Vital Craeninckx was named after his paternal grandfather Vital Craeninckx who died in Neuengamme on November 16, 1944 at the age of 51. Also Vital’s grandfather from his mother’s side of the family, Frans Pasteyns, was deported and died at the age of 48 on February 23, 1945 in the camp Meppen-Versen. He was one of the men from Meensel-Kiezegem who were deported to Germany following “retaliation measures” in 1944. Vital Craeninckx told us about how this tragedy made him the person he is today.
How did you learn about your grandfathers’ stories?
I was a child when I first noticed a large frame on our living room wall with photos of men and the inscription: “The ones who had fallen” and “The ones who returned.” At first, I didn’t think much about it until my grandmother took me to Brussels in 1961 (I was seven years old), where dozens of coffins containing repatriated bodies of people who had died in concentration camps were displayed in a building (I don’t know the exact location), among them four victims from Meensel-Kiezegem. One of my maternal grandfathers, Frans Pasteyns, was repatriated in 1953. I gradually learned the story of the war tragedy from my parents and grandmothers.
What influence does your family history have on the person you are today?
Initially, I wasn’t very interested in that history. But as I grew older I became more and more interested in the tragedy in Meensel-Kiezegem which made me aware of all the violence and injustice in the world. I am a pacifist and a Belgicist (supporter of the idea of united Belgium) because my grandfathers died in camps for these ideals.
What elements of your family history and values will you pass on to the next generation(s)?
I find it important that my two children and five grandchildren realize that freedom is not to be taken for granted. Especially with the current situation in Ukraine which demonstrates that we must remain vigilant and strongly condemn far-right ideologies.
How did you come to be involved in the Regional Association Meensel-Kiezegem ‘44? What does your involvement mean to you?
I believe it was around 1998 when my uncle, who was the chairman of NCPGR Meensel-Kiezegem, introduced me as a board member of the local branch. After his death in 2007, the board asked me to take over the position of chairman and be responisble for the organization and coordination of the annual commemorations in the village.
To this day, I have been committed to making sure the organization stayed the course because it is important that the story of Meensel-Kiezegem continues to be told, and above all, that the victims of Meensel-Kiezegem are not forgotten.
Ana Buka was born in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, in 1984. She studied English language and literature at the University of Sarajevo and completed her master's degree in literature and history in 2015. She gained her first experience in the field of remembrance culture in 2014, when she started volunteering at the Neuengamme Concentration Camp Memorial as a volunteer for Aktion Sühnezeichen Friedensdienste. Two years later, she completed her training in the field of memorial education and has been working as a freelancer at the Neuengamme Concentration Camp Memorial ever since. As part of her work at the memorial, she has worked as a translator on several exhibitions, helped develop concepts for new educational formats, co-organised events and assisted survivors.