Cecile Beernaert, grandmother of witness [[Regina Louf]] (X1), operated a brothel at a hotel-villa in Knokke-Heist, Belgium, during World War II, catering to Nazi officers stationed in the area. Widowed after the war, Beernaert continued running establishments in the region, including a house at Golfpad 4, 8300 Knokke, tucked behind Elizabetlaan 83, on the northwestern boundary of the [[Royal Zoute Golf Club]]. Louf claimed Beernaert prostituted her from age two at these locations, using the properties for sexual exploitation of young girls provided to clients including politicians and businessmen. Beernaert, known as Madame Cecile, managed the girls with threats of violence, including beatings with a metal ruler and gun pointed at temples for non-compliance. The brothel operated from the 1970s, with Louf describing two rooms: one for mutual acts between children, the other for quick encounters where men undressed minimally. Beernaert filmed some sessions and used a basement studio for pornography production, distributing materials through networks linked to [[Michel Nihoul]]. Louf's testimony in the [[X-Dossier]] identified the site as a venue for elite abusers, with clients arriving from the golf club.[^1] Beernaert's operations involved grooming Louf and other children, including friend [[Chantal Storme]], forcing them into sexual acts with each other and clients. Louf stated Beernaert consoled them post-abuse but enforced participation with physical punishment. The house at Golfpad 4 served as a primary location, with Beernaert controlling access and ensuring silence. Louf recalled being branded and forced into acts with dogs during this period. Beernaert's husband, a former police commissioner in Knokke-Heist, provided cover, allowing the brothel to function near the Royal Zoute Golf Club, patronized by nobles and elites including the [[Count Leopold Lippens]] family, who owned the club through Count Maurice Auguste Lippens. Beernaert's activities extended to the 1980s, where Louf was sold to pimp [[Tony Van den Boggaert]] around age 12, transitioning her to Nihoul's parties.[^1] Beernaert's establishment catered to high-profile clients, with Louf identifying [[Paul Vanden Boeynants]] and Lippens as visitors. The brothel's proximity to the golf club facilitated access for these figures. Louf described rooms equipped for abuse, with Beernaert directing girls to specific areas for oral sex, anal penetration, and other acts, often under duress. She stated Beernaert participated in consoling after sessions but initiated threats if clients were refused. The basement studio contained cameras for recording, linking to Nihoul's blackmail operations where videos captured elite participants. Beernaert's role as a madam involved selecting and preparing girls, ensuring they met client demands at the Knokke location and related venues in the area.[^1] ### Role in Exploitation Beernaert raised Louf for prostitution, starting with acts at age two, forcing her into oral and anal sex with men, filmed for sale. Louf recalled mutual sexual acts with other children in one room, while the "quick pleasures" room hosted individual encounters. Beernaert enforced compliance by hitting fingers with an iron ruler and threatening with a revolver. She hosted clients at the villa, using the property's isolation near the golf club for discretion. Louf described Beernaert's dual nature, consoling after abuses while enforcing participation. The brothel operated with her husband's knowledge, leveraging his police position in Knokke-Heist. Louf's testimony detailed branding and dog involvement, with the basement used for filming violent content. Beernaert's establishment supplied girls to Nihoul's circuit, with Louf leased to parties at chateaus in the Ardennes and Brussels mansions.[^1] Louf claimed Beernaert's WW2-era brothel catered to Nazi officers, continuing post-war with political elites. The Golfpad 4 house featured a basement studio with cleaning products to remove blood spots, used for snuff films per X-Dossier notes. Beernaert's operation included a contact with her grandmother, tying into family involvement. Chantal Storme confirmed in 1997 testimony being taken to the house with Louf, forced into acts, beaten with a ruler, and threatened with a gun. Storme described Beernaert watching to ensure obedience during client encounters. The brothel's location near the golf club provided access for attendees like Vanden Boeynants, with Louf identifying the property in 1996 interviews.[^1] ### Connections Beernaert connected to the network through her husband's police role and clients from the golf club, including Lippens family members. Louf's accounts placed her brothel at the center of early exploitation, supplying to Nihoul's parties where Louf met [[Michelle Martin]]. The X-Dossier verified the address and layout, with investigators noting the basement's smell of Detol cleaner. Beernaert died in 1997 before testifying, amid the probe's progression under Connerotte and [[Michel Bourlet]]. Her establishment linked to [[CRIES]] and [[UNICEF]] operations through shared networks, with Dumont representing related figures. No direct charges against Beernaert emerged due to her death, but her role was central to X-witness claims of elite access.[^1] Beernaert's death left her properties unraided initially, though the X-Dossier detailed her brothel's operations. Louf's testimony implicated her in violence against children, with Storme confirming mutual acts and threats. The brothel's proximity to Royal Zoute, owned by Count Maurice Lippens, tied it to elite circles. Beernaert's legacy in the investigation stemmed from Louf's descriptions, verified by property records and witness corroboration. Her involvement ended with her 1997 death, leaving the Knokke site as a key location in X-Dossier maps.[^1] ### Footnotes [^1]: Dovey, S. (2023). Eye of the Chickenhawk. United States: Thehotstar.