrating Latvian Legionnaires where hundreds of SS veterans are cheered as heroes now has a monument celebrating the Waffen-SS a Latvian collaborator kicks the bodies of Jewish women and children into a ditch after their execution Latvian SS veterans and their relatives march in a parade celebrating the Latvian Legion For more glorification of Latvian Waffen-SS soldiers, see the Latvia section Note: the entries below were added during the January 2022 project update Verschaeve’s defenders often claim he’s being honored as a poet and author, not a Nazi collaborator. It’s a common tactic used to whitewash collaborators with literary backgrounds. A good response to this came from Herman van Goethem, historian and rector of the University of Antwerp. “Cyriel Verschaeve – writer. That is correct,” van Goethem quipped Thanks to the efforts of historians like van Goethem and Koen Aerts as well as activists, six Belgian towns have renamed their Verschaeve streets over the past five years. That’s a rare trend, considering nearly everywhere else, monuments to collaborators are on the rise. Verschaeve’s only other honor is a plaque on his birth house in Ardooie which says nothing about his Nazi past Flemish Waffen-SS volunteers holding a ceremony most likely before going to the Eastern Front Flemish SS recruitment poster; note the antisemitic caricature of the figure representing the U.K (Many thanks to Koen Aerts for his invaluable guidance on Belgian collaborators efforts to whitewash them and the far-right.) Lev Golinkin is a regular contributor to the Forward whose work has also appeared in The New York Times I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward American Jews need independent news they can trust At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S rising antisemitism and polarized discourse This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on See our full guidelines for more information, and this guide for detail about canonical URLs subject line “republish,” with any questions or to let us know what stories you’re picking up Copyright © 2025 The Forward Association CNH: €150 million investment in Harvesting Center of Excellence The company is expanding its R&D and production capabilities at the New Holland Harvesting Center of Excellence in Zedelgem CNH announces the latest phase in its five-year investment plan concerning its R&D and production facility in Zedelgem The €150 million sum is focused on further development and production of the new CR11 the next generation flagship combine harvester from our New Holland brand This next phase will result in a completely redesigned assembly line and logistics area CNH is the global leader in combine harvesters The new CR11 was awarded the only gold innovation medal at the agricultural industry’s largest global trade show The strategic improvements foreseen include modifications to the assembly line to enhance agility and speed the renovation and extension of the logistics area; and the introduction of the all-new CR11 range with 7,000 new parts being added to the manufacturing logistics area The production lines for the New Holland CX CR and brand new CR11 combine harvesters will be merged for greater manufacturing flexibility A new U-shape setup will integrate four testing stations within the production line to streamline the process the introduction of a wireless automated system to guide vehicles enables different models to be assembled on the same line These improvements will further enhance the flexibility of our operations and increase the level of high-tech manufacturing supporting CNH's ability to adapt to dynamic market trends and demand our Zedelgem Center of Excellence has been renowned for manufacturing machines at the forefront of innovation The highly specialized harvesting equipment sector is strategic for CNH and our New Holland brand has a leading position in this segment,” said Tom Verbaeten I'm delighted to see the site continuing to innovate to deliver high quality products that generate tremendous value for our customers." the company has received support from the Flemish Government's Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship Agency (VLAIO) which strongly advocates for innovation projects in the Flemish region "The CR11 combine harvester is the culmination of years of component and process optimization together with various research partners from the Flemish innovation ecosystem the leap in knowledge and technological challenges underwent several evaluations based on the VLAIO criteria for innovation the R&D team in Zedelgem maintains its global leadership for CNH combine harvesters and the flagship model will be manufactured in Flanders This will have a significant impact on employment investment and further knowledge development in our region” said Marc Andries from VLAIO during the inauguration event to present the new production line to Belgian institutional representatives and the press Vice-Minister-President of the Government of Flanders who participated in the opening ceremony said: “Innovation is a driving force for employment and competitiveness one of the largest employers in West Flanders It proves once again that CNH is an important partner to get more innovation to farmers" New Holland also held a live demonstration of its new CR11 Entirely redesigned and thanks to the most advanced automation features and advanced technologies the CR11 offers increased levels of productivity profitability and sustainability for large scale arable farmers CNH's commitment to excellence in the specialized equipment sector demonstrates its ability to constantly innovate for the benefit of farmers worldwide CNH is recognized as a leader in high-tech manufacturing cutting-edge technology and high standards of quality and safety For more information and the latest financial and sustainability reports visit: cnh.com  For news from CNH and its Brands visit: media.cnhindustrial.com  mediarelations@cnhind.com Each donation helps to ensure the Museum's activities allowing it to function and provide information for people from all over the world The Museum is grateful to each donor and invites everyone to contribute The Municipality of Zedelgem in Belgium and the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia announce a mutual agreement to create a commemorative Freedom Monument that will be unveiled at the newly-named square, Brivibaplein The agreement provides EUR 100 000 for the design and creation of the monument to be shared equally by the Municipality and the Museum The Museum's share will be covered by donations Five Latvian sculptors have been invited to participate in a competition of artistic sketches.  The organizers will provide an honorarium of EUR 1000 (gross) each for the preparation of the sketches The winner will be determined by a jury in September The jury will consist of four members chosen by the municipality of Zedelgem and four designated by the Museum The winning sculptor will receive a prize of EUR 2000 and a contract for creating the monument The second place winner will receive EUR 1000; the third – EUR 500 as originally proposed by Zedelgem Municipality must refer symbolically to the concept of Freedom and should remind of the captivity of Latvian and other Baltic prisoners of war in the Zedelgem POW camp during 1945–1946 and the historical ties between Zedelgem and Latvia stemming from that post-war episode The design must also include a reference to the scale replica of the Latvian Freedom monument built in the British Zedelgem POW camp by Latvian prisoners in November 1945 A multilingual explanatory plaque will be installed on or near the monument Brivibaplein is located in a new town development about 3 km from the former prisoner camp now under management by the Flemish Forest and Nature Agency partially as a nature reserve and open-air museum A crew of the Museum filmed the remaining prisoner barracks and other places of interest in June 2014.  At this time close cooperation developed between the Museum's representatives and the Municipality of Zedelgem and its historians Latvian and other Baltic prisoners in the camp were originally drafted into the German army during German occupation of the Baltic states (1941–1944/45) and sent onto combat against the Soviet Army in German-held territories outside the Baltic As the end of the war approached many of them turned westward to avoid being captured by the Soviets who had repeatedly occupied their once independent countries They avoided battle contact with the Western Allies and surrendered to them in the British occupation zone The POW camp in Zedelgem held the largest contingent of Latvian prisoners Their surrender to the Western Allies at war's end and their rejection of their forced status as soldiers in the German army culminated in commemoration of freedom and their country's independence in the camp May 4th – Restoration of Independence of the Republic of Latvia Convocation of the Constituent Assembly of the Republic of Latvia Museum visited by delegation from the Defence Committee of the Swedish Riksdag Museum visited by Ambassador of New Zealand and the Chapter of Orders presented the Cross of Recognition to Pol Denys for outstanding work performed for the benefit of Latvia who initiated the cooperation of the city of Zedelgem and the Occupation Museum of Latvia to create “The Monument to Freedom” in Zedelgem The monument was created by sculptor Kristaps Gulbis to commemorate Latvian legionnaires It was opened on 23 September 2018 in a new square of Zedelgem called Brivibaplein For the distinguished award the Occupation Museum of Latvia had nominated Pol Denys on account of his extensive research of Latvia’s history and his efforts to commemorate the fate of Latvian soldiers in the Second World War came to Rīga on November 18 to participate in the festive award ceremony in Rīga’s castle they both visited the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia where they were welcomed by the staff who expressed their thanks for the excellent cooperation and assured that commemoration of the legionnaires will be continued Presently Pol Denys is engaged in converting the former POW camp and Belgian Army base in Vloethemveld as a nature preserve open to the public The opening of a museum about the POW camp is planned for next year Latvian soldiers will receive special attention in the museum because they kept alive their conviction that they had fought for the freedom of Latvia in spite of the fact that they fought in a foreign army CNH Industrial continues investing in Zedelgem plant CNH Industrial blijft investeren in de productievestiging van Zedelgem As a legitimate partner in discussions of events of the Soviet and Nazi occupation periods in Latvia and the future of the monument “The Latvian Beehive for Freedom” the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia herewith offers a brief summary of its views of the workshop’s organization and conclusions The Museum notes that the panel of experts at the workshop was not inclusive in its composition and its conclusions do not reflect a full range of relevant views on the issues discussed the Museum could not send its representatives to the workshop – even as observers not one historian from Latvia could take part in the workshop Regarding the two participating Latvian representatives one is affiliated with Social Sciences Department of the University of Latvia while the other with the University’s Institute of Philosophy and Sociology The workshop’s conclusions touch the issue of Latvian soldiers in the Zedelgem POW camp in 1945-1946 unsubstantiated assertions including gross inaccuracies and omissions about important events during the Second World War The Museum of the Occupation of Latvia values the work – spanning three decades –of researchers of Latvian and other academic institutions on the occupation period the Museum will continue its research activities and the organization of public events involving various specialists so as to promote a common understanding of problems pertaining to the Second World War in Latvia as well as internationally The Museum of the Occupation of Latvia is a state-accredited private museum It is maintained and managed by the Latvian Occupation Museum Association The aim of the Museum is to introduce visitors to evidence-based history of the occupation period The Museum is primarily maintained by private donations It is dedicated to the centennial of Latvian independence ordered the formation of a Latvian Legion under the aegis of Heinrich Himmler's Waffen-SS and other units that were involved in war action under German High Command against the forces of the Soviet Union on the Eastern Front In order to circumvent the Hague Convention of 1907 that forbade the recruitment of inhabitants of occupied areas the legionnaires were designated as "volunteers" By the summer of 1944 it had become clear that Nazi-Germany had lost the war which had sustained heavy losses in battles against the Red Army on Latvian soil was sent for reorganization to German-annexed West Poland During the massive Soviet offensive in early 1945 the division and other Latvian units fought many heavy rearguard battles as they were inexorably retreating westward the highest Latvian commanding officers of the Legion – colonel Arvīds Kripēns colonel Vilis Janums and major Pēteris Balodis urged their soldiers preferably to surrender to British forces in closed units rather than ending up in the US and French occupation zones because it was unclear as yet how the Soviet militarists would deal with Latvian legionnaires 11,727 Latvian soldiers surrendered to the British forces causing problems of finding facilities for internment The Brits made an agreement with the Belgians to accommodate Latvian prisoners-of-war in Zedelgem The documentary film Zedelgem is the story about eight months of emotional experiences and humiliation for the Latvian prisoners-of-war in this camp Film author and director is Andris Feldmanis The staff of the Occupation Museum of Latvia also congratulates the “DAUGAVAS VANAGI” (“Hawks of Daugava”) organization on its 70th anniversary with this documentary the 'Monument to Freedom' sculpted by Latvian sculptor Kristaps Gulbis was unveiled The monument is dedicated to the Latvian Legionnaires who did not lose faith in freedom for the Latvian State during the winter of 1945 to 1946 when they were held in Zedelgem prisoner of war camp This is the first monument for Latvian soldiers built outside of Latvia It has been erected in the place which had the largest prisoner of war camp for Latvian soldiers 12,000 Latvian Legionnaires were imprisoned there where they founded the aid organisation 'Daugavas Vanagi' and created a unique copy of the Freedom Monuent The monument was unveiled by the Mayor of Zedelgem Annick Vermeulen the Ambassador of Latvia to Belgium Ilze Rūse the representative for historic heritage in Zedelgem council Chairman of the Board of the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia (OMB) DEDICATING THE MONUMENT "LATVIAN BEEHIVE FOR FREEDOM" this Latvian Beehive for Freedom in Zedelgem is an act of deference to those nearly 12,000 of my generation who were Latvian soldiers in a foreign army and who were held captive in the Prisoner of War Camp at Vloethemveld in Zedelgem in the winter of 1945/46 The date of one's birth in those years oftentimes determined who went to war and who fought on which side in a wrong war They and I were among those who were born in the brief first independence of Latvia from 1918 to 1940 but did not enjoy the privilege of growing up and becoming full-fledged members of a free country They did not even have the honour to defend their country in their own army because the Latvian state was occupied destroyed and the Latvian nation subjugated by two totalitarian powers – the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany Latvian men were drafted in the armies of both depending on which one alternatively was exercising its oppressive military control over the land They were fighting and dying in a war that was not a Latvian war and mot a war for the freedom of Latvia The Vloethemveld POW Camp 2227 was not a well-known place Historians are not particularly interested in POW camps especially if it does not touch their own soldiers For its former inmates it was a place they would rather forget They were losers on the wrong side subjected to humiliation suffering from uncertainty and depression.  How do you prove you are not Nazis and war criminals that the SS runes on your collars are not of your nation and that your allegiance is owed solely and only to the little patch on your sleeves in Latvian national colours How do you avoid being delivered to the Soviets who are just then raping your country Latvian soldiers in camp 2227 built a replica of Latvia's Freedom Monument They celebrated Latvia's Independence day on 18 November 1945 They and their faith had to endure many trials before Latvia regained independence only 46 years later Uncovering this painful but simultaneously uplifting history is a recent undertaking We are indebted to Zedelgem historian Pol Denys for his interest in the history of the closed army and prisoner camp We are indebted to him for singling out and gathering an impressive array of materials about the unique story of the Latvian and other Baltic soldiers in the camp.  And we are indebted to our own historian and documental filmmaker Andrejs Edvīns Feldmanis for discovering Pol Denys during his research on a filming expedition in Zedelgem in 2014 for making a documentary film about the camp and for his own research project on Latvian soldiers in the camp One of the prisoners in the camp was my late friend Bruno Rubess His other daughter Baņuta is now in Toronto reconstructing the untold story of her father's camp experience to become an internationally recognized business manager and leader We became life-long friends through Latvian Boy Scouts and shared our good deeds for Latvia and faith Latvia's freedom Another prisoner I want to recall is his commander on Hitler's Nazi state funeral pyre in Berlin or falling into Soviet captivity in late April 1945 decided to take them westward to surrender to the advancing American Army.  He became the first chairman of the welfare society Daugavas Vanagi whose representatives are present at this event This historical and memory work brings us to the present and to the serious task of illuminating the past for the present We are thankful to the municipality of Zedelgem for its initiative to dedicate this new square to freedom: Brivibaplein.  Even more – for the initiative and financial participation to erect this monument friendship and solidarity throughout its implementation And we are happy that Vloethemveld will soon regain its freedom again as a nature preserve Zedelgem and Flanders are no strangers to occupation and the violence We hope: the Latvian bees we are bringing to Zedelgem in memory of our soldiers will be welcomed by Flanders poppies made famous by the Canadian poet John McCrae during the deadly World War I in Flanders: We hope the Latvian bees even better than  larks friendship and a better world than that we experienced during occupations As we dedicate the "Latvian Beehive for Freedom" as we celebrate Latvia's 100th anniversary let us remember the Latvian anthem that our captive soldiers sang in captivity and that we now sing since 1991 in a free country again created in the 19th century when there was no Latvian state It asks God's blessing for Latvia and its people to live happily in the land whose sons are singing and whose daughters are blossoming nor less – just to pursue God-given happiness as Thomas Jefferson put it in the American Declaration of Independence to pursue happiness in one's own free country May the humming Latvian bees find happiness among the friendly Flanders poppies as they do among the blossoming Latvian linden trees That is friendship and happiness across borders and ages Schepenen en iedereen begaan met het kunstwerk ‘Letse Bijenkorf’ op het Brivibaplein Dear delegations from the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia and the Daugavas Vanagi More Take note – story published 2 years and 11 months ago The monument called "Latvia's hive for freedom" is located in the Belgian city of Zedelgem and is dedicated to Latvian Legionnaires who were imprisoned in a camp near Zedelgem after the Second World War "The decision just announced by the municipality of Zedelgem to remove the monument without the coordination of the Latvian Occupation Museum is not acceptable to Latvia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia also expects accurate information from Belgium on the future fate of the monument as well as repeatedly calls on the municipality of Zedelgem to directly address all issues related to the monument in cooperation with the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia," said a statement by the Latvian Foreign Ministry As previously reported by LSM, the monument by Latvian sculptor Kristaps Gulbis "is dedicated to the Latvian Legionnaires during the winter of 1945 to 1946 when they were held in Zedelgem prisoner of war camp," a PoW camp run by the British on Belgian soil the Zedelgem prisoner-of-war camp in Belgium housed about 11,700 of the 25,000 Latvian soldiers who had served in German military units and had been captured by the Western Allied armies at the end of World War II. Almost 90% of these prisoners of war belonged to the Latvian Legion founded in 1943 during the German occupation of Latvia The monument has caused controversy in Belgium as the Latvian Legion was structurally part of the Waffen SS. Belgium suffered greatly during the period of Nazi occupation though no units of the Latvian Legion were involved in Belgium Following protests about the monument last summer, an international panel of historians deemed the monument inappropriate. More about the historians and their findings is available on this website.  The monument unveiled in 2018 was privately donated by the Latvian Occupation Museum Society and it is not the subject of an interstate agreement the Latvian Foreign Minister met with representatives of the Latvian Occupation Museum and agreed that the monument to Latvian prisoners of war in Zedelgem municipality was a monument to Latvian soldiers and Latvian patriots The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it will continue to monitor developments closely and work with the Belgian authorities Select text and press Ctrl+Enter to send a suggested correction to the editor Select text and press Report a mistake to send a suggested correction to the editor After a long and apparently fruitless debate including Latvian representatives Didzis Bērziņš and Mārtiņš Kaprāns decided to say "no" to the Latvian legionnaire monument in Zedelgem (Belgium) which was unveiled in 2018 in memory of the 12,000 Latvian prisoners of war who were held in a prisoner-of-war camp in 1945-46 The monument would have stood there for centuries had it not been for the internet uproar about it caused by one Lev Golinkin claiming that the Latvian legionnaires were guilty of "shooting Jews" thus providing material for the Holocaust businessmen's latest constructions of lies the Latvian Beehive for Freedom monument dedicated to prisoners of war was warmly unveiled in the presence of many local residents by Mayor of Zedelgem Annick Vermeulen Ambassador of the Republic of Latvia to Belgium Ilze Rūse and Chairman of the Board of the Occupation Museum Association of Latvia Valters Nollendorfs The pressure on the municipality of Zedelgem was massive and chances were high that not only would the explanatory plaque be removed but also the monument itself would be demolished This is one of the options because the claim that the monument will be "moved" sounds like a promise to simply throw it in the garbage or return it to its creators with the whole historical explanatory plaque Valters Nollendorfs and Kristaps Gulbis / Ekrānšāviņš The fact that for two years Latvian soldiers had to live in terrible conditions in which they got sick and died is of little interest to anyone anymore But the question remains about the 80 legionnaires whose ashes lie in Zedelgem They need to be brought back to their homeland That is the job of our politicians - if they have the courage and the determination to open the way for the legionnaires to return to Latvia I wanted to know the opinion of the highest officials of the country on this situation given that the 1998 Declaration on Latvian Legionnaires in World War II It explains the historical situation in which the Latvian legionnaires found themselves and why they cannot and should not be considered Nazi criminals since they were not (this was also recognized by the Nuremberg trials) and were never linked to the military or ideological aims of Nazi Germany the declaration states that "the Government of Latvia is obliged: (...) to take care to prevent violations of the honor and dignity of Latvian soldiers in Latvia and abroad" Replies were immediately sent by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkēvičs (JV) the Minister of Defence Artis Pabriks (A/Par) and the spokesperson of the President's Chancellery Aiva Rozenberga Yesterday we also received a reply from the Speaker of the Saeima Edgars Rinkēvičs: "The Embassy of Latvia in Belgium has received information from the municipality of Zedelgem that the symposium of international historians on the complex historical events of the arrival of more than 12,000 Latvian prisoners of war in Zedelgem has recommended that the Latvian Beehive for Freedom monument be moved from its current location I cannot comment on the reasons that led to this recommendation but it is significant that historians have encouraged more research into the complex issues of the Second World War in the context of the Zedelgem POW camp the Latvian Ambassador to Belgium Andris Razāns has been in constant contact with the municipality of Zedelgem and will visit it this week to discuss the way forward with the city's leadership The municipality has assured the Latvian Embassy that no decision has been taken on the relocation of the monument It wishes to discuss the future with the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia which has been a partner of the city since the installation of the monument I have also informed the highest officials of the state about the development of the situation on 3/12 The fate of the Latvian Beehive for Freedom is and will continue to be a matter of concern for the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Latvian Embassy in Belgium Our aim is to ensure that the history of our country and people as well as the memorials and monuments that symbolize it If the city of Zedelgem decides to relocate the monument every effort will be made to do so as quickly as possible and with objective information about its significance there has been a growing tendency on the part of Russia to denigrate and rewrite the history of Europe and Latvia in the 20th century these efforts find open ears among many historians journalists and politicians in European and world countries We have both refuted and actively explained our history the capacity of our historical studies and the resulting historical diplomacy needs to be seriously strengthened so we could be heard more." Edgars Rinkēvičs sent a follow-up: "Belgium does not have an embassy in Latvia so the work is mainly done in Brussels through our embassy The Ambassador already went to the Foreign Ministry in the summer with a démarche but Belgium is a federal state and the federal government has limited possibilities to influence Wallonia and Flanders Our work is aimed at preserving the monument which is something that the Russian propaganda is already celebrating We have agreed with the highest officials of the country (the President the Prime Minister and the Head of the Saeima Foreign Affairs Committee) that we will discuss this matter in our talks with our Belgian counterparts I do not exclude the use of different types of diplomatic means of communication at the time and in the situation On reburial: that is more a matter for the Ministry of Defense colleagues and the relevant public organizations the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy will provide all the necessary support whatever war they have fought and on whichever side they have fought Reply from Aiva Rozenberga: "The President of Latvia is in constant contact with the Minister of Foreign Affairs on this subject who has already given you a detailed answer on this subject has informed the President and other officials about the situation The President of Latvia has also expressed his strong support for further active diplomatic efforts to clarify Latvian history at a time when we often see attempts to rewrite history or spread disinformation All those who died in the Second World War were victims of two totalitarian Artis Pabriks: "When the monument was erected I was very happy that historical justice and respect for the Latvian legionnaires and prisoners of war had finally prevailed My father was also in prisoner of war camps on French territory so my family and I have donated to the Zedelgem monument I believe that the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs should protest in the strongest terms to the Belgian Government about such ideas and ensure that the Zedelgem monument is not touched and is properly honored that pro-Kremlin propaganda does not prevail in Belgium." Ināra Mūrniece: "It is a great pity that the monument in Zedelgem which was unveiled with the support of the municipality of this town that the Latvian legionnaires were not war criminals The Nuremberg trials recognized that war criminals did not include persons who were 'conscripted by the state in such a way that they had no choice to be able to present what we know in a way that is comprehensible even to those who are used to living in a different information space We need to move more actively towards a common understanding of European history I think it would be useful to think about reestablishing the Committee of Historians This committee should be able to analyze the situation quickly and help clarify complex issues of Latvian history at home and internationally The Zedelgem monument is symbolic of the fact that the gap in our common European understanding of past still needs to be bridged." "In Zedelgem camp there were around 12,000 Latvian soldiers This is equivalent to the number of bees in a hive My idea is to unite in this monument the common European values and symbolic language understood by all Europeans with something special and visually characteristic only to Latvia colony and freedom," is how sculptor Kristaps Gulbis justified the idea of his work The position and the poetics of the idea are absolutely clear It was also historically and factually highlighted by the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia: "It is necessary to emphasize that during the Second World War the occupation forces carried out illegal mobilization in Latvia The majority of Latvian soldiers were forcibly conscripted into the ranks of the German armed forces It is important that the Latvian legionnaires were never members of the SS organization The Latvian Beehive for Freedom monument glorifies neither the SS as a whole nor the Waffen-SS The monument is dedicated solely to the Latvian prisoners of war who were held in the Zedelgem camp under very difficult conditions Quite a large number of prisoners fell ill and died There is no basis for the claim that the prisoners of Zedelgem as a whole were involved in war crimes or genocide The Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Justice has quite rightly pointed out that suspicions of any crimes must be properly investigated It is incorrect to attribute any collective guilt to Latvian soldiers." At a time when monuments to the Soviet occupiers are being restored in our country and neither local authorities nor higher powers are even trying to oppose these actions perhaps a miracle will happen and the Beehive in the distant Zedelgem will be saved by joint efforts and historical truth and justice will prevail But harsh experience shows that this can only happen if officials are told continuously - continuously looking with "love" at the monuments of the occupiers both those who are monstrous in their ghastly tastelessness and those who are tiny and beat up The hive is illuminated at night so that the bees know where to fly / Okupācijas muzeja foto Be the first to read interesting news from Latvia and the world by joining our Telegram and Signal channels ka nav mazsvarīgu lietu – lasītājs ir ne vien jāinformē bet arī jādod brīdis atelpai no dienas saspringtajiem darbiem Xwift heeft expeditiebedrijf CTS (Customised Transport Solutions) uit Zedelgem overgenomen Dit is de tweede overname van Xwift sinds het begin van het jaar CTS werd opgericht door Maurice De Cock in 2006 en staat bekend om haar transportbeheerdiensten voor Renson in Waregem Dit is de eerste keer dat Xwift een bedrijf overneemt dat geen vrachtwagens bezit of chauffeurs in dienst heeft “Deze strategische stap is een mijlpaal voor Xwift en opent een scala aan nieuwe mogelijkheden om haar klanten een uitgebreider assortiment aan transportdiensten aan te bieden Expeditie is een dienst die we nog niet aan onze klanten konden aanbieden Hiermee transformeert Xwift tot een complete one-stop shop waarbij de gehele transportflow volledig beheerd kan worden We zullen voortbouwen op de solide relaties die CTS heeft opgebouwd met haar klanten om een naadloze overgang te verzekeren voor alle betrokken partijen” De overname zal resulteren in een geconsolideerde omzet van 40 miljoen euro en een team van 300 medewerkers binnen de Xwift-groep Het is de afronding van een zaak die al loopt sinds september 2022: Deutsche Bahn heeft de verkoop van zijn logistieke dochter Schenker aan de Deense groep DSV afgerond De transactie wordt gewaardeerd op ongeveer €14,3 miljard die in ernstige financiële problemen verkeerde had besloten DB Schenker in september 2022 te koop […] BD Logistics heeft Taxi Verboven Vracht (TVV) uit Wommelgem overgenomen Dit is de vierde overname door de distributiespecialist in een half jaar tijd BD Logistics nam recent fietskoerier Foodsprint express koerier Top-Speed en transportbedrijf Dymar over Het focust op verschillende niches in de distributie zoals expresvervoer thuisleveringen van gekoelde producten […] Gosselin heeft de Engelse groep Doree Bonner International overgenomen die gespecialiseerd is in nationale en internationale verhuizingen en opslag De 11 vestigingen van Doree Bonner zullen worden geïntegreerd in de activiteiten van Gosselin Mobility UK een entiteit die in 2020 werd opgericht na de overname van DT Moving drie jaar eerder