Halle (The Brussels Morning Newspaper): Jos Appelmans, former chairman of Halattraction and key figure in Halle’s carnival, passed away after over 20 years of service, deeply impacting the community and his successor, André Detournay.
Jos Appelmans, who was the chairman of Halattraction, the group that organizes the carnival celebrations in Halle, recently passed away. He had been in that role for over 20 years and was also named prince carnival in 1980. Appelmans was a key person in Halle’s carnival scene and his long service and important work for the association made his passing a significant event for the community.
What impact did Jos Appelmans have on Halle’s carnival community?
André Detournay, who took over as chairman of Halattraction after Appelmans, expressed the deep sadness felt by the organization. He said that hearing about Appelmans’ death was a very sad moment for the group. The phone call that brought the news was something they had feared and hoped to avoid, showing how much his loss affects both the association and the wider community.
André Detournay, the current chairman of Halattraction, emphasized that the term “figurehead” really describes Jos Appelmans’ role in the organization. Appelmans played a key part in making the Halle carnival a special event, spending 23 years helping it grow and succeed. His leadership showed deep commitment and passion, which greatly helped the festival become important in the community. Detournay also pointed out that Appelmans’ strong dedication was supported by his family. This mix of his personal commitment and family support was important in turning the carnival into the well-known event it is today. Appelmans’ influence on Halattraction and the Halle carnival shows his important contributions and lasting legacy.
“Jos still supported us with advice and assistance, this loss is very heavy”
(André Detournay, chairman Halattraction)
Appelmans was really important to both the Halle carnival community and André personally. André shared that he admired Jos since he was young and that Jos led the carnival for 23 years. Even after André took over his role last year, Jos was still there to offer advice and support. The news of his passing spread quickly and André mentioned that everyone is thinking of Jos’ family during this tough time.
