Jaimé’s prosthetic leg

Jaimé Picañol was no stranger to the Steverlynck clan. Before 1936 he already maintained a good relationship with the Vichte-based Steverlynck company that was his supplier of accessories. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, Jaimé joined the Republican air force in the battle against Franco. He suffered a severe injury when his plane was shot down during a mission above nationalist territory. Seeking medical aid he turned to his friend Karel Steverlynck, who took care of his transport to Flanders. Jaimé’s brother Juan had meanwhile set up a small weaving machine factory in Ieper, in the old workshop of the Vansteenkiste company. From Ieper Jaimé could easily get to London, where eventually he underwent a leg amputation. In his memoires, Karel Steverlynck recalls the period as follows: 'In the 1930s, Juan Picañol’s brother arrived - a Spanish war amputee on the way to England to purchase a prosthetic leg. He was in Ieper for a few weeks and I was thus able to establish that he was a highly skilled mechanic. I asked his opinion about his brother's competences and the future of the firm. He answered that his brother was incompetent and continuing to work with him would surely lead us to ruin. In order to save his family’s honour, he promised to build a modern weaving machine, asking nothing in return but the payment of his hotel costs and some drinking money.’ Legend has it that Jaimé received payment in kind on top of his salary and compensation for his hotel bill: he was regularly presented with Karel Steverlynck’s favourite cigars as a gift. Jaimé had the reputation of a hard worker, but he was also said to be authoritarian and surly. He died in Spain on 13 August 1988.