We all know that during the Middle Ages Europe was stricken by large epidemics. Most lethal of them was without any doubt the plague, which until about 1750 appeared regularly.

These disasters of course have also hit Bastogne. In 1706 indeed a large part of the population became a victim of the illness. No traces of it have been found, because the parochial death registers only have been kept since 1721.

But another strike of the illness in 1726 shows us what this really means.

Whereas in the parochial registers between 1721 and 1726 only a few deceases a month were recorded, it can be remarked that suddenly in September and October 1726 the number of deaths starts to increase : two, three, sometimes four people die each day, most of them being children at a low age.

In normal circum-stances the name of the deceased person is carefully registered, as well as the name of his parents. But considering the hurry in which they had to proceed, everything is limited to the strict minimum : a name, or simply the entry “child of …”.

When we have a closer look at these long lists, we occasionally come upon the name DELPERDANGE, as is shown in these two examples : “Théodore Delperdange adolescent” or “child of Pierre Delperdange”.