Breendonk Museum and Memorial 
Kitchen
Breendonk
Martin (left) and Chase playing with Jack and Jesse
Chase, Me, and Nick outside our lunch destination in Antwerp
Antwerp Cathedral
Fountain of Barbo throwing the Giants hand outside the City Hall in Antwerp
The Cathedral's bell tower can be seen from almost anywhere in the city
"The Stone" Fort
A Giant stood on the shores of the Schelde River, intimidating boats in their passing. As barges approached, he would beckon them to the shore and demand a toll be paid. If the captain complied, the Giant would let them pass. However, should the man refuse, should he defy the giant’s request, the Giant would take his left arm, cut off his hand at the wrist, and toss it into the river. If the same ship refused the toll a second time, the Giant would cut off his other hand, and toss it into the river, making the sailor futile at his profession--though I’m led to believe it didn't take more than once to get the point across.
Then came Brabo. He was the best soldier of the people and he came to defend them against the Giant. Brabo challenged the Giant and they battled for days--fierce fighting along the shores of the Schelde. From the bank on the other side of the river, in the shadow of the Giant, a small developing city of people watched and hoped. In an ending of David and Goliath type proportions, Brabo beat the Giant, by cutting off his head. Then, as his final act of the battle, Brabo cut off the hand of the Giant and tossed it into the river--both symbolically and literally freeing the people of the country from the Giant’s will. Elated by the removal of the Giant, people flocked to the city, and so the city of Antwerp was founded--“ant” from the Dutch word “hant” meaning “hand,” and “werp” from the Dutch word “werpen” meaning “to toss or throw.” Today, at the center of the city in the Grote Markt, a statue stands in recognition of the actions of the brave Brabo.
Yes, as you may have guessed, our big trip this week was to good ole’ “Handthrowen,” or “Antwerp,” if you prefer the Dutch name. On Saturday this week, 20 members of our group and 40 other members in the PECS program (the program that Loyola collaborates with at K.U. Leuven) boarded a bus headed to the port city renowned for its diamonds. We spent a foggy afternoon on a two hour tour of the city where we visited the Grote Markt, the Cathedral, the 16th century Italian Renaissance style City Hall, “The Stone” (a 13th century fortress build to protect the city at the river), and the Plantin Moretus Museum--a museum dedicated to the printing company which during the 1600’s printed most of the books in western Europe. I found the tour to be interesting enough to attract me back to the city for a couple of visits.
Antwerp is a modern Belgian fashion capital with an interesting history and development. As a striving port and political center in the 16th century, Antwerp was not only the largest city in Belgium (about two times the size of the capital Brussels) it was the second largest city in Europe, with a population of roughly 147,000 people. At that time period, most of the buildings and the design of the city were created. The large cathedral (30 centimeters larger than Notre Dame in Paris--Antwerp’s major competitor at the time), the city watch and bell tower, and the City Hall, were all built during the time period of Antwerp’s large population growth. Then, in 1567, Antwerp’s golden year, the Pope ordered the Spanish invasion of northern Europe to “educate” the Protestants. As a result of that pursuit, 2/3 of Antwerp’s population fled north to Holland. The city was decimated to 42,000 occupants who quickly adapted by buying multiple homes and creating cheap, miniature mansions near the heart of the city.
During WWII< Antwerp sat as an important port of the Allies moving across Europe. The Nazi’s, who hadn't had enough time to destroy the city while they fled, used the first guided missiles in history in hope of destroying the port from behind the German border. However, the missiles were largely inaccurate and ended up destroying many residential areas. As a result, a lot of modern architecture is mixed in with 16th century architecture.
After our tour of Antwerp, on our way back to Leuven, we stopped at the Breendonk Memorial and Museum. Breendonk was a Belgian fort during WWII. After the Nazi occupation began in Belgium, Breendonk was used as a transition camp for Belgians as they made their way toward German concentration camps. Today, it stands as a memorial to the cruelty endured by the Belgian people under the Nazi regime.
“Welcome to hell, we’ll be your devils”--that was the motto of the Nazi officers in charge of Breendonk. And based on the depiction that our tour guide Chris gave us, they did a pretty good job portraying the netherworld. Our tour was very interesting, as our tour guide, fluent in 5 languages, made the tour out to be as if he was an SS officer and we were his prisoners--“in words not actions” he reassured us. He took us through the activities that a new prisoner would go through on their first day--complete with yelling in German (a language we, like a new prisoner in 1940’s, didn’t understand) and forcing some of the guys in the group to stand at attention with their nose against the wall. He was quiet a character. Then he took us through the German offices, the cells, the bathrooms, the interrogation room, and the execution area. The tour included graphic descriptions of the various torture methods, treatment of the prisoners, and the abuse they endured.
It was a very somber ending to our day in northern Belgium. One of the hardest things about Breendonk was that it stood right next the roadside. So included in the physical and psychological torture, the prisoners also had to watch the normal world go by--a world that half of the 3,500 people who passed through the camp wouldn’t be a part of after being shipped to other concentration camps during WWII. In the end, 160 people died while at Breendonk, including 12 who were the last members of the resistance, 2 who tried to escape, and 6 who jumped off the roof of the highest building head first.
Sorry for the morbid ending. But on a lighter note:
**********************
The week in review:
Reality set in this week for me, and I’m pretty sure the rest of the Loyola crew. The Honeymoon is over and the work has just begun. This week we began our 6-hours-a-day intensive Dutch course--which we have a midterm in on Monday. For the most part the days have been long with very little other things going on. Dutch has proven to be an interesting challenge for me. I’ve been combining my English with my knowledge from my study of Italian to try and make sense of a language that I never would have seen myself learning in any other situation. Through my week long study of Dutch I have developed one theme--whatever looks like English, is probably pronounced completely different, and whatever sounds like English, looks nothing like it. Needless to say it has been an interesting and humbling week trying to learn a new language in 5 days.
However, my struggle with a new language has brought me to a greater appreciation for the struggle that my roommate, Martin is going through. That’s right, this week began with the arrival of our new roommate Martin from Slovakia. He had an interesting trip up from Slovakia, as his plane arrived late and he was forced to sleep in the Brussels airport overnight and wait for the trains to start running between Brussels and Leuven in the morning. Martin wrote us in an e-mail that he may be late, also stating that “my English is not well, but I hope to learn you.” As is implied, his arrival has been an interesting one for Matt and I to adjust to. He has seemed to fit in for the most part with me and Matt. He is very interested in our lives and in life in America--as his sister lives in New York. He also has a pretty good sense of humor for the things that he does understand, and for the most part just remains quiet otherwise. My struggle to simplify common words and expressions for him to understand, has made me appreciate what he is going through trying to master a new language. He will be taking all of his classes in English, so we have been trying to prepare him for the upcoming weeks.
One thing that interrupted our week of Dutch, was the arrival of the Forni boys on Friday night. Chase, one of the guys in the group, was babysitting for Professor Forni, and decided to take the boys over to the Nachbar Huis. At about roughly 7:30, as I was enjoying my dinner and talking to Martin, when I jumped up abruptly at the sound of what I believed to be a screeching woman. I ran to the doorway only to find the two Forni boys running up and down the stairwell – which is not really the best playground for them. So Matt, Chase, Liam, Martin, and I took the boys outside to burn out a little candy energy. Though the visit was unexpected it was a relief to break out of the week’s monotony and chase the Forni boys around the court yard.
Sorry for the long blog this week, I wanted to get everything in at once. This upcoming week is going to be busy for the Loyola Crew. We have a midterm on Monday followed by a trip to Ghent on Tuesday, and orientation for the rest of the week out. On the plus side, we still have one more week till classes start. Until next week, tot ziens.
Kitchen
Breendonk
What its like to be the target of Jack's energy
Martin (left) and Chase playing with Jack and Jesse
Chase, Me, and Nick outside our lunch destination in Antwerp
Antwerp Cathedral
Fountain of Barbo throwing the Giants hand outside the City Hall in Antwerp
The Cathedral's bell tower can be seen from almost anywhere in the city
"The Stone" Fort
City Hall in the Grote Markt
A Giant stood on the shores of the Schelde River, intimidating boats in their passing. As barges approached, he would beckon them to the shore and demand a toll be paid. If the captain complied, the Giant would let them pass. However, should the man refuse, should he defy the giant’s request, the Giant would take his left arm, cut off his hand at the wrist, and toss it into the river. If the same ship refused the toll a second time, the Giant would cut off his other hand, and toss it into the river, making the sailor futile at his profession--though I’m led to believe it didn't take more than once to get the point across.
Then came Brabo. He was the best soldier of the people and he came to defend them against the Giant. Brabo challenged the Giant and they battled for days--fierce fighting along the shores of the Schelde. From the bank on the other side of the river, in the shadow of the Giant, a small developing city of people watched and hoped. In an ending of David and Goliath type proportions, Brabo beat the Giant, by cutting off his head. Then, as his final act of the battle, Brabo cut off the hand of the Giant and tossed it into the river--both symbolically and literally freeing the people of the country from the Giant’s will. Elated by the removal of the Giant, people flocked to the city, and so the city of Antwerp was founded--“ant” from the Dutch word “hant” meaning “hand,” and “werp” from the Dutch word “werpen” meaning “to toss or throw.” Today, at the center of the city in the Grote Markt, a statue stands in recognition of the actions of the brave Brabo.
Yes, as you may have guessed, our big trip this week was to good ole’ “Handthrowen,” or “Antwerp,” if you prefer the Dutch name. On Saturday this week, 20 members of our group and 40 other members in the PECS program (the program that Loyola collaborates with at K.U. Leuven) boarded a bus headed to the port city renowned for its diamonds. We spent a foggy afternoon on a two hour tour of the city where we visited the Grote Markt, the Cathedral, the 16th century Italian Renaissance style City Hall, “The Stone” (a 13th century fortress build to protect the city at the river), and the Plantin Moretus Museum--a museum dedicated to the printing company which during the 1600’s printed most of the books in western Europe. I found the tour to be interesting enough to attract me back to the city for a couple of visits.
Antwerp is a modern Belgian fashion capital with an interesting history and development. As a striving port and political center in the 16th century, Antwerp was not only the largest city in Belgium (about two times the size of the capital Brussels) it was the second largest city in Europe, with a population of roughly 147,000 people. At that time period, most of the buildings and the design of the city were created. The large cathedral (30 centimeters larger than Notre Dame in Paris--Antwerp’s major competitor at the time), the city watch and bell tower, and the City Hall, were all built during the time period of Antwerp’s large population growth. Then, in 1567, Antwerp’s golden year, the Pope ordered the Spanish invasion of northern Europe to “educate” the Protestants. As a result of that pursuit, 2/3 of Antwerp’s population fled north to Holland. The city was decimated to 42,000 occupants who quickly adapted by buying multiple homes and creating cheap, miniature mansions near the heart of the city.
During WWII< Antwerp sat as an important port of the Allies moving across Europe. The Nazi’s, who hadn't had enough time to destroy the city while they fled, used the first guided missiles in history in hope of destroying the port from behind the German border. However, the missiles were largely inaccurate and ended up destroying many residential areas. As a result, a lot of modern architecture is mixed in with 16th century architecture.
After our tour of Antwerp, on our way back to Leuven, we stopped at the Breendonk Memorial and Museum. Breendonk was a Belgian fort during WWII. After the Nazi occupation began in Belgium, Breendonk was used as a transition camp for Belgians as they made their way toward German concentration camps. Today, it stands as a memorial to the cruelty endured by the Belgian people under the Nazi regime.
“Welcome to hell, we’ll be your devils”--that was the motto of the Nazi officers in charge of Breendonk. And based on the depiction that our tour guide Chris gave us, they did a pretty good job portraying the netherworld. Our tour was very interesting, as our tour guide, fluent in 5 languages, made the tour out to be as if he was an SS officer and we were his prisoners--“in words not actions” he reassured us. He took us through the activities that a new prisoner would go through on their first day--complete with yelling in German (a language we, like a new prisoner in 1940’s, didn’t understand) and forcing some of the guys in the group to stand at attention with their nose against the wall. He was quiet a character. Then he took us through the German offices, the cells, the bathrooms, the interrogation room, and the execution area. The tour included graphic descriptions of the various torture methods, treatment of the prisoners, and the abuse they endured.
It was a very somber ending to our day in northern Belgium. One of the hardest things about Breendonk was that it stood right next the roadside. So included in the physical and psychological torture, the prisoners also had to watch the normal world go by--a world that half of the 3,500 people who passed through the camp wouldn’t be a part of after being shipped to other concentration camps during WWII. In the end, 160 people died while at Breendonk, including 12 who were the last members of the resistance, 2 who tried to escape, and 6 who jumped off the roof of the highest building head first.
Sorry for the morbid ending. But on a lighter note:
**********************
The week in review:
Reality set in this week for me, and I’m pretty sure the rest of the Loyola crew. The Honeymoon is over and the work has just begun. This week we began our 6-hours-a-day intensive Dutch course--which we have a midterm in on Monday. For the most part the days have been long with very little other things going on. Dutch has proven to be an interesting challenge for me. I’ve been combining my English with my knowledge from my study of Italian to try and make sense of a language that I never would have seen myself learning in any other situation. Through my week long study of Dutch I have developed one theme--whatever looks like English, is probably pronounced completely different, and whatever sounds like English, looks nothing like it. Needless to say it has been an interesting and humbling week trying to learn a new language in 5 days.
However, my struggle with a new language has brought me to a greater appreciation for the struggle that my roommate, Martin is going through. That’s right, this week began with the arrival of our new roommate Martin from Slovakia. He had an interesting trip up from Slovakia, as his plane arrived late and he was forced to sleep in the Brussels airport overnight and wait for the trains to start running between Brussels and Leuven in the morning. Martin wrote us in an e-mail that he may be late, also stating that “my English is not well, but I hope to learn you.” As is implied, his arrival has been an interesting one for Matt and I to adjust to. He has seemed to fit in for the most part with me and Matt. He is very interested in our lives and in life in America--as his sister lives in New York. He also has a pretty good sense of humor for the things that he does understand, and for the most part just remains quiet otherwise. My struggle to simplify common words and expressions for him to understand, has made me appreciate what he is going through trying to master a new language. He will be taking all of his classes in English, so we have been trying to prepare him for the upcoming weeks.
One thing that interrupted our week of Dutch, was the arrival of the Forni boys on Friday night. Chase, one of the guys in the group, was babysitting for Professor Forni, and decided to take the boys over to the Nachbar Huis. At about roughly 7:30, as I was enjoying my dinner and talking to Martin, when I jumped up abruptly at the sound of what I believed to be a screeching woman. I ran to the doorway only to find the two Forni boys running up and down the stairwell – which is not really the best playground for them. So Matt, Chase, Liam, Martin, and I took the boys outside to burn out a little candy energy. Though the visit was unexpected it was a relief to break out of the week’s monotony and chase the Forni boys around the court yard.
Sorry for the long blog this week, I wanted to get everything in at once. This upcoming week is going to be busy for the Loyola Crew. We have a midterm on Monday followed by a trip to Ghent on Tuesday, and orientation for the rest of the week out. On the plus side, we still have one more week till classes start. Until next week, tot ziens.
Antwerp is such a great city - I thought that fort was the coolest thing ever. Did you ever meet up with my buddy Greg? Feel free to use him as a resource over there for traveling and all things Belgian. Be safe -
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