Albert Serreyn 

-Working at Zevenkerken Abbey and Infiltration of Organisation Todt
When the war broke out, Albert was 25 years old and worked as an accountant at the Abbey of Zevenkerken, where the German Organisation Todt (Oberbauleitung Belgien) had set up its headquarters. This Nazi construction corps was responsible for the creation of military defense structures, including the Atlantic Wall. Thanks to his position, Albert was able to gather valuable information about strategic construction plans and troop movements, which was crucial for the resistance.

Member of the Armed Resistance – The Partisan Army
Albert became a member of the Partisan Army, an armed branch of the Front of Independence. Initially, he carried out small-scale sabotage actions, but over time, his struggle escalated. His activities included:
- Sabotaging trains and railways to disrupt German supplies
- Gathering information on the activities of Organisation Todt
- Tracking down and eliminating collaborators
- Transporting and distributing weapons to the resistance

The Bruges branch of the Partisan Army was founded in April 1941 by Henri De Meyer and Lucien Vrielynck. By recruiting many members along the coast, they moved their area of operation to the coast. Among the members were primarily dock workers and laborers. This group focused on sabotage and organizing strikes in various factories. However, the group faced severe repression. Henri De Meyer was arrested in November 1943, and leadership passed to his fiancée, Simonne Danneels, alias Madame Paula. But she also had to go into hiding after a while, as the Germans were watching her. Albert Serreyn, who had previously led the Partisan Army in Sint-Andries, then took over the leadership.

-Betrayal and Arrest in May 1944
In May 1944, Albert and his group planned a sabotage operation on a German train near Aalter. However, the operation was betrayed by André Van Beveren, an infiltrator who worked for the Sipo-SD (and had a history of betrayal). At the time of the attack, the Nazis were waiting for them. Of the twenty resistance members, most were arrested on the spot, but Albert managed to escape and quickly biked back to his home in Sint-Andries.

However, his hiding place was not safe. The Gestapo had also targeted his home address. On May 26, 1944, while his sister Bertha warned him from a tower, the Nazis arrived. Albert tried to flee but was shot in the leg and captured in a cornfield. He was taken to the Ghent prison, where he endured heavy torture. Witnesses later stated that he was horrifically beaten, but he never revealed any names.

-Execution on June 2, 1944, in Oostakker
Normally, Albert would have been sent to a concentration camp, but on June 2, 1944, the Germans wanted to take revenge for a resistance attack on their officers. They selected several political prisoners for execution. In a field in Oostakker, a pit was dug, and the condemned had to sit in front of it with a target on their chest. Without mercy, they were executed. Albert Serreyn was 29 years old at the time.

-Bertha Serreyn and the Aftermath
Albert was not the only member of his family involved in the resistance. His younger sister, Bertha Serreyn, was a courier and took part in sabotage actions. On the same day as Albert's arrest, she too was captured. She endured heavy torture in Bruges and Brussels, but she refused to reveal any names or information. She was only freed on September 1, 1944.

After the war, the bodies of the executed prisoners were found by American troops. The Serreyn family received a package containing the few remains of Albert: a lock of hair, a penknife, a piece of a tooth, and some clothing. Bertha personally went to collect his remains.
Of the twenty resistance members arrested in May 1944, only seven survived the war. The others died by execution, in concentration camps, or during the death marches.

-Recognition and Commemoration
In 1944, the original Dorpsstraat in Sint-Andries was renamed Albert Serreynstraat in tribute to his courage and sacrifice.
Years later, a request was made to commemorate him during the annual military ceremony at the Abbey of Zevenkerken, where he had once worked and where the Belgian army had secretly hidden flags and standards during the war. However, the request was denied because Albert was part of the civilian resistance, and it was believed this did not fit with the military commemoration—a missed opportunity to honor his heroic deeds.

His younger sister, Marie-Louise, who escaped arrest as a minor because she was caring for her sick mother, kept the memory of her brother and sister alive. She passed away on May 4, 2016.

Albert Serreyn remains a symbol of determination and courage in the fight against oppression. His actions and sacrifices should never be forgotten.