"Deurne has several things to offer!" Deurne by irisbe

Deurne Travel Guide: 7 reviews and 16 photos

Jan Olieslagers, the Antwerp Devil - Deurne

Airport and heroes

When one drops the name of Deurne, a city very close to Antwerp, the first thing that pops up in your mind is the airport, Antwerp airport.
For some of us, it is also connected to local heroes, like Jan Olieslagers (1883-1942) who has several flying records at his name. His nickname was "The Antwerp Devil".
We also will remember the names of Jean Stampe (1889-1978) and Maurice Vertongen who were the founders of a pilot school at Deurne in October 1923 and were the constructors of the famous Stampe-Vertongen airplanes.
Picture was taken at the temporary exhibition at the entrance hall at the Antwerp airport. If you are around, take a minute to watch all those marvelous old pictures of gone times and taste a little bit of nostalgie.

My early years around.

Antwerp Airport at Deurne

I spent the three first years of my life, living at a few 100 meters distance of the airport. It was a point where three towns met: Berchem, Deurne and Mortsel.
We lived at the first floor in an appartment of social housing.
The square has tremendeously change since then! I remember there was a tram driving, making quite some noise when making its turn. I also remember I was very much intruigued by the public men's toilet in the middle of the square. It was a construction in black iron and I always saw people going in and out. I had to wait till I could talk to ask my mother what was happening there! I still can rembember the cables, connected at the fronts of the houses, and hanging over the square, carrying the street lamps. On a November rainy day, when the days where short and evening settles in early, they were rocking in the wind, and their moving lights let the shadows comes alive. This combined with the raindrops sticking on the window outside, put me in some depressed and philosophical mood.
Uptil now, I remember that I wondered, with my nose pressed flat against the window, to make it able to look outside, that I would remember this moment for the rest of my life, because this was the first day I asked myself what I was doing here and why? I wondered how I got here and what I was supposed to do: to observe the world around me? Was I here with a purpose?.It was like a big moment of selfconscious and something to hang on too.
I also had my very lucid dream here and I remember I was so frustrated being too small still to be able to explain it and tell about it.
I dreamt that when my mother had put me to bed, a door appeared in the wall and soft red light was coming from behind it. A woman dressed as a nurse lifted me from my tiny little bed and took me into the unexisting room behind the door. Another nurse and doctor were waiting and wanted to exam me. All of a sudden they got nervous and started to whisper. Next moment they took me in their arms and put me back in my bed. Every one was gone as was the door and the red light the moment my mother opened the real door and came in to wake me up for a late toilet stop before going into the long night.
It was also the place where I experienced first emotions. It was also the time I first got comfronted with grief the moment our neighbour suddenly died.
Those 3 years living there were very rich years.
And now I am back at the square, looking at my right side if I spot my old birth place. Then I take the turn to the right, to visit the airport, something I was not really interested in the time I was living here.

Last visit to Deurne: May 2003
Intro Updated Jun 1, 2003
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Reviews (7)

A SV.4 at the Stampe Fly In at Deurne - Deurne

Stampe fly-in, a yearly event Local Customs (2)

Each year, during Ascension weekend, the Antwerp air is filled with little airplanes, flying in to take part of the... more travel advice

Stampe & Vertongen Museum Things to Do (4)

The Stampe & Vertongen Museum opened it doors officially at the 10th Fly-in on 26 May 2001. It took about 9 years of... more travel advice

Stampe & Vertongen - SV planes Local Customs (2)

Jean Stampe was born on 17 April 1889 and grew up in St-Jans-Molenbeek (Brussel). In November 1915, at age of 20 he... more travel advice

Stampe & Vertongen Museum at Deurne - Deurne

Stampe & Vertongen Museum Things to Do (4)

As indicated in my intropage, the names of Stampe and Vertongen do ring a bell for all who is interested in civil... more travel advice

Transportation (1)
Antwerp Airport

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Comments (8)

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Pablos_new Nov 15, 2003 at 1:04 AM

What a great tips! Thanks for sharing...
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aadil Oct 10, 2003 at 3:18 PM

WOW!!! What a lovely experience to see those WWI planes in all their flying glory!!! You are lucky to have been there & even clicked them for me & appeared on TV too!!! Thanks a million for taking me there this time!!! It really made my day!!!
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dr.firas Jun 26, 2003 at 1:26 AM

Dannie! I would like ti have a fly in this plane!LOL is it safe? remember I have the Airoplanophobia!
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RhondaRuth Jun 18, 2003 at 10:15 AM

Very interesting ... love the planes. Altho I live next to an airport now and it is VERY noisy, it's still fascinating to watch them take off or land. And do you know what your dream might have meant??
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Luchonda Jun 18, 2003 at 3:30 AM

Again a great page Danielle - Deurne from another view !! Very informative !!
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jide08 Jun 17, 2003 at 4:30 AM

very nice moustache. :)
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matcrazy1 Jun 16, 2003 at 7:52 AM

Wonderful panoramic pictures (do NOT forget to enlarge them) of planes and very interesting info!
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nicoleken Jun 14, 2003 at 1:43 PM

wonderful page Danny ! I love the one of the airplanes, it's great !