About this place
De Sjouwer is a concrete monument in Aalbeke, a district of Kortrijk in West Flanders, Belgium, dedicated to the West Flemish seasonal workers who crossed the border to find jobs in France. The structure stands about 35 metres tall right beside the E17 motorway, next to the LAR industrial zone (Lauwe–Aalbeke–Rekkem).
What is De Sjouwer?
The name comes from a Flemish word for a hard-labouring porter, someone who carries and hauls for a living. The monument commemorates the thousands of Flemings who travelled abroad for work in the first half of the twentieth century. It is a geometric, sharply pointed concrete form, visible from far away to anyone driving along the motorway.
Who designed it, and when?
According to a description on Wikimedia Commons, the architect was Jacques Moeschal. The monument was inaugurated in October 1974, at the time the adjacent motorway section opened. It was conceived as part of the landscape around the new road rather than as a stand-alone attraction in a town centre.
Why does it stand on a hill?
The monument rises from an artificial hill. While the motorway was being built, a layer of loam was removed to reach stable ground, and the spoil was shaped into a mound. The concrete form sits on top, so it towers over its surroundings and reads clearly from the road.
Who is it for?
It honours West Flemish workers who, between 1930 and 1960, took seasonal jobs in northern France, in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region. Many left for months at a time and then returned home. This kind of labour migration was an important chapter in the region's social history.
The symbolism of the shape
According to visitor tips, the highest peak of the concrete structure points toward France, the direction in which the workers travelled. The monument stands beside the carriageway leading from France into Belgium, so drivers heading home from the south pass it as one of the first signs of being back in Flanders.
Visiting
The monument is seen mainly from the E17, though it can also be approached by local roads. It makes a good short stop for fans of concrete architecture, postwar outdoor sculpture and labour history. It sits in an industrial area, so do not expect typical tourist facilities here.
Frequently asked questions
Where is De Sjouwer? In Aalbeke, part of Kortrijk, beside the E17 motorway and the LAR industrial zone.
How tall is it? About 35 metres.
Who designed it? Jacques Moeschal, according to a Wikimedia Commons description.
Who is it dedicated to? West Flemish seasonal workers who worked in France.
When was it inaugurated? In October 1974.
What is it made of? Concrete.
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