Leuven’s Meyboom Damaged by Garbage Truck, Now Shorter

Leuven’s historic Meyboom tree, a centuries-old symbol of local pride and tradition, was knocked over by a garbage truck during the night of September 3-4. City green services have since restored the tree to an upright position on the Grote Markt, but it now stands approximately one meter shorter than before the incident, according to VRT NWS.

A Cherished Symbol Damaged

The Meyboom — literally “May tree” — was planted on August 9 as part of a tradition dating back to the 13th century. The incident has struck a chord with Leuven residents, for whom the tree represents far more than a simple decoration. The trunk snapped just above ground level when the garbage truck struck it, leaving the tree lying on the square before workers from the city’s green services arrived to set it upright again.

Leuven police spokesperson Marc Vranckx confirmed that clear camera footage captured the incident. “The footage shows how a garbage truck from a collection service gives the tree a bump,” Vranckx told HLN. Police have contacted the waste collection company responsible.

Steven Daenens, chairman of the Mannen van 1979 — the current generation of traditional Meyboom planters — learned of the incident when police arrived unannounced at his door. “When I arrived here on the Grote Markt, the green services had fortunately already set the tree upright again,” Daenens said, expressing relief that the symbol had been preserved.

An Unusual Location

The accident may have been exacerbated by the tree’s unusual placement this year. Because of extensive renovation works at the historic Leuven city hall — a landmark Gothic building expected to undergo roughly five years of restoration — the Meyboom was placed in the Christmas tree pit across from St. Peter’s Church rather than its traditional spot in front of the city hall, as VRT NWS reported when the renovation began.

The temporary location was selected after organizers insisted the tree must remain on the Grote Markt. “Our usual spot can’t be used this year,” Daenens explained ahead of the planting. “But our tree has to be on the Grote Markt — there could be no discussion about that. As a solution, we’ll use the Christmas tree pit,” he said in July, as reported by VRT NWS.

Daenens noted the irony of the situation with characteristic humor. “A Christmas tree perhaps stands out a bit better and they don’t knock it over so quickly,” he quipped. “For next year we might have to make the decorative crown in fluorescent colors.”

A Centuries-Old Rivalry

The Meyboom tradition is rooted in a legendary 1213 conflict between Leuven and Brussels, when Brussels residents, aided by the Companions of St. Lawrence, defeated Leuven attackers at a wedding feast. As a reward, the Duke of Brabant granted Brussels the right to plant a Meyboom annually on August 9 before 17:00 — a privilege that would pass to Leuven if the deadline was missed, according to the official Leuven Meyboom website.

The rivalry took a dramatic turn in 1974 when François Breckpot and the Mannen van 1929 from Leuven successfully stole the Brussels Meyboom, disguising themselves as journalists to discover the selected tree before cutting it down at night and transporting it to Leuven. They left a mocking note on the stump: “Brussels residents, your tree stood here, the Leuven residents have run off with it.” Since then, both cities claim to plant the “real” Meyboom, as documented by the Mannen van 1979.

This year marked the 53rd consecutive year that Leuven beat Brussels in the race, with the tree planted at 16:45 — a quarter of an hour before the feared deadline. “They still think they have the real tree, but we know better,” organizers said triumphantly at the time, as HLN reported.

Community Resilience and Looking Ahead

Despite the damage, the restored tree will remain in place for the annual jaarmarkt (fair) scheduled in Leuven next week, ensuring the tradition continues uninterrupted. The incident has also drawn attention to the challenges of preserving cultural heritage during urban development, as OpenNieuws noted.

Questions remain about whether the waste collection company will face consequences for the damage and whether the tree will survive in its shortened state until its traditional removal after the second Sunday of September. For now, the people of Leuven can take comfort in knowing their beloved symbol stands tall once again — even if it is one meter closer to the ground.