A mistake has meant that a lecture theatre at Ghent University’s (UGent) Coupure Campus has been erroneously named after a World War II collaborator in official communication by the University and on its website. The mistake that was reported on in an article in the student magazine ‘Schamper’ and has been confirmed by the university that says that it will be corrected as soon as possible. UGent says that the mistake occurred because two first names of people with the same surnamed got muddled up. The incorrect name has reportedly been used for several months.
Ghent University mistakenly names lecture theatre after Nazi collaborator in official communications
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UGent has named the A2 lecture theatre at its Coupure Campus after Albert De Vleeschauwer, a former professor of bioengineering at the university. The name on the door of the auditorium is correct. However, in its official communications UGent gives it the name Herman De Vleeschauwer, a contemporary of his namesake that also taught at the university.
However, unlike Albert, Herman De Vleeschauwer collaborated with the Germans during the World War II Nazi occupation of Belgium. This unfortunate mistake has gone unnoticed for several months.
Herman De Vleeschouwer was Minister of Education under the Nazi. He was sentenced to death but fled to South Africa where he was able to continue his career as an academic.
Albert De Vleeschauwer
There is also Albert De Vleeschauwer that was a Christian Democrat politician. Both before and during WWII he was Minister for the Colonies. During the occupation this was in the government in exile. He supported Flemish emancipation and continued to support King Leopold III after the war. This cost him his political career. The fact that there is a former professor and a politician with the same first and surname seems to have added to the confusion.
Professor Albert De Vleeschauwer was a pioneer in research into dairy products. In a publication that pays tribute to him, the university writes that in great measures the Belgian cheese industry can thank its very existence to him. Professor De Vleeschauwer set up an experimental dairy factory at the university. He died “on the job” at the Coupure Campus, near to the lecture theatre that is now named after him.
In a statement UGent says "The mistake with the name in our auditorium management system is currently being corrected”.