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Eyewitness Story: Clasien Schreurs
When the war began, Clasien Schreurs was almost six years old. Her family had recently moved from Rotterdam to Vlissingen, where her father started working as a metalworker at the Schelde shipyard. They lived on Callenfelsstraat, in one of the houses known as the “dovecote,” close to the shipyard. The family endured countless bombings and quickly learned that nowhere was truly safe. With every air raid alarm, they fled to the attic, believing it offered better protection against collapsing debris. “My father would stand by the attic window, watching the planes fly overhead. His legs were shaking uncontrollably—that’s something I’ll never forget,” she recalls.
One day, during a swimming lesson in Souburg, Clasien and her mother saw a large cloud of smoke rising above Vlissingen. A cousin brought the news that one of the houses in the “dovecote” had been hit. Thankfully, it was not their house, but six people lost their lives in the affected home.
Life goes on, despite everything.
Although the war was always close, Clasien tried to carry on with her life as a child. She played outside and remembers a visit to the butcher while air battles raged overhead. The city was teeming with German soldiers, and Clasien and her peers found the sound of their boots fascinating. They even attached metal plates to their own shoes to mimic the same sound.
Struggle and Scars
In October 1944, the war in Vlissingen changed dramatically. Clasien witnessed Allied planes bombing the dikes. “The sky was just black with planes,” she recalls. A month later, on November 1, Allied troops landed on the beach. From their home, the family watched as shells struck. “You think you’re safe in your own house, but you’re not,” she says.
During the fighting, the family had to flee to the Schelde office, marking the start of a terrifying journey through the city. Near the old post office, Clasien saw a square filled with dead German soldiers, a sight that has stayed with her ever since. Eventually, they found shelter for three days in the old Arsenal, where even an attempt to fetch food proved fatal. “His wife—I can still hear her,” Clasien recalls emotionally.
After the war, Clasien was physically exhausted and weighed only 27 kilograms. She was sent to Switzerland to recover, but the war left deep scars. Decades later, planes flying overhead during the Harbor Days in Rotterdam brought all the memories flooding back. “I think I still have unresolved trauma,” Clasien admits. Even now, her story deeply moves her.
Clasien Schreurs
Discover the story of Clasien Schreurs, a young girl from Vlissingen who grew up on the frontlines of World War II. While the city suffered under bombardments and fighting, Clasien tried to hold onto her childhood amidst the danger. Her memories of fear, courage, and survival provide a powerful insight into how the war left a lasting impact on a life.