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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 09 May 2024
The Library of Leuven was burned down by the Germans during the war, right under the eyes of the university professors and the citizenry led by the mayor Mgr Simon Deploige, vice-rector of the university. Bishop Deploige was a distinguished Brussels lawyer who had become a priest a few years earlier.
A committee based in Paris, at the Institute, took charge of reconstructing the building and reconstituting the library. Donations were centralized in Paris. Flameng was responsible for repairing the paintings, the designated architect was Whitney Warren, and our colleague Jean Dampt for the sculptures. The work was completed fairly quickly [1928], and the importance and number of the volumes were reconstituted just as quickly, as you know. People remember the quarrel which was aroused by the proposed famous pediment inscription: “Destroyed by German fury,” recalling German brutality. Some timid people wanted to change the inscription, but it ended up sticking.
The very solemn inauguration of the new Leuven Library took place in the presence of King Albert, the Queen [Elisabeth], Cardinal Joseph Mercier, Léon Bérard, and the chairman of the Municipal Council of Paris. The ceremony took place outdoors, and I will never forget the altogether odd impression of the bugle calls of the Belgian lancers’ regiment responding to the stanzas of the consecrating psalm after the Mass that was said outdoors. And I recall a very personal memory that is quite curious: during the Mass, I could not take my eyes off the admirable Christ figure that shone on the altar under a bright sun; it was the only adornment. I asked about the origin of it and was told that it was the Christ by Edmé Bouchardon that had been commissioned for the chapel at Versailles. When Louis XVI was imprisoned in the Temple, it was this Christ that was placed in his cell at his request. After the death of Louis XVI, it was given to his valet de chambre, Jean-Baptiste Canthaney Cléry, whose family was from Dunkirk. However, a few years ago the family's property was sold due to unfortunate business dealings, and this Christ was put up for sale and bought by Leuven.
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