Karel van Bever 1897 - 1944 Edit
Born 10.11.1897 in Vilvoorde
Died 20.3.1944 in Mauthausen
Biography
Karel Jozef Lodewijk van Bever was born on 10 November 1897 as the son of Hendrik van Bever and Maria Catherina De Kerck in Vilvoorde. His father, Hendrik van Bever, was a baker and a founding member of the co-operative movement (de Coop). His mother, Maria de Kerck, owned a sweet shop and later a restaurant.
Karel van Bever completed his middle school education and was awarded a ‘brevet d’étude’ (school-leaving certificate). He began his career as a worker at Meuneries in Brussels. In 1919 he was called up by the occupying army as a non-commissioned reserve officer.
After his military service he started work with the Algemene Spaar en Lijfrentekas (General Savings and Pensions Bank). In 1936 he was elected to the works council[1] and appointed as a union representative.
The socialist federation of unions of the Algemene Spaar en Lijfrentekas organised resistance during the German occupation and distributed illegal newspapers that were printed in the institution’s print shop. It also founded the Independence Front.
These illegal activities started in August 1940 during the Battle of Britain. They continued with illegal newspapers such as Radio Londres or La libre Belgique, which were distributed in Vilvoorde and elsewhere.
Karel van Bever worked for the resistance until his arrest at his workplace.
Henri van Bever
Famille Van Bever, Amicale nationale des prisonniers politiques et ayants droit du camp de concentration de Mauthausen – Belgique
Translation into English: Joanna White
[1] Translator’s note: the adviserende personeelscommissie (literally: ‘advisory personnel commission’) is roughly equivalent to employee organisations often known as ‘works councils’ in English.
