Panel 7 Mortsel Bombing 5 April 1943

Text on panel 7
April 5th, 1943
Bombing of Mortsel

Church of the Holy Cross
What happened here?
The church was transformed into a mess by two bombs. The side wall collapsed and the debris shattered the furniture. It was impossible to use the church. The parish hall, now the Mark Liebrecht theater, served as a temporary emergency church.

A Guide Gazelleschool student went to pray in the collapsed church
"I found my youngest brother first. His head protruded above a heap of stones, between all the heads. There were some that were already dead. I tried to get him out, but nothing helped because all those stones were so heavy. I saw. that they were carrying my second brother out. He just had two blood jets under his nose, that's all. But then he was put under a shelter. He was dead. I was afraid to tell that at home. My third brother had disappeared, but I had seen him, so he was still alive. The church was partially bombed. So I went in to pray for my brothers. "

A pupil of Saint Vincent made her communion
"Of the eight communicants I was the only one who survived the fifth of April. Two fathers were waiting for me at the entrance and they drove me in a wheelchair up to the altar. The people clapped their hands and cried. a deceased girl who would have taken communion with me suddenly jumped from her chair and gave me a kiss in tears. That was too much for me and the tears ran from my eyes. After mass I received a bunch of flowers from the mother of Humphrey. The day before April 5th I went to her birthday party. The next day she and her sister passed away. "

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