Last week I told you about how I’d been away from writing for a number of years but in my passion for reading about the First World War era I came across a reference to a valiant little newspaper called La Libre Belgique.
The origin of this Belgian newspaper is a rich one, and began before the First World War. In 1884, two brothers, Victor and Louis Jourdain, began printing a newspaper called The Patriot, which became one of the leading newspapers printed independently but affiliated with the Catholic Church (separation of church and state is evidently a little different overseas!). When the Germans invaded in 1914, every legitimate newspaper like The Patriot was expected to submit to the censorship of the German Imperial Army. Any newspaper which did not allow itself to be taken over by the Germans simply shut down, refusing to print German propaganda.
But Victor Jourdain wasn’t satisfied with just shutting down. He’d been a staunch pacifist for years and, unlike the rest of Europe at the time, had been against Belgium building any armaments. Mr. Jourdain sincerely believed in the treaty, an agreement signed by neighboring countries that stated Belgium should be left alone and allowed to stay neutral should a fight break out between other European countries. His faith in this agreement, unfortunately, was proven a mistake when Germany marched right through Belgium on their way to conquer France. An added insult was the Kaiser calling the treaty “nothing but a scrap of paper.”
Mr. Jourdain took the invasion—and in particular that proclamation—especially hard. Perhaps since he’d been so public about his pacifistic beliefs and was disillusioned by reality. Maybe even embarrassed that his faith had proven idealistic, naïve.
Being proven wrong was probably, at least in part, why he was willing to invest his own money, his time, energy and insight into an underground, uncensored newssheet. His beloved Belgium was being invaded, people killed, property destroyed, because Belgium’s limited army was certainly no match against Germany. The invasion was just the beginning of four years of occupation and control.
As I mentioned above, the Germans wanted to oversee information, and produced only “news” of their own. One of the papers the Germans distributed was called La Belgique (The Belgium). It was full of propaganda about the “care and concern” of the Germans for the Belgian people, as well as touting the victories of their army—all the while trying to sound as if a Belgian wrote it.
Victor Jourdain thought La Belgique was poison. He was afraid some Belgians would be swayed by the lies the Germans printed about how wonderful it would be when Germany’s expansion was complete. So Victor decided to supply an antidote: La Libre Belgique: Free Belgium. Under his anonymous direction, using his considerable fortune, Victor Jourdain began writing and editing a newssheet that was to last the duration of the war and beyond—but at the expense of fortunes, freedom and many lives.
Who could resist telling such a story? Certainly not me. Do you see why I write historicals? History is full of tales just like this, adventure stories just waiting to be told. And that’s what I did in Whisper on the Wind.
Since no one who worked for La Libre Belgique ever knew who inspired or financed the newspaper, Victor Jourdain is never mentioned in my book. Instead, it’s about Edward, who is willing to risk his life so this paper can continue to be distributed—even though to be caught would mean certain death.
Edward never intends to put anyone else at risk, particularly the obstinate heroine Isa. But he can’t stop himself from doing what is right, and although he tries, he can’t stop Isa, either. Together they join a war of words that could cost them their lives.
All the while falling in love…
That’s a bit of the background for the inspiration behind Whisper on the Wind. Check back next Monday for why this book was written with a non-stop smile on my face.
To read a 1938 Time Magazine article that refers back to La Libre Belgique, click here.
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