In memoriam : our chief editor Ludwig Janssens

Farewell to a good friend and the driving force behind Floor Forum International, our chief editor Ludwig Janssens

In memoriam … our friend

The entire Floor Forum International team is in mourning. Last month, we heard that our chief editor Ludwig Janssens had passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. His death is a sad loss for his family and friends, but for us as well. In this article we pay tribute to this creative and talented all-rounder, who was one of the driving forces behind Floor Forum & Floor Forum International for over 20 years.

Ludwig grew up in Mechelen and went to school at Sint-Rombouts College, where he studied Greek and Latin. And so, it was no coincidence that quotations in Latin featured regularly in his texts. Ludwig was a creative spirit. His old school reports testified to that: ‘Ludwig is too playful and still doesn’t take his studies seriously enough. And so, obviously, his results suffer. We hope that he will take his work more seriously in the future.’ Yet at the same time he always got full marks for kindness, honesty, and helpfulness. That’s the Ludwig whom we’ve always known.

Love for the catering sector After his humanities studies, Ludwig intended to study for a degree in law, but those plans were thwarted by his love of cuisine. Ludwig discontinued his studies and committed himself heart and soul to his own restaurant in Leuven. Ludwig followed that up with a few other catering establishments, but finally he settled at the Wingerd, a fish restuarant in Vismarkt in Mechelen (B).

Proverba In the restaurant, however, Ludwig could not express all his creativity to the full. He also readily took up his pen, and that’s why he set up the editorial office Proverba, concentrating mainly on trade journals. For many years he wrote about fire prevention for the Fireforum Magazine. Furthermore, he not only started work for the magazines Floor Forum and Floor Forum International, but also he discovered that our Il Nostro Ristorante magazine was right up his street, as was our consumer publication Parket & Laminaat. That proved to be a fruitful partnership which lasted over 20 years and meant a lot both to him and to us.

Talented writer Ludwig was a naturally gifted writer. A former school classmate told us the following anecdote. ‘I met Ludwig when I was fourteen. I sat next to him at school for one term. One Monday morning, Ludwig suddenly realised that he’d forgotten to write an essay. He took out a double sheet and wrote the essay in full in under 15 minutes. A few days later, he found that his essay was given a ten, whilst I had to content myself with a six for my weekend essay.’

Flowing texts Readers greatly appreciated Ludwig’s flowing written style. His interesting and informative texts were often seasoned with a touch of wit or personal experiences, and that made his writing all the more pleasant to read. His contribution and commitment were major factors in Floor Forum International success as one of the world’s most respected trade journals within the sector.

His own novel His passion for writing extended beyond trade journals. Recently, he had also started writing fiction. He devoted himself to the latter in Croatia, a place close to his heart. Last year, he spent several months on the Adriatic coast to work on his own novels amidst the peace and quiet. His first book was largely complete and his children are planning to publish it.

On and around the tennis court Ludwig had another major love in his life. He was a big tennis fan. Although he’d hung up his tennis racquet some years ago due to health reasons, he could still be found almost every day on the tennis club terrace. Moreover, he was also chairman of Hombeek Tennis Club in Mechelen for 10 years, something to which he devoted himself fully.

Determined, and sometimes too much so Ludwig was always adamant that he was right. He liked to use his wit to argue for his point of view, but on occasions he did go a bit too far. A story told by a friend testifies to this. ‘We witnessed such a moment during a trip with family and friends to the renowned restaurant of TV chef Piet Huysentruyt, Likoké, in the South of France. On the way to France, Ludwig proudly told us he had already savoured Piet’s culinary skills. Indeed, some years earlier, he’d eaten in Piet Huysentruyt’s De Snippe restaurant in Bruges. After an excellent meal in every respect, Ludwig mentioned this to the wine steward, who happened to be Piet Huysentruyt’s son. The young man replied cautiously and politely: ‘But, sir, I’d be very surprised if that’s true; as far as I know, my father’s never had a restaurant in Bruges.’ Ludwig replied with his customary forcefulness: ‘It’s true, I’ve been there. It was the De Snippe restaurant in Bruges.’ Once again, Mr Huysentruyt junior displayed all his patience and etiquette and said: ‘But, sir, I’m really not sure about that. My father’s never had a restaurant in Bruges.’ After a further lengthy exchange of views in which Mr Huysentruyt junior showed remarkable patience, Ludwig remarked suddenly with a touch of arrogance and a little pointedly: ‘Yes, but how old are you? It was probably before your time.’ Whilst Mr Huysentruyt junior gave a look of astonishment, Ludwig’s son and Ludwig’s best friend both searched frantically on their smart phones to check this out. The De Snippe restaurant in Bruges certainly does exist! The manager is no one less than, yes, Luc Huysentruyt. However, he is not related to our famous Piet and has no connection with him. Ludwig’s friends and family never let him forget that moment! The passion with which he argued his unproven point was typical of Ludwig.’

A few words from Filip Ludwig, it’s not easy to say goodbye. We had loads of discussions during our 20 years of working together. You inspired me, you asked questions. You often called me a simpleton, usually in jest, but sometimes rightfully so. Sometimes, you were angry because one of our clients hadn’t sent their information, and when I telephoned to ask when you’d have a text ready, it was in my mail box before I knew it. A super writer, a man with charisma, a most pleasant character, always ready, always with a dash of wit. A go-getter like no other, one of the reasons why we got on well, a true friend! You’ll always live on in my heart.

We’ll meet again, wherever you are, but we’ll have to wait a while, buddy? Rest in peace, I think you’ve more than earned it. Your publishing chum.