Ascq ( French pronunciation: [ask] ; Picard : Ask ) is a former commune on the Marque river in the Nord department in northern France , at seven kilometers from Belgium . Agricultural village until the Industrial Revolution , the former independent commune merged with others to become a district of the new town planned community of Villeneuve-d'Ascq since 1970. The operatic bass Louis-Henri Obin (1820–1895) was born in Ascq.
7-626: Ascq is known for the Ascq massacre of 1 April 1944, where the Nazis assaulted the inhabitants and massacred 86 innocent men. The village was decorated with the Croix de guerre 1939–1945 and the Legion of Honour . The Gare d'Ascq (railway station) is served by trains from Lille to Liège (Belgium) and to Orchies . Ascq main monuments are Saint-Pierre-en-Antioche Church (19th century), based on
14-479: A building of 15th century, gare d'Ascq (19th century) railway station, the post office, the town hall (20th century) and the Château Claeys (20th century). Numerous places are commemorating the world wars : Tertre des massacrés monument, mémorial Ascq 1944 museum, Ascq Communal Cemetery which shelters British and Commonwealth war graves as well as the bodies of the victims of Ascq massacre in 1944,
21-475: A lesson. In the nature of things it is inevitable that innocent people will suffer when such things happen. Responsibility lies with the criminals who make such attacks. At the end of the war, some SS men stood trial in a French Military Court at Lille . They were sentenced to death; later their sentences were commuted to imprisonment. The last prisoner, Walter Hauck, was released in July 1957. Hauck also instigated
28-524: A monument on Saint-Pierre-en-Antioche Church square and some street names, such as 'Rue des Martyrs'. Other notable buildings are Ascq water tower (20th century) which can be perceived very far away, Arthur Rimbaud collège, the old distillery with its brick chimney, chocolate factory Bouquet d'Or, artisanal brewery Moulins d'Ascq, the old gristmills . Many houses have a remarkable architectural style, such as 1930 seaside style houses in Kléber street. In
35-435: The end of March, 1944. On 1 April, their train was approaching the gare d'Ascq , a junction where three railroads intersected, when an explosion blew the line apart, causing two cars to derail. The commander of the convoy, SS Obersturmführer Walter Hauck , ordered troops to search and arrest all male members of the houses on both sides of the track. Altogether 70 men were shot beside the railway line, with another 16 killed in
42-553: The middle of the 20th century, Ascq had a cinéma, 'Le Rex', located salle Potié, church square. 50°37′N 3°10′E / 50.617°N 3.167°E / 50.617; 3.167 Ascq massacre The Ascq massacre was a massacre of 86 men on 1 April 1944 in Ascq , France , by the Waffen-SS during the Second World War . The 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend set out by rail for Normandy at
49-472: The village itself. Six more men were arrested and charged with the bomb attack after an investigation by the Gestapo; they were eventually ordered to be executed by firing squad. The Oberfeldkommandant of Lille justified the massacre, stating: The population must know that any attack on German units or individual soldiers will be responded to by all means required by the situation. The example of Ascq must be
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