LUCIEN STEINBERG

Lucien Steinberg

Lucien Steinberg was born on the 16th of June 1920 in The Hague where his parents had taken refuge at the beginning of the First World War. Later, back in Belgium and after finishing his middle studies at the Koninklijk Atheneum of Antwerp; he started his university studies at the faculty of Medicine at the Université Libre de Bruxelles.

Consequently to the outbreak of the World War II, he had to stop his studies after the first year. He volunteered to the Free Belgian Forces and via the South of France, Spain and Portugal he managed to reach the United States of America . Transferred to the UK he rejoined the Brigade Piron and took part at the Normandy landing. During these battles he was seriously wounded at the spine which will leave him with a permanent invalidity. After his demobilization, he decided not to take up his university studies again, but started, with a family member, a diamond business.

Just as his father, Léon Steinberg, did before him, he is initiated in 1948 in the Free Masons Lodge “Les Amis du Commerce et la Persévérance Réunis” in Antwerp.

Lucien Steinberg was an exemplary son, a true patriot, a brave soldier, a loving husband and father, an excellent friend, an honest businessman and a diligent philanthropist. His deep humility and discretion impressed everyone who knew him and underlined all the more his many qualities. Always committed to others he would help and advice widows and orphans, be a tireless mediator in litigious problems of whatever nature. One could rightly wonder where this man found the time and the energy to spend so much for so many.

Where sò many tried to hold the spotlights when they would have done better to stay in the shade, he preferred to stay humble.

After long months of a painful and dragging disease he left us on the 1st of April 1972.
At his funeral one of our Brothers said: “Such was the Man we mourn: for us he will remain the Righteous Person, the Master, whose life is an example of what we would like to achieve. This wonderful existence exhorts us to contribute to the realization of a better world for us and those around us. Let us keep his memory as an inspirational source for his family, his Brethren and all those who had the privilege to approach him.

Well aware of his nearing end he decided to give to his Lodge the necessary financial resources for a prize dedicated to medical research.