September 1, 2015
No. 179
Dr. Dimitri de Perlinghi and Professor Jérome de Perlinghi are visiting Taiwan between August 31 and September 6 to attend commemorative activities for the 70th anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance against Japan at the invitation of the Republic of China government. Dr. Perlinghi is the eldest son and Professor Perlinghi a grandson of the late Dr. Siou-Ling Tsien de Perlinghi, a Chinese Belgian revered for her successful efforts to save many Belgians from German persecution during World War II.
These two family members of Dr. de Perlinghi will have an audience with President Ma Ying-jeou and meet with Minister of Foreign Affairs David Y. L. Lin. In addition to related activities, such as the Truth of the Second Sino-Japanese War exhibit at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, they will visit the National Palace Museum, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, and Taipei 101.
After traveling to Belgium in 1929, Madame de Perlinghi earned a doctoral degree with honors in chemistry at only 22 years of age. Following the German invasion of Belgium in 1940, patriotic movements sprung up throughout the country. In 1943, Dr. de Perlinghi learned of a captured anti-Nazi activist about to be hung and immediately sought his release. One of her first cousins, Lt. General Tsien Zhuo-lun of the ROC Army, happened to be an old acquaintance of General Alexander von Falkenhausen, the highest commander of the German occupation forces in Belgian and northern France. Dr. de Perlinghi accordingly appealed to the general to release the Belgian youth, and later repeated her request for mercy for over 200 other war prisoners, all of whom were spared.
Out of appreciation of Dr. de Perlinghi’s extraordinary deeds, the Belgian government bestowed a medal upon her and the city of Ecaussinnes named a street after her after the war. As the country observes the 70th anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance against Japan, her great compassion, immense courage, and selfless dedication are especially worthy of commemoration and respect. (E)