Amsterdam Nieuw-West , North Holland, Netherlands — Northwestern Europe

Chris Lebeau

Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, September 16, 2023

1. Chris Lebeau Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Joris Johannes Christiaan Lebeau 1878-1945

Chris Lebeau was een veelzijdig en productief kunstenaar. Naast schilderijen maakte hij toegepaste kunst, waaronder keramiek, glas in lood, batikken, muurschilderingen, boek- banden, houtsneden, decors, kostuums en postzegels, zoals de cijferpostzegels in art nouveaustijl. Zijn vrije werk bestaat uit stillevens, (naakt)portretten en landschappen. Lebeau was overtuigd anarchist, at geen vlees en dronk geen alcohol. Hij zag het kunstenaarschap als een sociale taak, waarbij hij als docent ook karaktervorming benadrukte. Tot aan de dood was hij trouw aan zijn overtuigingen. Zo wenste hij geen glazen te maken waar alcohol uit gedronken zou worden en was hij tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog actief in het verzet. Vanwege hulp aan Joodse Nederlanders werd hij opgepakt. Een aanbod om vrijgelaten te worden als hij stopte met zijn verzetswerk wees hij af. Hij kwam in concentratiekamp Dachau terecht. Hier week hij niet af van zijn vegetarische levensstijl. Hij stierf vlak voor de bevrijding door uitputting.

(English translation:)

Chris

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Lebeau was a versatile and productive artist. In addition to paintings, he made applied art, including ceramics, stained glass, batik, murals, book bindings, woodcuts, sets, costumes and stamps, such as the Dutch “number” stamps in Art Nouveau style. His free work consists of still lifes, (nude) portraits and landscapes. Lebeau was a convinced anarchist, did not eat meat and did not drink alcohol. He saw being an artist as a social task, where as a teacher he also emphasized character development. He was true to his beliefs until death. For example, he did not want to make glasses from which alcohol would be consumed, and he was active in the resistance during the Second World War. He was arrested for helping Jewish Dutch people. He rejected an offer to be released if he stopped his resistance work. He ended up in Dachau concentration camp. Here he did not deviate from his vegetarian lifestyle. He died of exhaustion just before the liberation.

Erected by Geef Straten Een Gezicht.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Arts, Letters, Music. In addition, it is included in the Give Streets a Face / Geef Straten Een Gezicht series list.

Location. 52° 21.748′ N, 4° 50.303′ E. Marker is in Amsterdam, Noord-Holland (North

Chris Lebeau Marker - wide view image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, September 16, 2023

2. Chris Lebeau Marker - wide view

Holland). It is in Amsterdam Nieuw-West. Marker is at the intersection of Chris Lebeaustraat and Thorn Prikkerstraat, on the right when traveling north on Chris Lebeaustraat. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: Chris Lebeaustraat 6, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland 1062 DC, Netherlands. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Marius Bauer (within shouting distance of this marker); August Allebé (about 90 meters away, measured in a direct line); Louise Marie Loeber (about 120 meters away); Antoon Derkinderen (about 120 meters away); Thorn Prikker (about 120 meters away); Anton Waldorp (about 180 meters away); Charles Leickert (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); Jan Sluijters (approx. 0.3 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Amsterdam.

Also see . . . Chris Lebeau (Wikipedia, in German).

Excerpt (in translation): After the Nazis came to power in Germany, Lebeau entered into a marriage of convenience with a Jewish woman who had fled the Nazis. In November 1943, both were arrested on the grounds that they had offered to help Jewish Dutch people. Lebeau took all responsibility, which freed his wife. He himself would also have been released from prison if he had promised not to engage in illegal activities such as forging documents in the future. Lebeau refused this and was sent to Kamp Vught in February 1944. In May 1944 he
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was sent to the Dachau concentration camp. Here, too, he remained a vegetarian, gave some of his food to fellow prisoners and, for example, refused to eat soup because he assumed it contained meat. He died of typhus in Dachau.

(Submitted on October 1, 2023.)

Credits. This page was last revised on December 31, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 30, 2023, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 58 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on September 30, 2023, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. 2. submitted on October 1, 2023, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.