Helene was separated from her parents and moved in with her parents’ friend outside of Brussels. Helene stayed in Aalst for around a year, where she had to learn and adapt to the Dutch language. Even though she was reunited with her family for a short period during the war, she had to leave her parents again. Indeed, her parents were hiding in a small attic one street across from the City Hall, a place surrounded by Germans. As a four-year-old girl, she couldn't look out the window, go outside, or make any noise. It was very dangerous, and her parents needed to find a new place for her to stay. So they placed her in a convent in Kortenberg.
Watch how she recalls her memories of the separation.
- How does Helene describe her emotions regarding the separation from her parents?
- How did her granddaughter turning four make her reflect on her experiences at the same age?