The Witches' Guild of Laarne was founded in 2004 by "chief witch" Vera Bertin as a start to the year 2007 in which the witch trials of 1607 were commemorated with the grand historical evocation "WITCH and Fire" in and around Laarne Castle. "Just as the Noose Bearers are ambassadors for the city of Ghent, a "Witches' Guild" could mean the same for Laarne and Kalken," says Vera. (NB)
The Witch - Paul De Bont In 2017, the Heksengilde van Laarne donated the statue The Witch by Paul De Bont to the Local Board of Laarne. She bought the statue with the support of the Province of East Flanders. It was given a place in the Kasteeldreef (near the Hoogstraat), the tourist connecting road in the village center of Laarne. In this way, the Witches' Guild wants to keep the local witch's persecutions of 1607 alive in the collective memory. The statue is made of stainless steel and stands on a concrete base.