The king's entourage was driving from the airport into the city when it slowed to enable the monarch to stand and salute the flag of an honour guard of the Force Publique drawn up by the side of the road. A widely published photograph, taken by journalist Robert Lebeck, shows an exuberant Ambroise Boimbo, in jacket and tie, flourishing the sword while Baudouin and Congolese President Joseph Kasa-Vubu appear unaware of the incident.[1] Further photographs taken by Lebeck show Boimbo encircled by Belgian and Congolese colonial gendarmes, as they wrestled him to the ground. According to media reports the "nationalist demonstrator" was taken away in a police vehicle but released later the same day at the king's request. The sword was apparently quickly retrieved and returned to King Baudouin, who was filmed wearing it at the Independence speech-making ceremonies the next day on June 30.
Ambroise Boimbo subsequently worked as an electrician. He died in 1981 and is interred at the Kintambo cemetery.[2]
Legacy
To some commentators the seizure of the sword symbolized the real independence of the Congo,[3] although others saw it as simply an instance of high-spirited behavior at a time of celebration.
A small Belgian film crew travelled to the Congo in 2009 and 2010 to document their search for Boimbo, releasing a documentary, Boyamba Belgique, or, Why a king should not lose his sword.[4]
^Etambala, Zana Aziza (2013), "How We Found Ambroise Boimbo, the Man Who Stole King Baudouin's Sword", in Museum Folkwang (ed.), Voyage Retour, Göttingen: Edition Folkwang/Steidl, pp. 38–43, ISBN978-3-86930-744-2. Van Nieuwenhove, Henk (2010-05-25). "De sabelpikker ontmaskerd". Campuskrant of KU Leuven (in Dutch). Retrieved 2022-04-20.
^Belgische filmploeg vindt man die sable van koning Boudewijn roofde, De Morgen, 3 mei 2010
^Engels, Dries; De Waele, Ellen; Serendipity Films; Canvas (Television station : Belgium); Radio-Télévision belge de la communauté culturelle française; Iota Production (Firm); Film Platform (2010). Boyamba Belgique, or, Why a king should not lose his sword. OCLC 1158195647.
^"Quick questions with renowned South African artist Mary Sibande". Wanted Online. 30 September 2019. from the original on 2019-12-30. Retrieved 2020-10-01.
ambroise, boimbo, died, 1981, congolese, citizen, snatched, ceremonial, sword, king, baudouin, belgium, june, 1960, léopoldville, kinshasa, independence, belgian, congo, former, soldier, originated, from, monkoto, tshuapa, bornmonkoto, tshuapa, colonial, congo. Ambroise Boimbo died 1981 was a Congolese citizen who snatched the ceremonial sword of King Baudouin I of Belgium on June 29 1960 in Leopoldville now Kinshasa on the eve of the independence of the Belgian Congo He was a former soldier who originated from Monkoto Tshuapa Ambroise BoimboBornMonkoto Tshuapa Colonial CongoDied1981 1982 Burial placeKintambo Cemetery Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the CongoNationalityCongoleseOccupation s Electrician former soldierKnown forSnatching King Baudouin of Belgium s ceremonial sword just before the Belgian Congo s independenceThe king s entourage was driving from the airport into the city when it slowed to enable the monarch to stand and salute the flag of an honour guard of the Force Publique drawn up by the side of the road A widely published photograph taken by journalist Robert Lebeck shows an exuberant Ambroise Boimbo in jacket and tie flourishing the sword while Baudouin and Congolese President Joseph Kasa Vubu appear unaware of the incident 1 Further photographs taken by Lebeck show Boimbo encircled by Belgian and Congolese colonial gendarmes as they wrestled him to the ground According to media reports the nationalist demonstrator was taken away in a police vehicle but released later the same day at the king s request The sword was apparently quickly retrieved and returned to King Baudouin who was filmed wearing it at the Independence speech making ceremonies the next day on June 30 Ambroise Boimbo subsequently worked as an electrician He died in 1981 and is interred at the Kintambo cemetery 2 Legacy EditTo some commentators the seizure of the sword symbolized the real independence of the Congo 3 although others saw it as simply an instance of high spirited behavior at a time of celebration A small Belgian film crew travelled to the Congo in 2009 and 2010 to document their search for Boimbo releasing a documentary Boyamba Belgique or Why a king should not lose his sword 4 South African artist Mary Sibande noted an interest in Boimbo s motivations in a 2019 interview 5 References Edit Van Reybrouck David Congo pp 269 270 ISBN 978 0 00 756291 6 Etambala Zana Aziza 2013 How We Found Ambroise Boimbo the Man Who Stole King Baudouin s Sword in Museum Folkwang ed Voyage Retour Gottingen Edition Folkwang Steidl pp 38 43 ISBN 978 3 86930 744 2 Van Nieuwenhove Henk 2010 05 25 De sabelpikker ontmaskerd Campuskrant of KU Leuven in Dutch Retrieved 2022 04 20 Belgische filmploeg vindt man die sable van koning Boudewijn roofde De Morgen 3 mei 2010 Engels Dries De Waele Ellen Serendipity Films Canvas Television station Belgium Radio Television belge de la communaute culturelle francaise Iota Production Firm Film Platform 2010 Boyamba Belgique or Why a king should not lose his sword OCLC 1158195647 Quick questions with renowned South African artist Mary Sibande Wanted Online 30 September 2019 Archived from the original on 2019 12 30 Retrieved 2020 10 01 External links EditRobert Lebeck photo on the Stern website This biographical article about a person from the Democratic Republic of the Congo is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ambroise Boimbo amp oldid 1083785801, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
