Georges Schoeters
Encyclopedia
George Schoeters was one of the founders and a leader of the Front de libération du Québec
terrorist
group in 1963. During World War II
, Schoeter worked as a courier for the Belgian Resistance
, thus beginning his clandestine career.
Born in Antwerp, Belgium
, Schoeters emigrated to Montreal
, Canada
in 1951 where he signed up for courses at the Université de Montréal
and as a left-wing activist, recruited others on campus. A person who supported the idea of armed revolution
, in the late 1950s he went to Algeria
for training with the National Liberation Front
(FLN). In the early 1960s, he joined the Rassemblement pour l'indépendance nationale
(RIN), a Quebec
political organization dedicated to the promotion of Quebec independence
from Canada. Through the RIN, Schoeters met Raymond Villeneuve
and Gabriel Hudon, left-wing radicals who supported his belief in armed revolution
.
An admirer of Fidel Castro
and Che Guevara
, Schoeters made repeated visits to Cuba
through the Institute of Agrarian Reform in the early 1960s. Returning to Quebec Georges Schoeters, Raymond Villeneuve, and Gabriel Hudon formed the terrorist organization, the Front de libération du Québec
(FLQ). The group's declarations called for a Marxist
insurrection, the overthrow of the Quebec government, the independence of Quebec from Canada and the establishment of a workers' society. Financed by armed bank robberies
, Schoeters and members of the FLQ launched a campaign of repeated bombings in the city of Montreal and resulted in the accidental death of a night watchmen.
While Schoeters was arrested on June 16, 1963 and convicted of terrorist activities, the Crown Attorney
was unable to gather sufficient evidence to prove him guilty of murder as they did with fellow terrorists, Raymond Villeneuve and Gabriel Hudon. Schoeters was quoted, following his arrest as saying "When fourteen years old I was made prisoner by the Germans, but they treated me better than the Montreal police." Sentenced to two five-year terms, to run concurrently, Schoeters was released in 1966 after serving less than three years in prison. He immediately left Canada and never returned through legal means of entry.
Georges Schoeters is reported to have recently died somewhere in Europe
.
Front de libération du Québec
The Front de libération du Québec was a left-wing Quebecois nationalist and Marxist-Leninist paramilitary group in Quebec, Canada. It was active between 1963 and 1970, and was regarded as a terrorist organization for its violent methods of action...
terrorist
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
group in 1963. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Schoeter worked as a courier for the Belgian Resistance
Belgian resistance
Belgian resistance during World War II to the occupation of Belgium by Nazi Germany took different forms. "The Belgian Resistance" was the common name for the Netwerk van de weerstand - Réseau de Résistance or Resistance Network , a group of partisans fighting the Nazis...
, thus beginning his clandestine career.
Born in Antwerp, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Schoeters emigrated to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 1951 where he signed up for courses at the Université de Montréal
Université de Montréal
The Université de Montréal is a public francophone research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It comprises thirteen faculties, more than sixty departments and two affiliated schools: the École Polytechnique and HEC Montréal...
and as a left-wing activist, recruited others on campus. A person who supported the idea of armed revolution
Revolution
A revolution is a fundamental change in power or organizational structures that takes place in a relatively short period of time.Aristotle described two types of political revolution:...
, in the late 1950s he went to Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
for training with the National Liberation Front
National Liberation Front (Algeria)
The National Liberation Front is a socialist political party in Algeria. It was set up on November 1, 1954 as a merger of other smaller groups, to obtain independence for Algeria from France.- Anticolonial struggle :...
(FLN). In the early 1960s, he joined the Rassemblement pour l'indépendance nationale
Rassemblement pour l'indépendance nationale
The Rassemblement pour l'Indépendance Nationale was a political organization dedicated to the promotion of Quebec national independence from Canada.-History:...
(RIN), a Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
political organization dedicated to the promotion of Quebec independence
Independence
Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
from Canada. Through the RIN, Schoeters met Raymond Villeneuve
Raymond Villeneuve
Raymond Villeneuve is a Canadian political activist.Villeneuve remained out of the spotlight as he was volunteering for the Parti Québécois from 1988 until the 1995 referendum...
and Gabriel Hudon, left-wing radicals who supported his belief in armed revolution
Revolution
A revolution is a fundamental change in power or organizational structures that takes place in a relatively short period of time.Aristotle described two types of political revolution:...
.
An admirer of Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
and Che Guevara
Che Guevara
Ernesto "Che" Guevara , commonly known as el Che or simply Che, was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, intellectual, guerrilla leader, diplomat and military theorist...
, Schoeters made repeated visits to Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
through the Institute of Agrarian Reform in the early 1960s. Returning to Quebec Georges Schoeters, Raymond Villeneuve, and Gabriel Hudon formed the terrorist organization, the Front de libération du Québec
Front de libération du Québec
The Front de libération du Québec was a left-wing Quebecois nationalist and Marxist-Leninist paramilitary group in Quebec, Canada. It was active between 1963 and 1970, and was regarded as a terrorist organization for its violent methods of action...
(FLQ). The group's declarations called for a Marxist
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
insurrection, the overthrow of the Quebec government, the independence of Quebec from Canada and the establishment of a workers' society. Financed by armed bank robberies
Bank robbery
Bank robbery is the crime of stealing from a bank during opening hours. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reporting Program, robbery is "the taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of...
, Schoeters and members of the FLQ launched a campaign of repeated bombings in the city of Montreal and resulted in the accidental death of a night watchmen.
While Schoeters was arrested on June 16, 1963 and convicted of terrorist activities, the Crown Attorney
Crown attorney
Crown Attorneys or Crown Counsel are the prosecutors in the legal system of Canada.Crown Attorneys represent the Crown and act as prosecutor in proceedings under the Criminal Code of Canada...
was unable to gather sufficient evidence to prove him guilty of murder as they did with fellow terrorists, Raymond Villeneuve and Gabriel Hudon. Schoeters was quoted, following his arrest as saying "When fourteen years old I was made prisoner by the Germans, but they treated me better than the Montreal police." Sentenced to two five-year terms, to run concurrently, Schoeters was released in 1966 after serving less than three years in prison. He immediately left Canada and never returned through legal means of entry.
Georges Schoeters is reported to have recently died somewhere in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.