Julien Lahaut
Belgium- Early Life and Political Activism
- Communist Party Membership and Persecution
- Resistance and Parliament
- Nazi Concentration Camps and Liberation
- Post-War Leadership and Assassination
Early Life and Political Activism
Jules Henri Lahaut, a Belgian political figure, was born into a working-class family in Seraing on September 6, 1884. At the tender age of 14, he began working in metallurgical factories. In 1905, he joined the Central Committee and later became secretary of the metalworkers' union in Liege, which was collectively affiliated with the Belgian Labor Party (BWP).
Communist Party Membership and Persecution
During the 1921 BWP reforms, Lahaut was expelled from both the union and the party. Undeterred, he founded the revolutionary metalworkers' union. In 1923, he became a member of the Communist Party of Belgium (PCB), and by 1924, he held positions in its Central Committee and Politburo. Lahaut faced numerous persecutions for his political beliefs.
Resistance and Parliament
After the Nazi invasion of Belgium in 1940, Lahaut played a pivotal role in leading the PCB underground and organizing the Belgian Resistance. In 1933, he was elected to the Belgian Parliament.
Nazi Concentration Camps and Liberation
Lahaut's communist affiliation and anti-Nazi stance made him a target. From 1941 to 1945, he endured the horrors of Hitler's concentration camps. Despite his weakened health, he survived to witness the Allied liberation of Mauthausen in May 1945.
Post-War Leadership and Assassination
In August 1945, Lahaut was elected Chairman of the PCB and returned to Parliament. During the swearing-in of King Baudouin, a communist deputy protested by shouting "Vive la République!" ("Long live the Republic!"). The press erroneously attributed this to Lahaut.
A week later, on August 18, 1950, Lahaut was assassinated by two gunmen. The murder sparked nationwide strikes and a mass funeral attended by 300,000 mourners. While monarchist Francois Goossens was later identified as one of the perpetrators, the crime remains unsolved. In 2012, the Belgian Senate initiated a new investigation.
