Panel 4 Mortsel Bombing 5 April 1943

Text on panel 4
April 5, 1943
Bombing of Mortsel

Under the railway bridge
What happened here? [/ i]
This intersection used to be bridged by a railway. The high verges still mark the demolished building. When the bombs fell, dozens of people sought safe shelter under the bridge. An estimated ten victims were killed around and under the bridge.

Some witnesses tell [/ i]
"I was waiting for the tram. We were talking and suddenly there was an explosion. Bombs fell on all sides of the bridge. The sirens only started to wail when the bombs had already fallen. There was a lot of dust. I saw flames. I thought, "This is the end of the world and I'm alone here. It was dark."
"Convinced that my last moments had come, I looked up at the ceiling of the bridge. A young girl fell over my shoulders weeping and said," Ah, ma'am, we are going to die! "I tried to comfort her, despite the thousand fears that I endured myself: 'No, no, we will live!' "
"The almost black colored sky took my breath away. In anticipation of what would happen next, I held a hand over my nose and mouth. The time we spent there under that bridge seemed like an eternity. Then the dark sky began to rise. but an opaque curtain of fabric remained. I saw a German soldier running from under the bridge. I followed his lead and walked towards the Van Peborghlei, where my children were. "

This walk was realized by the city of Mortsel in collaboration with Pieter Serrien.

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Source

• Text: Mia van den Berg
• Photos: Mia van den Berg