Dagboek Raphaël Waterschoot 1914 back to index

 1914

 August 1914

 For this date, mentioned above, everyone was happy;  everyone did well at all costs because in general he earned a nice day.

 There were however too many people that were seen when one sought to find a place, for a few places one saw thousands of candidates who jostled each other and usually the friends were still there.

 Such a state of affairs, an overcrowded Europe, could not last;  people even put an end to that condition by killing themselves in a war.

 The war, the bloodiest of all wars, came in silence, but certainly.

 A nullity was the cause of it;  the murder of the crown prince of Austria.

 However, this speech has been sought;  the real cause must be sought in the hooves of the German people and in particular of the German emperor.

 Nobody had thought that Belgium would have entered the war dance;  It was a real surprise when the German sent us the fatal ultimatum and afterwards declared war on us.  For before the war the Germans were the friends of the Belgians, they could only be left over from the Rhijn to be held in high esteem, and all the fat-paid posts were for them and many a German was made rich here.

 Now that sense of standing has turned into hatred.

 August 1, 1914 (approx.)

 The general mobilization is proclaimed.  Thousands of soldiers leave or arrive here in the Statie.  Heart-hugging scenes take place at the station.

 The dépôt of the 3rd and 4th line regiment is located here in the Slachthuisstraat.

 On the station square and inside the station there are picket soldiers with a board 3 and 4 the ligne.  Now when the strange soldiers read this inscription they went to this picket and when there were a number one of the soldiers led them to the barracks.

 The mobilization started out wonderfully well and every Belgian has seen that our army was ready and up to date with its task.

 Edward Keppens also leaves around 8 o'clock in the morning, and the boy had wept

 It was really catchy when the night before July 31, around 11 o'clock in the morning, there were suddenly calls in the streets by policemen.  These shouted that the general mobilization had been proclaimed and the boys of the class were allowed to leave at 8 o'clock from 1900 onwards the next day.  In Antwerp all the bells of the churches began to ring at the same time;  that must have been catchy.

 Everyone fell from the beginning of the war without work and already from the first days of August one could see long lines on the market at the gates of the Town Hall;  the one for support of the unemployed fund others to obtain a Belgian passport.  The soup for the poor people was set here from the first days.

 On the third harvest Germany declared war. The war went its course.  We read little truth in the gazettes to others who had been censored.

 Every day volunteers came here to volunteer, these were accepted without research, dressed and taught in Ghent, Dendermonde and Antwerp.  Leon Lentacker volunteered for the first days of the war and was assigned to the 3rd line regiment.  (Broken is broken was his slogan).

 In the meantime, we serve as a militiaman.

 We do the following service.

 Day Date Hour start Hour end Total hours

 Tuesday 4-harvest 8.45-took 6.30-morning 9.45 hours

 Wednesday 5-harvest 4.30-took 6.00-took 1.30 hours

 Thursday 6-crop 1.00-took 12.0-took 11.00 hours

 Saturday 8-harvest 1.00-took 6.00-morg 17.00

 Monday 10-harvest 6.0-morg 6.00-took 12.00 hours

 Tuesday 11-harvest 5.30-took 6.00-took 0.30 hours

 Thursday 13-harvest 5.3-morg 6.00-took 12.30 hours

 Saturday 15-harvest 5.30-took 6.00-morg 12.30 hours

 Tuesday 18-crop 5.3-morg 6.00-took 12.30 hours

 Thursday 20-harvest 5.30-took 6.00-morg 12.30 hours

 102.45 hours

 As a service we have to guard the city;  further on there are all corners and all stations.  We have to check everyone's passport which makes use of train, cart, car or velo.  We have to monitor the water bins and the exentories at the stations.

 On the sixth harvest, the mob plundered the Tiestuit warehouses on the station street.  Then the police still had the civil guard to tell the gendarmes something to the people.  The mob was boss and plundered and destroyed all these clean warehouses.

 Around 20 Harvest the Belgian army was defeated and pulled down at Antwerp.  Then, in Sint Niklaas, 8000 civil guards from Brussels and 30,000 volunteers arrived.  The volunteers learned their exercises at all places and available squares.  All schools and halls were full of soldiers and were turned into chars.

 Around 21st Harvest the General held a check on the Brussels Guards Civic there were then 8,000 on the market which had a clean view.  On the same day, the civilian guard of Sint Niklaas is dissolved so that we are still serving for one hour that day and together until now we have done 102.45 hours of service.

 Sint Niklaas then looked like a little London, what a people in the streets;  the merchants made golden business.

 On the 26th Harvest the St Nikolaas vigilante was redecorated, through the hands of some ST Nikolaasche superiors who were hoaried on their stripes and could not bear to hear that foreign guard-civilians came to play here.  We were then allowed to resume our previous services.

 We do the following services:

 Day Date Hour start Hour end Total hours

 26-harvest 11.00morg 12.00morg 1.00 hours

 28-harvest 08.00morg 12.00morg 4.00 hours

 29-harvest 08.00morg 08.45morg 0.45 hours

 30-harvest 11.30morg 12.30nam 12.30uur

 31-harvest 11.30morg 12.30nam 12.30uur

 01-sept 11.30morg 11.45morg 0.15uur

 02-sept 11.30morg 11.45morg 0.15uur

 03-sept 11.30morg 11.45morg 0.15uur

 04-sept 11.30morg 11.45morg 0.15uur

 until the departure from St Nicholas.

 To do 24 to 29 hours in one piece was truly an evil task, as one could not sleep in a time, and one could really have strong nerves to bite the nights.

 Leonie Lentacker's brother Edmond Lentacker, meanwhile, was called in with the last classes, so that she now had two brothers and one brother-in-law.

 In the first days of September, the service of the vigilante was tightened up, the Belgian soldiers were more attracted to Antwerp and no one was allowed to come to the streets after 10 o'clock;  the lanterns were no longer lit for fear of a Zeppelin attack, so that St Niklaas was completely dark at night.  It was not fluffing at night, in the dark, in the middle of the field, alone or with two standing on guard, and that people did not sleep.

 I also accompanied the government in their car on their lap at night;  it did pretty much without light, driving through dark streets and dark fields and only being addressed by the stations.

 3 September 1914 Thursday

 From 11 1/2 o'clock in the morning, all night long.

 September 4, 1914 Friday

 On duty until 11 o'clock in the morning, we are informed that we have to leave the city.

 The Germans had entered Dendermondee and burnt the city.  In Leuven, the Germans had already made the civilian guards prisoners of war, and in order to spare us that fate, the military government, as it thought that the enemy was going to take Saint Nicholas, left us.

 When the population heard about our departure, half the civilian population left the municipality.  Saint Nicholas was leaving, so to speak.

 I say goodbye at home.

 At 11 1/2 in the morning meeting at the Groote Markt;  when it is 14 1: 2 hours we leave for the Station.  We get there another half hour congé that I observe to visit my Leonie, say goodbye to her and reassure her.  At 16 1/2 hours the entire Sint Nikolaasche civil guard leaves and arrives at Stekene at 6 pm.  At 19 o'clock we are told that there is no more food for us to eat, we have to search ourselves.  I was already without food from 8 o'clock in the morning.  Then just look.  We come with us 4 with the Hieronymites brothers and get sandwiches with cheese and beer.  They do not have a bed, but there is still room in the barn.  We sleep on sprinkle on the dry floor;  a cold night;  in the distance cannon fry;  I do not pay attention to the cup full of thoughts.

 In that asylum we also meet Brother Berckmans;  otherwise we are well received there.

 September 5, 1914 Saturday

 We have breakfast with the brothers.  At 6 o'clock apple.  At 7 o'clock we leave for Eekloo where we arrive around 11 o'clock;  I send 2 sight cards home and to Leonie.  In the afternoon we leave for Ursel and after half an hour of waiting we take the tram to Somerghem where we arrive in the afternoon around 3 pm and are well received.

 Our boss calls himself;

 August Dhooge Lanbouwer Uitgem Somerghem

 N'en rich farmer with beautiful homestead, good wife, a son and a lot of cattle.

 At 16 o'clock we arrive at those farmers and get a good dinner;  it tasted because it was from the morning ago.  We are free for the remainder of the day.

 Around 17 1/2 hours a taube is flown over our homestead we shoot five bullets;  It was the first time that I shot at Germans with real bullets and also the last time.  The result was that the pilot climbed a bit higher and slowly followed suit.  Forbidden to shoot us to fly machines to prevent all missions.

 That night I slept pretty well together with my brother, everything was clean.

 September 6, 1914 Sunday

 At 7 o'clock we go to Mass with our boss.

 At 8 o'clock and at 6 o'clock apple.

 We do a tour in the municipality.  Somerghem is a vast, prosperous, rich congregation about as large as Beveren's (plain) ordinary church, with many citizens' houses, few poor people;  Yesterday we had a joke: the amateur cut the hair short in the middle of the freeze, in front of the church, in two guard-civic cases;  whether the farmers looked weird!

 In the afternoon we visited the castle of Mr. De La potterie de Pottelsbergh and the flower nursery Haeren-Wille.  Strangely, there was no maze of trees or hedges in the castle and the automatic irrigation system in flower nursery.  I also send a ticket to Leonie.

 It is said here that ST Nicholaas open city was declared for the Germans;  (Lies were believed everywhere), and those lies reassure us.  It should not be forgotten that none of us was in contact with St Nicholas since all communication was interrupted.

 Otherwise I was as good as at home here.

 September 7, 1914 Monday

 Apple at 8 o'clock.

 At 15 o'clock we have to meet, people fight at Melle.

 At 18 o'clock we leave along the same road where we came to Eekloo.  We come there because we have to wait a long time for Ursel at 21 o'clock.  It is already dark and we are stopped in the train where we have to sleep.

 Poor sleep in my réservé, stiff and still mother than the night before .;  How can it be otherwise if one has to sleep in the right person and if one has not had anything to eat in the evening?  It is still dark when I crawl out of the train and walk in the station.  The waiting room of the station was full of refugees from the sides of Willebroeck, everywhere were sleeping, those people were even worse off than I was.

 September 8, 1914 Tuesday

 We leave at 6 o'clock in the morning from Eekloo to Sijsseele, at 6 1/2 o'clock we arrive.  We eat at our own expense because we can not get any bread with it.  I have not seen a poor community anywhere yet, two rows of little house signs along the sides of two long streets and quite a beautiful church.  Stuure people.  See 2 Belgian flying machine.  Anyway, there is nothing to be gained and the guard-civilists will then have to save their own expenses.  The school service as a restaurant some scallops pattaten others cook the soup.

 At 1 o'clock everything is ready and sope and pattaten are taken in our gamelle and eaten tasty, à la guerre comme à la guerre, the meat was a bit tough but the sope first class.At 16 hours we leave and arrive at 7 pm In Bruges, I see Leon Lentacker, he fought at the battle of Melle, he told me, it was the first time and unhappy our volunteers had to walk there. "Leon put it on the garde-civique from Brussels who left their cannons, I drink a glass of beer with him and hand him 5 francs.

 The community is broken with St Nicholas, they say us in the Poste, so unnecessary to send letters.  It is therefore 19 o'clock and we go on foot to ST Andries where we arrive with the dark and with our sixes are quartered at the lord

 Van Hauwert-Splentele tree grower

 I sleep in the front room at one seat, the others also in one seat, one on the floor and two in a bed.

 Still sleeping in my seat.  We are otherwise well received by those people and get good food.  Brave people do not seem to be a rich tree grower.

 9 September 1914 Wednesday.

 Apple at 10 o'clock

 In the afternoon we visit Bruges.  It was a visit.

 For me Bruges is the cleanest city that I have seen with its churches, old mansions, the picturesque streets, old quays and beautiful lovely city walls and especially its Groote Markt, City Hall, Blood Chapel etc. At the same time I send a telegram from Leon to Leonie with the words: all right, have seen him.

 In particular, we visited the main church of Bruges, a church rich in paintings by great masters.  It was worth mentioning that the Tribunal of Commerce was built in the Flemish Renaissance and many others.

 We return to St André where we had apple at 5 pm, very satisfied about our trip to Bruges.  we are informed that we can not leave our cantonnement without permission from the government.

 Since we had complained about our bad sleep, we were thrown in by Mr. Otto De Mentock, special in St Andries.  A man of noble family.

 His castle is located 45 minutes from our meeting place, on the road from Bruges to Thorhout, in the middle of the woods.

 So we were staying at his homestead, which stuck to his castle above the shelters at the tenant.  We are well received by the farmer as he is called in the region;  we get food in abundance and a good bed for me alone in a room!  Peis' ne times, my room alone, it was the first time and also the last time.  We slept that night.

 In St. Nikolaas everything is quiet, they say.  More than half of the population have already started to flee.  It is also said that Papa and his family were at the Klinge.  Those were lies.  I do not know anything about our family or Leonie since we left.

 I suffer from very feet;  broken by going.  We receive solder for the first time.  As solder we draw 2.00 fr per day, which is not very clean, but which are easily acquired because one is always stranger.

 September 10, 1914 Thursday

 Apple at 10 o'clock.

 We walk through the vast pleasure garden of our host at noon.  a real park.  ten deer, wild rabbits and roosters walk on his court.  It is at least 1 hour deep and 15 minutes wide.  The owner has a yachtsman for his court only he is so great.  Impossible to describe such a thing.  He is as clean as the Antwerp park.

 Sint andries is a beautiful municipality of 9,000 souls.  Many beautiful villas, many rich people, forested area, beautiful church.

 At 17 o'clock on the apple we say that we have to leave tomorrow.

 We are well fed here;  get cigars, beer and fruit in abundance.  I would easily want to wear out my life here;  I had never seen such a region.

 Here a band of cigars (not to be found in the diary).  Of course I have smothered the cigars and they were not stinkadores, I dare to swear that we got there, I would have wanted a thousand for my mating.

 September 11, 1914 Friday

 Apple at 7 o'clock.

 We leave Bruges and Eekloo to Bassevelde, then by tram to Ertvelde.

 It's raining all day. We stayed at:

 Henri De Smedt Farrier and innkeeper Bossestraat Ertvelde.

 At 5 o'clock apple.

 We are reasonably received here;  cleanliness, the food can be prepared by it, but rather negligent, well you must not be dirty in the war.  Otherwise good people of around 50 years with 4 children.  Ertvelde is a poor municipality of 3500 souls, rather neat church

 27 min

 September 12, 1914 Saturday

 Slept well.  At 8 o'clock apple.

 I went to church and sent a ticket to Leonie.  See a Belgian flying machine.

 We receive a letter from home;  everything good to St Nicholas.  In the afternoon we went on foot to Cluysen for half an hour from here;  It's a small town, genre Nieuwkerken, poor people, pretty church, the civil warden of Dendermonde was there.

 Apple at 5 o'clock.  None of us is allowed to go to St Nikolaas without permission, on the penalty of one year of imprisonment our commander says.

 From now on the reveil will be blown at 6 1/2 o'clock in the morning and at 8 o'clock in the evening, just as with the military and after this hour everybody has to go to sleep.

 September 13, 1914 Sunday

 8 o'clock apple.

 For 8 1/4 hours of military messe with music and sermon.  That pastor paints us from his pulpit as heroes who leave their city, family and acquaintances to dedicate their best powers to the service of the fatherland.  I laughed in my own when the pastor made this all known to his parishioners.  Had he had soldiers for him, I do not think he would have spoken otherwise;  I certainly believe that they had told the man that we should go to battle.  Anyway, we are terribly embarrassed and all the farmers will certainly have had compassion with those boys.

 In the church there was also an organ, which drew well when it played on the mills of 1 cent of our foor (There was a new ordered organ the parishioners).

 At 1 o'clock we leave by tram, having said goodbye to the blacksmith and his family, by tram I say to Bassevelde from where we are transported in a cattle wagon with banks over Selzaete to Moerbeke, from where after a train change we are unloaded at Kemseke.

 When we arrive here we see many St Nicholas people.  At 7 pm we get a log with Mr. Janssens forester Kemseke.

 Brave people, good food and good sleep.

 September 14, 1914 Monday.

 Hear messe in the church at 7 o'clock in the morning.

 From 8 am to 8 pm I had a watch in the municipality.  Around noon we keep to a farmer who had not rattled off a civil guard and led him to the town hall between 4 guards.  The farmers looked up when they saw that and his wife was already shaving worse than a small child.  Well, one must do his service.

 We are well here in good people with one son.  Kemsekee is a beautiful congregation of about 2000 souls.  It rained the whole day today when I was on guard.

 September 15, 1914 Tuesday

 I hear the 7 o'clock knife in the church.

 Apple at 8 o'clock afterwards I receive solder for the 2nd time.  As there is currently no danger at St Nicholas, many refugees return home to Kemseke.

 It's good again.

 From 20 o'clock in the evening until the next day at 8 o'clock I have to serve on the watch.  I sleep on straw.

 September 16, 1914 Wednesday.

 At 8 o'clock apple.

 Our brother Emile brings us home from home with many compliments, it is quiet in St Nicholas he says.  A Belgian flying machine flies over us.

 We are very good at our logistic, we get and eat a lot;  but not be bad!  Even though the fries of the day are still hanging between the teeth of the fourchuts or even the dish water is still in the bowls or in the teljoors, but in any case it is war what do you do about it.  You can not always succeed!

 In the afternoon our Father comes to visit us;  he hired against all incidents in a room on the Klinge, he said;  we visit him with Mr. Dirix, manufacturer in Kemseke and are well received there.

 At 6 o'clock apple.  Good weather today.

 September 17, 1914 Thursday.

 Slept well last night.  Apple at 8 o'clock.

 I have to wait until the day before tonight at 8 pm.  It's raining all day.

 Corporal Huart was put in the box for 12 hours to leave his post.

 N 'and civil guard gets n'e depèche here that the 8 sept in Somerghem has come and haunted us in all municipalities.  He has been on the road for 9 days and that for a dépèche;  how long would a letter stay on the road, I wonder?  Unnecessary, therefore, to write.  We are simply better off here. It always starts to annoy us that stupid Kemseke, fortunately we have to do a lot of work.

 They must once again have fought over Dendermonde, because they clearly hear large guns in the distance.

 September 18, 1914 Friday

 Be 14 days away from St Nicholas;  have heard messe at 7 o'clock.  At 8 o'clock apple, then solder for the third time.  Send 2 sight cards, one home and one to my Leonie.  At noon, Belgian flying machines pass here.  A letter from Mr. Minister has arrived here, he announces that we are a soldier and not a civil guard and will therefore be punished according to the soldier's laws.  We are forbidden to go home on punishment.

 At 20 o'clock in the evening I have to wait until 8 o'clock in the morning.  It is not fluffed like a night on the stranger standing in the field waiting.  Very annoying here.

 September 19, 1914 Saturday

 Apple at 6 o'clock in the evening.  I receive solder for the 4th time.  Send a card to Leonie Lentacker.  Today was bad rainy weather, I am very bored.

 September 20, 1914 Sunday

 Hear messe at 6 o'clock.

 I am on duty from 8 o'clock in the morning until 8 o'clock in the evening.  At 16, in the afternoon I see Albert Lentacker, Leonies broer, per velo, I hear that everything is with Leonie and that her sister from Dendermonde has come home.  This reassures me.  Cold again today.

 September 21, 1914 Monday

 Apple at 8 o'clock, still good.

 At 14 o'clock we have extraordinary apple;  there are 11 gardes at our company;  in the two other companies on Stekene there are 114 missing. That can count!  Our Chief says that all will be punished on the order of the Commander, the Place of St. Nicholas.  (Each has received 2 francs).  I am happy to receive the compliments from Leonie Lentacker through the hand of wife Jules Heyninck from St Nicholas.  I work from 8 pm until 8 in the morning.  I sleep on straw in the Kemseke station.  The guards who are still going to Saint Nicholas will be arrested from now on, says our commander.

 September 22, 1914 Tuesday

 I write a letter to my Leonie.

 Apple at 3 o'clock.  An English flight machine passes here.  Unexpectedly I get a visit from Leonie who came to Kemseke by train with Madame Heyninck.  This visit greatly pleased me.  Go back today.

 September 23, 1914 Wednesday

 Hear the 7 ure messe.

 From 8 o'clock in the morning until 8 o'clock in the evening I am on duty at the Kemseke station. It is a good wedr today and another flight machine passes.

 I receive solder for the 5th time.

 September 24, 1914 Thursday

 Been to the messe of 7 hours.

 At 8 o'clock apple;  after the apple on patrol;  along St Pauwels "Wijk De Kwakkel" back to Kemseke.

 From 10 am to 2 pm I get congé from our commander to get a new pair of pants to St Nikolaas which of course were lies.On one rented velo I go home and I visit my Leonie that I go to the factory pick up and return to my new home in a hurry.  A pleasant trip though!  I wanted to do it all day for my punishment!

 It's really summer weather today.  From 20 o'clock in the evening until 8 o'clock in the morning;  and sleep in the sprinkle at the Town Hall

 September 25, 1914 Friday

 We get a visit from our brother Emile at 3 pm, who brings us a new change: everything is quiet at Sint Niklaas, he says, only there are many soldiers.

 Summer weather today.  I write a letter to my Leonie.  At 18 o'clock apple.

 September 26, 1914 Saturday

 Hear the 7 ure messe.

 From 8 to 10 hours we have exercises in tirailleur service, and from 10 to 20 o'clock in the evening I am on duty;  fortunately we have summer weather and can amuse ourselves with choking and reading gossips because it is very annoying here.

 September 27, 1914 Sunday

 Already we are fourteen days on Kemseke.  My brother Leander has always been in the same log with me so far is getting a cold in the head;  the doctor of the company Thienpont visits him.

 We have apple at 8 o'clock;  It's good again today For 9 1 // 2 hours of military knife with music and then procession around the church.

 I receive a letter from Leonie Lentacker, through Madame Heyninck, who is very displeased.  From 20 o'clock in the evening until 8 o'clock in the morning I wait for the road to Sint Nikolaas.

 September 28, 1914 Monday

 Windy weather today.  At 7 1/2 hours they informed us that we should leave.  We arrive at Wachtebeke at 10 1/2 hours.  We are quartered at 11 1/2 hours at

 Dame Weduwe Persijn Statiestraat in Wachtebeke.

 Brave, clean, decent people;  this Lady is the mother of the renowned writer Julius Persijn.

 In the afternoon I must calibrate the plan of the municipality, then I leave two dépèches to St Nicholas;  one to my parents, the other to my Leonie.  (All right, received letter, not satisfied, write soon).

 Leander has become sicker;  the doctor comes to visit him.  At night he is crying from the pain of course I can sleep hard in my hospital!

 Wachtebeke is a rustic municipality of 6000 souls located on the Moervaart.  gothic church, 3rd period with renaissance furniture.  Many canals and 5 bridges.

 September 29, 1914 Tuesday

 I am on duty at the Statie van Wachtebeke from 8 am to 8 pm.  Rainy weather today.  I write a letter to Leonie.

 We are good at our logistics;  They are clean people, here it is a citizen kitchen that we have.

 Leander's disease improves.

 September 30, 1914 Wednesday

 At 8 o'clock Apple;  it's rainy again;  I write one letter to Leonie Lentacker.

 Mr. Jules Heyninck goes home, I let him do the compliments to Leonie.  In the evening I get a letter from her about which I am very miscontent.

 I do not know what to do during the day and I am very bored here.  My brother Leander is still getting better, he gets a regular visit from the doctor.

 From 20 o'clock in the evening until 8 o'clock in the morning I have to wait at the Wachtebeke station.

 From midnight to 2 o'clock in the morning I was alone on duty;  The other guards are sleeping;  The moon shines and in the distance one hears gong, of course one does not sleep safely, the gun will not get out of hand and the first one who has approached without question could not have gotten a bullet.  Normally one does not see a mortal in the street after 10 hours, everyone sleeps comfortably.  Anyway, just standing alone on guard is very dangerous.  Did the rest of the night sleep on straw.

 October 1, 1914 Thursday

 Good again today.  I write a letter to Leonie.  leander is improving.  At eight o'clock in the evening it's apple.

 Everything is silent in Sint Nikolaas, the guards who have been home.

 Bare me very much here;  Here, however, there is a beautiful region: The Gardes in general sail and fish in the Moervaart, I am angry with myself for the letters I receive from my Leonie and for which I have no duty, I am angry and do so. nothing or rather I'm going to walk my only ones in the field.

 October 2, 1914 Friday

 At 8 o'clock apple.  We have service from 8 am to 8 pm on the iron road.  It's rainy and windy today.  Leander's disease worsened.

 Many trains pass here that have transported the refugees of Lier, Duffel or Herenthals higher up;  there is also a train full of English soldiers who are going to Antwerp to fight.

 In the evening, Germans are seen here;  we must immediately patrol, but find no living soul.

 By the municipality, to Zelzate, many Belgian cavalry of dépots pass here.  (From now on, the retreat of the Belgian army from Antwerp began in silence, and Antwerp was only occupied by the Germans on 9 October).

 October 3, 1914 Saturday

 At 8 o'clock apple, Rainy weather today.  I write a letter to Leonie and get soldered for the 6th time.  My brother Leander is better, and in Zelzate he can not be tormented by doctor Lammens van Sint Nikolaas.

 Here pass lanciers from the dépôt of Beveren.  They go to Ostend, they say, to be fully equipped.  There are also 150 horsesmen with 300 horses from the dépôt van Lier.  They transfer their dépôt to Ostend as they have had to leave Lier for the bombardment of the Germans.  (We know that it was nothing but the retreat of the Belgian army from Antwerp).

 There are still empty trains running in the direction of Antwerp that have transported refugees to the sea side.  In the same direction, a mass of locomotives in trains of 6 to 7 pass right here.

 We are good at our logistics.

 From 20 o'clock in the evening until 8 o'clock in the morning I have to wait for the bridge on the road from Zele and Loockristy.  We were forbidden to sleep tonight.  But we are too smart for our government and go to the farmers for hay and sprinkle that we put in our waiting room and on which we sleep with his fives while one keeps watch.  From 1 to 3 o'clock I am standing alone on guard, I sleep on straw.

 October 4, 1914 Sunday

 We are already one month from St. Nicholas away.  Leander is completely healed, gets a four day congé and goes home.  I can not attend a messe today because of my service.

 Write a letter to Leonie.  Good weather today, quite a bit of wind. Here an English seaplane passes in the direction of Ostend flying.

Today, trains of English soldiers drove past those who went to Antwerp to fight. Around 11 1/2 hours Belgian soldiers pass through the municipality with machine guns on dog carts, they disappear in the direction of Zelzate.

Leonie Lentacker comes to visit me; We dine at Madame Persijn and in the afternoon we go to Mendonck for Rhumatism. Mendonck is a small hamlet. We cross the Moervaart on a raft and return to Wachtebeke. At 6 o'clock Leonie leaves Madame Heyninck back to St Nicholas. This visit makes me a lot of fun.

 October 5, 1914 Monday

 Slept well and tonight, only in a bed, since my brother went to St. Nicholas.

Rainy all day long. I write one letter to Leonie Lentacker.

 Last night many English cannons, mitral vehicles and ambulance cars passed by rail in the direction of Antwerp.

 From 8 o'clock in the morning until 8 o'clock in the evening I work on the bridge to Lochristy.

 Around 4 pm a flying machine flies by here, probably from our allies.

 October 6, 1914 Tuesday

At 8 o'clock apple.'t Raining today. I write two cards to Leonie and one to home.

 On the day I walk to the district "Langeleede", a nice walk along the canal to Zeeland.

 I must make another copy of the plan of the congregation for the commander.

From 20 o'clock in the evening until 8 o'clock in the morning I have to wait on the Patersbrug on the road to Ghent. From midnight to 2 o'clock in the morning I am only on guard; it is a little misty man; the cold of this night is fierce; I sleep the other hours on sprinkle.

 October 7, 1914 Wednesday

 One hears violent cannon, probably all the way from Dendermonde.

It's clean today; I write a letter to my Leonie. I am very good at our log here.

 Passed by Belgian flying machines in the direction of Ostend.

 In the afternoon I am going to walk along the Moervaart while I meet comrades who were already rowing to Wachtebeke and return with them while sailing.

There are many cars and soldiers here that will go to Ostend and rest here tonight. Leander returns from St Nicholas; he had been on his way all day to get to here, so all connection was suspended, so to speak. It is very lively in our hometown; The king had stored his staff there; Everything was alright in the house

 October 8, 1914 Thursday

Quite a misty weather today. I write a letter to Leonie Lentacker.

From 8 o'clock in the morning until 8 o'clock in the evening I am on watch at the Death bridge on the road to Loochristy. All Belgian army armies of the Belgian army pass by in Dendermonde and Berlaaere and go to Ostend. The king passes by here. On two or three roads at the same time, the retreat of the soldiers coming from Antwerp continues throughout the day.

It is incredibly such a retreat; carts, cars, cars with thousands, cannons, horses and soldiers, everything through and with the greatest speed moving.

 From 20 to 22 o'clock we may start to supper.

 From 22 o'clock all night, in view of the proximity of the Germans, I must continue to watch over the Paters Bridge on the road to Ghent.

 Our ordinary sprinkle has been taken by the withdrawing piots and the hours that we do not have to do any service, we sleep on a little sprinkle or on a chair.

At 5 o'clock in the morning we are informed that the German is in Moerbeke and that we have to leave. It is still half dark when we go to our log through the municipality; everywhere on the street, all the way through the congregation, on the exposed street cobblestones or on the ground, covered with a single sargy or without a sargy layering or better sleeping Belgian soldiers. The guns were rotting and all 10 meters watched a sentry. 'It was not true that everything on a battlefield had coughed soldiers not remembering that they were still alive. Between the piots on the bare stones the chiefs slept like ordinary warriors.

 October 9, 1914 Friday.

Good again. We are on the road for 5 weeks today. We are ready for departure but have to wait until 12 o'clock. In the afternoon we leave on foot to Zelzaete, halfway we are told that we should return to Wachtebeke.

Meanwhile everyone has fled in Wachtebeke; I could buy 1 egg 2 sandwiches and some chocolate with a lot of money and a lot of money, otherwise I could not get anything.

 At 15 o'clock we leave with one of the last columns from the Antwerp fortress and go over Selzate to Assenede where we arrive dead at 6 o'clock.

On the way I get the compliments of n'en sergeant H. Pauwels from St Nikolaas that Papa and the household were in Stekene. Consequently, Papa had gone to flee.

 As a log, we are appointed Madame Dumez Hoogstraat Assenede.

Arriving at this lady, we are not accepted by the guilt of n 'snot noses of one commander, who pretends that we must sleep under the bloody sky when the soldiers are ievers, because the army goes before he says that man certainly did not know that we were also soldiers; well a bed was not good for the government for us!

Then go back to the Town Hall for another log; the secretary tells us that he no longer has any addresses but that there is still a lot of room at one brewer in the village.

Only then start eating at their own expense; 2 sandwiches with ham and 2 glasses of beer for 0.75 fr we buy from the aforementioned Mad Dumez, and then look for our brewer.

It is already dark when we arrive at the brewer Van Overbeke. This man owns a large brewery in the middle of the village and has no large brewery in the middle of the village and has a large hayloft in his property which he puts at our disposal. With a leather we move to our attic, gardes and soldiers were already roaring all around, four horses were standing under the fire and above us the pans through which one could see.

 That night I could not sleep from the cold, we lay soft enough in our hay and it was already 36 hours since I had slept, but that devastated cold prevented me from seeing an eye.

 October 10, 1914 Saturday

In the afternoon the German entered St. Nicholas; some houses have been broken open and partially emptied otherwise they have happily respected everyone and everything. In all the city, then, the Germans had invaded the city at heart, without exaggeration, no 5000 men. They went to the ships college, all the houses were tight, all pastors had put themselves in civilian clothing because nobody trusted them.

Enough about that; With the first twilight, I crawl out of my feather bed to open my viewers in the brewery. Good weather today.

Afterwards we eat with us in our twenties n'en bread with the brewer and go to the apple at 8 o'clock. There I get for nothing a new pair of shoes that comes in handy. They informed us that the German is already in Wachtebeke. At 11 o'clock, I and my brother at Madame Dumez mentioned aforementioned but this time free; they look good and clean people to me.

 In the afternoon we go on foot to Bouchaute at 6 1/2 km from here and join us, as it became too dangerous here, at the other guards of St Nicholas who were already quartered here.

We are staying in the boys 'school and in the evening we get every n' cheese sandwich. We sleep on sprinkle in one of the classes.

The government has nothing more to say to the guards, nobody wants to stand guard, the major is laughed at, which is not messy. At night there is a whole regiment of green hunters from the fortress of Antwerp. Antwerp has fallen, they say, we are the last to pass the Germans in Moerbeke along the Dutch border. These boys are exhausted and sleep beside us on sprinkle.

 October 11, 1914 Sunday

Good weather today. We have to get up at 5 1/2 hours and hear about 6 1/2 hours of messe. At 10 o'clock we leave over Eekloo to Bruges where we arrive around noon. On the train, we ate biscuits and plata that we got from the soldiers who traveled with us. Biscuits and plata were very good to eat. Ron 12 o'clock we got to eat dry bread in the Bruges station. (http://www.forumeerstewereldoorlog.nl/viewtopic.php?t=27888)

There was a lot of movement there, trains crammed with soldiers who drove to the Ijzer, trains full of refugees who traveled seawards. Around 13 o'clock a blinded train with cannons operated by English soldiers arrived in the station. Such a train consists of an armored locomotive with tender, one wagon with movable cannon, locomotive, cannon, etc. Up to 4 machines on a train and everything covered with sheet iron. We also see there a wounded prisoner of war German and 8 German or Dutch spies who had caught the gendarmes under the Antwerp retreat between the soldiers and who were transferred from the train to the Bruges prison.

 At 18 o'clock, after having requested us to be unharmed at Bruges' city hall, we are asked to look for accommodation ourselves. We are going to knock at the Bruges Seminary but are rejected under the pretext that there is hurt and there is no place.

 At last I and Jos Van de Voorde are admitted to an old pastor from Nederlansch Indiê in Wulfhagestraat no. 22;

a widow of n'en sea captain with her daughter also lived with the pastor. Doorbrave people. We got food and even a bottle of wine to drink because we were soldiers who came from the battle told Van de Voorde to the priest and he told how the bombs and schnell snails flew over our head etc. And the priest was set up with those lies and the widow who was hard-hearted did nothing but nod. Not bad hey! We got off the battle. Anyway, if we were contracted, we would still receive one Belgian franc from the widow to buy some food.

 We were then led by the pastor to an old gentleman with 2 to 3 daughters and 2 to 3 houses further in the same street to spend the night. There was a good bed and good people.

 October 12, 1914 Monday

 Misty again this Monday.

Have slept well and eat bread with coffee with the old gentleman who has accommodated us. At 8 -11 -15 and 18 o'clock apple. between these apples we will visit the city. A flight machine passes here.

At noon everyone gets 1.50 fr to buy some food, more than half of them can not find a log. We are sleeping on mattresses in the hall of the Plezanten Hof Timmermansstraat Bruges last night.

 Today I lived purely on tarts, fries and fries because we wanted something to eat then we could buy it.

 October 13, 1914 Tuesday

 The boss from the Plezanten Hof where we slept want to give us this morning no food because the owners receive for compensation only a paper receipt of the City Hall of Bruges and he can not do anything there he says, anyway we could do without food go and buy then to satisfy our hunger, weeat fries and fries.

 Apple at 9 and 11 o'clock.

Around noon, 3 German airmen fly above the city, a bomb is dropped at the barracks of Bruges, fortunately there are no deaths. They shoot with guns but he disappears. Our noon meal once again consists of French fries which we sat on one of the windows of the Belfort.

 At 2 pm we are licensed and we deliver our guns at the Bruges station.

 It's bad weather because it starts to rain.

 At 18 hours we are told that we should go to Knocke and that we will receive a 250.00 franc fee.

We march in the dark from Bruges to Dudzeele. The Regent without ceasing during our entire march. We want to come to an estaminet where the brewer is who invites us to sleep with him. I and farmer Van Kerckhoven sleep and eat at Mr Quataert Brouwer, Brugsche Kassei 167 Dudzeele

 It was a long time ago that I had tasted so tasty and slept so well in a bed.

 October 14, 1914 Wednesday

Good weather today. a little foggy. We eat in the morning at the aforementioned brewer that are good and friendly people.

Dudzeele is a small, bohemian municipality of a hundred houses in the middle of the polder land. Little or no trees can be seen here.

 At 7 1/2 in the morning we go to Knocke where we arrive around 10 am.Knocke is a beautiful municipality, the size of Beveren, on the North Sea with houses of 2 to 3 floors, large hotels and villas in the middle of the dunes located, truly a small town with a beautiful future.

I see the sea on the beach of Knocke; what a difference with the sea that I thought I saw in Ostend a few months ago when we, me and my Leonie were together in the bath; there, despite the heavy wind, everything seemed to be smiling and cheerful, here, everything shines dark gray and grim. How in a short time a world of form can change!

At the town hall of Knocke, I have my passport issued by the mayor with a stamp for the stranger. This gentleman advises me to stab me in civilian clothes, because according to him the Germans were expected in Knocke in the afternoon. They have indeed arrived at the afternoon the other day.

 I then buy a clack at n'en doove kleffrmaker, let my guard civique frak in a vest change, goig my boots away and so in a real branches without col recreated I am ready to cross the Dutch border.

In Knocke in a large hotel on the beach I get my last solder (15.50 fr). I have to keep the solder of the last 8 days too good and the 250.00 fr compensation will be paid to us, according to Mr. De Lansheere's promise, after the war.

Our government gives us the advice to go to the Netherlands. many refugees from Ostend, Blanckenberghe etc. go over Knocke to the border; all trams are crowded. We will go from there to Holland in about 14 hours. On the border we are very watched by the Dutch soldiers who do see that we are ordinary soldiers in civilian clothes but they let us continue undisturbed.

The road leading to the border saw black of the people everywhere carts, cars, cars, velos, people, cattle, moves, no mess, everything through! We arrive at Sluis at 3 pm, a lot of people, nice town:

In Sluis we see many St Nicholas soldiers who laugh at our comical costume. We eat some apples here with bread. From Sluis we go on foot or with a cart over Aardenburg to Schoondijke where we arrive with the dark.

No more log here to find, everything crowded unless in the church. This is full of sprinkle; the men must all on one side, the women sleeping on the other side says the pastor who is also obeyed.

 Before going to sleep, everyone gets a cup of bread from a few wealthy wives who sacrificed themselves for it.

 October 15, 1914 Thursday

Slept well in the church. Beautiful weather today. It's still dark when we get up and take us to Breskens along Kruisdijk. There we buy some cakes and drink a good cup of Dutch coffee.

Breskens and in general all the Zeeland municipalities that we have walked through are clean villages with charming little houses built in genuine Dutch style with red baked stone. The farmers here seem to be in it and many farms are not here; The land is flat, low, with wide ditches cut through and little trees to see, it is here in the polder.

In Breskens, which has an industrious harbor, we take the Stoomboot to Flushing a quarter-hour boat from here. It seems that when we are halfway through the voyage or we are in the open sea, we can not see any land, and indeed Vlissingen is located on the sea at the mouth of the Scheldt. In sight of this city was a Dutch cruiser and an old submarine at the quay.

We are not going to see Flushing before that we did not have time, I can only say that the city has a beautiful sea station where one is served very cheaply. The Dutch soldiers keep order here. Around noon we finally arrived by boat to Terneuzen, where we were estimated to land on a quarter-hour ship.

When we disembarked from Vlissingen, a large steamship loaded with refugees and Belgian officers dressed in clothing steamed to England. We were welcomed as unwelcome guests in Terneuzen, nobody was allowed to stay there and between a hague of soldiers we were led to the station.

 From there I go to Sluiskil on foot where I arrive around 3 pm.

 We are approached at the Terneuzen fortresses by a sentry who, however, lets us pass by on our paper.

 Our two, together with painter Proosto of Sint Nicholas volontair for the war and licensed for injuries we are then along the canal Ghent Terneuzen

gone. This road was very clean, the speed was full of fled Belgian boats. I also saw the wood field of the company De Smet-De Nayer van Willebroeck and the coke ovens at Sluiskil.

After our arrival at Sluiskil painter Proost sees his parents again, his return was endearing to see, he himself told me that he never expected to return home from the war. I then left those people and found my brother who had arrived by train.

It had been said to Leander at the time that a certain Lady Wed Van Havere was living at Sluiskil, that Lady might know where our parents were staying. We walk by happiness to people from Sint Niklaas who assign us the residence of the woman. She stayed with one of the super guests at the Cokefabriek and we did not find a telegram that indicated that our parents were in St Jansteen. In the meantime it had become evening and as we could no longer leave, we continued to eat there and had a night's sleep on a mattress by the aforementioned Dame Van Havere.

 October 16, 1914 Friday

We were just 6 weeks away from St Nicholas today. Slept well tonight and good but foggy weeder today.

From our suitcases that were here we take other clothes and finish our peasant clothes. I let myself be shaved in the congregation. It was 6 weeks ago, and I already started to look like a forest bear. After having breakfast at Dame Van Havere we leave around 8 o'clock to Hulst where we arrive at 9 o'clock.

 At Axel on the train Papa and Albert join us, they were eager to visit us in Terneuzen as we stayed away and so it was that we encountered each other on the way.

 My brother Albert informed me that Leonie Lentakcer was staying at Hulst, she had also fled and lived in the neighborhood of St Jansteen, anyway, I was very happy to hear that. We arrive at our new estate around noon.

We were housed at Mr. J. Van Doosselaer Blokmaker. At the church at St Janssteen. Brave people without children. We sleep together on mattresses in an attic and pay for log fire and light 14.00 francs a week.

 Albert has attended the bombardment of Antwerp, a bomb has fallen just in front of the door of his home, afterwards he has fled.

In the afternoon I see Leonie Lentacker, pleasantly reunion. She was with her father and sister from St. Nicholas, October 10, on the Saturday afternoon, when the Germans entered there with the last train fled. together they would have stayed in a railway wagon. Now that Mechelen Terneuzen was once again Leaving Trains on Temsche, her father had gone the same way to St Nicholas and her sister had gone to live in a convent with other sisters in Hulst.

 So it was that Leonie left her railway wagon that evening and went to live in Hulst in a small hamlet with her two sisters Emma and Elisa.

 October 17, 1914 Saturday.

 Good again today.

Our parents and family were on Thursday, October 8, late in the evening from St. Nicholas left by train and stepped into Stekene; for the train no longer drive because the German was in Moerbeke and the connection was curtailed. From Stekene we had fled again at the approach of the Germans and they had landed on Steen. The chambers on the Klinge that the father had rented at the time were leased by that person and so occupied; because the Zeelanders literally robbed and deceived the Belgians during all their flight. I'm going to visit Leonie in her villa in the afternoon! and go and walk with her in the surroundings of Hulst. Hulst is a dirty, small town, with narrow streets, there is nothing remarkable to see; In the surroundings of the city you have the polders between which you can find neat walks on the dikes. Those walks with Leonie sometimes make me very sorry for the fact that it was always wrong and that resistance came to a halt.

My sisters Marie and Leonie take the train to St Nicholas together with Father; nothing is there to see, everything is dead and quiet.

 October 18, 1914 Sunday

St Janssteen is a small municipality and consists of a single street with houses with or without floor. Beautiful and great gothic church.

It's good again today. I hear messe Steen.In the afternoon I walk with Leonie and see for the first time her sister Marie and her aunt Mad Janssens. "Otherwise it is very annoying here.

 October 19, 1914 Monday

 Rainy day today.

I go to the bank in Hulst to exchange Belgian money in Holland. Leonie Lentacker goes to St Nicholas by train and returns in the afternoon. Everything is quiet. In the evening I am going to walk with her.

 October 20, 1914 Tuesday

Rain weather. Go and walk with Leonie. Holly is in a mud city is changing so many mud there is in the streets.

 October 21, 1914 Wednesday

Good again. Papa goes to St Nicholas; many German soldiers were there, but they left everyone alone. And indeed the Germans have shown themselves to be accommodating and obedient until everyone from Holland was back, and then they acted like real tyrans, and they gave us no foretaste of what awaited us, were they ever to be lord and master about Belgium. We would be real slaves.

Around the evening I walk with Leonie and hit my foot to show my jumping art. Anyway, he had not yet begged that was also and comfort!

 October 22, 1914 Thursday

Good weather. I stay in bed until 12 o'clock and can keep on walking today with difficulty. Our walk was therefore going to whistle for today!

 October 23, 1914 Friday

Today it is again very good. I'm going to visit Leonie and go walking with her. My foot is getting better.

The days are shortening a lot and as if one goes to the longest one, one always comes to the fact that it was already dark every day when I left Hulst and in the dark the distance had to cover Hulst-Steen, which the fluff was so strange! I hardly ever met a mortal in that half-hour run. Anyway, nothing has ever happened to me and a fun is worth a rattle.

 October 24, 1914 Saturday

It's my holiday today. Good weather. Go visit Leonie and do our daily assignments Papa goes to St. Nicholas by rail; everything is quiet.

 October 25, 1914 Sunday

Good weather today. Hear a knife on Steen and walk with Leonie in the afternoon.

 October 26, 1914 Monday

Rain again. Do my daily walk with Leonie Lentacker. My sisters Marie and Leonie go by train to St. Nicholas everything is good and quiet, but the German soldiers do not respect the girls, they say.

 October 27, 1914 Tuesday

Good weather. I'm going into the field with my Leonie around the evening.

 October 28, 1914 Wednesday

Excellent again today. Leonie Lentacker returns to Sint Nikolaas definitiev, to put an end to the saints of her relatives and to put her father's household in order. Being alone, I am going to walk with my brothers in the afternoon.

 October 29, 1914 Thursday

The days are already cold. After the noon I walk with my brothers to Absdale (n'en district of Steen). Absdale is a farmer's quarter of a hundred farmers' farmsteads, large and situated in the middle of the polders.

 October 30, 1914 Friday

First class with the weather today. I leave for Sint Nikolaas by train; Just when I leave here in Hulst, Leonie Lentacker arrives with the train; she came to hear everything that belonged to her to send it home. Everything was quiet in St Nicholas; neither one was bothered on the station nor on the train. Many houses are closed, very dead. In the afternoon I'm going to pick up Leonie at the Sint Nikolaas Station. She comes to visit me later at home where we have fun and drink a glass of wine. Anyway, those hours were extremely pleasant. I sleep alone in the Collegestraat.

 October 31, 1914 Saturday.

I see Leonie and lunch at home with her. A foretaste of our marriage! Very pleasant indeed. In the afternoon, on foot from St. Nicholas to Steen, I go for an hour and not see any German soldier on the way. The borders were open and unguarded at the time. Otherwise it was good again.

 November 1, 1914 Sunday

Good weather with all saints. Hear a messe on Steen and in the afternoon go and do something with my brothers.

 November 2, 1914 Monday

All souls today and supreme again. I go to Hulst with my brothers on the day. My brother Leander went to St Nikolaas, everything is quiet.

 November 3, 1914 Tuesday

Good weather. Go for an hour on the day. I am very bored here.

 November 4, 1914 Wednesday

The war has been going on for three full months yesterday; the Belgians were still fighting the Iron; one clearly hears shooting in the distance. Summer weather today. Do a treat to Hulst. Papa has been to Sint Nikolaas, everything is quiet, the burnt tribunal of Dendermonde is now transferred there and in full effect in the museum of Zamanstraat.

 November 5, 1914 Thursday

Foggy weather. Go up to Hulst. My sister Marie goes to St Nicholas; everything is quiet there.

 November 6, 1914 Friday

Foggy and good weather today. I go to Hulst for a walk.

 November 7, 1914 Saturday

Today again foggy but good weather. After the noon I go to St. Nicholas by foot; there is no lice on the road! to see. In the evening I visit Leonie Lentacker. Everything is quiet in the city, there are not many land-goers there. Quiet orders add to the turmoil in the city and citizens return.

 November 8, 19145 Sunday

 Good weather today.

Hear messe in the main church of St Nicholas. I spend the rest of the day with my Leonie eating, yes, yes! Did Papa Koven know all that I ate him poor, he would have looked up so badly, because man is so sensitive and so easily gets one or the other. But keep silent! and nothing to his nose, it is among us!

 9 November 1914 Monday

Dad, grandmother and my brother Leander have now arrived in Sint Nikolaas. Everything is quiet here.

I visit Leonie, lunch in my hair and go to St Jansteen on foot. Good but misty weather I have on the road.

 November 10, 1914 Tuesday

Today it is windy but good weather. I go to Hulst to buy a gazette. Very annoying here.

 November 11, 1914 Wednesday

Windy rain. I am going to buy Hulst n'en common. Papa has been in Sint Nikolaas for 3 days and he returns here everything is quietly told he.

 November 12, 1914 Thursday

Today it is windy and rainy. I'm going to Hulst to get a newspaper at noon. It's very annoying here.

 Papa is gone for three days to St Nikolaas.

 November 13, 1914 Friday

Windy rain today. Go to Hulst to pick up a gazette. I read nowadays "De Tijd" or "De Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant" which is a pleasure for us.

 November 14, 1914 Saturday

It's windy and rainy. After noon I go to Sint Nikolaas on foot, it rains horribly along the way and I get drenched in the Collegestraat. Everything is quiet and in the evening I visit Leonie who puts it right.

 November 15, 1915 Sunday

It's snowing for the first time, a real dogweet today. I'm going to the 11-hour messe in the Hoofdkerk. On the afternoon and all afternoon I will transfer to Leonie Lentacker. Pleasant hours.

 Grandmother went back to St Janssteen after 8 days at St Nikolaas with her daughter.

 November 16, 1914 Monday

Good but windy weather today. I naturally visit Leonie at noon to round my stomach! and after saying goodbye to her, go on foot to St Janssteen

n again. On the big road, past Kemseke, there is a German guard. The German soldiers did not appeal to me and allowed me to pass undisturbed. It is otherwise quiet at St Nikolaas.

 Daddy who had stayed at St. Nicholas last week for 6 days went away again for a few days to work, he says.

 November 17, 1914 Tuesday

Good wind again today. I'm not going to go to Hulst and take a little walk with my brother.

 November 18, 1914 Wednesday

Soft winter weather. I am going to Hulst to buy a newspaper in progress accompanied by brothers and sisters.

Papa returns here after a 3 day stay in St Nikolaas. Everything is quiet there.

 November 19, 1914 Thursday

The streets were snowed in white morning! Papa goes to Sint Nikolaas for the other days of the week.

It's snowing all day. Go to a courant to Holly and make a snowman at the church of our logistic store; like little children! If you are bored, all childishness is taken out.

 November 20, 1914 Friday

Good weather today. The snow is still thick. I'm going to Hulst. In the morning we roll together a snowball of 1.20 to 1.30 high which we could not roll with four men. That was also an amusement.

 November 21, 1914 Saturday

 Struggle me here, and we say goodbye, to the good people who have given us so much for a long time, for good to St. Nicholas.

I go on foot with 2 or 3 brothers and we come home at noon. Everything is quiet here. The German waiting on the way did not appeal to us. Our parents and brothers and sisters have been in the Netherlands for six weeks.

I am very happy for my mates that I live in the Collegestraat and that everything can go back as usual to our activities, if there are !! and especially because I can visit my Leonie regularly.

 November 22nd, 1914 Sunday

Just live. Nothing extraordinary. I'm visiting Leonie Lentacker.

 November 23, 1914 Monday

The hour is advanced 55 minutes; that means that we now have the Middle European hour. We get to read De Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant every day here. I receive one letter from Leonie Lentacker who has a few days at the factory.

 November 24, 1914 Tuesday

No events or ordinary life; that is to say, in the morning or in the evening to the church and I will pay a visit to my Leonie if she does not have to work.

 November 25, 1914 Wednesday No news

 November 26, 1914 Thursday

It is reported that the civil guard must have himself written down on the German commandeer. Afterwards there will be a counter message. Be really sick of the bad bread that one gets to eat here.

 November 27, 1914 Friday

We bring our library and the files from the desk back to our house. All this had been stored away in one of the basements of the Academy and at City Hall during the flight.

Everything is quiet in Sint Nikolaas; foods are scarce; some factories work.

 November 28, 1914 Saturday nothing special

 November 29, 1914 Sunday

Now that the hour is 60 minutes ahead, we are going to the twelve-hour messe; a novelty.

 November 30, 1914 Monday Just live.

 December 1, 1914 Tuesday

The general mobilization was proclaimed on the 1st of August; that means that our boys have been in service for four full months. Groceries are difficult to get and increase by the day in price, by the desire of the merchants who store them in good faith

 December 2, 1914 Wednesday No news

 December 3, 1914 Thursday

The war has been going on for four months and there is no end to it yet. They are still fighting in the South of West Flanders, on the Ijzer. New German soldiers have arrived here; the old ones have occupied the Dutch border. The newly arrived search quarrel with the citizens; on the station square 3 officers have dispersed the people with the white saber.

Mr. De Haes's home on the Regencyplein has been taken by the German doctor; at Mad. The Creator established the Stage Commander number 29 in the Statiestraat. So these are 5 citizens' houses occupied by the Germans.

It is strictly forbidden by the German government: to make gatherings of more than 3 people, to whistle or to sing! An urban regulation requires us to go right in all streets.

 December 4, 1914 Friday

Papa goes to Antwerp; everything is quiet there; a few thousand soldiers occupied the city. All debris has already been cleared; the trams run but in general little life. Our cousins ​​did not leave Antwerp during the bombing, but sought a shelter in their cellar; both of them came off very soundly and were healthy.

 They switch over the Scheldt with n'en remorquer which is rather dangerous.

Around Antwerp the Germans cast new reinforcements and let the old canals exist or strengthen them. Zwijndrecht and St Anna were busy with soldiers occupied.

 December 5, 1914 Saturday

 The German military government has taken possession of the following houses.

 Mr Peeters, Zamanstraat

 Mr Raemdonck, Statiestraat

 Mr. Thienpont, Statiestraat

 Mr Willockx, Regenciestraat

 That already makes up at least a dozen properties!

 December 6, 1914 Sunday No news.

 7 December 1914 Monday No events.

 December 8, 1914 Tuesday

The last Dutch newspaper "De Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant" may no longer appear in St Nicholas. In the Belgian gazettes there are nothing but German communiqués or French fake reports; we therefore do not know what really happened.

In the afternoon I am going to St Gilles Waes to do a commission, there are no soldiers there. The Dutch border is nowadays completely rejected by the Germans, all 100 meters there is no soldier and there is no Dutchman.

 9 December 1914 Wednesday Nothing special

 December 10, 1914 Thursday

 Do not receive a letter from Leonie that is far from pleasant to read.

 December 11, 1914 Friday

I go to St Gilles with Leonie Lentacker, to order fries. On the way we did not see any German. I go to St Gilles with Leonie Lentacker, to order fries. We did not see any German on the way.

 December 12, 1914 Saturday

 The German government orders that all unguarded pigeons must die, further that the bows and arrows must be surrendered, etc. There is no outcome to this war.

 December 13, 1914 Sunday No news

 14 December 1914 Monday No events

 December 15, 1914 Tuesday

 Woman De Douwe shoots herself in her hostel at the Statieplein with one revolver of a Germanman, involuntarily by the head and was killed at the stroke.

 December 16, 1914 Wednesday Nothing special

 December 17, 1914 Thursday Nothing to be said.

 December 18, 1914 Friday No news.

 December 19, 1914 Saturday No events

 December 20, 1914 Sunday Nothing to report

 December 21, 1914 Monday

 Winter starts today, soft again.

 22 December 1914 Tuesday Nothing special

 December 23, 1914 Wednesday Nothing to be said

 December 24, 1914 Thursday.

The Germans cut down in the forest pine trees to make Christmas trees out of it. The soldiers are already starting to celebrate Christmas.

 December 25, 1914 Friday

The Germans celebrate Christmas. Their barracks have been crowned inside.

 December 26, 1914 Saturday No news.

 27 December 1914 Sunday No events

 December 28, 1914 Monday Nothing to report.

 December 29, 1914 Tuesday Nothing special

 December 30, 1914 Wednesday

I'm going to carry Kemseke's flour for some bread to bake at our butter farm. There are 150 German soldiers there.

 December 31, 1914 Thursday

 There is no German officer buried here who had a personal murder on the Klinge.

 There is no outcome yet to the war.

 1915

 January 1, 1915 Friday

Silent new year. Little movement to observe. Almost no people are seen on the street.

 January 2, 1915 Saturday No news

 3 January 1915 Sunday No events.

 January 4, 1915 Monday

"The Gazette of Antwerp" has been suspended by the Germans for a month. Cardinal Mercier was imprisoned in his palace, it is said, that he has issued an encyclical in which the Germans are accused. That letter was subsequently forcibly taken from the pastors of the diocese of Antwerp.

Papa goes to Antwerp; the people are very excited. German soldiers parade in the most special streets with new cannons.

 January 5, 1915 Tuesday Nothing has happened

 January 6, 1915 Wednesday Nothing to report

 7 January 1915 Thursday Nothing to be said

 January 8, 1915 Friday

 The Germans take possession of the house of Mr. Behaegel from the Casinostraat.

 January 9, 1915 Saturday

 No Antwerp gazette can still appear here.

At the border, the women are scanned and examined by German soldiers. Even there are women who have to get undressed for those bastards!

 January 10, 1915 Sunday

 One hears here shooting in the distance, probably in the North Sea.

 11 January 1915 Monday No news

 12 January 1915 Tuesday No events

 January 13, 1915 Wednesday Nothing has happened.

 14 Janauari 1915 Thursday Nothing to report.

 January 15, 1915 Friday

 The Klein Seminarie opens its courses on this Friday.

 January 16, 1915 Saturday

 The Germans set up the Antwerp Ghent railway and demanded of the city for 2000.00 franc furniture.

 Petrol already costs 1.00 francs the liter.

 January 17, 1915 Sunday

 The German soldiers have messe in the Klein Seminarie, an 18 soldiers are present.

 On penalty of penance one may no longer speak of the war in the inns.

 January 18, 1915 Monday

 Flower now they pay 0.90 f the kilo

 January 19, 1915 Tuesday

 At Jufr Verdurmen on the OLVrouwplaats next to the Vakschool houses the Germans.

 January 20, 1915 Wednesday

 One hear clearly here every day the German guns that Veurne bomb.

 January 21, 1915 Thursday

Tarts and fine bread may only be baked on Friday and Saturday at the order of the German governor. Violations are fined.

 January 22, 1915 Friday

The German governor orders that Belgians who stay abroad will have to pay ten times their personal taxes. This order is not applicable to both Flanders.

 January 23, 1915 Saturday

 The price of the bread is nowadays

 Coarse bread 750 grams 0.30 fr.

 Bag bread 1 kilo 0.45 fr.

 White bread 1 kil 0.65 fr.

 The fat costs 2.80 kilos.

The Germans have Mr. To keep E Janssens from the Brouwerstraat for espionage; when they wanted to take him prisoner he was flying across the border. to avenge themselves they have imprisoned the Mayor Van Naemen in his house. none of 't Land van Waes is allowed to cross the Dutch border and no goods at all. They no longer issue passports and those who had one were abolished.

 Mr. de Smedt, doctor, has been appointed mayor.

 January 24, 1915 Sunday

Mr Janssens has to pay 25,000 francs to the Germans. He did not pay them because he was flying.

 January 25, 1915 Monday

Papa goes to Antwerp. Our nieces are well but complaining wells in the ground.

 January 26, 1915 Tuesday No news

 January 27, 1915 Wednesday

 You can again cross the border.

 January 28, 1915 Thursday

Horse acquisitions by the Germans. The horses that are claimed are paid immediately.

 January 29, 1915 Friday

 The Germans demand a further 2000,000 francs of furniture to complete the furniture of the Station building.

 January 30, 1915 Saturday No occurrences

 January 31, 1915 Sunday Nothing new.

 February 1, 1915 Monday Nothing to report

 February 2, 1915 Tuesday

 The meatpipe of the Germans is arranged here

 3 February 1915 Wednesday Nothing to be said.

 February 4, 1915 Thursday

The butter may not cost more than 3.00 fr. The kilo costs the city council. the farmers are very unhappy.

 February 5, 1915 Friday

 At Mr. P Janssens castle Brouwerstraat 20 Germans stay

 An English air machine passes here.

 February 6, 1915 Saturday No events

 February 7, 1915 Sunday

Easter day for Europe imposed by the Pope Benedict. in the Sint Nikolaasche churches there is a lot of people in the divine services.

 February 8, 1915 Monday

The Germans have imposed a tax on the passports; this one is:

 3.00 fr for Antwerp

 3.00 fr for Ghent and surrounding municipalities

 3.50 fr for the Netherlands

 One can not leave the city without a passport or one risks being imprisoned and fined by the Germans.

 9 February 1915 Tuesday

The train Antwerp Ghent is driving for the first time. the Price for St Nikolaas Antwerp is 1.80 fr; double 3.60 fr

 February 10, 1915 Wednesday

 The German soldiers here require an average of 50 hornets a day!

 February 11, 1915 Thursday

There were no butter farmers on the Markt. almost no butter was there.

 February 12, 1915 Friday Nothing new

 February 13, 1915 Saturday Nothing to report.

 February 14, 1915 Sunday Nothing happened

 February 15, 1915 Monday No news

 16 February 1915 Tuesday Nothing to be said

 17 February 1915 Wednesday No events

 February 18, 1915 Thursday No details.

 February 19, 1915 Friday

Butter and hornets are becoming scarce. the Germans still demand 50 hornbills a day.

 February 20, 1915 Saturday

 Today we have about 200 Beiersche Catholics as occupation troops here.

 At the order of the Germans, no more food from the commandature.

 February 21, 1915 Sunday No news

 February 22nd, 1915 Monday

At one farmer from the Polders, the Germans demand 39 hornets and 100 sheep. The cattle are becoming scarcer.

Papa goes to Antwerp; no news.

 23 February 1915 Tuesday No events.

 February 24, 1915 Wednesday Nothing new.

 February 25, 1915 Thursday

There are almost no butter farmers on the market. Mad Heyman, Leonie Lentackers Aunt dies.

 February 26, 1915 Friday Nothing to report

 February 27, 1915 Saturday Nothing happened

 February 28, 1915 Sunday Nothing to be said

 March 1, 1915 Monday Nothing special

 March 2, 1915 Tuesday

 G Trommelmans, who went to England with his household, earned 35 francs a week.

 3 March 1915 Wednesday

No Antwerp gazette is left. We only get to read the People of Ghent.

 Mechelen Terneuzen deducts 25% of the salaries of his workmen

 4 March 1915 Thursday

 The rye and wheat bread currently costs 0.44 fr the kilo.

 The untrained landstorm has been called up in Germany for the soldiers' service.

 5 March 1915 Friday No news

 6 March 1915 Saturday Nothing to report

 7 March 1915 Sunday No events

 8 March 1915 Monday Nothing special

 9 March 1915 Tuesday Nothing to be said.

 10 March 1915 Wednesday

 The Germans are complaining because the St Nicholas are so rude to them.

 Coiffeur De Mayer from the Statiestraat is condemned to 30 marks fine for mockery of the German government because he did not want to come and shave the warrior.

 11 March 1915 Thursday

The Germans still demand 40 hornets per day. Heavy trucks are also being demanded.

 12 March 1915 Friday

 In Belcele, two farmers who did not want to pay their taxes were rattled by the German gendarmes.

 March 13, 1915 Saturday

 Our uncle Antoon De Kreymer from the Hofstraat is buried, we do not share it!

 14 March 1915 Sunday Nothing happened

 March 15, 1915 Monday

We still get 250 grams per man bread per day! Such a 5 sandwiches.

 16 March 1915 Tuesday

 The factories can only work more for the Germans 3 days a week.

 17 March 1915 Wednesday Nothing new today.

 18 March 1915 Thursday No news

 19 March 1915 Friday

 Some 20 bad women who walk with the Germans have to be examined every day by the German doctor in the hospital.

 20 March 1915 Saturday No events

 21 March 1915 Sunday

 The Germans interconnect all the giants of the sentries with the telephoon.

 There are sentries of the German soldiers:

 At the fishing mine

 At St Charles "De Meesterstraat.

 at the bareel van den Anwerpschen Steenweg and Breedstraat

 At the bareel on five streets

 At the bareel on 3 Kings

 At the bareel der Plezantstraat

 On the mill.

 It is therefore impossible to leave the city with a wagon or cart without having to pass the German waiting.

There are still German posts at the barracks; to the gendarmerie; in the poste and at the commandature.

The station also has a permanent guard. You see that St Nicholas is well defended.

 March 22, 1915 Monday

 A German soldier breaks his leg on the practice square of the Gazometer Street.

Every day there are disturbances at the hospital, on the occasion of the visit of the wicked women to the German doctors. These women are booed by the crowd.

 March 23, 1915 Tuesday

N'e Belgian chef de garde van den Boulevard gets 1 year in prison for "majestice". Thus the Emperor shouts at the Iron, he said on one of the beamed asses. Afterwards, he gets a six-month exit on a petition from the City of St. Nicholas.

 The practice square of the Gazometer Street is divided into 112 plots for the Werk van den Akker and is distributed among the unemployed to be planted with potatoes and vegetables.

 March 24, 1915 Wednesday Nothing to report

 25 March 1915 Thursday

 Rye, wheat, oats, barley, iron and wood are claimed by the Germans.

 Cows are also regularly re-ordered.

 March 26, 1915 Friday Nothing to be noticed.

 March 27, 1915 Saturday

The English bombard Kortrijk from the air; priests come from there in the College here.

 28 March 1915 Sunday Nothing special.

 29 March 1915 Monday Nothing happened.

March 30, 1915 Tuesday. Nothing new.

 31 March 1915 Wednesday No events.

 April 1, 1915 Thursday

 The city of Saint Nicholas must supply 12,000 kg of rye to the Germans.

 A second horse acquisition has taken place by the Germans.

 All traffic with Ghent is now interrupted for military reasons.

 April 2, 1915 Friday No news.

 April 3, 1915 Saturday

 Bag bread currently costs 0.47 fr the kilo.

 White bread 1.10 the kilo.

 Potatoes cost 12 to 13 fr the 100 kgr.

 The soap money 1.05 fr the kilo

 Meat 2060 fr the kilo

 The war has been going on for eight full months and there is no outcome yet.

 April 4, 1915 Sunday

Paschen. No events.

 April 5, 1915 Monday Nothing to report.

 6 April 1915 Tuesday

 Every day since a week there is a German flight machine here.

 7 April 1915 Wednesday

 Flower now costs 1.25 fr the cgr

 April 8, 1915 Thursday

 The Germans announce that these will flags will be punished with a fine of 1000 marks on the occasion of King's name festival Albert.

 G. Trommelmans returns here for government affairs and is smuggled across the border on 13th April.

 April 9, 1915 Friday

Father goes to Antwerp; there were fewer soldiers there than here in St Nicholas and everything was quiet.

 My cousin, Marie Van Poecke, says that there are nothing but young soldiers in Brussels.

 The grain from all the farmers of Thielrode is demanded.

 10 April 1915 Saturday

 By order of the Germans, the gardecivil goes from house to house and each writes up to 18-year-old.

 Our King Albert appeals to every resilient youth aged 18 to 25 who resides outside Belgium, to take service in the army.

 The German has been in Sint Nikolaas for 6 full months.

 April 11, 1915 Sunday No news.

 12 April 1915 Monday No events.

 13 April 1915 Tuesday Nothing special.

 14 April 1915 Wednesday Nothing to report

 April 15, 1915 Thursday

 Patatons cost on the Markt 14.50 fr the 100 kgr:

 April 16, 1915 Friday Nothing happened.

 April 17, 1915 Saturday

 Some 200 poor workers have received a piece of land from 't Werk vd Akker

 April 18, 1915 Sunday Nothing to be said

 19 April 1915 Monday Nothing new.

 20 April 1915 Tuesday No events.

 21 April 1915 Wednesday Nothing special.

 22 April 1915 Thursday No news.

 April 23, 1915 Friday

The Germans have renamed our barracks: the infantry barracks are called "König Lüdwig Barracks", the gendarmerie "Herzog Albrecht Barracks", and the house of Mr. Thienpont in the Stations Street has become the "Militar Casino"; n'en café in a mansion!

 This is all painted on shelves, black letters on a white background.

 In the Statie everything has become duitsch, all the inscriptions have received a German name just as if Germany is already here.

Signposts have been painted on every corner of the most special tracks, again in German! Everything has already been sold!

 April 24, 1915 Saturday

My brother Albert has the Pleuris! Keeping the bed for 6 weeks says the doctor.

 April 25, 1915 Sunday Nothing to report

 26 April 1915 Monday Nothing happened

 April 27, 1915 thine day Nothing to be said.

 28 April 1915 Wednesday Nothing new.

 April 29, 1915 Thursday

 Here are many young landstormers who are put in the gray and leave to the front the next day.

 April 30, 1915 Friday

 The Werkloozenfront is nowadays located in the Akademie, so there is a lot of bustle in our street.

 May 1, 1915 Saturday

 The merchandise from the American Shop comes here and is piled up in the Academy and in the banquet hall of the College.

 2 May 1915 Sunday No news.

 3 May 1915 Monday No events.

 4 May 1915 Tuesday

Many old soldiers of the German occupation must go to the front; they are replaced by young German landslides.

One hears again in the distance here. The 10th month of the war has started and can not yet see a solution.

 5 May 1915 Wednesday Nothing to report.

 May 6, 1915 Thursday

The American Shop located in the classes of the Academy under the banquet hall is opened. Terrible many people; one pushes and drums and some to get served come 1 hour before the opening of the shop already follow.

 Man can get there:

 Bacon: 2.70 fr the kgr

 Fat: 2.75 fr the kgr

 Black beans: 0.80 fr the kgr

 Rice: 0.65 fr the kgr.

 Flower: 0.60 fr the kgr.

 Coffee: 2.00 fr the kgr

 There is still available: peas, flour, maize flour, plums, dried apples, bean flour and canned.

 Men's people serve the customers

 7 May 1915 Friday

 Heeren go around the city, from house to house, to draw up lists for the support of the unemployed.

 May 8, 1915 Saturday

 Leonie Lentacker is 25 years old!

 9 May 1915 Sunday Nothing to be said.

 10 May 1915 Monday

 The Germans are 7 full months in St Nicholas.

 11 May 1915 Tuesday Nothing special

 12 May 1915 Wednesday Nothing new

 May 13, 1915 Thursday OLH Ascension

 A Zeppelin passes at a height of 200 meters from our house.

 May 14, 1915 Friday

There are still many people at the American Shop. There is still a lot of prayers; 1/2 hour before the praise the churches are already full. The crosses have been allowed this year by the Germans.

 May 15, 1915 Saturday Nothing happened

 May 16, 1915 Sunday

Mr Sempel the German commander of the commander dies in an operation in the clinic of the urban hospital. He was transported to his country on the 19th of May. The Germans led him to the station with music and parade.

 May 17, 1915 Monday

Papa goes to Antwerp; everything is quiet and our nieces are healthy. There is a lot of people in the American Shop.

 18 May 1915 Tuesday No news

 May 19, 1915 Wednesday

 Mr Sempel is led to the station.

 May 20, 1915 Thursday

At the American Shop, which opened its doors at 8 1/2 o'clock, there was already one at 5 o'clock in the morning waiting for the opening. That man was patient! Last Monday, 1100 households per day were supplied with goods in that store.

 Mama goes for the first time in the American shop.

 May 21, 1915 Friday

 Berger has been appointed as the new German step commander.

 22 May 1915 Saturday No events

 May 23, 1915 Sunday No details

 May 24, 1915 Monday No notifications

 May 25, 1915 thine day

The bread roll of 300 grams per man and per day is definitively imported into St Nikolaas. You can not overeat it!

 Papa goes to the Netherlands, no news there.

On the Market a few people here rattle a woman who is with the Germans. The soldiers must protect her.

 May 26, 1915 Wednesday

 Papa goes to Antwerp, nothing new there.

 27 May 1915 Thursday Nothing to report

 May 28, 1915 Friday No occurrences.

 May 29, 1915 Saturday

We divide 2 more pieces of land into 57 plots for 't' Werk van den Akker '; that means that already 250 poor households are allowed to plant a piece of land.

 May 30, 1915 Sunday

 Most factories lie and those who work, labor only 3 days a week.

 May 31, 1915 Monday

N'en German general with his staff arrived at Janssens castle in the Brouwerstraat. The Electrict is to be placed in the castle by order of the Germans, and everything must be restored and chastened; so to cost a 1400 fr!

 The occupation of Doornijk has arrived here to serve here.

 June 1, 1915 Tuesday

Mechelen Terneuzen has scrapped 9/10 of his workmen! However, the train continues to drive.

 Jacques Lentacker falls without a job, but he continues to pull half a day.

 June 2, 1915 Wednesday

 For the first time I see n "and Zeppelin floating on this at a great height.

Blauwaert Jos From the Truweelstraat is punished with 100 marks fine because he was found at the Dutch border in the possession of the Emperor's Oneness, a copy. We still have to be out of the bars at 9 am and at 10 am.

 June 3, 1915 Thursday

 The 11th War Month is under way and not yet a change.

 June 4, 1915 Friday

They start with the distribution of support to the unemployed who get no soup. The offices of this community are located in the party room of the Academy and in the Industrial School.

 The distribution of support lasts on average three days a week from morning to evening and usually takes place on Monday and Wednesday.

There are four offices in the premises of the Akademie and Nijverheidsschool; these are:

 The unemployed fund

 The American Shop

 And the National Commitment of support to the unemployed in needy families.

 All this causes a lot of movement in our Collegestraat.

 Mechelen is in a state of siege because no 500 Belgian laborers want to work on the arsenal at the expense of the Germans.

 June 5, 1915 Saturday Nothing to be noticed

 June 6, 1915 Sunday

 The H.Sacrament procession only goes out in the churches.  Em. Heirman, Houtbriel is arrested for insults to the Germans in Ghent but after 2 days of caching by the Germans again, even without penance.

 June 7, 1915 Monday No news

 8 June 1915 Tuesday No events

 June 9, 1915 Wednesday

 Jacq Lentacker draws 380.00 fr. V. Den. For his son Edmond.

 10 June 1915 Thursday

 Flesh is nowadays few and costs 3.20 fr the kilo.

 The Ration bread is now 333 grams per head and per day.

Our grays cost 37 cents the kilo. The vegetables are cheaper than other years because they are not allowed out of the commandature.

 June 11, 1915 Friday

 Papa goes to Antwerp, no news.

 June 12, 1915 Saturday

 Leonie Lentacker attracts support from the community for the unemployed in need.

 13 June 1915 Sunday Nothing special.

 June 14, 1915 Monday

I'm going for a passport to go to Antwerp. It costs me 3.00fr. and n'en running all day. First of all three times went to the police department and then all afternoon at the ticket office. Soldiers play the boss there!

The "Handelsblad" of Antwerp, which we get smuggled every day, has been punished by the Germans for 14 days. So we only get very censored news from Ghent from the newspapers "Het Volk" and the "Gentenaar".

 The most wonderful thing about these newspapers is that the Germans always win and never lose!

 15 June 1915 Tuesday

3rd Horse requisition by the Germans. A farmer from whom they took two horses and who refused to give up his whip, gets a rattle from the soldiers in the middle of the market and also 20 marks fine.

I go with Leonie to Antwerp on foot. Many Germans are there in the churches that we pass through; they are there with the citizens and in the wealthy houses that are billeted empty.

On the way we have to show 3 times our passport; once at the Kruisstraat in Beveren; once against Zwijndrecht and once on St Anna on the bridge.

The transfer service on the Scheldt is done by rafts and tugs. Nothing is paid from St Anna to Antwerp, but from Antwerp to St Anna the price is 10 cm per person. There is no boat in the Scheldt at the harbor. In Antwerp, whole blocks of houses were burnt down, the pits had already been cleared and in some places the rebuilding was already under way. Otherwise a lot of noise. No gazet was allowed to come out in Antwerp today.

 June 16, 1915 Wednesday

 The city of St. Nicholas is sentenced for 3000 marks, because one of the conscripts has crossed the border.

 June 17, 1915 Thursday

 't Groen is still cheap.

 June 18, 1915 Friday No news

 19 June 1915 Saturday No events.

 June 20, 1915 Sunday

To counter the manifold thefts and field devastations, the farmers have not set up a military service. They bear as a sign of recognition a band around the arm on which the word Milicie is printed. These ties bear the hallmark of the town hall.

 21 June 1915 Monday

 The summer begins.

Leonie and her father attract support. Those people also need it, listen to what their revenues are:

 Soldiers' money: 3.00 fr

 Pension or half-day Mech-Tern: 12.50 fr

Support; 2x3: 6.00 fr

Monthly Edmond state; 20.00 fr

 Together 41.50 fr

Or a small 6.00 fr per day. You see those people who needed it and how seriously the lists are drawn up.

 June 22nd, 1915 thine's day. Nothing to report

 23 June 1915 Wednesday

Leonie Lentacker does not agree with her Father who seeks contention. (Pulls out if you are not content), he says. To remember! for something is brewing in the head of that man.

 June 24, 1915 Thursday

 The lighting with electricity in the castle of Mr. P. Janssens Brouwerstraat and which the city of St. Nicholas was obliged to lay at his own expense on the orders of the German general who lived there, was to pay 1000.00 francs.

 June 25, 1915 Friday

 The unemployed who receive support in cash can no longer obtain a soup.

 Papa goes over Hemixem to Antwerp

 June 26, 1915 Saturday

 In Antwerp, no single gazette appeared that just appeared.

 Rotterdamsche Courant and the Fatherland, 2 Dutch and German-style gazettes.

 Furthermore, "The Flemish news a newly founded gazet of a few months old.

 June 27, 1915 Sunday

Today is' Fairground. There is nothing special to do in the city. In the afternoon a 13 German soldiers give a concert on the Markt in the kiosk. Much lauding with the cymbal, genre Nord Deutsche Loyd if there is no boat or if there is a trident society party. Few people in the Warande but many soldiers.

A conspiracy! Albert Lentacker and his two sisters write a letter to Papa Lentacker in the name of Edmond, in which he asks for a dress for his sister Leonie. Father who feels that everything is serious, and so it was that one day no dragon gave a gift to his daughter!

 June 28, 1915 Monday

Leonie Lentacker and her Father attract support. Instead of money, tickets are issued on which the value of 25 centimes is printed; this to prevent men or women from drowning this money. One is obliged to receive these tickets in all food and clothing stores.

 During this week, on the occasion of the fair, we get white bread at 47 centimes the kilo.

 Coal now costs 5.00 fr the 100 kgr

 29 June 1915 Tuesday

 Papa goes to Antwerp no news.

 30 June 1915 Wednesday

To write a letter with insults to the Germans, Madame Vermeire van 't Brugsken gets a 500 mark fine with her daughter. This letter was found on no smuggler who had stopped the Germans.

 July 1, 1915 Thursday

 The Germans set the price of the butter at 3.80 fr the kilo and 0.10 fr per egg. The farmers laugh at that rate and ask at will.

 July 2, 1915 Friday

 Papa goes to Antwerp about Hemixem, no news.

 July 3, 1915 Saturday

 The 12th war month has begun to see no outcome or changes in the situation.

 4 July 1915 Sunday

 All velo's, with their mark, must be declared at the town hall by order of the Germans.

 July 5, 1915 Monday

Leonie Lentacker and her father Vader support for the last time. The boss from the "City of Nantes" on the market gets 5 months of prison from the Germans to help smuggle letters, and the messenger on the Klinge who smuggled the letters caught 6 months.

 6 July 1915 Friday

The farmers benefit from the situation; the milk that used to cost 10 cents the liter now counts 12 cents.

DoktoorReynaerts funeral is ordered by the German government for health reasons! 2 days early. His funeral would otherwise have taken place on Thursday. Man is dead from the 1st and lay in a zinc box; but besides doctor Reynaert's house lived German military authorities and that was enough to advance his funeral. Behind his cortege, only his son followed, his other children of this order knew nothing.

 This morning there was no bread in the city for reason that the yeast coming from Holland was spoiled in the afternoon there was bread everywhere and everyone got his ration.

 7 July 1915 Wednesday

 Flower costs 1.29 kg and soap paid 1.00 fr the kgr.

 July 8, 1915 Thursday

They part with soup to distribute the poor people; these people now receive money in the form of soup tickets.

 9 July 1915 Friday

Papa goes to Antwerp; no news!

 July 10, 1915 Saturday

 The German has been in St. Nicholas for 9 full months

 11 July 1915 Sunday Nothing happened.

 July 12, 1915 Monday

Leonie Lentacker has to work at the factory for 2 to 3 days this week. In general there is little work.

 July 13, 1915 Tuesday

A smuggler from the Dalstraat in St Nikolaas, nicknamed Tiekeren, is yellow-exposed at the border and was dead. The Germans have tucked the Dutch border with an electrical cable; impossible to pass.

 July 14, 1915 Wednesday Nothing to be said.

 July 15, 1915 Thursday

 The vegetables have become very expensive.

 July 16, 1915 Friday

 A passport to the Netherlands now costs 7.0 fr with the Germans.

 July 17, 1915 Saturday

 Most of the factories are stationary, and those who work only work 24 hours again at the order of the Germans who forbid to let them work longer.

 July 18, 1915 Sunday

 The Germans pick up a 114 men who still walk in the street after 10 a.m. Belgian hours, and give their amigo and penance.

 July 19, 1915 Monday

 The unemployed receive regular support from the National Kommiteit.

We receive a letter with the German post that has been on the road for 10 days. Do you already do business!

 July 20, 1915 Tuesday

The Germans post that on the occasion of the National Day of Belgium: The schools must keep class, the Shops must remain open all day long; no arguments will be allowed, and all that is forbidden on the penalty of fines and fines.

 Now that the patriotic flag is forbidden everyone crowns them.

(lierre) in French. Wier is a symbol of hope in victory and just as the weeds attach itself firmly to and around a tree or wall, so this leaf is the symbol of the faithfulness of our king Albert 1 and of the sincerity of our small but brave army at the corner of Flanders.

 21 July 1915 Wednesday

At 10 o'clock the knife was for the deceased Belgian soldiers in the Hoofdkerk. The church was packed and at the end of the knife everyone was singing the Vlaamsche Leeuw; it was clean! After the messe, the German soldiers dispersed the civilians on the market with the bayonet on the rifle.

Everyone is at his best today; there is no work. Many people are the graveyard at the grave of fallen soldiers, where many flower arrangements are put down.

The Germans are very angry. At the Moleken they deprive the little children of national flagskins and all three-colored ribbons from the Winkelruiten have to disappear.

 22 July 1915 Thursday

 One still hears clear shooting at the Iron.

 23 July 1915 Friday No news

 July 24, 1915 Saturday

 The Germans prohibit on the spot of 4,000 marks and more: the wearing of Belgian colors, wicker, or portraits of the royal family or the display of these objects.

It is also forbidden to teach Vaderland songs to the school children. That is the revenge about the well-being of the National Holiday.

 July 25, 1915 Sunday

The German occupation still employs 500 soldiers who still sell the exits of the city. After 10 o'clock in the German hour no one is allowed in or out of St Nikolaas. At 11 o'clock everyone must be in the house on pain of penalties.

 July 26, 1915 Monday

 The German military government nowadays houses in 20 or so rich people houses, that can count!

Papa goes to Kemzeke 300 soldiers; there are 300 soldiers there: the mayor and the secretary have had to leave the town hall occupied by the Germans. The government lives with the citizens there.

Leonie has another argument with her father about breaking a figure. If one searches for a stick to succeed one child one easily finds one!

 July 27, 1915 Tuesday

Papa goes to Antwerp; everything is quiet. After a year of war, there are about 20 St Nikolazenes dead that I personally know. How many unknowns have not fallen then!

 July 28, 1915 Wednesday

 All dogs must be indicated at the town hall on the order of the Germans, numbered and provided with a medal.

 July 29, 1915 Thursday

The secretary of Cardinal Mercier imprisoned for 3 months or paid 2000 marks for disobedience to German soldiers. He does his sentence in the amigo.

 July 30, 1915 Friday

N'en German soldier is here demoted and sentenced to 3 years of conviction to smuggle letters. A Belgian woman who smuggled the letters also gets 3 years.

 July 31, 1915 Saturday

Father Lentacker draws from the Belgian state for his son Edmond. In the evening and all night by watching violent cannonball in the distance, it would still be war. Prescription of Belgian mobilization.

 1 harvest 1915 Sunday

 The boys are in today for 1 year.

 2 harvest 1915 Monday

 My brother Jean won the 1st prize in the highest class of the Brethren Hieronymites here and his graduate with great fruit.

 3 harvest 1915 thine's day

 The war is a full year.

 I am 25 years old and therefore of age.

 Otherwise, no news or ordinary life, that is to say: a 5000 German soldiers in the city who live in the barracks and guard the city: in addition, a large number of officers who do nothing when they take pints and smoke cigars, parade cars in the streets. , by tyrannising the population through their laws and in about 20 richly owned houses.

The soldiers are usually poor stubbers in dirty clothes, between 35 and 45 years, who get bribed for some money. The Germans still demand horns, but this number has become small, given the scarcity of animals.

 The station building is now full of German wagons and all transport is already in their hands and is happening at great prices.

 The post is also operated by them, but there are few shipments in view of the conditions on which letters can be sent and the few letters that arrive.

 Telephone and telegraph have not yet been made available for Belgians.

 The American Shop has gone far in the absence of goods.

 Food products have generally risen 1/3 in price and the retailers are making golden business.

The brewers do not have it broad, many breweries have stalled due to lack of malt and barley. In the inns, where a lot of beer is still being drunk, people pour a lot of bottled beer as most herbergeiers can not buy a ton anymore, considering that everything is comptant to pay.

 In spite of the unemployment of many, the kinemas are still doing well and are making 2 well-attended shows ready on Sunday.

 Even the velocles that have already been given twice, are followed bravely.

 All traffic of foreigners has been interrupted, so to speak.

 Velo's, carts, carriages and even horses and people who want to leave the city have to have a German passport, which one obtains quite easily with money, because money is with the Germans and otherwise nothing is their God!

The factories do not work in general and those who work let the workers work 24 hours a week. The construction industry, except buildings that are finished, is completely silent. Tobacco industry and block makers may still work full hours. Wool failure has stopped the knitwear factories.

 Farmers and gardeners win a lot of money and profit from the situation.

Poverty is not yet dire for the moment, as a multitude of households still earn something and because of the many good works that are here; we call:

 Het Weldadigheidsbuur and Stillen poor in the Kleine Peperstraat.

 The Werkloozenfonds for the unemployed workers in the industrial school, Voorkeurstraat

 Support for the soldiers' families in the Nijverheidsschoolder Brouwerstraat;

 The soup communion in the classrooms of all city districts;

 The National Commission for support to the unemployed and emergency relatives in the Akademie and Nijverheidsschool der Brouwerstraat.

 The Work of the Field, Gildenhuis, Nieuwstraat, in the city that gives 250 workers a dash of land.

 In the churches there is still a lot of reading, the divine services are well attended and funerals for deceased soldiers are followed.

 As newsstands we only get Ghent newspapers, among other things: "Het Volk and the" Gentenaar "both filled with imposed official German news.

 To the war there is no end or no change to conclude.

 Mechelen Terneuzen has paid his workmen half a day to date.

 This is the situation at St Nicholas after a year of war and after having been under German yoke for 10 months!

 2 the War year

 4 harvest 1915 Wednesday

 Today the 4th horses requisition takes place by the Germans.

 5 harvest 1915 Thursday

 Leonie Lentacker has to work at the factory for 3 days this week.

 6 harvest 1915 Friday

The good citizens and the rich people no longer support their sons who are soldiers. The Germans say that this money serves to support the population and can not be regarded as a compensation for the services of a soldier and consequently the well-off people do not need this money anymore. this support no longer comes from the Belgian state but from the Help and Nutrition Commission.

 7 harvest 1915 Saturday No news

 8 harvest 1915 Sunday Nothing new.

 9 harvest 1915 Monday

Leonie Lentacker works at the factory for three days, she is not allowed to work from the German. One hears clearly in the distance for two days already. The unemployed receive regular support. Poor people pull from the soup kommieke and terzelvertijd of the kommiteit for unemployed in the Akademie (of course, this kind of people get less than those who only support in the Akademie go) but all together taken these people in the two committees sometimes still nice sums every week, because nothing prevents them, if there is work, without anyone's knowledge of working for a few days.

 10 harvest 1915 Tuesday

 The Germans have taken up residence at Mr. Mertens, Hofstraat, whose house was uninhabited.

 11 harvest 1915 Wednesday No News

 12 Harvest 1915 Thursday

 The new fixed price of the German government is: for the butter 4.00 fr the kilo and for the meat, best pieces 3.40 fr. Coal costs 50 fr the 1000 kgr nowadays.

In Kemseke the Germans have the typhoid, some citizens have also been affected. The sick were transferred to the Ghent hospital.

 13 harvest 1915 Friday No news

 14 harvest 1915 Saturday

All dogs must be muzzled and led by a rope on the orders of the Germans. Whoever gets neglected from 3 to 500 marks fine.

 The Germans demand vegetables and all the harvest

 15 harvest 1915 Sunday

 Father J lentacker tells his daughter Emma that he will visit her with his L ....

 16 harvest 1915 Monday

They pay regular support to the unemployed. Leonie works at the factory for 5 days. On the orders of the Germans, an agent must see all of the irresponsible men whether they are at home. So he comes to us all 14 days. Lentacker Jacq says after the war to Lisa to his daughter.

 17 harvest 1915 Tuesday No news

 18 harvest 1915 Wednesday

 Mr. P. Verdurmen and others are fined by the Germans for their undefiled dogs that they let loose on the street.

 19 harvest 1915 Thursday no news

 20 harvest 1915 Friday Nothing special.

 21 harvest 1915 Saturday.

The Germans can no longer cross borders on the punishment of perpetual forced labor. Those who leave the Etap area without a passport get 3 years or up to 3,000 marks.

 Sheep wool is claimed by the German government.

 22 harvest 1915 Sunday Nothing new

 23 harvest 1915 Monday

Leonie works at the factory for 3 days. They regularly provide assistance to the unemployed.

 24 harvest 1915 thine's day

The unemployed are obliged to guard the exits of the city to see if the farmers do not smuggle their goods (harvest) outside the city. Every day, 400 workmen guard the exits of the city. The house H. Joris, corner of the Statie and Casinostraat was transferred by Mr. Pol Meert to the Zamanstraat. Papa goes to Antwerp; The Germans break up many rails from the Ijzerenweg.

25 harvest 1915 Wednesday. No news

 26 harvest 1915 Thursday

 Father Lentacker moves from the Belgian state for his son Edmond.

 27 harvest 1915 Friday

The Pass buro is transferred from the house of Het huis H. Joris, corner of the Statie and Casinostraat by Mr. Pol Meert to the Zamanstraat. Papa goes to Antwerp; The Germans break up many rails from the Ijzerenweg.

28 harvest 1915 Saturday. No new.

29 harvest 1915 Sunday. Nothing new.

 30 harvest 1915 Monday

Leonie Lentacker works 3 days this week. The Werkloozen regularly attract support. The gray bread still costs 0.44 fr the kilo. The Ration per man is 350 grams per day. White bread is at the disposal of sick people at the Town Hall; Every day the city of Sint Niklaas will travel to Holland. Those who receive white bread can not get gray.

 31 harvest 1915 Tuesday

The horses of Sint Nikolaas are provided on the Markt with a map on which their description is written; as a result, cheating is no longer possible with horse inspections. All horses were marked by the Germans on the sheet with the letter E4. Some 500 German soldiers from the surrounding municipalities come to the market with cars, field kitchens, etc. and leave for Kortrijk tomorrow.

 September 1, 1915 Wednesday

 At 9 o'clock in the evening, Belgian hours, everyone must now be punished by penalties at home and all pubs must close.

September 2, 1915 Thursday. No news

 September 3, 1915 Friday

 The war has been going on for 13 full months and there is no change in the future.

September 4, 1915 Saturday. No news

 September 5, 1915 Sunday.

Mme Onghena 's house in the Vortgangstraat; occupied by the Germans.

 September 6, 1915 Monday

Leonie works at the factory for three days. They still pay support to the workmen. There are usually many people at the American Shop; most buy flower, rice; and fat; at the same time as those commodities one must take beans moreover; usually 1/2 kg of beans or bean flour for 1 kgr of rice, flour, etc.

The Mechelen Terneuzen Company has doubled its tariff prices for rail transport. Temsche return costs 1.30 fr

 Passports can be obtained for up to 3 days from the German government and then for 1 municipality of seffens.

 September 7, 1915 thine's day

Some unemployed people have to pave the way or whitewash schools, others have to guard the exits of the city to earn their support. The watchers watch every day 4 hours or 28 hours a week. The whites and pottery workers work 3 days at 7 hours or 21 hours a week They receive 0.05 fr per hour compensation above their weekly support! Which is far too little.

 8 September 1915 Wednesday

We have German Military Police here. They are dressed like ordinary soldiers with mulderskostuum, as recognition mark they have no band around the arm on which the letters MP are printed (Markepakkers calls the people them). They go on round with their rifle and are very strict. Their room is located in the house of Mr. Boenders at Warande nr 72.

 9 September 1915 Thursday.

 The new price of the Germans for the butter is now set at 4.20 francs.

 September 10, 1915 Friday

 The Germans are here 11 full months in St. Nicholas and can not see any change.

 September 11, 1915 Saturday

 Mr. Onghena from the college street, brewer gets from the German Military Police to walk in the street after 9 o'clock in the evening, a first time 3 Mark fine and a 2 nd time 50 mark.

 September 12, 1915 Sunday

Mr. Van den Broecke, director of Mechelen Terneuzen, is to escape the Germans who wanted to keep him fleeing the border. Petrus Kegels fell without work. A number of weavers still work at Janssens' factory, which then reduce their number every week.

 September 13, 1915 Monday

Leonie Lentacker works at the factory for 3 days this week. They still regularly pay support to the unemployed. In the American Shop many people to buy fat, there is still rice, flour, coffee, bacon, beans etc. to obtain.

The Germans give up all quantities of the building materials in stock, such as wood, stone and lime, cement, asphalt, gravel, etc. These quantities can be reported on penalty of fine. Afterwards, the Germans will need them to remove everything here at St. Nicholas. The wood has already all been claimed.

The Tietz warehouses from the Statiestraat hold sale at bargain prices; dreadfully many people are in those warehouses ..

 September 14, 1915 thine's day

From 6 o'clock in the morning people were already standing at the Tietz warehouses, which only opened at 9 o'clock. Around noon the crowd is chased to Tietz by the German soldiers with the bayonet; they hurt some women. Tietz was closed by order of the Germans until after the war.

Leonie Lentacker receives a letter from her youngest brother Leon, who has been on the road for three months (from the 12th of June); he puts it right at the front.

 In the evening at 6 o'clock the Germans post guns at the Haesdonck fort, but we do not hear guns and Haesdonck residents say that there are no Germans in all the community, so they can not shoot either.

 In the Statiestraat the people 2 St Nikolaasche oeren pulls the clothes from the body, they flee into the commandateur where they are protected by the Germans.

 September 15, 1915 Wednesday.

Leonie Lentacker receives no letter from her oldest brother Edmond; he has been on the road for a month.

 September 16, 1915 Thursday.

 They say that Fons Janssens bought the Tietz for 30,000.00 francs.

 The Germans demand all the machines from the car factory of Mr. Ant Janssens from the Gazometer Street and from Mr. Jan Nobels from the Plezantstraat and carry them on the road to Germany.

The Germans at the border are now well-behaved; much is smuggled especially letters; for 200 francs they smuggle a woman across the border. N'and smuggler is still deadly smuggled with smuggling last week.

 September 17, 1915 Friday

 The Germans claim the iron from the Belpaire warehouse from the Plezantstraat.

 September 18, 1915 Saturday.

The Germans requisitioned the billiards from the Cercle Litéraire to place them in their Militär Casino. That is also warfare!

 September 19, 1915 Sunday

Terribly difficult to trade nowadays; If a manufacturer wants to ship, he must obtain authorization from the German Commandatur, which may take between 14 and 20 days, and each bag that is sent must be personally sealed by the Germans.

Rich people as attorney D'Hanens and brewer De Baere have to deposit 1000 francs in the hands of the Germans if they want to get a passport for traveling in Belgium for 3 to 5 days. The passes must be returned immediately after the trip and the deposit (1000 fr) can only be obtained after one month.

 September 20, 1915 Monday

Leonie Lentacker works at the factory for 3 days. The unemployed are still supported. A lot of people at the American Shop. The Germans demand whole trains of wheat and rye from the farmers, who have to deliver everything themselves to the station.

 September 21, 1915 thine's day.

 Autumn begins today.

Papa goes to Antwerp; he sees a regiment of young German soldiers who came out of the Argons, real fools, with rags attached to the body and patches on the clothes and utterly emaciated. Around Antwerp lay mainly young German soldiers at rest.

The Germans affirm that no one is allowed to drive into the field after eight o'clock German hours per velo, on penalty of fine. Many people were caught who in the morning around 5 o'clock went to the Sunday fruit market at Houtbriel or drove by car. All were punished by the Germans.

 Papatons cost German orders at 6.00 fr the 100 kilos, but they can not be given at that price.

 22 September 1915 Wednesday.

The Germans ask the lists of all the workmen of St Nicholas who work in the construction industry. Both barracks must be illuminated by electricity on the orders of the Germans and on city costs.

 September 23, 1915 Thursday

Papa goes to Hemixem; he must show his passport to the German soldiers 13 times along the way, everything is guarded by them.

 24 September 1915 Friday

They move the American shop over from the Academy to the 81st of Statiestraat (old residence of Miss Herdewel or 2 houses beyond the Regentstraat). This change happened before the reopening of the Academy and the Nijverheidsschool in whose premises the Shop was furnished. the American. Shop located at Statiestraat n 81. Papa goes to Antwerp, no news there.

In general we had a good late summer, beautiful weather and everything is 1st class on the field succeeded, also the farmers have earned much money this year; war is a fortune for those whose region has not been destroyed by war!

 September 25, 1915 Saturday

The peasantry who watched and guarded the field fruits was abolished for reason that the harvest had been brought in, so it had become unnecessary. Doubled police guards will guard the homesteads.

 All the horses from the surrounding municipalities of the St Nikolaas district, are branded with the letter E4 on the Market for the Germans, making all deception impossible at the horse inspection.

 September 26, 1915 Sunday No news

 September 27, 1915 Monday

 Leonie Lentacker works at the factory for 3 days this week.

 In the Akademie they pay support to the unemployed, half of this institution is transferred to a citizens' house of Kalkstraat nr 89 (right over the gate of the St Jozefgesticht) the other half of the Kommiteit remains in the banquet hall of the Akademie.

Gansch the Mechelen Terneuzen line is being restored by the Germans this afternoon; the staff, a 200 in number, is put on the street without work.

 September 28, 1915 Tuesday

 Papa goes to Hemixem no news.

 September 29, 1915 Wednesday

 Papa goes to Hemixem no news.

 30 September 1915 Thursday No News

 1 October 1915 Friday Without news

 2 October 1915 Saturday

All the craftsmen of Sint Nikolaas, unemployed or partially unemployed, are being rehabilitated by the Germans to rebuild the destroyed houses at Moorslede (the Germans say in their letter to the city). The mayor does not want to sign the lists that the city gives. Whether the workmen will start to work is a bit different, because the city does not want to attract the call of the Germans, the Germans themselves will call on the people to work.

Leonie is ill for 3 days this week; I have been sick for 14 days from a laryngitis (from Sept. 27 to Oct. 9).

 3 October 1915 Sunday

 The 15th month of the war begins today and no change in the future.

By order of the Germans, by 1st of November, 1915 everyone (male or female) from 15 years of age must be provided with a new brown identity card with a portrait. That is good for the photographers again! This card must be signed by the Mayor himself. If one does not carry that card, himself in his own city, one is punishable. Leonie Lentacker comes to visit me at home, it makes me happy!

 4 October 1915 Monday

 Leonie Lentacker works at the factory for 3 days.

 Akademie, Nijverheidsschool, Vakschool and Avondscholen open their doors today.

 In the American shop in the statiestraat there is little to get nowadays.

They still pay for support to the Unemployed in the Akademie and in the Kalkstraat. The Soepkommiteiten still exist in every district. This one that draws from the soup covenant is deducted from the large support fund in the Akademie or in the Kalkstraat.

The soldiers' money is still paid in the party room of the Akademie. The hall of 't Kollege remains the warehouse of the American shop. Also in the Patronage of 't Klein Hulst were goods; even more, the bond is full of goods from the American Food Commission and American flour from the city. The Pass Bureau is transferred from the houses of the Zamanstraat (P Meert) to the two houses of the Larville brothers in the Casinostraat T / S; electricity and heating must be checked for urban costs there.

 At the City Hall, as well as in the girls' school of the Kokkelbeekstraat, some unemployed electricians have laid the electricity under the management of Mr. Beckx.

 Our bread now costs 0.42 fr the kilo and is much whiter.

 Oct. 5, 1915, Thursday, no news

 October 6, 1915 Wednesday

 Today the horse re-acquisition takes place by the Germans.

The workmen of Lokeren because they do not want to labor for the Germans have, like the municipality, been punished by the military Government; The American Shop is closed; The Germans sit at the town hall, and all the servants outside the secretary have been chased away; no weekly market; in the evening everyone has to be at home at 5 o'clock. The same has happened in Harelbeke and in other churches.

 7 October 1915 Thursday.

 There was almost no butter on the market.

 October 8, 1915 Friday

From now on, the Germans must point out all the public watches, even those from the inns, to the German hour on penalty of fine. Papa goes to Ghent, no news.

 9 October 1915 Saturday

This evening the German beer festival in the inn "De Commercie" on the Groote Markt; for the prescription to celebrate their entry here in the city. (So ​​the Germans are already here for a full year).

 October 10, 1915 Sunday

The Germans arrived here last year with music at their head. Sad birthday for us!

There are 30 flying machines of the Allies who drop bombs on the German works. It is clear here that the Germans are attacking our flying machines. It is a wonder that our gazettes never write anything about these events!

 11 October 1915 Monday

Leonie Lentacker works at the factory for 3 days. Jacq Lentacker draws 3.00 fr: support from the community; From today the bread costs 0.40 fr the kilo. The workmen are waiting to prevent the farmers from having their harvested outside the borders abolished. The American Shop is still open and the unemployed are still attracting support. The last Belgian soldier who was hurt here in the hospital died; Tomorrow he is buried as a prisoner of war by the worries of the Germans who have seized his body. There are now about 10 Belgian soldiers buried in the cemetery.

 October 12, 1915 thine's day.

The last Belgian soldier is buried with much beauty; German soldiers carried the bier; gentlemen of St Nicholas held the pall, a company of German soldiers with 4 drummers in front and many people who followed the corpse.

 13 October 1915 no news

 14 October 1915 Thursday without news

 October 15, 1915 Friday

 Papa goes to Ghent, nothing new.

 16 October 1915 Saturday

 The house of Mr. Standaert de Baere in the Prins Albrechtstraat and a rental house from the Statiestraat belonging to Mr Nobels, occupied by the Germans.

 October 17, 1915 nothing special

 18 October 1915 Monday

Leonie Lentacker works at the factory for 3 days. Jacques Lentacker attracts 3.00 fr from the support committee. The innkeepers no longer withdraw from the support committee as long as they keep their inn.

 October 19, 1915, nothing to worry about

 October 20, 1915 Wednesday

75 St. Nicholas craftsmen have to go to work for the front. They must notify the police department within 2 days whether they want to start working at 0.40 fr per hour. As part of the experiment they are allowed to work for a whole week on site and then they have to sign that they will definitely continue to work for the Germans.

It is stallion testing on the market today; still there are clean beasts (stallions) here in the district.

 October 21, 1915 Thursday

Two workers have come to draw at the Town Hall for the Germans to work and have left. Father Lentacker withdraws from the State 80 fr for his son Edmond

 22 October 1915 Friday no news

 October 23, 1915 Saturday

They state that all able-bodied men from 18 to 35 years must personally identify themselves at the Meldeambt in the Casinostraat; every day a 150 man according to serial number.

 October 24, 1915 nothing new

 October 25, 1915 Monday

Leonie Lentacker works at the factory for 3 days. Jacques Lentacker no longer supports the kommiteit as long as his daughter works, he says. Furthermore, everything as usual.

In the School of 't Klein Hulst, the State Ministers put 20 francs per month as if they had only paid a monthly fee of 60 francs. Jacq Lentacker draws 40 francs of overdue money (ie 2 months).

The workmen 2 or 3 who go to work for the Germans in front of the Germans were here yesterday. The Allies had dropped a bomb at work and everyone had fled there. The men here have painted the situation so black that the Germans have even terminated the workmen for the time being.

 October 26, 1915 thine day no news

 27 October 1915 Wednesday nothing new

 28 October 1915 Thursday

 Papa goes to Antwerp, no news.

 October 29, 1915 Friday without news

 October 30, 1915 Saturday nothing to report.

 October 31, 1915 Sunday nothing to point.

 November 1, 1915 Monday All Saints, nothing new.

 November 2, 1915 thine's day

All souls. In the absence of ordinary flour, we get 2 days of white bread; it's fair!

 November 3, 1915 Wednesday

 The 16th war month begins.

 2 the War Diary 4 November 1915 (16 the war month)

 November 4, 1915 Thursday

Kemseke has become a border area; our peasant woman can only come to you than to provide a passport.

 15 farmers of Elversele because they do not want to deliver their grain to the Germans, all their grain is taken away without payment from the Germans.

Nowadays one shoots Belgian spies on average every week. That much innocent dying is undeniable!

 November 5, 1915 Friday no news

 November 6, 1915 Saturday

There are 180 refugees from Cortemarckt who must give the city a living and living. They are accommodated in St Charles.

 November 7, 1915 Sunday

The Germans post at the Pass Bureau that those who pay with gold are served in advance and preferably. However, they receive no gold, are very enamored and give almost no more passes.

 November 8, 1915 Monday

Leonie Lentacker works at the factory for 3 days this week. Jacq Lentacker receives from Mech-Tern. 12 francs as wages over the month of October. Furthermore, everything as usual.

 November 9, 1915 thine day

 In the morning we have to present ourselves to the Germans on the Meldeambt, in the houses of the De Larville brothers in the Casinostraat and receive a new card that is stamped each time we have to register.

 November 10, 1915 Wednesday nothing new

 November 11, 1915 Thursday

In the American Shop in the Statiestraat many people nowadays. Papa goes to Antwerp; In Continuing and in the weathering his pockets were scanned by the Germans.

 November 12, 1915 Friday no news

 November 13, 1915 Saturday

Gansch the offices of Mechelen Terneuzen are transferred from the Statiegebouw to the brewery of Mr. Jules Verdurmen in the Nieuwstraat. From now on the German is only the boss in the entire Statiegebouw.

 November 14, 1915 Sunday

They bombard heavily in the distance. At 11 o'clock in the morning and at 2 o'clock in the afternoon gas we got to hear a clean concert of the German military music in the kiosk. Few people in the Warande.

 November 15, 1915 Monday

King Alberts name day. At 9 o'clock BV in the Hoofdkerk knife for the welfare of the Fatherland and the king; many people in the church, all the governments are there nowadays. On leaving the church, much is collected in the pots for the prisoners of war. For the past 3 weeks there have been busines on all Sundays with coaches in which money is collected for the work of Belgian prisoners of war. One still hears good bombarding in the distance. The large families of refugees from St Charles are brought under roof in a few unoccupied workman's homes. Leonie Lentacker works at the factory for 3 days this week. Further in the city everything as usual.

 November 16, 1915 thine's day

Papa goes to Antwerp; the Melkmarkt has been deposited by the Antwerp Police and no one can approach the palace of the German Governor.

 November 17, 1915 Wednesday

 8 Workers from Sint Niklaas who do not want to work for the Germans to the front are arrested and sentenced to 6 months in prison.

 November 18, 1915 Thursday no news

 November 19, 1915 Friday nothing new.

 November 20, 1915 Saturday

The 4th death of the refugees from the St Charles institution is buried this morning. Many refugee families already live in homes. Jacq Lentacker draws 80 francs from the State for his son Edmond.

The Guardian Citizens must state their name with the Germans on the Meldeambt, Allen are there. I indulge myself in the afternoon. The Germans had the books of the Civil Guard with all the names in their possession!

 November 21, 1915 Sunday

 All the trees that grow in the Land of Waes have to be indicated in number to the German Government, which they can then claim later according to their needs.

 November 22, 1915 Monday

Jacq Lentacker draws 60 francs from the State over the month of November for his son Edmond through the banks. Leonie Lentacker works at the factory for 3 days this week. verders everything as usual. In the American Shop many people nowadays for fat to buy.

 A second building of the barracks in the Slachthuisstraat is being turned into horse stables by the Germans.

 November 23, 1915 thine day

 Up to this point, the Provinces of Belgium had to pay 40 million per month to the German as war estimate: The 1 st year passed, the Germans as long as the war takes up a new war estimate of 40 million per month.

 Leander has been appointed professor in the Academy and is taking classes for the 1st time in the class of Mr. Van Steenweghe who is being retired.

 November 24, 1915 Wednesday

 no news

 November 25, 1915 Thursday

50% of all the grain that grows in Belgium is claimed by the Germans; 25% is for the city or municipality and 25% for the farmers themselves. The latter 25% is also taken by the Germans in some municipalities by the Germans.

The butter and the eggs belonging to our butter farm are caught by the German soldiers; for their butter they pay 4.00 fr the kgr for their eggs 0.15 fr 't piece; but we are without butter, because there is no butter to get buttered at as low as 6.00 fr the kgr!

 November 26, 1915 Friday

It's snowing. One still hears clearly bombing in the distance.

 November 27, 1915 Saturday

 Papa goes to Antwerp, no news

 November 28, 1915 Sunday nothing new.

 November 29, 1915 Monday

Leonie Lentacker works at the factory for 3 days this week. Many people at the American Shop. Furthermore, everything as usual. In the evening they come to say that the Akademie must be available to the Germans the next day. The support commitee there, moves, for one day to the patronage all night long.

 November 30, 1915 thine day

The Germans keep Scala in the hall of the Akademie for a 150 German soldiers who have to leave for the front the next day. It started at 7 o'clock in the evening and it took 2 hours.

 December 1, 1915 Wednesday

Our boys are 16 full months inside and there is no end to see. The support committee is moving to the party room of the Academy. So, as before, it is the 1/2 of the kommiteit in the Akademie and the other half in the Kalkstraat.

 December 2, 1915, one hundred

 The German Commandatur has been arranged here for a year!

 December 3, 1915 Friday

 The 17 th war month begins, no results to be seen.

 December 4, 1915 Saturday

 In order to sell the butter above 6.00 fr, the trader Pardaen from the Statiestraat gets a first time 100 M and a 2nd 200 Mark fine from the German Government and this on one day!

 December 5, 1915 Sunday

 Every citizen of Sint Nikolaas must give the potatoes in his possession to Mr Burgemeester for 3 days all the potatoes above 50 kgr, on penalty for not or bad declaration of 100 Mark penalty or 1 year imprisonment

 December 6, 1915 Monday

Leonie Lentacker works at the factory for 3 days this week, everything else as usual. Annual market today, nothing extraordinary.

 December 7, 1915 thine's day

 It is said that of Saint Nicholas already 64 Belgian Soldiers were killed on the front at the City Hall and this on the 1400 Saint Nicholas soldiers, which is very little.

Janssens Factory from the Hofstraat has been put back into action, until New Year they think, so that P Kegels again has work. Gansch the staff member of the Sint Nikolaas tram Purpose was stopped by the Germans to help Belgians smuggle across the Holland border or facilitate their flight. If you want to smuggle wool over the Dutch border in Belgium, you must give 50% of the smuggled to the German free of charge. If one gets 1000 kilograms of wool from Holland, one has to pay for it, provided that 1000 kgr of processed wool is delivered to Holland on the one or the other client. You see how costly and inconvenient work makes everything.

 December 8, 1915 Wednesday

 Jacques Lentacker donates 12 fr in the offices of Mechelen Terneuzen in the Nieuwstraat as a salary for the month of November

 December 9, 1915 Thursday

All wool and cotton must be given to the German by the manufacturers and traders. No declaration or false declaration can be punished with 2000 Mark penalties. Wool and cotton may no longer be dyed unless with the permission of the German Government. By the end of New Year, all wool weaving mills and spinning mills are at a standstill.

 December 10, 1915 Friday

 All wagons from Mechelen Terneuzen are being colored by the Germans of the German eagle, provided they are already German wagons!

 December 11, 1915 Saturday

Every male aged between 18 and 35 must present himself to the Germans at the Meldeambt in the auditorium of the Casino, Statiestraat. We are going today but have to watch next wednesday.

 December 12, 1915 Sunday

 In Belcele and Waesmunster, spruce forests were cleared, and workmen from the region spruce up the Germans to send these spruces to the front at a length of 2.00 meters.

 December 13, 1915 Monday Everything according to custom this week.

 December 14, 1915, no news

 December 15, 1915 Wednesday

All the guardians must present themselves at the Meldeambt in den Casino for 1 1/2 hours to receive a new control card; I only had to sign with us at 5 o'clock. We were obliged to sign on death penalty that we would have done no deeds against the Germans, that we would never leave St Nicholas without permission or would spy. This controol map will now be stamped by the German government every month.

 December 16, 1915 Thursday

In 2 empty factories of p Verbreyt, Kleine Laan and Baeck in the Gazometerstraat, the Germans set up cowsheds for the veêdépôt of their army, which is transported from Lokeren to here (in Lokeren the mule plague reigns). On the market, the Germans claim all the sugar.

 December 17, 1915 Friday no news

 December 18, 1915 Saturday nothing to report

 December 19, 1915 Sunday

The men of the tram Sint Nikolaas Doel were acquitted by the Germans. Here one clearly hears bombarding every day in the distance.

 December 20, 1915 Monday nothing new.

 December 21, 1915 thine's day

Winter starts today. We did not have a wet weather in the summer.

 Jacq Lentacker draws 60.00 fr van den Staat in December on the Klein Hulst.

 20 young people of Belcele, because they do not want to sign their solemnity card, and for disrespect to the Germans here in the barrack in the amigo by the German gendarmes.

 December 22, 1915 Wednesday

 The new German price for the butter was 4.40 fr in the farmers and 4.60 fr in the stores.

 December 23, 1915 Thursday no news.

 December 24, 1915 Friday

Many people are here on the street to show their passport to the Germans; who do not have their pass with them get 5 marks fine. N'en philosopist from the College is given a 10-day job not to have registered with the Germans at the reporting office.

The Germans interfere at the Pass Bureau with the beginning and end of the days of leave of the pupils; this is how the girls of Drij Goorten have to go on leave for 14 days immediately and the school of the Nieuwstraat is only allowed on 30 Dec. going on leave instead of the 27th Dec. as requested.

 December 25, 1915 Saturday Christmas day

 Our Hilda does her 1st Communion.

The Germans celebrate Christmas Day in the Liberal Casino room in the Statiestraat. It is very quiet this year. Officers and German soldiers get little more solder. The Soldiers did not get meat to eat in fourteen days. The officers eat in the Caserne with the soldiers and no longer in the hôtels as before.

 December 26, 1915 Sunday no news.

 December 27, 1915 Monday

Henri Trommelmans who stayed in Holland has to go inside on command of the Belgian government on January 10, 1916. In the afternoon we have to indicate on the back of the town hall with our marriage certificate to the city government. They see our German kart and our Belgian pass and bring it into conformity. All as usual this week.

 December 28, 1915 thine's day

Sampling by the German government on the Groote Markt a 2000 cows are nowadays. The cows that have been picked up are marked by the Germans and are subsequently taken away from the farmer's homestead whenever the Germans need them.

 December 29, 1915 Wednesday

 In the barracks near the Germans there are now 80 Belgian prisoners in the box.

 December 30, 1915 Thursday

 The 20 prisoners of Belcele are released by the Germans.

 December 31, 1915 Friday

No news. Still no outcome to see the war.

 1916

 January 1, 1916 Saturday

Silent new year. Reasonable people in the churches .. We are not allowed to stay up to 10 a.m. Belgian hour from the German for one day only.

 January 2, 1916 Sunday

The farmers of Sint Nikolaas and surrounding municipalities have to deliver 1/2 kilo of butter per cow to the Germans every week. This butter must be delivered to the Town Hall by the farmers every week.

 January 3, 1916 Monday

 The 18th war month begins today everything as usual.

 January 4, 1916 thine's day

 Smolders from the Collegestraat receive a 6-week barge from the Germans to bring Hollandsche gazets from Antwerp here to sell here.

 January 5, 1916 Wednesday no news

 January 6, 1916 Thursday

Horse acquisition by the Germans for the St Nikolaas district. They claim 150 horses.

 7 January 1916 Friday

Jacq. Lentacker draws from Mech-Tern. about the month of December 15 frs.

January 8, 1916 Saturday. No news.

January 9, 1916 Sunday. Nothing new.

January 10, 1916 Monday. Everything according to custom this week.

January 11, 1916 thine day. Nothing to sign up.

12 January Wednesday. Nothing to be said.

January 13 th Thursday. Nothing special.

 January 14, 1916 Friday

The garde-custodians must present themselves to the Germans in the afternoon at the Meldeambt in the Casino case to have their registration card stamped. My card is stamped the 2nd time. At 1 o'clock everything has finished. The Germans were very common towards us.

 January 15, 1916 Saturday.

The guard civilian will temporarily no longer get a pass for the stranger. Emiel Heirman, trader Houtbriel t / s, to have one letter to the strange mega-prisoners gets 50 Mark fine from the German Military Government; Sturm, the creator from whom the letter originated, was also fined 50 Mark.

January 16, 1916 Sunday. No news.

January 17, 1916 Monday. Everything as usual this week.

January 18, 1916 thine's day. Nothing new.

 January 19, 1916 Wednesday

The civil guards who arrived late at the Meldeambt to have their Notification Card stamped have each received 10 marks. Approximately 50 cows from Hamme come here on their way to the German cattle farm.

 January 20, 1916 Thursday

 The civilian guards get a pass for the stranger.

 January 21, 1916 Friday

 Papa goes to Antwerp no news.

 January 22, 1916 Saturday

N'en gardeville comes with a list with the workmen of the Mechelen Terneuzen Society to work for the Germans. Not to mention the list. At Jacq. Lentacker they come in the morning.

January 23, 1916 Sunday. No news.

 January 24, 1916 Monday

From now on, the bread costs 0.38 fr the kilo, but it is grays as usual. Everything as before this week.

 January 25, 1916 thine day

 They give soap in the American Shop in the Statiestraat at 1.20 fr the kilo.

Albert and Emile go to Dendermonde on foot; they must show their pass to the Germans 4 times on their way; They say something interesting and worth seeing.

January 26, 1916 Wednesday. No news.

January 27, 1916 Thursday. Nothing to report.

January 28, 1916 Friday. Nothing to be said.

January 29, 1916 Saturday. Nothing to sign on.

January 30, 1916 Sunday. Nothing of interest.

January 31, 1916 Monday. Nothing new.

 February 1, 1916 Tuesday

Jacq. Lentacker draws 80 fr from the Belgian State over the month of August 1915.

 February 2, 1916 Wednesday

 62 cows pass by our house, which have been claimed by the German cattle depot.

The butchers of St Nicholas are not allowed to slaughter or remove cows from other commanders. A butcher who violated this command was robbed of his cow by the Germans. There is a lack of livestock for this endured the price of meat.

 February 3, 1916 Thursday

The war is a year and half busy. The 19th war month begins today. No result to see.

 February 4, 1916 Friday

No one gets a pass from the Germans for another commander office except for the workmen and the food and support community. From the industry another person gets a pass per industry and per month, that makes for the weaving industry that you have to make your customers known to the manufacturer the one has received a pass if you have an order with that gentleman to give It is therefore impossible to do business. Market vendors do not get a pass anymore and have to stay home.

Those who have 10 kilos and more coffee, cocoa and tea must declare these quantities to the German on penalty of penalty for incorrect declaration. (shopkeepers and specials).

The German gendarmes have the house of Mr. Smet l. Abandoned wood briel and went to live in the house of Mr Janssens at the Vischmijn.

 Dr. Fonteyne's house in the Statiestraat is occupied by the Germans.

 The German post was transferred from the posthotel Groote Markt to the reporting office Casinostraat, house Larsille.

 February 5, 1916 Saturday

Leonie Lentacker earned 5.00 fr. this week at the factory. Papa goes to Antwerp, he has to report to the Germans at the Meldeambt. Many soldiers are at rest who have just arrived in Antwerp from the front.

 February 6, 1916 Sunday

 't Vleesch costs 4.00 fr the kilo.

 Passes past our house, 12 cattle cows demanded by the Germans for their cattle.

 February 7, 1916 Monday

 Everything as usual this week.

 February 8, 1916 thine's day

Jacq. Lentacker receives 12.00 fr. From Mechelen Terneuzen about January 1916

 February 9, 1916 Wednesday

In the morning our control card will be stamped for the third time in the Meldeambt der Casinostraat. The general popular and cattle summing has been ordered by Germans throughout Belgium. It starts today and has to be finished in 4 days. Schoolmasters and others have been co-instructed. In the afternoon they come to take pictures with us at home.

February 10, 1916 Thursday. No news.

 February 11, 1916 Friday

 The official price of the Germans is 0.12 fr per egg, you can not get any for that price.

 12 February Saturday.

They again give some passes to the Germans. Leonie Lentacker earned 5.00 fr this week at the factory.

 February 13, 1916 Sunday.

Anyone who visits a city or municipality without a pass on foot must, if he stays there, present himself to the Germans. We may go by foot to any municipality or city located in the Etappen area without a pass.

 Those who do not sign up will receive a 50 Mark penalty.

 February 14, 1916 Monday

 Everything according to custom this week.

 February 15, 1916 Tuesday

 All streets, country, and country roads must state in Saint Nicholas, on the orders of the Germans, of a placard the name of the street or highway, all the two sides of the street being provided.

 February 16, 1916 Wednesday

 The factory workers of St. Nicholas have been summoned by the Germans, small weavers are allowed to finish their work and all woolen cotton etc. is claimed by the Germans.

February 17, 1916 Thursday. No news.

 February 18, 1916 Friday

Until the New Year, the Lentackers have paid full house rent all week, now they give with the permission of their landlord 2.00 fr per week as long as the war lasts. Leonie earned this week at the factory 5.00 fr.

 February 19, 1916 Saturday

In Sint Nikolaas this year 1000 plots of land have been made available to the workmen because of the Work of the Field. No dash of land is indefinite this year.

February 20, 1916 Sunday. No news.

February 21, 1916 Monday. Everything as usual this week

 22 February 1916 Tuesday

 The Gray bread costs from now 0.40 fr the kilo.

February 23, 1916 Wednesday. Nothing to report.

February 24, 1916 Thursday. Nothing to be said.

 February 25, 1916 Friday

 Patatons already cost 18 francs the 100 kilos.

 February 26, 1916 Saturday

 Coffee costs 6.75 fr the kilo.

 Every farmer must from now on give a kilo of butter per cow and per week to the Germans and deliver them to the Town Hall every week.

 February 27, 1916 Sunday

The Kommandtur was transferred to the house Boyé in the Statiestraat, the court of war is located in the house of Mad. The Creator, Statiestraat. The Warlord lives in the house of the brewer J. Verdurmen, Statiestraat (since half April 1916 the Kreischef lives there). This sentence has been added later

February 28, 1916 Monday. Everything as usual this week.

February 29, 1916 Tuesday. No news.

 1 March 1916 Wednesday

We can not stay in the evening until 10 am BT; at 9 3/4 BT all cafes must close the Germans

 March 2, 1916 Thursday

 We are allowed to stay in the pubs until 10 am BT, and the Germans display again until 11 am BT on the street.

 3 March 1916 Friday

The 19 th war month is coming to an end; the 20th war month begins today and still has no outcome.

 St Nicholas was punished with a fine of 50 000 Mark, because no one had thrown his hollow blocks through the windows of the Kreischef (house De Schepper, Statiestraat) and as a result the life of the Kreischef was in danger, so the Germans say .

We have to be in the house as a penalty at 8 o'clock in the evening at BT, at 7 o'clock BT must close all the hostels. On Sundays all the hostels have to close. The Germans patrol the streets.

Half of the occupation went to the front at noon. The cabins at the ends of the city are without waiting, so few Germans are here.

 March 4, 1916 Saturday

 The Kabienen of the German are being charged and taken to the barracks.

 5 March 1916 Sunday

All cafés are closed at noon, cinemas are not allowed to play, the congregations are closed for this afternoon all on order of the Germans and for us! We can therefore do nothing else than go for a walk and be home at 8 o'clock!

In the castle of Mr. Janssens, Brouwerstraat, a Casino for the German officers. The girls have to leave the house. The chairs of the Smet on Sprees estate are placed in the courtyard of the Janssens house!

 The Stadsschouwburg in the Brouwerstraat must be made empty and made available to the Germans to accommodate 3000 German soldiers who have to come from the front (they have to come 2 months later).

 6 March 1916 Monday

 The support committee that was located in the party room of the Academy moves elsewhere.

 The middle office goes to the hall of the café l'Union (Zwart Manneken on the Groote Markt).

 One under-bureau is located in an unoccupied house on the corner of St Jozef and OL Vrouwstraat.

 The other sub-office is located in a house of Kalkstraat n 89. These two offices are the payment agencies.

 Verders still has a district community in every district in one school or another.

In the district communal one goes on Saturdays to pick up his card on which the receiving must be registered. Equipped with this card one of the first 3 days of the week goes to one of the subordinate offices where one is paid in vouchers.

 Everything as usual this week.

7 March 1916 Tuesday. No news.

 8 March 1916 Wednesday

 The Etappen Commandantûr nr 29 is changed in Etappen Commandantûr St Nikolaas.

All wine quantities of St Nicholas, by citizens and merchants, must be reported to the Mayor next Saturday under penalty of the German. We give nothing and prefer to drink it ourselves. No luggage may be transported by a driver. Everything has to be sent with the German train.

 J.Lentacker moves from Mechelen -Terneuzen to 12 francs in February and 20 francs in March.

9 March 1916 Thursday. Nothing new.

10 March 1916 Friday. Nothing to report.

 11 March 1916 Saturday

 Samenscholingen of more than 5 people are punished with up to 3000 Mark penalties the Germans.

Our punishment is still retained. Papa goes to Antwerp and is called in a hôtel pattaten that is not peeled; eating peeled potatoes is forbidden by the Germans on pain.

 Leonie Lentacker wins 1.25 francs at the factory this week.

 12 March 1916 Sunday

 We can stay in the pubs until 7 am today, at 8 am BT everyone has to be inside.

 March 13, 1916 Monday

The city theater has changed into a Protestant temple. The Germans here in St. Nicholas were asked for 5000 Mark or carried out works in 10 days!

To all houses where German houses are sticking out new German flags. In the room Casino, Statiestraat and in the house P.Meert, Zamanstraat wooden beds for German soldiers are placed.

March 14, 1916 thine's day. No news.

 15 March 1916 Wednesday

We have to have our German identity card painted at the Stadhuis, so that we now have 2 cards with a portrait. Furthermore, our St. Nikolaasche card is provided with a serial number. I have no. 11161.

 The Germans give no more than less than Mayor's responsibility, who does not want to sign so that no one can get a passport.

Our punishment is levied; we can stay in the pubs again until 10 o'clock and at 11 o'clock everyone must be inside.

All factories fall silent as no one is allowed to ship outside of the city. Tinchaut from the Mercatorstraat said 400 girls suddenly, since he can no longer compete with the incoming rights that the Germans have put on the tobacco.

 16 March 1916 Thursday

 From now on, there may only be a weekly market in every commander's place, including the St Nikolaas market for the commander of St Nikolaas.

 Market vendors must remain in their commander's office and will no longer receive any passes for foreign markets.

 Brouwersknechten as they arrive from the surrounding municipalities here in St Nicholas, must each time in the Meldeambt offer.

 17 March 1916 Friday

"The People" of Ghent has been punished for 3 days to have written too much truth about Verdun; they are therefore suspended for 3 days for the German censor.

 A pattie merchant from St Nicholas gets 1000 Mark penalty from the German to sell his pattates too expensive.

 No dealer is punished to have one New Rotterdam newspaper in his home.

 Every citizen must, on pain of the Germans, state his quantities of potatoes, sprinkle, hay, etc. with Mr. Burgemeester.

The city was obliged to hang a German flag on the turret of the town hall, but they set out a small flag that the Germans regarded it as a mockery. As a result, the Germans gave 3 hours time to stick out a larger banner; If that was not done in the meantime, the Germans threatened to arrest the Servant Mayor and Mr. Sturm, and punish the city. In due course everything was in line and the incident was over.

 March 18, 1916 Saturday

 In the house of P Joris Statiestraat comes a library for the German soldiers.

In the house of Mr. De Coninck, Statiestraat is a casino for the servants of the Commander and others. So that we have 4 Casinos for the moment.

 A library in the house Joris.

 A military Casino for the German soldiers in the house Thienpont Statiestraat.

 An officer's casino for the officers of the commander's door, house P Janssens Brouwerstraat.

 The casino for the officials of the commander mentioned above.

 Leonie Lentacker receives 4.00 fr. This week at the factory.

19 March 1916 Sunday. No news.

 March 20, 1916 Monday

Everything according to custom this week. Awning costs 0.70 fr the kilo nowadays and 1 brine herring 0.46 fr;

Patatoes 14 to 15 fr. The 100 kilos; everything endured with the day. The German post is again taken to the Posthôtel der Groote Markt.

 21 March 1916 Tuesday

Autumn starts today. Have had a mild winter, rained a lot and snowed but not much.

22 March 1916 Wednesday. No news.

March 23, 1916 Thursday. Nothing to report.

 24 March 1916 Friday

The gardevils and pompiers of St Nicholas are inspected by the German commander on the Groote Markt. The pompiers have to do all of their exercises for him.

 March 25, 1916 Saturday.

 Leonie Lentacker receives 4.50 fr at the factory this week.

 March 26, 1916 Sunday

This morning at 9 1/2 hours BU the 1st service takes place in the Protestanschen (Hall Academie Brouwerstraat). This room is at the same time as the party room of the Germans!

 March 27, 1916 Monday

We must have our registration card stamped a 4th time by the Germans who sit on the town hall in the Oude Raadszaal. Today we drink instead of coffee roasted barley that has a pleasant taste.

 28 March 1916 Tuesday

Slaughter party for 300 German soldiers in their Theaterzaal alias Protestansche tempel der Brouwerstraat. These soldiers leave for the front the next day.

 29 March 1916 Wednesday

 We now get to eat a lot of bad gray bread, it's still a dough inside.

March 30, 1916 Thursday. No news.

31 March 1916 Friday. Nothing to report.

 April 1, 1916 Saturday

 The Belgian soldiers are 20 full months inside.

German workers dispose of the telephone wires that are not used by the Germans. Lack of copper wire makes them in all likelihood take that measure.

 April 2, 1916 Sunday

All collections or shelters in the city must be done with the permission of the German government and will be under German supervision. The omissions that occur in the church are not subject to this measure.

 So it is that today they do not stand with buses for the prisoner of war to the church, because they had not received the permission of the German Government.

 This situation only lasted a few times because they are too clever in Germany and with their buses from now on stand in the church so that they can withdraw from their contract.

 April 3, 1916 Monday

The 21st war month begins today; you can not see a solution, many poverty is everywhere nowadays. Leonie Lentacker and her father withdraw from the Support Committee every 3.00 fr per week in the junior office of Kalkstraat.

 April 4, 1916 Tuesday

 The German soldiers are not allowed to come into any inn anymore on punishment, from now on.

In St Nikolaas only one single inn is allowed and that is the dining room of the café De Spiegel on the Groote Markt. They can not come in the cafe yet!

April 5, 1916 Wednesday. No news.

 April 6, 1916 Thursday.

 Papa goes to Antwerp, no news there.

April 7, 1916 Friday. Nothing to report.

 April 8, 1916 Saturday

 The Casino in the Statiestraat in Soldatenheim is changing for the Germans.

 The one who has chickens must declare their number to the mayor by order of the Germans.

 Those who want to eat all the weeks of meat, 150 grams per person and per week, must indicate at the town hall.

We have meat ration from the next week. Consequently, after the bread ration, this is the 2nd ration that is imposed on us. Jacques. Lentacker draws 12 fr. From Mech.Tern. about March.

9 April 1916 Sunday. No news.

 April 10, 1916 Monday

 Some of them pay their pint of milk 0.14 fr their pint and then they are still weird to get.

 The German has already occupied 1½ years of St Nicholas and has yet to see a result.

 Leonie Lentacker and her father each draw 3.00 fr from the support team.

11 April 1916 Tuesday. No news.

 12 April 1916 Wednesday

Every person from a workman's family can get 3 cgr. potatoes per week from the city at 6 cents per kilo, provided that they first have to be written down in the academy and paid in advance. This measure has been taken because there are no more potatoes to be obtained. Those who obtain potatoes from the community are not understood in this category, not even the citizens.

 April 13, 1916 Thursday

 Concert in the hall of the German Academy for some fools who have to leave for the front the next day.

 Leonie Lentacker earned 2.25 francs at the factory this week.

 April 14, 1916 Friday

All goats must be indicated at the town hall. First the horses, then the cows, then the hens and now the goats! Of course on the orders of the German!

 April 15, 1916 Saturday

't Vleeschrantsoen starts today; 150 grams of meat per person and per week; they will not overeat!

April 16, 1916 Sunday. No news.

 April 17, 1916 Monday

 Leonie and her father Lentacker each draw 3 fr from the support team.

April 18, 1916 Tuesday. Nothing new.

19 April 1916 Wednesday. No details.

 April 20, 1916 Thursday

 The goods station is transferred by the Germans from the great station to the Westerstation.

 April 21, 1916 Friday. No news.

 April 22, 1916 Saturday

 For the fifth time, we have to have our card stamped on the German City Hall for the monthly supervision of the German reporting office.

 Leonie Lentacker and her father each receive 3.00 fr from the support committee for the following week.

 No Germans are no longer allowed to come into any cafe from now on and throughout the country.

 Here in Sint Nikolaas there is an inscription in the German language for every café, that the entrance is forbidden to German army people.

 The person who donates beer to a German can be punished with a fine of 1000 to 5000 Mark.

 April 23, 1916 Sunday

Paschen today and no meat. We get our ration only tomorrow because the German has slaughtered too late and the meat is still too fresh.

April 24, 1916 Monday. No news.

 25 April Tuesday.

Nowadays many people at the American store. Everything is already starting to fail as a result of which there is a great demand for the American goods. Of the American brown beans that were so scared at the time, one can only get 1/2 more ration so much demand is there for.

April 26, 1916 Wednesday. No news.

April 27, 1916 Thursday. Nothing to report.

 April 28, 1916 Friday

All the woods of Saint Nicholas are confiscated by the German army management and the Germans. The cleanest spruce are removed and sent to the front.

April 29, 1916 Saturday. nothing to point.

 April 30, 1916 Sunday

 No meat this week.

The German who otherwise delivered the meat now no longer supplies cows. The butchers must now indicate their own beasts to the Germans, but they have not had enough time this week to search for cows and therefore no meat in the whole city this week.

 May 1, 1916 Monday

 The watches are put forward for another hour, which is why it is 2 o'clock German hours when it hits 12 o'clock Belgian hours.

 We therefore have to leave the cafes at 9 am BT and BT in the evening at 10 am.

 Leonie Lentacker and her father each raise 3.00 fr + 0.75 fr support from the support committee this week.

We pay for 100 kgr. potatoes 19.00 francs.

 A bar of quatta chocolate already costs 0.40 francs!

 May 2, 19156 Tuesday

 The Germans announce that all public services in the churches, town halls, schools, factories etc. must take the German hour for the beginning and end of the work.

 So now there are factories that stop BT at 10 am and start again at 12 pm BT

 The schools all start an hour earlier.

The local De Casino, Statiestraat in the stead, was completely arrested by the Germans for the Casino of the Statemen; the house contractor must leave his home.

 The Casino of the Soldiers (house Thienpont, Statiestraat has been abolished as the Germans could no longer come into contact with the citizens and citizens of this cafe.

 May 3, 1916 Wednesday

 The war has been going on for 21 full months, the 22nd war month begins today.

May 4, 1916 Thursday. No news.

 May 5, 1916 Friday.

The Germans do a search in all the hostels of the whole city this night. They search for missing soldiers says the people.

 May 6, 1916 Saturday.

We get 100 grams of meat per person this week. The German sends all our cows to his country and with that we have no meat here.

May 7, 1916 Sunday. No news.

 May 8, 1916 Monday

 Leonie Lentacker and her father each draw 3.75 fr from the support committee this week.

Jacq. Lentacker draws 12 fr from Mechelen Terneuzen in April. 1st Patient sharing to the citizens of the city at 7 cens the kilos and 3 kilos per person.

9 May 1916 Tuesday. No news.

 10 May 1916 Wednesday.

 The German has been in Sint Nikolaas for 19 full months.

 11 May 1916 Thursday

 We buy 13 eggs from the German village at the Stadhuis at 0.12 fr 't piece.

 Jacques Lentacker draws 60.00 fr of the Belgian State for his son Edmond in nr 36 der Tabakstraat.

 May 12, 1916 Friday

 All oats must be returned to the German by mid-May.

 No grain of oats can be fed by the farmer on pain of penance.

May 13, 1916 Saturday. No news.

 May 14, 1916 Sunday

We get this week a 100 grams of meat per man as a ration. Anyone who does not yet have a serial number on his identity card must have one set up at the Town Hall on the orders of the Germans this week.

 May 15, 1916 Monday

 Leonie Lentacker and her father draw 3.75 fr every week from the support committee.

16 May 1916 Tuesday. No news.

 May 17, 1916 Wednesday

The Germans give concert at 1 am BT in the Warande and at 4 am BT in the court of the Casino in the Statiestraat. In a café corner of the Prins Albrechtstraat and Regencieplaats, only Germans are admitted, as well as being housed in a barracks house on the Kokkelbeekstraat, next to the brewer Van Kemseke, which are the only cafés where they are allowed.

 It is forbidden to bring fine, eggs or butter to St. Nicholas on penalty of 1000 M. unless Thursday morning the Germans post.

 18 May 1916 Thursday

 2nd Patatdeling to the workers this week at 10 cens the kilo and at 6 kilos per person.

 The official price for eggs is once again set at 0.15 fr. For the German.

Yesterday, 100 people were punished by the German with 30 Mark penalties to smuggle letters across the border. These letters had been discovered in a machine from Mechelen Terneuzen and had emerged during the repair of this machine. Some of the punished have paid, but most of them are sitting in front of it.

We buy fries at 18 and at 20 franc the 100 kilos. Men's shoes already cost the couple 30 francs!

 May 19, 1916 Friday

2nd Sampling for the cows of Sint Nikolaas on the Groote Markt by the German; they claim a few dozen cows. Papa goes to Brussels for 2 days; for his pass he has to pay 3.75 fr in silver money! His journey costs him a 50 francs.

 May 20, 1916 Saturday

 We have to offer ourselves for the sixth time for the Germans at the town hall, to have our registration card stamped by the Germans.

 Leonie Lentacker earned 3.75 frs at the factory this week.

 May 21, 1916 Sunday

 We get 100 grams of meat per person this week.

 May 22, 1916 Monday

2nd Patatdeling to the citizens at 10 cens the kilo and 6 kilos per person. (is the third fries)

 It is requested that this week at the Town Hall to write for an egg-butter-patat card, thereby one comes in possession of a new card.

 We already have the following rationing cards

 1- Americanchen Store

 2- Bread card

 3- Butcher card

 4- Butter-egg-and-chips card

 Leonie Lentacker and her father draw 3.75 frs each week from the support team.

 May 23, 1916 Tuesday

from now on we may stay in the territory of another citizen without a passport until 10 a.m. after this hour one is punishable by the German.

May 24, 1916 Wednesday. No news.

 May 25, 1916 Thursday

 Our daily ration of meat is reduced by the German at 125 grams per person.

145 kgr of butter was available on the weekly market today. The Germans take almost all the butter for their own and leave nothing to the citizens.

In some bakeries of the city there is no bread today in the absence of Dutch yeast. Poor people can obtain some pounds of potatoes instead of their hunger at the town hall.

May 26, 1916 Friday. No news.

 May 27, 1916 Saturday.

 This week we will each receive 110 grams of meat per person as a ration.

 Smuggled meat from the surrounding municipalities can be bought at 4.50 fr the kilo of some farmer who wants to buy it for you.

 Leonie Lentacker earned this week at the factory 5.75 fr.

May 28, 1916 Sunday. No news.

 May 29, 1916 Monday.

 Leonie Lentacker and her father will each week 3.00 fr of the comma.

 Our gray bread now costs 0.42 fr the kilo.

 May 30, 1916 Tuesday.

 In the Akademie, Brouwerstraat is a permanent patatenshuis decorated because of the city, where at 20 fr the 100 kilos as many patatten can get as one wants. Every farmer must from now on every week 2 kgr of butter per cow to the German deliver (to order at the town hall).

 May 31, 1916 Wednesday

Papa goes to Antwerp. No news there.

 By the German there is a tax of 1 per hundred put on each sale, as a result, all wholesale stops and of course everything rises in price.

 June 1, 1916 Thursday

 Our soldiers are already 22 full months inside and no end to see.

 June 2, 1916 Friday

7 the horse acquisition by the German. He demands 105 horses and immediately pays.

From now on, milk costs 7 cens of the pot or 14 cens of the liter. There are milk farmers who even ask for more!

 June 3, 1916 Saturday

 The Germans live in a rental house owned by Mr Nobels, Statiestraat t / s (old house of Md De Dokter Burghraeve).

 June 4, 1916 Sunday

 We get our ration of meat this week.

 June 5, 1916 Monday

 Leonie Lentacker and her father each draw 3 fr this week from the support committee ..

 From now on, they distribute the soup to the children from all the municipal custodians (a 1,400 children) that costs the city 1000 fr per week.

1st city bed of butter or eggs at the town hall or 100 grams of butter per person, or 2 eggs per person. (We get 26 eggs in 17 centimeters each).

 June 6, 1916 Tuesday

There is sugar in the American Store at 2.25 fr the kilo. A lot of people there.

June 7, 1916 Wednesday. No news.

 June 8, 1916 Thursday

 Jacq Lentacker receives 12 fr. From Mechelen - Terneuzen about the month of May.

June 9, 1916 Friday. No news.

 10 June Saturday

The German has been in St Nicholas for 20 full months! Leonie Lentacker and her father each raise 3 fr. For the coming week of the support team. Leonie Lentacker earned 5 fr this week at the factory.

 June 11, 1916 Sunday

We get 100 grams of meat as a ration this week. Sinxes today. Bad again.

June 12, 1916 Monday. No news.

 13 June 1916 Tuesday

 For his son Edmond van den Belgischen Staat, Jacq Lentacker moves 60 fr. Of January 1916 and 60 fr for February 1916. Through the banks in a house of the Tobacco Street.

June 14, 1916 Wednesday. No news.

June 15, 1916 Thursday. Nothing new.

June 16, 1916 Friday. Nothing to report.

 June 17, 1916 Saturday

 Leonie Lentacker earned 5 fr this week at the factory

 June 18, 1916 Sunday

 We get our ration of meat this week.

 June 19th Monday

 Leonie Lentacker and her father each draw 3 fr this week from the support team.

The city shop, Union-Eendracht, located in the academy classes, Brouwerstraat, opens today. One can obtain it for the time being by showing the card of the American shop: Gellij, coffee, sausage, soap etc. Every day 2300 households are served (in St Nikolaas there are 7000 households who have a card from the American shop).

 Papa goes to Antwerp, no news.

 June 20, 1916 Tuesday.

 We go to the town hall for the 7th time to register with the Germans to have our solemnity card stamped

 The Sad St. Nicholas has no more potatoes in stock to make people, so every resident of St. Nicholas must declare his supply of potatoes at the City Council within 2 days on pain of forfeiture.

 June 21, 1916 Wednesday

Summer starts today. We had a wet spring.

 22 June 1916 Thursday.

All the rags are demanded by the German here. The German reports that the new potatoes can not be sold before 10 July on pain of penalties.

Mama goes to the Stadswinkel for the 1st time with the map of the American shop. Good, true and fair numbers.

 June 23, 1916 Friday

The soldiers of the Herzog Albrecht barracks (gendarmerie) move for a month to the City School of the head teacher Mr. Elinck in the Kalkstraat, given that their barracks are completely chastised and must be renewed. A 10,000 fr. Costs. The pupils of this school are assigned to other schools and classes so that the courses continue.

 June 24, 1916 Saturday

 Leonie Lentacker will receive 5,75 francs at the factory this week. Today there are some 250 German soldiers in this city.

 June 25, 1916 Sunday

 We get our ration of meat this week from cows affected by the mule plague.

It's fair today. The processions of the Sacrament go into the church, nothing extraordinarily different.

 June 26, 1916 Monday

From now on they share soup with the schoolchildren of almost all the city and adopted lower and custody schools. The city pays 1/3 in costs; the support ratio 2/3.

 Leonie Lentacker and her father are taking 3 fr. Of the support team this week.

 The farmer's forest to monitor the field fruits is once again arranged as a past year.

Given the abundant people that visit the American Shop; One has no second Am.Wink. housed in a house Regencie street (factory of Mr. Van Vlierberghe-Van Haver). The unclear numbers will be in den Am. Wink. the Regenciestraat operated. The pare numbers in the old Winkel der Statiestraat. By this measure the people are rasser and better ordered.

We get potatoes from the town council; 24 kg at 0.20 fr the kilo; our potato card is stamped for the first time.

 June 27, 1916 Tuesday

Our ration of bread is brought to 400 grams per man and per day. From today, bread costs 0.48 fr. For 1,150 kg

June 28, 1916 Wednesday. No news.

June 29, 1916 Thursday. Nothing new.

June 30, 1916 Friday. Nothing to report.

 July 1, 1916 Saturday.

Our boys have been inside for 23 full months. New potatoes are now sold at 10 cents per kilo.

 Leonie Lentacker earned this week at the factory 5.00 fr.

 We get our ration of meat this week.

2 July 1916 Sunday. No news.

 July 3, 1916 Monday.

The 24th war month begins and no change can be observed. jacques Lentacker and Leonie each draw 3 fr of the kommiteit. They give flowers in the American Shop this week. 250 grams per person. Many people there at both stores.

 July 4, 1916 Tuesday

 No bread today in the absence of yeast.

 July 5, 1916 Wednesday

All bicycles must be declared at the city hall on the orders of the German. The city must supply a certain number.

 July 6, 1916 Thursday

In the house of Mad. Truyens der Walburgstraat and in a house of the Plezantstraat a German ambulance is made; German wounded from the battle of the Somme have been brought under the roof.

Today the city has to deliver 30 two-wheeled carts to the German; these carts are claimed by the farmers.

 7 July 1916 Friday

 Mommy gets three new cards today,

1) A card for the American. Shop (the old card was full)

 2) A card for the city shop Union

 3) A map of the town hall for 3 Dutch loaves a week.

 We have maps for the moment

 1) Identity card of the city

 2) The identity card of the Germans

 3) Bread card

 4) Meat card

 5) American Shop

 6) City Shop (Union)

 7) Butter eggs and potato card

 8) Dutch bread card

 Then there are people who have a support card from the commune.

 8 July 1916 Saturday

The Germans affirm that no one can leave his command-office without a pass. (result of the Summing Battle).

 Leonie Lentacker earned 4.75 fr. At the factory this week.

Jacq. Lentacker draws 12.00 fr. From Mechelen Terneuzen over the month of June.

 9 July 1916 Sunday

 We get our ration of meat 100 grams per person this week

 July 10, 1916 Monday

Jacq. Lentacker and Leonie each draw 3 fr. Of the support team this week.

 11 July 1916 Tuesday

 Jacq Lentacker draws 60 fr: van den Staat about March 1916 in his residence.

12 July 1916 Wednesday. No news.

 July 13, 1916 Thursday.

 The German buys all green on the green market today.

July 14, 1916 Friday. No news.

 July 15, 1916 Saturday

 Leonie Lentacker earned at the factory this week fr: 3.50

 July 16, 1916 Sunday

 We get 100 grams of meat this week per person.

 July 17, 1916 Monday

In the city shop Union in the Brouwerstraat there is flower this week; many people there.

Leonie Lentacker and her father each draw 3 fr; of the comma this week.

All the chickens must be given up at the command of the German. incorrect statements can be punished up to 1000 Mark fine.

 Papa goes to Antwerp, no news.

July 18, 1916 Tuesday. No news.

July 19, 1916 Wednesday. No news.

 July 20, 1916 Thursday

It is mentioned that no special services may take place in the church on the occasion of the National Day of Belgium; schools, factories, public authorities must go their own way as before; national ribbons may not be worn; the stores must remain open; tombs of fallen soldiers may not be crowned; gatherings and parades are forbidden. Violations are penalized by the German with 2 years or 20,000 M. fine at most.

 Papa goes to Antwerp, no news.

 The city of Sint Nikolaas publishes new notes, very beautiful, of 25 centimes, 50 centimes, 1 franc and 2 francs.

 21 July 1916 Friday

 We have our registration card stamped for the 8 th time by the Germans who sit on the town hall.

National holiday today. Nothing out of the ordinary since the Germans have forbidden everything. In the 8 ure Mass BT quite a lot of people; governments of city etc. were present; ordinary mass on order from the German.

The premises of the clinic and the hospital's lazaret were on display for the first time for the public today; clean rooms.

 22 July 1916 Saturday

 Leonie Lentacker earned at the factory this week fr.5.50.

 We get 100 grams of meat this week per person from the German.

The Germans affirm that Saint Nicholas, Temsche, Thielrode and Nieuwkerken will count from July 24 (Monday) at the Antwerp forts area, and consequently with the General Government Area of ​​Brussels under the direction of General Governor Von Bisssing. The laws of the forts area of ​​Antwerp one of the General Government therefore apply, those of the Etappen government decrepit.

All available cows and sheep in St. Niklaas, Temsche, Thielrode and Nieuwkerken are claimed by the Germans and are still being taken away today; since the flesh peg in the government area does not exist, the Germans take away the last available slaughter beasts and put us without meat.

 The existing garrison of Germans moved completely.

July 23, 1916 Sunday. No news.

 July 24, 1916 Monday.

We are from now on governorate area and we belong to the forts area of ​​Antwerp ,. For the time being, we are allowed to pass to Antwerp and surrounding area without a pass.

Approximately 150 horsemen arrive here today in De Kazerne der Slachthuisstraat and in the Autofabriek of Dhr Janssens in the Gazometerstraat. A 250-man foot-group will also be staying in the gendarmerie barracks of the Vermorgenstraat and a 100 soldiers in the barracks of the city boys' school of the Kalkstraat; so that at the moment we have about 600 Germans here with the officers, orders, and about 70 clerks.

The horsemen come from Beveren; the footmen of Cruybeke.

 This night the old occupation was pulled out and in the morning at 8 o'clock BT the new occupation army with music entered St. Nicholas.

 All these soldiers must guard the border separation of St. Nicholas between the Etappen and the Government Area.

 Papa goes to Antwerp, no news.

 Leonie Lentacker and her father each draw 3 fr this week from the support committee.

 July 25, 1916 Tuesday

 The official price of the butter is set by the Germans at 5.00 kg, they are impossible to get under 7 fr,

 July 26, 1916 Wednesday

 Greater Brussels has been punished with a fine of 1 000 000 Mark to applaud Cardinal Mercier when it drove by car through the streets of Brussels on the evening of July 21st.

 No Dutch newspapers will appear here, there will again be news.

 July 27, 1916 Thursday

 The Germans post:

 Grain may no longer be roasted without permission.

 All horses and cars must again be declared to the Germans.

 We are free (underlined) to go wherever we want in the Antwerp forts area that encompasses the City of Antwerp and surrounding areas (So without a pass).

If we want to go further in the Gouvernements area, we have to go to the Germans for leave in Antwerp. This leave is given for a few weeks.

 For the Etap, border and area of ​​operations, a passport is required that can be obtained for a thorough reason from the Germans in the Antwerp Stock Exchange, provided that a deposit of 1000 Mark is deposited when a pass is obtained.

 The postal servants of Sint Nikolaas were again employed under German control after a congé of 22 months.

 We may use the train without a pass within the Antwerp forts area.

The traffic per carriage is also allowed within the Antwerp forts area. For a velo to ride outside the city a pass is needed, within the city one makes free use of it.

 28 July 1916 Friday

 We buy a road of butter from 6 kilos to 7 fr. The kgr 't it 42 fr!

 Patatas are currently being sold at 0.25 fr the kilos and they are still hard to get.

 July 29, 1916 Saturday

 Leonie Lentacker earns € 5.50 at the factory this week

 The meat that is now no longer rationed costs 6 to 7 francs.

 Butter is available in stores at 7 fr: and more!

Here again a 100 soldiers arrived in the gendarmerie, who are recovering; the 100 best soldiers are now sent to the front in their place, and that is how it regularly comes, hurt, sent back to the front.

 July 30, 1916 Sunday

From morning exercise by the German soldiers who were allowed to defend the city against an imagined enemy, from 2 o'clock in the morning BT they were already practicing and already playing their music on the city square. It was still dark.

 31st July 1916 Monday

 Papa goes to Brussels, not news.

 1 harvest 1916 Tuesday

 Our boys are two years old today.

 August 2, 1916 Wednesday

Edm. Heirman from the Mercatorstraat is punished by the Germans with 1 year in prison and 20,000 Mark penalty to have bought and sold flax against the order of the German. He is taken directly to Antwerp and from there to Germany.

 3 harvest 1916 Thursday

The war has been going on for two full years; the 25th war month begins today and still has no end. I am now 25 years old.

We have to register again at the town hall where we receive a new registration card; this is stamped for the first time by the German control of Antwerp.

Just live nowadays. A 600 soldiers here in St Nicholas who stayed in the following barracks; a 250 foot soldiers in the Gendarmerie, Vermorgenstraat, a 100 idem in the city boys' school der Kalkstraat; a 150 horse men in the Slachthuisstraat barracks and some 50 idem in the Dhr Janssens car factory in the Gazometerstraat; there are still several officers who live in the empty citizen houses of the city with their orders and the German administration, which also use a certain number of soldiers.

 As German institutions we have here:

 The post office-reporting office (district office in the Casinostraat (houses De Larsille)

 The Commandant door in the Statiestraat (house Boyé)

 The Militär in the Statiestraat (house Mr De Coninckx)

 The Mess for officers (Prussia) in the Brouwerstraat (castle Dhr Janssens)

 The Waldeckerhof (for Prussian non-commissioned officers) in the Statiestraat (house Mad De Schepper).

 The Theater or temple in the Akademie room, Brouwerstraat

 The Casino for the Bahnhofmen and Soldatenheim in the local Casino, Statiestraat

 The Feldboekhandel in the Statiestraat, house Joris

 The Policie head guard at the large market house Mr. Boenders

 Office in the most special houses of the city as:

 Mr Fonteyne, Mr Burghraeve, Mr Van den Broeck Statiestraat

 Mr. Janssens, Mr. Nobels Groote Markt

 Mr Coullier Vooruitgangstraat

 Mr Peeters Zamanstraat

 Mr De Haeze Regencieplaats

 Mr. Smet Houtbriel where the commander resides

 Mr. Mertens Hofstraat etc.

 Some 100 German servants or workmen are here in Saint Nicholas.

 We also have a steady German music that parades every day.

The soldiers are usually young men (sick, hurt or rejected) who stay here for only a few months and then leave for the front again when they are cured; the other soldiers are men aged 40 to 50 years.

For service the soldiers must guard the boundary of the city between the Government and the Etappengebied. The officers, most wealthy, who fight behind the front with spoon and fork.

 Cars hardly use the Germans due to lack of essence.

 The station building is in operation but little transport due to a lack of cars and usually because all industries are almost stationary.

I have counted past Sunday 25 wagons on the whole station. You can send everything without any passes within the Government Area. But the Etappen border or area of ​​operations requires passes that are delivered by the German. Telephone and telegraph are unused unless by the Germans.

The mail is free and will be served by Belgians under DUITsch controol. Within the government the traffic happens as race as before, to the Etappen or other area a letter is 6 to 7 days on the road.

 American and city shops deliver regularly to the citizens who are busy.

In general, the goods have risen 100 per 100 and more in price compared to before the war. The retailers are still winning a lot of money. Usury is still driven by people who stack their warehouses full and then sell everything at a higher price when the goods have become scarce.

 There is almost no food for your money.

Beer is plentiful. The Drinkebroers are small due to lack of money.

 Kinemas, football and café chantants that everything draws well and is busy followed.

The traffic is free of charge per velo, in the entire forts area of ​​Antwerp. For traffic in the government area, there is a need for leave that is easily obtained. A German passport is required for traffic in the Etappen- war and border area, which can be obtained with difficulty and with guarantees.

Everyone must, however, always be provided with his identity card; the reporting agents (18 to 32 years) of a registration card, which is stamped every month.

 Factories are generally silent, except for the tobacco and block industry that labor for the Germans.

 Luxury is still worn by those who work.

There is a lot of poverty; your door does not stand still from the shoes during the day.

 As good works here in the city we call:

 The Benediction Center in the Grote Peperstraat.

 The Soldiers support to soldiers parents or women in the Nijverheidsschool in the Brouwerstraat.

 The Soepkomiteit in all city districts (gives support to poor people in the form of bread vouchers).

 The National Meeting for Unemployed and Family in the Groote Markt in Café 'l Union

 Bijbureelen: house Kalkstraat and house OL Vrouwstraat

 The Work of the Field: a 1000 of families delivered a field.

 Het Werk van den Schamelen Armen: for sick people and others.

 The Work of Healthy Milk: for small and pregnant mothers in the Gildenhuis, Nieuwstraat

The Work of Belgian prisoners of war in Germany. Wealthy people have all the Sundays with buses to the masses of all churches.

 In all churches there is still a lot of reading and the exercises are still busy.

The immorality is much worse in the war; poverty and unemployment are very much to blame. Many women are walking with the Germans and many a café is already closed.

Today we have 4 Dutch newspapers like De Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant, which we buy every day, the Maesbode, Het Vaderland and the Nieuwe Courant; we have 2 German-speaking war gazettes and the Gentenaar, Het Volk, De Vooruit and Bien Public of Ghent. The Germans now report all the news.

 Mechelen Terneuzen regularly pays support to his workmen.

 The state.

To send one letter one has to pay 0.15 fr; a card costs 0.08 fr.

 City State and provincial taxes have not been significantly increased, compared to before the war.

 That is the situation after 22 full months under German coercion.

 Third year of war

 August 4, 1916 Friday

 The pensioners of all pensioners who live in the Etappen-border or area of ​​operations are temporarily not given a pass to go home, now that it is vacant.

 5 harvest 1916 Saturday

 Leonie Lentacker receives this week at the factory fr: 5.50

6 harvest 1916 Sunday. No news.

 7 harvest 1916 Monday

J.Lentacker moves from Mech-Tern. about July 12 fr: support.

Carts and horse sampling of the Germans for St Nikolaas and surroundings; they do not claim any carts or horses.

 The Germans claim all quantities, copper, tin, nickel etc of more than 10 kgr.

 8 harvest 1915 Tuesday

Agreed colors may no longer behave by persons of the same city; Cheers may no longer happen to the Germans; follow-up of the argument in honor of Mercier on 21st July.

 9 harvest 1916 Wednesday

Butter and eggs may only be sold personally to the citizens by large sellers and the farmers themselves; all intermediary trade is forbidden to advertise the Germans.

 10 harvest 1916 Thursday

 This week they order potatoes in the city shop at 0.14 kilos and 2 kilos per person.

 In the patat shops of the city the patten costs 0.25 fr the kilo!

11 harvest 1916 Friday. No news.

 12 harvest 1916 Saturday

 Leonie Lentacker earned this week at the factory fr: 6.00

 13 harvest Sunday

 I'm going to Gaverland with Leonie.

14 harvest Monday. No news.

15 harvest Tuesday. No news.

16 harvest Wednesday. No news.

 August 17, 1916 Thursday

 J.Lentacker receives 60 francs in the National Bank, t / s 60 fr. In July 1916, 60 fr. For his son Edmond.

N'and smuggler De Dauwe from the Langhalsbeekstraat in Sint Niklaas is shot to death by the Germans at about 100 meters from his house because he did not stand still on a given order and continued on the fields without a pass. He left behind wife and children and did not carry 1/2 kilo of butter with him. You see how severe they are on the border of St. Nicholas, between the Etap and the Government Area.

 18 harvest 1916 Friday

8th horse stretch only for Sint Nikolaas and Nieuwkerke. The Duischers claim 20 horses.

 19 harvest 1916 Saturday

 Leonie Lentacker deserves this week at the factory 3 fr.

 20 harvest 1916 Sunday

 Paper kites are no longer allowed to embarrass the Germans.

 Until 9 am BT we can stay in the cafès in the evening and walk all night on the streets the Germans.

 21 harvest 1916 Monday

To get some liters of milk to Belcele (Etappengebied) n one citizen of Sint Nikolaas gets 80 Marken fine from the Germans. In order not to greet a German Government of St. Nicholas, one gardeville from here gets a 3 month bake and is suddenly arrested.

 22 harvest 1916 Tuesday

The Germans set up a guard on OLVrouwentoren to signal the flying machines; their head guard is in the tir rodeuit in the hotel the Arend OLVrouwtraat

 23 harvest 1916 Wednesday.No news.

 24 harvest 1916 Thursday

 We receive a new identity card with a portrait of the City of St. Nicholas.

 25 harvest 1916 Friday

 Several flying machines pass here.

 26 harvest 1916 Saturday

We get a new card for Dutch white bread because of the city of St. Nicholas. for the time being, white bread is no longer from Holland.

27 harvest 1916 Sunday. No news.

 28 harvest 1916 Monday

 All potatoes must be declared to the German (this only applies to the potatoes that are still growing in the field).

 29 harvest 1916 Tuesday

 This week there is sugar in the town shop to obtain 0.90 fr the kilo, verders gives it for the 2 nd time fries, 2 kg per man at 0.14 fr the kilo.

 In the warehouses in the city the sugar is paid at 4 fr the kilo

30 harvest 1916 Wednesday. No news.

 31 harvest Thursday

 Leonie Lentacker earned this week at the factory 2.50 fr.

A 200 German soldiers of St. Nicholas, after a claim in the Academy by their Superiors, leave for the front (Roumania probably); they are all men aged 35 to 40 and some youngsters are among them.

 September 1, 1916 Friday

 The Belgian soldiers have been inside for 25 full months, with no results.

Jacq. Lentacker moves from the state for his son Edmond in the National bank, Prins Albrechtstraat t / s 60 fr. About harvest 1916.

 September 2, 1916 Saturday

 Small children under the age of 2 must be indicated at the town hall and from now on they will receive milk every day through city intervention.

 Mme Standaert and her daughter are arrested by the Germans.

 September 3, 1916 Sunday

 The 26th war month begins today and sees no end.

 September 4, 1916 Monday

 They give potatoes this week in the town shop, 2kg per man 7 at the kgs.

The pupils from the boarding schools, colleges, normal school etc. from Ghent and St Gilles and under the age of 19 have finally got a pass to go home, after waiting for a month. The others must stay here until their pass comes.

 September 5, 1916 Tuesday

The Germans demand all velor tires. They give 1.75 to 3.00 fr for n'and veloband!

 September 6, 1916 Wednesday

 Our registration card is stamped for the second time by the Antwerp control at the City Hall.

The pensioners from the boarding schools, college, etc. from the Etappen, border and operations area under the age of 19 get a passport from the Germans to go home. These over the age of 19 must remain in the asylum.

September 7, 1916 Thursday. No news.

 September 8, 1916 Friday

 J.Lentacker receives 12 francs from Augustus from the Maatschappij Mechelen Terneuzen.

 September 9, 1916 Saturday

 Leonie LMentacker earns 1.50 francs this week at the factory.

 The other pensioners from the boarding schools from the stages etc. get a passport from the Germans to go home after waiting for a month!

 September 10, 1916 Sunday

 The Germans have been here for 23 months here.

September 11, 1916 Monday. No news.

 September 12, 1916 Tuesday

Mama with Albert go to doctor Notteau of Antwerp. The doctor says he needs surgery. (underlined)

September 13, 1916 Wednesday. Nothing new.

September 14, 1916 Thursday. Nothing to report.

September 15, 1916 Friday. Nothing to be said.

 September 16, 1916 Saturday

 Leonie Lentacker earns 2,00 francs at the factory this week

September 17, 1916 Sunday. No news.

 September 18, 1916 Monday

 They sell sugar and potatoes in the city shop this week at 7 cents per kilo and 2 ks per person.

September 19, 1916 Tuesday. No news.

 September 20, 1916 Wednesday

 Mad Standaert of the Groote Markt with her daughter are released by the Germans.

 September 21, 1916 Thursday

 Our ration of bread is reduced to 325 grams per day, the bread now costs 44 cents the kilogram.

We had a wet summer, the harvest was fairly well succeeded; Autumn begins today.

 September 22, 1916 Friday.

 Mama and Albert go to Antwerp to agree with the doctor (underlined)

 (300 fr: before the operation, - 5.00 fr per day for the room in the institution plus the costs for bandages, co-plains, surgery etc.)

 September 23, Saturday

Because of the Heimolen-Wever - and Potaerdestraat traffic for the citizens of Sint Niklaas is prohibited. (These streets are piled to the Etappen area and this measure was taken to prevent smuggling).

Then from this evening all the lights have to be extinguished on the street (lanterns etc) and inside the house (windows, cafes, etc); this at the order of the German to limit the danger to flying machines. Violations are punished up to 1000 Mark penalty.

 Leonie Lentacker earns 3,50 fr this week at the factory.

 N'en Zeppelin passes this evening above the city at 6 UBT he flew at a few hundred meters altitude.

September 24, 1916 Sunday. No news.

 September 25, 1916 Monday

They now sell soup to everyone who craves 0.12 fr the pint; this soup is made in the factory of Mr. P Janssens Hofstraat, t / s by Mr. Landsman.

 The soldiers support to women is located in the local Goed Heil Mercatorstraat t / s.

Albert goes to Antwerp with Mama to be operated in the St. Camillus hospital. (underlined)

 We pay 23 francs for 100 kg of potatoes.

 September 26, 1916 Tuesday

 Albert is being proposed today (doubly underlined);

 all go to Gaverland.

 September 27, 1916 Wednesday

Mama goes to Antwerp (underlined); operation Albert succeeded well.

September 28, 1916 Thursday. No news.

 September 29, 1916 Friday

 Mama goes to Antwerp (underlined) Albert betters.

 She buys a booklet of 14 fr. Tickets for the trip to Sint Nikolaas, such a trip costs 1.40 fr and another 3.50 fr for an ordinary coupon.

 September 30, 1916 Saturday

 J.Lentacker pulls 60 francs for the month of September for his son Edmond in the National bank, of the state.

 Leonie Lentacker earns 5.00 fr this week at the factory.

 October 1, 1916 Sunday

 The German hour is put back 1 hour, so that she is now one hour ahead of Belgian time.

 Mama goes to Antwerp, Albert improves (underlined).

 Our boys have already been 26 full months.

 October 2, 1916 Monday

 The city shop is moved from the Academy to the Nieuwstraat in the Antwerp bakery room, diagonally across the Gildenhuis.

 The school of Mr. Elinck from the Kalkstraat, now German barracks, is organized: 3 classes in the Patronage of Mr. Vervoorent and 2 classes in the vocational school St Antonius OLVrouwplaats.

 The French Evening School for boys is organized in the boys' patronagie der Kasteelstraat.

 In the Stadswinkel Union this week they give sugar and potatoes 7 cents per kilo and 2 kilos per person.

 3 October 1916 thine's day

 The 27th war month begins today, to see no outcome.

4 October 1916 Wednesday. No news.

5 October 1916 Thursday. Nothing to report.

 6 October 1916 Friday

 Our registration card is stamped for the third time by the Antwerp assault on the Stadhuis van Sint Nikolaas.

 Mum and dad go to Antwerp with Albert who is already sitting (underlined).

 7 October 1916 Saturday.

 Leonie Lentacker earns 3.75 frm at the factory this week:

 October 8, 1916 Sunday

 Mama goes to Antwerp, Albert is already walking (underlined).

 J. Lentacker has 12 francs from Mechelen Terneuzen about September.

 9 October 1916 Monday

 In the absence of goods, the American Shop was closed for the first time this week.

 We buy fries at 25 francs the 100 kgr

 10 October 1916 Tuesday

 The Germans have been in St Nicholas for two full years and have yet to see a result.

 11 October 1916 Wednesday

 Mama goes to Antwerp, Albert is already walking in the court (underlined)

12 October 1916 Thursday. No news.

 October 13, 1916 Friday

In Brussels they give 100 francs for 100 kgr. potatoes.

In Lokeren, 600 young people aged 17 to 45 were taken to Germany to go to work for their (Germany). All these people drew from the support group.

 Mama goes to Antwerp, Albert is constantly improving.

 Leonie Lentacker deserves this week at the factory fr: 3.75.

 October 15, 1916 Sunday

 Mama goes to Antwerp, Albert improves (underlined)

16 October 1916 Monday. No news.

17 October 1916 Tuesday. Nothing to report.

18 October 1916 Wednesday. Nothing to be said.

 October 19, 1916.

 Mama goes to Antwerp Albert improves (underlined)

October 20, 1916 Friday. No news.

 October 21, 1916 Saturday

 Leonie Lentacker deserves this week at the factory fr; 2.75.

 't Brood costs from 0.46 fr: the kilo.

 October 22nd, 1916 Sunday

 N'and German has been murdered between Elversele and Thielrode.

 They are allowed to do a few more times a month, with pots for the prisoners of war, with the church doors

 October 23, 1916 Monday

From now on, all children of the city schools or lower or assumed custodians etc. get a free lunch with a cake every afternoon. This soup is made at Janssen plant in the Hofstraat by Mr. Landsman from the Statiestraat.

Mama goes to Antwerp, Albert improves. (underlined)

 October 24, 1916 Wednesday

 Brown soap already costs 10 francs the kilo!

 October 25, 1916

 A German shoots himself here in the barracks because he was allowed to sit in the box!

26 October 1916 Thursday. No news.

27 October 1916 Friday. No news.

October 28, 1916 Saturday. No news.

October 29, 1916 Sunday. No news.

October 30, 1916 Monday. No news.

 Mama goes to Antwerp, Albert improves (underlined).

 The American Shop was closed for the second time this week, for lack of goods.

Those who have potatoes in them are no longer in the Stadswinkel; there is made an ass-roll.

 31 October 1916 Tuesday

J. Stapacker draws 80 francs from the State, in the Nat. Bank t / s. about the month of October, for his son Edmond.

 November 1, 1916 Wednesday

 All Saints Day.

 Our boys are 27 full months inside!

 November 2, 1916 Thursday

There are only two more trains running on the Antwerp Ghent line, back and forth, in the morning and in the evening; in the absence of train material, this measure was taken by the Germans.

Mama goes to Antwerp, Albert improves. (underlined)

 November 3, 1916 Friday

 The 28th war month begins today

 450 men from Kieldrecht and surroundings have crossed the border rather than working for the German.

All the surrounding municipalities of St. Nicholas in the Etappen have had to give up their unemployed to the Germans to work for them; these workers have already been deported to Germany.

 The butter may only be sold at 6.50 to 7.00 fr the kilo sold to the Germans, impossible to obtain at that price.

 The male population of Elversele, excluded from the rule of the municipality, is locked up in a factory in Lokeren, to reason the murder of a German on 22 October 11.

November 4, 1916 Saturday. No news.

November 5, 1916 Sunday. Nothing to report

 November 6, 1916 Monday

 Mama goes to Antwerp, Albert improves (underlined).

 In Antwerp, it is reported that the unemployed up to 32 years to

 Germany must go to work, great movement there.

November 7, 1916 Tuesday. Nothing new.

 November 8, 1916 Wednesday

It is stated that the reporting days have been abolished; consequently our registration card was not stamped by the Germans today.

All the unemployed from St Nicholas advertise the Germans have to work in Germany; they become and continue to be citizens. Remove the commonness from the welfare of their families. Then the German will support them as long as they do not earn.

 J.Lentacker draws 12 fr from Mechelen Terneuzen in October.

 The smuggler is shot dead by the Germans at the Sint NIkolaasche border.

 November 9, 1916 Thursday

 235 men of St Nicholas are informed by the German that they will be inspected next Saturday and that the unemployed will have to go to Germany.

 November 10, 1916 Friday. No news.

 November 11, 1916 Saturday.

119 Young men from St Niolaas have been sent to Germany on the 235 called. At seven o'clock in the morning, the called persons were allowed to be in the Kazerne der Slachthuisstraat.

 Those who could prove that they had work or attended the Academy or the Industrial School were exempted.

The 119 returnees left BT over Ghent at 10 am together with those called up from the surrounding municipalities. The St Nikolazenaren got 10 marks and 9 pieces each because of the city.

November 12, 1916 Sunday. No news.

 November 13, 1916 Monday

 Mama goes to Antwerp, Albert improves (underlined)

November 14, 1916 Wednesday. No news.

November 15, 1916 Wednesday. Nothing to report.

 November 16, 1916 Thursday

 Mama goes to Antwerp, Albert improves (underlined).

In Antwerp, on average every day, 4000 men in the South Station are inspected by the Germans; the unemployed are transported to Germany.

A lot of poverty here in the city nowadays, half of the St Nicholas people have no more potatoes to eat and there are new ones to be had. People already speak of turnips, bites and carrots to feed the people.

 A shirt costs 7 francs 3.5 francs

 November 17, 1916 Friday. No news.

November 18, 1916 Saturday. No news.

November 19, 1916 Sunday. No news.

 November 20, 1916 Monday

Mama goes to Antwerp. Albert bets. (Underlined)

 From now on, the unemployed will have to go to work in the community rooms and this regularly every day, except on Sundays.

November 21, 1916 Tuesday. Nothing new.

November 22, 1916 Wednesday. Nothing new.

 November 23, 1916 Thursday

Mama goes to Antwerp. Albert bets (underlined)

24 November 1916 Friday. No news.

 November 25, 1916 Saturday.

 It is stated that all youngsters from 17 to 32 years on the 30th of November at 8 o'clock in the morning should be in the Cavalry Barracks of Slaughterhouse Street, provided with knapsack with change, etc.

 Those who can not prove that they have work are deported to Germany to work.

 The former vigilante and the soldiers are only checked and stamped their card.

November 26, 1916 Sunday. No news.

 November 27, 1916 Monday

Mama goes to Antwerp. Albert Betert. (underlined)

 November 28, 1916 Tuesday

All cafés have to remain closed from Tuesday evening until Friday morning. All male population is not allowed to use tram or train this week. Samenscholingen of more than floats are prohibited. Arguments are punished. Doors and windows must remain closed on Thursday, the German. This measure applies to all municipalities from the government area located on the left bank where the Thursday morning all young people aged 17 to 32 are summoned by the Germans.

 November 29, 1916 Wednesday

 Leonie Lentacker earns 2,239 francs this week at the factory

 November 30, 1916 Thursday

Albert draws 80 fr of the state in the National Bank over the month of November. the same for Jacq Lentacker for his son Edmond.

 In the morning, 5000 young men of St. Nicholas were united in the Cavalry Barracks of the Slachthuisstraat with a suit and bag.

 Our card was stamped for the 4th time by the Germans.

 In those days the unemployed were inspected.

 964 men were deported to Germany by the German.

 The same night they are with the train consisting of 29 wagons to Ghent. Around 10.30 am BT.

 Because of the city, 800 men received n'en suit and 10 mark the remaining 164 got 20 marks and a sargy.

 The first shipment of men to Germany was 114 men.

 The second shipment of men to Germany was 964 men

 Together 1083 men

 Of the 4,000 young people who were allowed to be inspected they were 1/4%.

 300 workers have already started working for Germany in their own enthusiasm,

 so that there are already 1400 St Nikolazenaren working in Germany.

 The percentage of the deportees is likewise very high among the municipalities in question.

Among the deportees there are many who had work! (such as 200 of St. Nicholas alone!)

 2 machine guns had been erected in the Statie and directed to the Statieplein, patrols of cavalry walked all day through the streets in the periphery of the Statie.Alles went quietly.

 December 1, 1916 Friday

This week we have no goods in the American Store. Our boys are 28 full months inside.

 December 2, 1916 Saturday no news.

 3 December 1916 Sunday

The 29st war month begins today. No changes to see.

 December 4, 1916 Monday

 Mama goes to Antwerp Albert improves (underlined).

 December 5, 1916 Tuesday

 Our notification card is stamped for the 5th time at the town hall by the German control of Antwerp.

December 6, 1916 Wednesday. No news.

December 7, 1916 Thursday. No news.

 December 8, 1916 Friday

 J Lentacker draws 12.00 fr from Mechelen Terneuzen over the month of November.

 December 9, 1916 Saturday

 Mama goes to Antwerp to get Albert who returns home in healing.

 She paid in the guest house 426.00 fr

 to the doctor Notteau 300.00 fr

 to travel etc 50.00 fr

 Together for the 1st operation of Albert 776.00 francs

December 10, 1916 Sunday. No news.

 December 11, 1916 Monday

 All lights of restaurants, cafes, lanterns, etc. may again burn up to 10 UBT in the evening

 December 12, 1916 Tuesday

 All deletes from 1.00 m to 2.00 m are claimed by the Germans.

December 13, 1916 Wednesday. No news.

 December 14, 1916 Thursday

 Mr Vermeire, chairman of the St Nikolaas support committee, was detained for two days in Antwerp by the Germans, because he did not want to give the lists of the unemployed.

December 15, 1916 Friday. No news.

 December 16, 1916 Saturday

 Albert only goes to Antwerp with the doctor (underlined).

December 17, 1916 Sunday. No news.

 December 18, 1916 Monday

 Patatas already cost 35 fr the 100 kgr

December 19, 1916 thine's day. No news.

December 20, 1916 Wednesday. No news.

 December 21, 1916 Thursday

 Had wet autumn, the winter begins.

 December 22, 1916 Friday

 Some thousands of German soldiers pass by here, who will rest in the Etappen.

 December 23, 1916 Saturday

 Albert goes to Antwerp only by doctor. (Underlined)

December 24, 1916 Sunday. No news.

 December 25, 1916 Monday

Christmas day; of this week in the American shop were none.

 December 26, 1916 Tuesday

Mama and Albert go to Antwerp with the doctor; he must be put on for the 2nd time (underlined)

December 27, 1916 Wednesday. No news.

28 December 1916 Thursday. No news.

December 29, 1916 Friday. No news.

 December 30, 1916 Saturday

 Albert goes to Antwerp at Notteau.

 For his son Edmond van den Belgischen, Jacques Lentacker moves 80 fr for December in the offices of the National Bank t / s.

 December 31, 1916 Sunday

All lodges must be closed from now on at 9 am BT, all stores taken out food and cigar shops at 6 am BT etc post the Germans; this to save light.

 Journal World War I Raphaël Waterschoot

 1917

 January 1, 1917 Monday

't Brood costs from 0.53 fr: the kilo. In the American shop the goods also succeed on fat costs 3.00 fr: the kilogr; There are no goods there this week.

 Our boys have been inside for 29 full months.

Silent New Year; the Germans give concert in the warande, no listeners

January 2, 1917 Tuesday. No news

 January 3, 1917 Wednesday

 The 30th war month begins today.

 Our card is stamped for the sixth time by the control of Antwerp, by the Germans here at the Town Hall.

 January 4, 1917 Thursday.

 The Germans demand all buyers from the copper runners for: all tin and caoutchouc tires

 January 5, 1917 Friday

 Onkel Petrus is definitely unemployed at Janssens, this factory closes.

 Albert goes with Mama to Antwerp to operate (underlined) by Dr. Notteau in the St Camillus Gasthuis.

 January 6, 1917 Saturday

 Albert is operated for the 2nd time.

 We all and Leonie Lentacker go to Antwerp.

 January 7, 1917 Sunday

 Mama goes to Albert (underlined) surgery at Albert.

 January 8, 1917 Monday

 Monthly horse notification by the German mandatory on the Groote Markt.

 J.Lentacker draws 12 fr: from Mech Tern over the month of December last.

 January 9, 1917 thine's day

 Mama goes to Antwerp with Albert (underlined) who makes it better.

 January 10, 1917 Wednesday

 For Alberts nursing, Doctor de Smedt asks 34 fr: about 1916

 idem doctor de Belie 24 fr

 together 58.00 fr

 Costs 1st operation Antwerp 776.00 fr.

 total 834.00 fr.

 January 11, 1917 Thursday

 Mama goes to Antwerp with Albert (underlined) who goes worse.

9 th Horses' sampling by the Germans for Sint Nikolaas and Nieuwkerken. They demand 33 horses.

 Petroleum maps are now available for those who have neither gaz nor electricity, this through the German administration.

 January 12, 1917. No news.

 January 13, 1917. No news.

 January 14, 1917 Sunday

 Mama goes to Antwerp, Albert better (underlined)

January 15, 1917 Monday. No news.

 January 16, 1917 thine's day

Mama goes to Antwerp with Albert (underlined); this better.

January 17, 1917 Wednesday. No news.

 January 18, 1917 Thursday

 Mama goes to Antwerp, Albert better (underlined)

 January 19, 1917 Friday

Jacq. Lentacker draws 80 frank van den Staat for his son Edmond over the month of January 1917.

 We go for the first time for Alberts healing to Gaverland.

 January 20, 1917 Saturday

2 deportees from Sint Niklaas return sick from Germany; 4 there have died of St Nicholas reds there.

 January 21, 1917 Sunday

 Mama goes to Antwerp, Alberts state normal (underlined)

 January 22, 1917 Monday

 Twenty German deportees from the city come here, they all say that they have been well over there (because they are obliged to speak so), but all are sick and horrible.

 January 23, 1917 thine day

Mama goes after Antwerp to Albert who is always the same. (underlined)

 Again 20 deported city members from Germany are coming.

January 24, 1917 Wednesday. No news.

 January 25, 1917 Thursday.

Mama goes to Antwerp, Albert stills. (underlined)

 A dozen deportees come back from Germany, all of whom say they do not get food there.

 January 26, 1917 Friday

 We are going to Gaverland for the second time for Alberts healing.

January 27, 1917 Saturday. No news.

 January 28, 1917 Sunday

Hard winter, it's already freezing for ten days; the Esch of Temse is fixed; all traffic on canals, scheldt and rivers has been interrupted. A lot of ice on the scold. Mama goes to Antwerp: Albert is deteriorating. (underlined)

 January 29, 1917 Monday

 None were in the American Store this week.

 January 30, 1917 thine's day

Mama goes to Antwerp; Albert better. (underlined)

 January 31, 1917 Wednesday. No news.

 February 1, 1917 Thursday

Mama goes to Antwerp, Albert better. (underlined)

 J Lentacker who has raised 3.50 fr: soldiers allowance now draws this week 14.00 fr.

 February 2, 1917 Friday

 We go to Gaverland for the 3rd time for Alberts healing.

 February 3, 1917 Saturday

 The war is going on for 30 full months today.

 Our notification card is stamped for the seventh time by the German at the City Hall.

 Jacq Lentacker draws 62 francs of the State for his son Edmond in the National Bank here.

t 'Freezes for 15 days at a time, many people without coal are impossible to get. Wheat flour already costs 1.5 fr: the kgr.

 Coal 80.00 fr: the 100 kgr

 February 4, 1917 Sunday

I go to Antwerp (underlined) at Albert, he looks good. A lot of ice on the Scheldt.

 February 5, 1917 Monday

P. Kegels is put to the brink after 1 month of unemployment. 't Vriest already 18 days.

 Every capper household gets 20 kgr of coal for free.

 February 6, 1917 thine day

 They do not transfer to the Vlaamsch Hoofd anymore since all the speed on the Scheldt is blocked by the ice.

 7 February Wednesday

 I am going to Antwerp with my brother Jean to visit Albert on foot (underlined)

It was pretty much with him. February 8, 1917 Thursday

 We come back from Antwerp on foot over Boom 40 km away in one day.

 February 9, 1917 Friday

 't Vriest for 22 days without ceasing.

 February 10, 1917 Saturday

 After 23 days of freezing, the thaw falls.

 February 11, 1917 Sunday

I go with Leonie Lentacker to Temsche op den Esch, it was still fixed. The Scheldt was full of drift ice and had a beautiful sight.

 All cafés and exhibitions must be closed from now on at 7.5 BT in the evening (Belgian time).  .

February 12, 1917 Monday. No news.

 February 13, 1917 thine day

Mama goes Albert at Antwerp (underlined) this still the same. Some young men from Germany are coming here; all are dead from the hunger, some were with feet that had fallen away.

February 14, 1917 Wednesday. no news.

 February 15, 1917 Thursday.

 Broer Emiel goes to Antwerp with Albert.

 N 'liter of milk already costs 0.40 francs

 February 16, 1917 Friday

 We go for the 4 th time to Gaverland for Alberts healing.

 There are hundreds of deportees from Germany here, all of whom have suffered greatly from hunger and cold.

February 17, 1917 Saturday. No news.

 February 18, 1917 Sunday.

 Mama goes to Antwerp (underlined) Albert decays regularly.

 February 19, 1917 Monday

In the absence of coal, it has not been school for eight days in municipal schools. The Ration bread is brought to 300 grams per man and per day; there is a lot of poverty in the city.

 February 20, 1917 thine's day

Mama goes to Antwerp, Albert stills. (underlined)

February 21, 1917 Wednesday. No news.

 February 22nd 1917 Thursday

Mama is going to Albert at Antwerp; this one (underlined)

Nowadays we eat turnips every afternoon! Also eat for lack of something else.

All schools, paying and others, from all over Belgium are, on the orders of Von Bissing, closed the general governor of Belgium for an indefinite period; verders must close all shop at 6 o'clock; and all cafés and food stores may only burn 1 gazbek or incandescent lamp during the entire evening.

 All these measures to save coal.

 February 23, 1917 Friday

 We go for the 5th time to Gaverland for Alberts healing.

 February 24, 1917 Saturday

 There are 19 deportees from Germany here.

 February 25, 1917 Sunday

 Mama goes to Antwerp with Albert, this is a little on (underlined).

 February 26, 1917 Monday. No news.

 February 27, 1917 thine's day.

My 3 sisters go to Antwerp with Albert. Albert was on (underlined)

 21 deportees Saint Nicholas seamans come from Germany here.

February 28, 1917 Wednesday. No news.

 March 1 Thursday

 't Brood costs from 0.51 fr: the kgr.

Mama goes to Antwerp with Albert; this one (underlined)

 J. Lentacker as a soldier's allowance for his son of today already 8,75 fr.

 The soldiers' wives receive 1.25 fr. Per day and 0.50 fr. Per child allowance.

 Wheat flour already costs the farmers 3.00 fr: the kgr.

 Rye flour 1.75 fr: the kgr.

 March 2, 1917 Friday

 We go to Gaverland for Albert's cure for the 6th time.

 3 March 1917 Saturday

 The war lasts 31 full months, the 32nd war month begins today.

 We have our registration card stamped on the City Hall for the 8th time.

 For the month of March, J. Lentacker draws from the Belgian State 79 francs for his son Edmond in the National Bank here.

At all factories, no more than 12 servants may work in German regulation; exceptions must be specifically requested from the Germans. .

 4 March 1917 Sunday

Mama goes to Antwerp with Albert; this there or about it. (underlined)

March 5, 1917 Monday. No news.

 6 March 1917's day

The youngsters born in 1900 come to be under the German assault as well as the men from 32 to 40 years old (born in 1877). Our Jean is also there. .

 Consequently, all men aged 17 to 40 are under regular German control and their registration card is stamped all months.

 Mama goes Albert to Antwerp (underlined) the same way.

7 March 1917 Wednesday. No news.

 8 March 1917 Thursday.

 It's snowing and it's freezing nowadays.

Mama goes to Antwerp with Albert (underlined). he comes back home.

 9 March 1917 Friday.

By order of the Germans, from now on all evenings, the city must be in darkness. Windows must be sealed etc. Here and there a lantern is burning. We go for the 7th time to Gaverland for Albert's cure.

10 March 1917 Saturday. No news.

 11 March 1917 Sunday

Mama goes to Antwerp with Albert; (underlined) this one.

 12 March 1917 Monday

 't Brood costs from now 0.50 fr: the kilogram.

 Horse notification at the Groote Markt today for St Nicholas.

 March 13, 1917 thine's day

Mama goes to Antwerp with Albert; (underlined) this one.

March 14, 1917 Wednesday. No news.

 15 March 1917 Thursday

Mama goes to Antwerp with Albert; (underlined) this one.

 16 March 1917 Friday

 We go to Gaverland for the 8th time for Albert's cure.

Den Duitscher reports that in the case of horns, all the lights must be extinguished at night, in order to prevent the danger of flying. He also reports from oxen and donkeys as much as possible in order to be able to replace the scarred horses. We pay for n'en kgr soap 14.65 francs. ..

 17 March 1917 Saturday

Coal costs from 80 to 90 francs the 1000 kgr and one can get at most a 100 kilos. There is a lot of fuel shortage here. We have also been without coal for 14 days. Van den stadswinkel gets 20 kilograms of coal every week for 2 days of fuel.

 We burn wood nowadays.

 March 18, 1917 Sunday

Mama goes to Antwerp with Albert; (underlined) he is already walking.

 March 19, 1917 Monday.

 Our ration of bread is now brought to 335 grams per person.

This evening, at the order of the Germans, the city was against kite danger in the dark. As a test!

 March 20, 1917 thine's day

 The congregation and other schools may again teach at the command of the German.

 Mama goes to Antwerp, Albert better (underlined)

 March 21, 1917 Wednesday

Spring is starting today. It's snowing. Had a hard winter.

 22 March 1917 Thursday

My sister Leonie goes to Antwerp with Albert (underlined); this a bit worse.

 March 23, 1917 Friday

 We go for the 9th time for Albert's cure to Gaverland.

March 24, 1917 Saturday. No news.

 March 25, 1917 Sunday

 Mama goes to Antwerp at Albert (double underlined) Albert flees the institute and they come together with the train to Sint Nikolaas (underlined).

 March 26, 19177 Monday

 Marie is going to pay Antwerp in the St Camillusgesticht.

 She paid 456.00 fr. In the Gasthuis.

 At doctor Notteau 150.00 fr

 Traveling 50.00 fr.

 Together for Alberts 2nd operation: 656.00 fr.

 Doctor Notteau says that Albert recently recovered from his donation on the ribs and spine and his days have been counted.

 March 27, 1917 thine's day

1st communion today; it is snowing.

 28 March 1917 Wednesday

 Our Albert is tried and receives the H Oliesel (underlined) by Mr. Gordijn.

 Leonie Lentacker pays 0.85 fr: for 1 kgr of potatoes.

 March 29, 1917 Thursday

 Albert bad.

We pay 100 kgr. coal at 87.50 fr. the 1000 kgr.

 March 30, 1917 Friday

 Albert bad.

 March 31, 1917 Saturday

 Albert better

 April 1, 1917 Sunday

 Albert a bit lighter

 April 2, 1917 Monday

 Albert like that.

Our notification card is stamped on the City Hall for the 9th time by the Germans. All men aged 17 to 40 are monitored.

 't Brood costs from now 0.40 fr: the kilogram.

 April 3, 1917 thine's day

Albert like that. It's snowing today.

 The war has been going on for 32 full months, the 33rd war month begins today.

 Our Albert takes 80 francs from the Belgian State for April for the last time.

 April 4, 1917 Wednesday

 Our Albert die this morning at 1 3/4 hours due to a head disease in the age of 21 years 11 months (underlined).

 J.Lentacker draws 62.50 fr: from the Belgian State to the National Bank in April for his son Edmond.

April 5, 1917 Thursday. No news.

 April 6, 1917 Friday

We write 380 death cards. There are 150 deportees from Saint Nicholas from Germany. All are sick.

 April 7, 1917 Saturday.

Albert's sinking takes place at 3 o'clock this afternoon. There are many people. the procession has a length from the church to the Collegestraat. We receive 329 cards of participation.

 April 8, 1917 Sunday

Paschen today. good weather but still cold. 't Vleesch already costs 7.75 fr: the kgr. J. Stapacker draws 12 fr: from MT in March. April 9, 1917 Monday.

 It's snowing today.

 April 10, 1917 thine's day

At 9 o'clock Alberts funeral; a 125 men go to sacrifice; a 400 statues are distributed in the church and there are still too few. Beautiful service, many people.

 It's snowing all day.

 April 11, 1917 Wednesday

It's snowing today. We hear the whole day shooting in the vicinity, probably on a practice square of the Germans in the Etappen.

April 12, 1917 Thursday. No news.

 April 13, 1917 Friday

 Coal already costs 100 fr: the 1000 kgr.

April 14, 1917 Saturday. No news.

 April 15, 1917 Sunday.

No German is buried here with full music and transported to Beveren. He lost himself at Janssens's castle on the stairs and was deadly dead.

 April 16, 1917 Monday

Summer time of today. All timepieces are for 2 hours on the old Belgian time.

 Cafes may remain open until 8 pm in the evening.

Still rain or snow. The potatoes can not yet be planned. Famine in the future.

 April 17, 1917 thine's day.

 It's snowing today.

 April 18, 1917 Wednesday. No news.

 April 19, 1917 Thursday

 It's raining today.

 April 20, 1917 Friday.

 All copper, pewter, nickel, except for the works of art, is demanded by the Germans at St. Nicholas.

 April 21, 1917 Saturday

2 trams full of smugglers are brought here and captured by the Germans. Hunger forces those people to smuggle.

April 22nd, 1917 Sunday. No news.

 April 23, 1917 Monday

None were in the United States this week. Store.

 April 24, 1917 thine's day

 There are 4 flying machines here at a great height.

April 25, 1917 Wednesday. Nothing to report.

April 26, 1917 Thursday. Nothing to be said.

April 27, 1917 Friday. Nothing new.

 April 28, 1917 Saturday.

 In the barracks of the Slachthuisstraat we deliver 22,90 francs to the German.

There is a lot of poverty here in this city nowadays. Thousands of people must also put on their 333 gr bread or 6 sandwiches, their teljoor soup and every week some mussels or fat or bacon that they can buy in the shops and that every day soup with bread. Many die too.

 Here are some prizes on the day of today

 Patatoes

 1.20 fr: the kgr.

 Wheat flour

 7, 00 fr: the kgr.

 Rye flour

 4.00 fr: the kgr.

 Flower

 12.00 fr: the kgr.

 Rice

 16.00 fr: the kgr.

 Butter

 14.00 fr: the kgr.

 Eggs

 0.50 fr: the piece.

 Meat

 9.00 fr: the kgr.

 Vermicel

 14.00 fr: the kgr.

 etc etc.

 April 30, 1917 Monday

 At last the leaves of the trees shoot, so a month late, caused by the bad weather.

 From now on, the soldiers' wives receive free soup from the commons every day.

 May 1, 1917 thine day

 Finally got well again.

 May 2, 1917 Wednesday

 We have received about 30 deportees from Saint Nicholas from Germany.

 May 3, 1917 Thursday.

The war has now been going on for 33 full months; the 34th war month begins today and still has no outcome. Many poverty nowadays.

 May 4, 1917 Friday.

 Our notification card is stamped by the Germans for the 10th time at the City Hall.

2 Germans in clothing come to buyer in our house search. They succeed 2 vases, reminders to parents 29th wedding ceremony and investment of one foyer in copper, together a 40 franc value. However, they find nothing else since we had put everything away. In other houses of the city they claim copper beds, foyers and artifacts of value and of course they also carry wheat and butter without paying anything.

 J. Lentacker raises 61 francs of the state before she son Edmond in the National Bank for the month of May 1917

 5 May 1917 Saturday

We buy coal at 100 fr: the 1000 kg; and rice against 12 fr. the kgr.

May 6, 1917 Sunday. No news

May 7, 1917 Monday. No news

 May 8, 1917 thine's day

We get the two copper flower vases that the Germans have struck; the siege is paid us 6.00 francs by the Zivil-Commissar with whom Father is to be accused.

 9 May 1917 Wednesday

 There are 75 deportees from St. Nicholas here from Germany after six months of absence.

J.Lentacker draws 12 francs from Mech-Tern. about April 1917.

 10 May 1917 Thursday

 The central Polizei Buro, located in the van Boenders at the Vischmijn, Groote Markt, is closed due to the lack of German soldiers.

May 11, 1917 Friday. No news.

May 12, 1917 Saturday. No news.

 May 13, 1917 Sunday.

 't Vleesch already costs the franc 10 francs.

 Every evening the city is dark because of lack of gaz caused by the scarcity of coal.

 May 14, 1917 Monday

 't Brood costs 0.45 fr: the kgr.

 May 15, 1917 thine's day

 For the first time we eat dinner from the Burger restaurant at 0.40 fr: the midday meal.

This room is located in a house of Kleine Peperstraat in the house formerly inhabited by Em V. d. Aa contractor.

 The menu today was:

Soup, Boonen with Meat; well prepared but little.

May 16, 1917 Wednesday. No news.

 May 17, 1917 Thursday

I am going to Gaverland with Leonie; many people there was a real funfair.

 May 18, 1917 Friday

 Many German soldiers pass by to the front.

 May 19, 1917 Saturday

 There are 450 men, women and children of St. Nicholas, of their own will, work for the big money to Germany.

May 20, 1917 Sunday. No news.

 May 21, 1917 Monday

 Menu restaurant: Boensoepe, rice broth with boulie.

 May 22, 1917 thine's day

 Menu restaurant: Boensoepe, stewed Rhubarberblâren, with proper.

 May 23, 1917 Wednesday

 Menu restaurant: Grit Soup, white beans with bacon.

 There are 5 German flying machines above the city.

 May 24, 1917 Thursday

 Menu restaurant: Rice soup, stewed Rhubarber blanc with roastboeuf.

 There is a lot of Dutch bread, 1 per week per household.

 May 25, 1917 Friday

Menu restaurant: Boensoepe with some green in it. White beans with 1/2 egg.

 May 26, 1917 Saturday

 J. Lentacker draws 62.50 fr: about June in the Nat.Bank for his son Edmond.

 Menu Restaurant: Gritssoepe, Rice with fricadelle.

 May 27, 1917 Sunday

 Menu Restaurant: Gritssoepe, Asparagus with roastboeuf.

May 28, 1917 Monday. No news.

May 29, 1917 thine's day. No news.

May 30, 1917 Wednesday. No news.

 May 31, 1917 Thursday

 250 Germans now make the bridge of Temsche so that the train can drive over it.

All of this month we have had read again; the harvest is clean; everything seems to be well done.

 June 1, 1917 Friday

 Our soldiers are 34 full months inside.

 't Brood from today 0.48 fr: the kgr.

 June 2, 1917 Saturday

 We draw Albert 225 fr. For the late Albert franc: by intercession of Onderschef Van de Vijver for funeral expenses.

 June 3, 1917 Sunday

 The 35th war month begins today.

 June 4, 1917 Monday

 We leave the popular restaurant.

 June 5, 1917 thine day

Yesterday, June 4, Mgr. Seghers the new Bishop of Ghent the children in the churches come form.

 Our registration card is stamped for the 11th time by the Meldeambt van Antwerpen at the Stadhuis here.

 June 6, 1917 Wednesday

 We buy green soap at 13 fr: the kgr.

June 7, 1917 Thursday. No news.

June 8, 1917 Friday. No news.

 9 June 1917 Saturday.

Jacq. Lentacker draws 12 fr: from Meche-Tern over the month of May.

 June 10, 1917 Sunday

 Den Duitscher has been in Sint Nikolaas for 32 full months.

 June 11, 1917 Monday

 Horse notification on the Groote Markt

 June 12, 1917 thine's day.

 Arthur Blauwaert was sentenced to death by the Germans for Spionage.

June 13, 1917 Wednesday. No news.

 June 14, 1917 Thursday

New potatoes cost 1.50 fr: the kgr. - peas 1,10 fr: the kgr - cherries 1.00 fr: the kgr.

15 Jun 1917 Friday. No news.

 June 16, 1917 Saturday.  .

 Terribly hot nowadays the thermometer rises in the shade to 30 celcius.

The Germans come to search for food in all the houses; they also come to us but they do not find anything.

June 17, 1917 Sunday. No news.

 June 18, 1917 Monday

 Some deportees from St. Nicholas come from Germany.

June 19, 1917 thine's day. No news.

June 20, 1917 Wednesday. No news.

 June 21, 1917 Thursday

Summer is starting today; good autumn. (had to be spring).

 In order to avoid acquisitions, the green market can only start at 7 1/2 hours of towering.

 The Commission set the prices as follows.

 Cauliflower 0,50fr: the piece;

 Peas 0,50fr: the kgr

 Cherries 0.50 fr: the kgr

 Many gardeners did not appear on the market and sold out at the average:

 Cauliflower 1,00fr: the piece

 Peas 1.00 fr: the kgr

 Cherries 1.00 fr: the kgr

 Others let the peas get tired of making big money from the winter.

22 June 1917 Friday. No news.

June 23, 1917 Saturday. Nothing new.

 June 24, 1917 Sunday

Fair; nothing special.

June 25, 1917 Monday. Nothing to report.

June 26, 1917 Tuesday. No news.

June 27, 1917 Wednesday. Nothing to be said.

 June 28, 1917 Thursday

 There was no green market for lack of gardeners.

June 29, 1917 Friday. No news.

 June 30, 1917 Saturday

 There are neither new potatoes to get.

 Peas cost 1.30 fr: the kgr.

 Cauliflower 1.00: the piece and then one has to touch it with friends, so strange is everything.

 Still many poverty among the people.

 July 1, 1917 Sunday

 Our boys are 35 full months inside.

 July 2, 1917 Monday.

 All horses and carts must be given by order of the Germans before 4 July.

 July 3, 1917 thine's day.

 The 36th war month begins today.

 All wolle and composition mattresses had to be ordered by the Germans on 6th July at the Town Hall.

 We each get 2 eggs from the American community to 0.35 fr: the piece.

 July 4, 1917 Wednesday

 Our registration card is stamped for the 12th time by the Germans at the City Hall.

Jacq. Lentacker draws 61 fr: in the National Bank for his son Edmond in the Help you yourself, Mercatorstraat TS in July.

 Désiron Arthur has been appointed as a municipal secretary for the time being.

 July 5, 1917 Thursday.

 New potatoes may only be put on the 9th of July.

 The Ration potatoes this year was determined by the Germans at 300 grams per head and per day.

6 July 1917 Friday. No news.

 July 7, 1917 Saturday.  .

 We eat new potatoes for the first time at 1.00 fr: the kgr

The residents of Hof-Plezant-Anker- OLVrouwstraat and OLVrouwplaats must provide 2 mattresses and 2 towels per household for the Germans that are expected. These 1000 mattresses are placed in the various halls of the city.

 If you do not give mattresses, you have to stay at his home for the Germans.

 July 8, 1917 Sunday

 Leonie Lentacker has a cold in her head.

 We get 1 kgr of new potatoes in the town shop per man at 0.30 fr: the kgr.

 J.Lentacker draws 12 fr: from Mechelen -Terneuzen about June.

 9 July 1917 Monday

 Horse sampling by the Germans on the Groote Markt

 July 10, 1917 thine's day

 The German is here 33 full months in St-Nikolaas.

 Eggs 0.35 fr: the piece of the American Food Commitment

 11 July 1917 Wednesday

 't Brood costs from 0.49 frrs today: the kgr.

 The Dutch bread comes after 2 months of waiting again to 0.97 fr: the cgr.

 July 12, 1917 Thursday

 We buy new potatoes at 0.80 fr: the kgr.

 July 13, 1917 Friday

 The German Polizei Büro has been reorganized on the Groote Markt in the house of Mr Boenders.

 July 14, 1917 Saturday

A German regiment 1000 strong people, comes here to rest and reform; they sleep in the various halls of the city; the officers live with the rich people. In the evening, the regimental music concert took place in the Warande. All men are under 30 years old, dressed in gray with field helmet etc.

 July 15, 1917 Sunday

 Jean has been appointed commis at the City Hall.

 July 16, 1917 Monday

On average, all vegetables cost 1.00 fr; the kgr; the fruit also costs 1.00 fr; the kgr and then everything is difficult to obtain.

 July 17, 1917 thine's day

Eggs from the National Nutrition Committee at 0.35 fr; the piece

 July 18, 1917 Wednesday

Eggs from the National Nutrition Committee at 0.35 fr; the piece

 July 19, 1917 Thursday

The churches around here are full of Germans. There are 2600 in St Gilles. In Kemseke 2000. There are also many in Stekene and St Pauwels. Here there are 1400.

 They practice every day from 6 o'clock in the morning until 6 o'clock in the evening.

 July 20, 1917 Friday

About 50 girls from Ghent, Aalst and the surrounding area come here to spend a few weeks in order to strengthen their health that much to be desired. All are staying in the Girls Cottage, Hofstraat T / S To come to St Nikolaas they drove here by train from Ghent over Brussels and Antwerp, thus the road on seven.

 July 21, 1917 Saturday

Belgian National Day. At ten o'clock TU miss in the main church with Te Deum, the church was full. The German did not issue a regulation for that day this year. Patatons still cost 0.75 fr: the kgr.

 July 22nd, 1917 Sunday

 We pay the meat against 11.50 fr: the kgr.

July 23, 1917 Monday. No news

 July 24, 1917 thine's day

 We have been a government area for one year.

 Inland fat costs 18 to 20 fr: the kgr.

 French fries 0.60 fr: nowadays the kgr.

July 25, 1917 Wednesday. No news.

July 26, 1917 Thursday. Nothing new.

 July 27, 1917 Friday

A German regiment of cannoniers 800 to 1000 strong with cannons, caissons and materials is here to reform and rest. The soldiers and officers are stayed with the citizens. The horses are stored in the factories. For the moment there are 2400 Germans here ..

July 28, 1917 Saturday. No news.

July 29, 1917 Sunday. Nothing to report.

July 30, 1917 Monday. Nothing to be said.

 July 31, 1917 thine's day

Today the funeral service took place from the spy Loncke from the Ankerstraat here in the main church. This person was settled by the Germans in Antwerp. Many people were present in the Mass, the offering lasted until the end of Mass.

 Patatons now cost 0.50 fr: the kgr.  .

 This evening the German infantry regiment, which has been here for 18 days, has left for the front, so that here only the regiment is artillery.

 1 harvest 1917 Wednesday

 Our soldiers are 36 full months or 3 years indoors.

 't Brood currently costs 0.50 fr: the kgr.

 2 harvest 1917 Thursday

Last night a new regiment of German foot soldiers from Champagne arrived here to reform and rest; they are housed in the various halls of the city.

 3 harvest 1917 Friday

The 4th War Year begins today; the 37th month has begun; and the end can not be detected.

 Our registration card is stamped for the 13th time by the Antwerp Meldeambt here at 't Stadhuis.

 Horse alert for the horses of St Nicholas on the Groote Markt.

 Today I am 27 years old.

 It is just war.

 As far as the occupation of the Germans is concerned, we now have 250 occupation soldiers distributed over 3 barracks.

 • The infantry barracks of the Slachthuisstraat or the Konig Lûdwig Barracks

 • The Gendarmerie barracks of the Vermorgenstraat or the Herzog Albrecht Barracks;

 • The School Barracks of the Kalkstraat (School Mr H. Elinck).

 The officers with their ordinances occupied most of the empty houses of the city.

 As German institutions we have here

 1) The Passburo Notification Office

 in the OLVrouwplaats nevens Vakschool

 2) The Civil Kommissar

 in the Casinostraat, houses the brothers de Larsille

 3) The Kommandantûr

 in the Statiestraat, House Boyé.

 4) The Militär Focused

 in the Statiestraat, Huis De Coninck

 5) The Mess For officers Stab

 in the Brouwerstraat Kasteel Janssens

 6) Waldeckerhof or Mess for non-commissioned officers

 in the Statiestraat, House Mad de Schepper

 7) Temple of Protestants

 at Trouwzaal Stadhuis

 8) Temple of the Catholics

 in the Collegekerk

 9) Casino Bahnhofmen and Soldatenheim (Ballroom of the Germans)

 in the local Casino der Statiestraat

 10) Feldbuchhandel

 in the Statiestraat House H. Joris

 11) Deutsche Polizei Haubtwache

 on the Groote Markt House W.Boenders

 12) Deutsch Inkwartierûngsburo

 at the City Hall office of the Land Registry

 13) Flûgwache

 on the Tower Our Lady's Church with büro in the Arend OLVrouwestraat.

 14) German Red Cross buro

 and recruitment agency for workers for Germany in the Prins Albrechtstraat House Dr Onghena.

 15) German Ortshospitaal

 in the Walburgstraat house with Mr. Van Steenweghen

 16) Kommandantür

 for Nieuwkerken and Thielrode in the Vermorgenstraat, corner De Graevestraat

 17) German Writing

 in the Statiestraat House Willockx etc.

 Verders are the empty houses arranged as offices for officers.

 The Commander is still in the house of Mrs. Smet Houtbriel T / S.

The soldiers of the occupation are mostly men of around 40 years with some boys of 17 years between them. From time to time they are still inspected and sent to the front to fill in the gaps. their service consists in guarding the border between the Stage and the Government Area to prevent smuggling that much is still being done by professional smugglers and small children; given the large sums that can be earned by the difference of price in the Etappen and the Government.

The German wait for the smugglers; they do not shoot at the children. Their officers are quiet, they do not party much anymore due to lack of money, I think?

 St-Nikolaas has become a rest home for German soldiers who come from the front to recover, so here we regularly have 2 regiments each with a 1000 strong.

The one, a regiment of infantry, is famished in the various halls and foundations of the city; the other, a regiment artillery is billeted to the citizens; the cannons of this regiment stand with the caissons on the Groote Markt and their horses, a 350 in number, in the factories, warehouses and in old horse stables etc.

The officers of these soldiers are sleeping with the various rich people of the city; all these officers are young men, the soldiers; young, mediocre and old.

All are well nourished and drilled even in the rest of the early mornings until late in the evening. Discipline is very serious, and there can be no question of demoralization at the moment, they are not at all excellent, but they are still good and can, in my opinion, be compared with the troops of the Entente, with regard to their training and equipment.

These soldiers have their own canteens, post office and telephone office, since their classrooms are interconnected. They may go out all evenings until 11 o'clock in the hours and some throughout the night; all night long; Every week they have balls where Belgian girls take part! Every day they have concert in the veranda; they may visit cinemas, in other words, it is made here as pleasant as possible by their superiors!

 Cars have rarely become.

 The traffic on the Statie is regular, two trains back and forth a day to Antwerp at 3.80 fr: the journey back, to Ghent 1 trip back and forth, to Temsche and St Gilles as well 1 trip.

There is almost no transport due to lack of wagons and goods! Small colis are no longer accepted, only whole wagons are available. Within the Governor's Office, everything is sent without steps if there is no German export ban (such as foodstuffs, iron, fabrics, wool, copper, wire, etc.); to the Etappen a pass from the Germans is needed.

Telefoon en Telegraaf can only be used by the Germans. Many Belgians lured by the high wages of work on the German track, the bosses are Germans in uniform.

 The post is free and will be served by the Belgians under German assrool.

 N'en letter costs 0.15 fr: a card 0.08 fr: printed matter 0.03 fr: all letters must be left open.

 Nothing can be sent to the Etappen: letters are still on the road for 2 to 3 days, sometimes 8 days too!

American and City Shop regularly and at a decent price to the citizens; however everything is rationed and little is received per person. In general, everything has risen 100 per 100 in price compared to last year's prices: life is horribly expensive and shopkeepers make golden business! Rising has become the rule! The food is strange and can only be obtained with friends! The beer is no longer available from the brewers; even there are those who can not accommodate their innings! The price of the beer remains 6 cens the pint. To give a proof of what a great life we ​​have.

They said that our household of 12 people spends 10 francs every day on bread and potatoes! 3 fr: bread and 7 fr: potatoes.

The Traffic is free in the Government for persons over 40 years; under the age of 40, one may not leave the Antwerp forts area than provided with an admission in the German Passburo of Antwerp. Nobody can travel to the Etapes than in severe cases (death etc.).

Velve traffic is not there because all velos are handed in. Doctors, policemen and German officials or merchants still drive per velo.

Every male from 17 to 40 years must always be provided with a card with a registration card, which is stamped by the Germans every month. All women and men over the age of 15 who do not have a registration card must, however, have a card with a portrait.

 Horses, donkeys, cows, oxen, goats, sheep, etc. have a card, are stored at the Town Hall and are written off by the Germans on time, etc.

 All factories and workshops are closed, before the Germans have made a law that prohibits working with more than 12 workmen without authorization and that all the main constituents such as wool, cotton, iron, copper, caoutchoux etc have been demanded.

 The block industry flourishes there, being made for the Germans' blocks, yet neither tree nor forest can be felled except with the permission of the Germans.

 Knitting factories are silent, except for one, and there are knitting for the German Army!

The barker gets rich! Everything is paid for their fat. Rye 200 fr: the 100 kgr - Wheat 600 fr. French fries 50 to 60 fr, the meat 11 to 12 fr: the kgr.

 A calf costs 1000 fr: a cow 2900 fr. Milk 0.50 fr: the liter.

 Tobacco has become weird and costs 1.00 fr: the 50 grams, which is why the tobacco factories are closed.

 Luxury has become weird before everything has become so expensive and scarce one is asking 100 fr: per costume, 100 fr: per frak, 12 fr: per shirt etc etc.

In this way many people are already wearing hair, even without a shirt! Now the situation looks very bad as the Germans claim all costumes, pardessus above 3 pieces and all of them more than 15 pieces, curtains, mats, carpets, stalls etc from warehouses and shops.

Kinemas have a lot to do, there are 3 now and only are full when they give performances! Children under the age of 15 are not allowed by the Germans. Dance halls 3 in number have been opened by order of the German. There is a lot of poverty and those who have money spend their money in poverty.

 We mention good works here in the city.

 1) the Benevolence Office

 in the Groote Peperstraat;

 2) the National Comity for Unemployed and in needy families.

 • Head office: Vakschool OLVrouwplaats

 • Bijbureel: Café l'Union Groote Markt.

 This work provides support to all persons in need:

 • 3 francs per week over 16 years

 • 2.5 francs per week under 16 years.

 However, women and men have to go through every day to prove that they do not work.

 These are desks

 • Hangar Opitz Westerstraat

 • Huis Goetgeluk Kalkstraat

 • School Constantinus Klein Hulst

 Every day, the unemployed are stamped their cap card in those rooms.

 The support of the unemployed is paid them all softly in:

 • Den Cinema Help You yourself and Mercatorstraat

 • Huis Goetgeluk Kalkstraat.

 3) The work of free soup is a subdivision of the National Food Comity.

 The unemployed and school children of the City and adopted lower and custodial schools are given a freeze every day for free.

 Citizens can also enjoy the work of soup with the payment of 0.10 fr: per man and the benefits associated with them as a costless distribution of coal, beans and meat etc to a value of 1.20 fr: per month and per person.

This soup is made in the factory and P.Janssens Hofstraat and then transported to the various soup rooms. Landsman is at the head of this institution: he does have a 100 men among his area.

 The different soup rooms are

 • Fabrique de Rubans - Mercatorstraat

 • Velodrome - Bridge sign

 • Fabrique Meert - Lamstraat

 • Huis Groote Peperstraat (for the paying soup)

 • School - Schoolstraat

 • Patronage - Dalstraat

 • Drij Goorten - Plezantstraat

 • Fabrique Baeck - Gazometerstraat

 This soup is delivered to the citizens for 11 1/2 hours every morning.

 In the afternoon before 4 o'clock, all schoolchildren get free soups with 70 grams of bread from the costless schools.

 Gansch the National Comity is a comprehensive management, we can also say without exaggeration that these services give 300 people a job.

 4) Soldiers support or support to parents and wives of soldiers in Help You,

 Mercatorstraat.

 5) The work of the Field in the Guildhall,

 Rue Neuve, which provides a 1000 of households free of charge.

 6) The work of the Schamelen Armen,

 Café de l'Union, Groote Markt for sick people and expired citizens.

 7) The Work of Healthy Milk

 in the Gildenhuis, Nieuwstraat for small children and pregnant women

 8) The Work of Eat for Pregnant Women

 in the Gildenhuis Nieuwstraat (six weeks)

 9) The dispensary for sufferers,

 Kokkelbeekstraat

 10) The Work of Prisoners of War in Germany.

 Rich people are on buses every year to the church, the proceeds are sent to them.

 11) The work of deported Workmen

 For support to the returned deportees, on the Groote Markt in the House Lennaertz.

 12) The work of the healthy air

50 girls from Ghent and surroundings come here to recover and are housed in the Girls House in Hofstraat. (134)

 Prayer in the churches is still good, but it is already much weakened.

The immorality has become a plague; poverty and unemployment and especially the German soldiers are to blame. These soldiers have their own cafes where there is game every day.

 As gazettes, these people now have 4 Dutch magazines

 - Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant 0.25 fr: per gazet

 - New Courant

 - The Fatherland

 - The Maesbode

 • Verders:

 - The people

 - The Gentenaar

 - De Vooruit and Bien Public of Ghent

 And also some German-speaking war grids like:

 - Gazet Van Brussel

 - Antwerpsche Courant etc.

 All war news may be read, except foreign news that concerns Belgium.

 Mechelen Terneuzen and State pay a certain sum to their workmen every month.

 City and State bureaux are not significantly increased for the moment.

Caoutchou and copper have already been claimed everywhere; Yarn threads and with the inscription of the wool one begins.

Nowadays there is also a lot of Flemish-minded propaganda made by bought out flames, against the government of Le Havre. So everything is Flemish nowadays; Ministry, University, schools etc; everything is urged rightly.

Only a few Belgians have the case in common, most of them are against it. They are not against the Flemish, but stubborn because the German wants to force the Flemish they are against it. Thus there is still contention within the country where unity is so necessary, and this after 3 years of war.

 4th World War

 August 4, 1917 Saturday

 J Lentacker draws 61.50 fr: Van den Staat in the National Bank for his son Edmond.

 5 harvest 1917 Sunday

 The infantry regiment has been returned to the front after 4 days of rest.

6 harvest 1917 Monday. No news.

 7 harvest 1917 thine's day

 Butter 7.50 fr: in the American shop.

 8 harvest 1917 Wednesday

Jacq. Lentacker draws 12 fr. From M.Tern. about July 1917

9 harvest 1917 Thursday. No news.

10 harvest 1917 Friday. No news.

 11 harvest 1917 Saturday.

 The Artillery regiment, which had already been billeted to the citizens for 14 days, left for the front in the afternoon.

In the afternoon, a new regiment of German foot soldiers from the front came here; these soldiers were quartered in the various halls of the city and in the institutions. In college there are 60 in the Akademie 80 soldiers, kitchens etc. All soldiers sleep on gritting bags, the officers sleep with the citizens.

12 harvest 1917 Sunday. No news.

13 harvest 1917 Monday. No news

 14 harvest 1917 thine's day

 A German regiment of artillery has arrived here to reform: the soldiers have stayed with the citizens.

 15 harvest 1917 Wednesday.

Our Lady Ascension; the procession goes into the church.

16 harvest 1917 Thursday. No news.

17 harvest 1917 Friday. No news.

18 harvest 1917 Saturday. No news.

 19 harvest 1917 Sunday.

 In Elversele, a village of 1200 Inhabitants are 1000 German Soldiers.

Patatons still cost 0.60 fr: the kgr. and then they can only be obtained for the mediation of friends.

 The city must be in the dark today.  .

 All buyers from stores, étallagen etc are demanded by the Germans.

 The German Military Government advises the population of St Nicholas to raise cows for migration service because there is a great lack of horses among the soldiers and the latter will soon be taken away for them here.

 Many young people nowadays are attracted by the big money (10 fr: a day) to Germany.

20 harvest 1917 Monday. No news.

 21 harvest 1917 thine's day

 Today, Ajuin costs 2.20 fr: the kgr!

 't Brood costs from 0.58 fr: the kgr.

22 harvest 1917 Wednesday. No news

23 harvest 1917 Thursday. No news.

 24 harvest 1917 Friday

 We buy coal at 120 fr: the 1000 kgr.

and 50 kgr. rye to 2 fr: the kgr.

25 harvest 1917 Saturday. No news.

 26 harvest 1917 Sunday

 Emiel leaves for Brussels to take his exams for his teacher.

 27 harvest 1917 Monday

Between De Stadhuis and the Vermeiren house on the Groote Markt, the Telegraaf was laid without wires by the Germans; the reception cabin is in a house of Parkstraat. The Flûgwache on the OLVrouwetoren has been abolished and transferred to Nieuwkerken.

 28 harvest 1917 thine's day

 French fries still 0.60 fr: the kgr!

 29 harvest 1917 Wednesday

Three Germans were murdered in Beveren; the perpetrators have been captured.

 30 harvest 1917 Thursday.

Every clothing store may only have 2 more costumes in its possession; the rest are demanded by the German. Any change above 15 items will be demanded in the warehouses, as well as disturbances, curtains, mats, carpets, etc.: to be indicated by the 5th of September. .

Leander, me and Jean get our bread cards as a worker of 70 grams per day; so that we now enjoy 70 grams per head more with four (father) every day. .

 31 harvest 1917 Friday

Emile returns from his education exam from Brussels. For two evenings, the German soldiers had ball in the hall of the Casino, Statiestraat, only women and soldiers were admitted.

September 1, 1917 Saturday. No news.

September 2, 1917 Sunday. No news.

 September 3, 1917 Monday

Our notification card is stamped for the 14th time by the German control of Antwerp, at the City Hall. They begin by claiming the wool from the mattresses in St. Nicholas; the Germans give 3 to 4 fr: the kgr. All pieces of art from copper are claimed.

The German artillery regiment left from there after 20 days of being here; Their horses died of hunger; they went to Zele. .

 September 4, 1917 thursday

J. Stapacker draws 62.50 fr: van den Staat in the Nat. Bank for his son Edmond.

 September 5, 1917 Wednesday.

 All hammers, files, saws, planes, portraits, bars, iron, etc., must be declared to the Germans by tomorrow.

None of the Germans had this night a display case and the glasses of a few houses knocked out, but a woman was abused; he has been arrested and has paid the damage the other day.

 French fries already cost 0.65 fr: the kgr.

 September 6, 1917 Thursday.

 A 17-year-old girl who smuggled was shot dead by the German Guard at Vlijminckxhoek.

7 September 1917 Friday. No news.

September 8, 1917 Saturday. No news.

 September 9, 1917 Sunday

 The sick children of Ghent and surroundings have left for Ghent, after staying here for 6 weeks in 't Meisjesweezenhuis.

 September 10, 1917 Monday

In the Academy, one German soldier has had the imprudence to make a machine gun bullet explode; result 4 fingers lost.

 The potato harvest can be brought in from today.

 September 11, 1917 thine's day

 This night, after a month of being here, the German infantry regiment left for the front: so that we have only the German occupation here.

September 12, 1917 Wednesday. No news.

September 13, 1917 Thursday. No news.

 September 14, 1917 Friday

 A German infantry regiment arrives here, it is billeted to the citizens.

September 15 Saturday. No news.

 September 16, 1917 Sunday

 About 100 weak children from St. Nicholas go to the Colony St. Marten, in the middle of Beveren, where they will stay for six weeks to recover.

About 50 weak girls from Ghent and surroundings come here, they are quartered for 6 in the Girls House of the Hofstraat. I'm going to go to Gaverland with Leonie.

 September 17, 1917 Monday

 From today, bread costs 0.59 fr: the kgr.

A 2nd German infantry regiment comes here to equip itself; it is billeted in the different halls of the city.

 From now on we have winter time, the German watches are put back 1 hour, so that we stand for 1 hour at the old Belgian hour.

 September 18, 1917 thine's day

J. Lentacker draws from Mech. Tern. about Harvest 12 francs.

September 19, 1917 Wednesday. No news.

 September 20, 1917 Thursday.

The German woldives come to find us with two soldiers and one civilian. They do not find anything.

 September 21, 1917 Friday

Autumn begins today; had wet summer; the harvest succeeded reasonably well; mediocre harvest.

 The farmer asks for fantastic prices

 • 5.00 fr: per kg.  wheat

 • 2.50 fr: per kg.  rye

• 50.00 fr: per 100 kgr. potatoes

• 40.00 fr: per 100 kgr. rapes

• 25.00 fr: per kg. butter

 • 0.75 fr: per egg.

 • 0.55 fr: per liter of milk.

 • 2900 fr: per cow etc.

 September 22, 1917 Saturday

Pattades with the kgr. taken costs still 0.60 fr: the kgr.

September 23, 1917 Sunday. No news.

September 24, 1917 Monday. No news

 September 25, 1917 thine's day

We buy 700 kgr. fries at 50 fr: the 100 kgr!

September 26, 1917 Wednesday. No news

September 27, 1917 Thursday. No news.

 September 28, 1917 Friday

We buy 125 kgr. fries at 50 fr: the 100 kgr!

September 29, 1917 Saturday. No news.

September 30, 1917 Sunday. No news.

 October 1, 1917 Monday.

 Cafés must be closed at 8 a.m. BT in the evening and an hour later on Sunday.

 October 2, 1917 thine day

We buy 400 kgr. fries at 50 fr: the 100 kgr!

and 200 kgr. fries at 50 fr: the 100 kgr!

 October 3, 1917 Wednesday

 Our notification card is stamped for the 15th time by the German reporting office of Antwerp here at the City Hall.

All buyers, except for the light appliances that are in use, are demanded by the Germans. We have to surrender today but hide everything. .

 October 4, 1917 Thursday

We buy 500 kgr. fries at 60 fr: the 100 kgr!

 J. Lentacker draws 62.50 fr: from the Belgian State for his son Edmond on October 1917 in the National Bank.

 He also receives 60.00 fr: about the month of April 1916 and 60.00 fr: the month of May 1916 in a house of the boulevard Leopold II this through the banks.

 We also draw 120.00 fr: from the state for our Albert blessed for reported months April and May 1916.

 October 5, 1917 Friday.

From the 1st of October 1917 onwards, every household can only burn 30 m3 of gas, plus half of the several m3 that it burned during the same month of the previous year. The price of the gas is 0.25 fr: the m3 or 0.10 fr: storage: this on order of the Germans to save coal.

 The tobacco harvest is claimed in Belgium by the Germans.  .

 Every son of a German in Belgium national or not, or men without a country of German descent, German soldier must be posted to the German.  .

 October 6, 1917 Saturday

 We buy 250 kg of fries at 52 fr: the 100 kgr!

October 7, 1917 Sunday. No news.

 October 8, 1917 Monday.

 Horse notification on the Groote Markt today.

We buy 2000 kgr. coal from the City to 65 fr: the 1000 kgr.

 October 9, 1917 thine day

 The 2 German infantry regiments have left to the front this evening after being here for 25 days.

 October 10, 1917 Wednesday

 This afternoon it is 3 years ago that the German St Niklaas has occupied and there is no outcome yet!

 We buy 100 kgr of fries at 50 fr: the 100 kgr!

 October 11, 1917 Thursday.

 2 Germans come to us looking for copper, but find nothing!

 October 12, 1917 Friday

Last night a German infantry regiment arrived here to rest; the soldiers are marked in the different halls of the city.

 October 13, 1917 Saturday

 The newly built part of the Klein Seminar was ordered by the Germans to accommodate soldiers.

 A second German infantry regiment arrived here to equip itself, the soldiers were stayed with the civilians.

 October 14, 1917 Sunday.

 In the warehouses and shops of the city, they are recuperating all costumes over 3 pieces and it is more than 15 pieces.

October 15, 1917 Monday. No news.

October 16, 1917 thine's day. No news.

 October 17, 1917 Wednesday.

 The German soldiers who were quartered in the halls went to live with the citizens because it had become too cold in the halls, except in the Klein Seminarie where the Central heating is located.

 October 18, 1917 Thursday

 Everyone gets a coal card here in the city.

October 19, 1917 Friday. No news.

October 20, 1917 Saturday. No news.

October 21, 1917 Sunday. No news.

 October 22, 1917 Monday

 't Brood costs from now 0.62 fr: the kgr.

October 23, 1917 Tuesday. No news.

October 24, 1917 Wednesday. No news.

October 25, 1917 Thursday. No news.

 October 26, 1917 Friday.

 We buy coal at 112 fr: the 1000 kgr.

 October 27, 1917 Saturday.

250 German wounded soldiers have arrived here; They have been brought under the roof of the hospital and in the 3 gates. German love sisters take care of them.

October 28, 1917 Sunday. No news.

October 29, 1917 Monday. No news.

 October 30, 1917 thine's day.

Fat and bacon costs 4 francs per kg in the American shop. per person and per month one gets only 200 grams, which is far too little!

October 31, 1917 Wednesday. No news.

 November 1, 1917 Thursday.  .

All Saints Day. Our boys have been inside for 39 full months.

 The railway transport at the Germans is stored 25%.

 A one-way ticket to Antwerp costs 1.80 marks.

 November 2, 1917 Friday.

 All souls

 Our notification card is stamped on the Stadhuis by the Antwerp Meldeambt for 16 times.

 All shoes above the three pairs from the warehouses of the country are demanded by the Germans.

 Dogs above the 0.40 m height measured on the shoulders, the Germans at the Town Hall must be indicated on the order.  .

 The farmers of Nieuwkerken get together 145,000 marks of the German to not want to deliver their potatoes to the German in sufficient quantity.  .

 All fallen trees in Sint Nikolaas are demanded for the Germans.  .

 November 3, 1917 Saturday

 The 40th war month begins today.

November 4, 1917 Sunday. No news.

 November 5, 1917 Monday

 't Brood costs from now 0.66 fr: the kgr.

 J.Lentacker draws 61.50 fr: about the month of November in the National Bank for his son Edmond.

 November 6, 1917 thine's day

 The children of Ghent who stayed here in the Girls' home were returned home after six weeks of rest.

 November 7, 1917 Wednesday

 The two German infantry regiments have moved away from here to the front after having been billeted to the citizens for four weeks here.

November 8, 1917 Thursday. No news.

 November 9, 1917 Friday

 A new German infantry regiment has arrived here to rest and settle with the citizens.

 November 10, 1917 Saturday

 The support to unemployed people has increased.

 Now they pull

 Now Formerly

 Male 7.00 fr: 5.00 fr:

 Woman 3.50 fr: 5.00 fr:

 Children + 16 3.50 fr: 3.00 fr:

 Children -16 3.50 fr: 1.50 fr:

 All fourteen days now support is handed out instead of all weeks until now until the case.

November 11, 1917 Sunday. No news.

 November 12, 1917 Monday

 Horse inspection at the Groote Markt, 4 horses taken by the German.

November 13, 1917 thine day. No news.

 November 14, 1917 Wednesday

 Our Emiel passes for teacher.

 November 15, 1917 Thursday

 King name day (underlined)

Mass in the main church; little people outside the official people.

November 16 Friday. No news.

 November 17, 1917 Saturday.

 We receive 100 grams of butter per person from the city at 6.50 fr: the kgr.

November 18, 1917 Sunday. No news.

 November 19, 1917 Monday

 The German Military Slaughterhouse is being set up here in the Slaughterhouse.

November 20, 1917 thine's day. No news.

 November 21, 1917 Wednesday

It is 3 years ago today that we are from Holland. So 3 years under German coercive management and the end is not yet visible.

 November 22, 1917 Thursday

 The German infantry regiment that resided here has once again left for the front, so that we are here in the city without troops for the time being.

November 23, 1917 Friday. No news.

November 24, 1917 Saturday. No news.

November 25, 1917 Sunday. No news.

November 26, 1917 Monday. No news.

 November 27, 1917 Tuesday

 A news from the German infantry regiment has arrived here in a small seminar and has been placed with the citizens.

November 28, 1917 hundend. No news.

November 29, 1917 Thursday. No news.

November 30, 1917 Friday. No news.

December 1, 1917 Saturday. No news.

December 2, 1917 Sunday. No news.

 December 3, 1917 Monday

 We get a new yellow registration card, which is stamped for the 1st time at the City Hall by the Antwerp Meldeambt.

It's snowing for the 1st time. The 47th war month has started today, I believe that peace is approaching.

 December 4, 1917 thine's day

 It's already freezing.

 J.Lentacker draws 62.50 fr: in the National Bank of the State for his son Edmond for December 1917.

December 5, 1917 Wednesday. No news.

 December 6, 1917 Thursday.

 The German Infantry Regiment, which was stationed here in 2 Colleges and with the citizens, has left for the front, so that there are no more soldiers here.

December 7, 1917 Friday. No news.

December 8, 1917 Saturday. No news.

December 9, 1917 Sunday. No news.

December 10, 1917 Monday. No news.

December 11, 1917 thine's day. No news.

12 December 1917 Wednesday. No news.

December 13, 1917 Thursday. No news.

 December 14, 1917 Friday

All ribbons, braces, nests etc; must be declared to the Germans. The same for all bed and table linen of the hotels and monasteries.

December 15, 1917 Saturday. No news.

December 16, 1917 Sunday. No news.

December 17, 1917 Monday. No news.

December 18, 1917 thine's day. No news.

December 19, 1917 Wednesday. No news.

December 20, 1917 Thursday. No news.

 December 21, 1917 Friday

 Winter starts today, had a good dry autumn.

December 22, 1917 Saturday. No news.

December 23, 1917 Sunday. No news.

 December 24, 1917 Monday.

 A German infantry regiment arrives here and is famished in the Klein Seminar and with the citizens.

 December 25, 1917 thine's day.

Christmas day. It's snowing.

 December 26, 1917 Wednesday.

 Have been a silent Christmas with the Germans.

December 27, 1917 Thursday. No news.

December 28, 1917 Friday. No news.

December 29, 1917 Saturday. No news.

 December 30, 1917 Sunday

 They are allowed to return to the church exits with pots, once a month, at the church exits for the prisoners of war

 December 31, 1917 Monday

No news. The fat costs in the United States. Shop 5 fr: den kgr.

 1918

 January 1, 1918 thine's day

Silent new year. No news

 January 2, 1918 Wednesday

 Our registration card is stamped for the 2nd time at the city hall by the Antwerp reporting office

 January 3, 1918 Thursday

The 42nd war month begins today; see no end.

 January 4, 1918 Friday

 Our Albert Zaliger draws 100 fr: from the state about overdue funds for October and September 1916.

 Jacques Lentacker draws from the Belgian State for his son Edmond 61 fr: for January 1917 and 100 fr: for arrears on October and September 1916.

January 5, 1918 Saturday. No news.

January 6, 1918 Sunday. No news.

 January 7, 1918 Monday.

 All copper sounds, bells, tractors, etc. are demanded by the Germans.

 January 8, 1918 Tuesday.

 Aunt Marie dies of a heart disease

January 9, 1918 Thursday. No news.

 January 10, 1918 Friday.

Aunt Marie is buried; lots of people; no. 16043 on the graveyard

January 11, 1918 Saturday. No news.

January 12, 1918 Sunday. No news.

January 13, 1918 Monday. No news.

January 14, 1918 Tuesday. No news.

January 15, 1918 Wednesday. No news.

 January 16, 1918 Thursday.

 Bread costs from now on 0.67 Fr: the Kgr.

 January 17, 1918 Thursday

 The German infantry regiment, which was settled in 't Klein Seminarie and with the citizens, left this morning after 3 weeks of rest, left for the front.

 3 German infantry regiments come here to equip themselves and are placed with the citizens.

 January 18, 1918 Friday

 The Germans claim the Cinéma Royal (Vercauteren) from the Ankerstraat for their own use.

 January 19, 1918 Saturday

 The Germans make an exercise square between Hoogkameren and the Hazendans.

January 20, 1918 Sunday. No news.

 January 21, 1918 Monday

From now on they give 3 liters of milk per week to the children under 6 and to the elders over 65 years; this through the intervention of the Am. Shop in the Gildenhuis and at 0.45 fr: the liter.

January 22, 1918 thine's day. No news.

January 23, 1918 Wednesday. No news.

 January 24, 1918 Thursday.

 Rye costs 2.00 fr: the kgr!

January 25, 1918 Friday. No news.

January 26, 1918 Saturday. No news.

 January 27, 1918 Sunday

Keizers birthday! Parademarch on the Grote Markt of 3000 Germans. Torch relay, dance parties, etc.

 January 28, 1918 Monday

 't Vleesch already costs 13 fr: the kgr.

January 29, 1918 thine's day. No news.

January 30, 1918 Wednesday. No news.

January 31, 1918 Thursday. No news.

February 1 Friday. No news.

 February 2, Saturday 1918

 J Lentacker draws 61 fr: for his son Edmond van den Staat about February 1918

 3 February Sunday 1918

The war has been going on for 3 1/2 years. The 43rd war month begins.

 February 4, 1918 Monday

 Our registration card is stamped for the third time at the city hall, for the German registration office of Antwerp.

February 5, 1918 Tuesday. No news.

February 6, 1918 Wednesday. No news.

7 February 1918 Thursday. No news.

February 8, 1918 Friday. No news.

9 February 1918 Saturday. No news.

February 10, 1918 Sunday. No news.

 11 February 1918 Monday

 't Vleesch already costs 13.50 the kgr.

 February 12, 1918 Tuesday

 1 infantry regiment leaves for the front after 4 weeks of being here.

 February 13, 1918 Wednesday

 The 2nd German infantry regiment leaves for the front.

 February 14, 1918 Thursday

 The 3rd infantry regiment leaves for the front so that we are without soldiers for the time being.

February 15, 1918 Friday. No news.

February 16, 1918 Saturday. No news.

February 17, 1918 Sunday. No news.

February 18, 1918 Monday. No news.

 19 February 1918 Tuesday

 From now on the milk costs 0.70 fr: the liter.

3 German infantry regiments come here and are billeted to the citizens. St Nicholas and surrounding municipalities have a whole division of German soldiers.

February 20, 1918 Wednesday. No news.

 February 21, 1918 Thursday

We buy 50 kr wheat at 3.50 fr: the kgr. and 40 kg of rye at 2.00 fr.

February 22nd 1918 Friday. No news.

February 23, 1918 Saturday. No news.

February 24, 1918 Sunday. No news.

February 25, 1918 Monday. No news.

February 26, 1918 Tuesday. No news.

February 27, 1918 Wednesday. No news.

February 28, 1918 Thursday. No news.

 March 1, 1918 Friday

 Our Emiel is employed as a teacher in Temsche.

 March 2, 1918 Saturday

 J.Lentacker draws 61 fr: about March of the Belgian State for his son Edmond.

 3 March 1918 Sunday

The 44th war month has begun; see no end.

 March 4, 1918 Monday

 Our registration card is stamped for the 4th time at the city hall by the Meldeambt of Antwerp.

March 5, 1918 Tuesday. No news.

6 March 1918 Wednesday. No news.

7 March 1918 Thursday. No news.

 8 March 1918 Friday

 J.Lentacker draws 12 fr from Mechelen -Terneuzen February

9 March 1918 Saturday. No news.

10 March 1918 Sunday. No news.

March 11, 1918 Monday. No news.

 12 March 1918 thine's day

 The German copper thieves come here to search, they crawl to the roof but find nothing.

March 13, 1918 Wednesday. No news.

March 14, 1918 Thursday. No news.

 15 March 1918 Friday

 The 3 German regiments who stayed here with the civilians left for the front after a good 3 weeks of rest.

March 16, 1918 Saturday. No news.

17 March 1918 Sunday. No news.

 March 18, 1918 Monday

 Given the grain shortage, we now only receive 250 grams of bread per day per person.

 19 March 1918 thine's day

1st communion. The City dresses the first communists and gives them food in the morning.

20 March 1918 Wednesday. No news.

 21 March 1918 Thursday

The Spring begins today; good winter. Now the winter is over; we get coal for the first time from the coal distribution for Flanders. 120 Kg per household.

22 March 1918 Friday. No news.

 March 23, 1918 Saturday

 On penalty of penance, neither sprinkle nor chaff, nor hay as mattress fillings may be used, the Germans advertise.

24 March 1918 Sunday. No news.

March 25, 1918 Monday. No news.

26 March 1918 thine's day. No news.

27 March 1918 Wednesday. No news.

28 March 1918 Thursday. No news.

March 29, 1918 Friday. No news.

March 30, 1918 Saturday. No news.

 31 March 1918 Sunday

 Paschen today, no news.

 April 1, 1918 Monday

 Milk 0.75 fr: the liter.

April 2, 1918 thine's day. No news.

 April 3, 1918 Wednesday

 J Lentacker draws 50 francs from the Belgian State: for his son Edmond about April 1918.

The 45th war month begins today; M.Leonie weighs 68 kilos! record!

 The judges of the whole country have been deposed and replaced by the Germans.

April 4, 1918 Thursday. No news.

 April 5, 1918 Friday.

 Our registration card is stamped for the 5th time by the Germans.

April 6, 1918 Saturday. No news.

7 April 1918 Sunday. No news.

 8 April 1918 Monday

 J.Lentacker draws 12 fr: from Mech.Tern about March.

9 April 1918 Tuesday. No news.

10 April 1918 Wednesday. No news.

 April 11, 1918 Thursday.

We are not getting a new German Commander Von Grote. Advokaat Thuysbaert arrested by the Germans.

 April 12, 1918 Friday

We buy 200 kgr. fries at 85 fr: the 100 kgr: and 100 kgr, grain at 3 fr. the kgr.

April 13, 1918 Saturday. No news.

April 14, 1918 Sunday. No news.

 April 15, 1918 Monday

The second coal distribution for St.Nikolaas starts today. The German summer time starts: the watches are put forward one hour (2.5 hours before the French time).

 16 April 1918 Tuesday.

 We are appointed grain surveyors in Temsche.

 April 17, 1918 Wednesday

 We start the grain measurement in Temsche.

April 18, 1918 Thursday. No news.

April 19, 1918 Friday. No news.

April 20, 1918 Saturday. No news.

April 21, 1918 Sunday. No news.

April 22, 1918 Monday. No news.

April 23, 1918 Tuesday. No news.

24 April 1918 Wednesday. No news.

April 25, 1918 Thursday. No news.

April 26, 1918 Friday. No news.

April 27, 1918 Saturday. No news.

April 28, 1918 Sunday. No news.

April 29, 1918 Monday. No news.

 April 30, 1918 thine's day.

 Flesh 22 fr: the kgr.

 May 1, 1918 Wednesday

 Two German infantry regiments come here, they are billeted in the halls and with the citizens

 May 2, 1918 Thursday

 J.Lentacker draws 50 fr: from the Belgian State for his son Edmond in May1918.

 May 3, 1918 Friday

 The 46th war month begins today, no end to see

 May 4, 1918 Saturday

Our registration card is stamped on the town hall for the 6th time by the Germans. Emiel is deposed as a teacher in Temsche.

May 5, 1918 Sunday. No news.

 May 6, 1918 Monday.

 Emiel is appointed as a temporary teacher in St Nikolaas.

May 7, 1918 Tuesday. No news.

May 8, 1918 Wednesday. No news.

9 May 1918 Thursday. No news.

10 May 1918 Friday. No news.

May 11, 1918 Saturday. No news.

May 12, 1918 Sunday. No news.

May 13, 1918 Monday. No news.

May 14, 1918 Tuesday. No news.

May 15, 1918 Wednesday. No news.

May 16, 1918 Thursday. No news.

May 17, 1918 Friday. No news.

May 18, 1918 Saturday. No news.

 May 19th, 1918 Sunday

Sunday Sinxen. 't Vleesch already costs 26 fr: the kgr.

 May 20, 1918 Monday

The king of Beyeren comes here for 1 hour at St Nicholas on the Groote Markt. Parademarch by the Germans. I'm going to Gaverland with Leonie.

21 May 1918 Tuesday. No news.

May 22, 1918 Wednesday. No news.

May 23, 1918 Thursday. No news.

 May 24, 1918 Friday.

 Emiel has done St Nikolaas as a teacher.

 May 25, 1918 Saturday.

Of the 600 horses that were here in St Nikolaas for 3 years, only a small 200 left. The others are demanded for the German. Rye already costs 3.75 fr: the kgr.

 Patatons cost 1.25 fr: the kgr.

May 26, 1918 Sunday. No news.

May 27, 1918 Monday. No news.

May 28, 1918 Tuesday. No news.

May 29, 1918 Wednesday. No news.

May 30, 1918 Thursday. No news.

May 31, 1918 Friday. No news.

June 1, 1918 Saturday. No news.

June 2, 1918 Sunday. No news.

 June 3, 1918 Monday.

The 47th war month begins today. J Lentacker draws 50 fr. Of the Belgian State for his son Edmond in June.

The two German infantry regiments have left for the front after being clashed with the civilians here for a month. From now on, the bread costs 0.64 fr: the kgr. We still get 250 gr. per day.

 June 4, 1918 Tuesday.

 Our registration card is stamped by the Germans for the 7th time at the city hall.

June 5, 1918 Wednesday. No news.

June 6, 1918 Thursday. No news.

June 7, 1918 Friday. No news.

June 8, 1918 Saturday. No news.

June 9, 1918 Sunday. No news.

 June 10, 1918 Monday.

No meat may be salted or dried on German orders. All reeds are confiscated by the Germans.

11 June 1918 Tuesday. No news.

 12 June 1918 Wednesday.

Rye flour already costs 4.50 fr: the kgr. The people from Antwerp are buying everything here, hence it was expensive!

June 13, 1918 Thursday. No news.

June 14, 1918 Friday. No news.

June 15, 1918 Saturday. No news.

June 16, 1918 Sunday. No news.

 June 17, 1918 Monday.

 Nowadays a new costume costs 550 fr: a new pair of shoes 150 fr: a new hat 10 to 20 fr:

 We pay 0.80 fr: for 1 liter of milk.

Peas costs 1.75 fr: the kgr. New fries 2.50 fr: the kgr; strawberry berries 3; 50 fr: per kg.

18 June 1918 Tuesday. No news.

19 June 1918 Wednesday. No news.

 June 20, 1918 Thursday.

We pay new fries 2.50 fr: the kgr, peas 2 fr: the kgr, rye 5 fr: the kgr! Flesh 25 fr: the kgr!

21 June 1918 Friday. No news.

 22 June 1918 Saturday.

Summer starts today; had a great spring.

June 23, 1918 Sunday. No news.

June 24, 1918 Monday. No news.

June 25, 1918 Tuesday. No news.

June 26, 1918 Wednesday. No news.

 June 27, 1918 Thursday.

The government price for peas and cauliflowers is 1.00 fr :. Under 2.00 fr: the kgr: one can not get any peas.

28 June 1918 Friday. No news.

 June 29, 1918 Saturday.

We get a new potato card. The 3rd coal distribution for Flanders has taken place.

June 30, 1918 Sunday. No news.

 July 1, 1918 Monday.

 Our boys are 47 full months inside

 July 2, 1918 Tuesday.

Our registration card is stamped for the 8th time by the Germans. Potatoes cost 2 fr.the kgr: (peculiar to this page and the next one is that he writes fr here with point and not with colon, but is only temporary, it would be possible that the pages were transferred each time one or more fully was leaf?)

 July 3, 1918 Wednesday.

The 48th warhead begins today. The 4th coal distribution takes place. potatoes 1.50 fr: the kgr.

On November 3, 1917, there were 15,292 supporters in St Niklaas. (Here we definitely read SINT NIKLAAS as the city now calls).

 On 28 June 1918 or 6 months later, 17587 without the soldiers' wives or state clerks.

 July 4, 1918 Thursday.

Butter from the city to 7.70 fr. The kgr, 100 gr. per person.

 July 5, 1918 Friday.

 J. Lentacker draws 185 soldiers allowance for his son Leon.

 July 6, 1918 Saturday.

 French fries 1.35 fr the kgr Wheat flour 5.50 fr: the kgr.

7 July 1918 Sunday. No news.

July 8, 1918 Monday. No news.

July 9, 1918 thine's day. No news.

10 July 1918 Wednesday. No news.

11 July 1918 Thursday. No news.

 July 12, 1918 Friday.

 Potatoes 1.50 fr: the kgr.

For the first time we get patatoes from the 1kgr. per person and per week at 0.35fr. the cgr.

 Children under the age of 3, persons over the age of 75 and the sick must register at the town hall for the new urban milk distribution.

 July 13, 1918 Saturday.

Milk costs 1 fr. The liter. Nowadays we get to eat cornbread.

July 14, 1918 Sunday. No news. (this date is not mentioned)

July 15, 1918 Monday. No news.

 July 16, 1918 thine's day.

The last buyer is claimed to be the Germans. French fries 1,25 fr. The kgr.

July 17, 1918 Wednesday. No news.

July 18, 1918 Thursday. No news.

19 July 1918 Friday. No news.

 July 20, 1918 Saturday.

 Mr. Van Lierde gives his resignation at the city hall.

 21 July 1918 Sunday.

Belgian independence day. At 12 o'clock TU high mass in the main church, the church was crowded.

 July 22, 1918 Monday.

Mass for the deceased soldiers in the main church; the church is full; after the mass road to the graveyard.

 Leonie Lentacker has Spanish flu.

July 23, 1918 Tuesday. No news.

 24 July 1918 Wednesday.

I have Spanish flu. Heal on 2 days. Very painful in the head, - throat - arms - legs - etc.

July 25, 1918 Thursday. No news.

July 26, 1918 Friday. No news.

 July 27, 1918 Saturday No news.

July 28, 1918 Sunday. No news.

July 29, 1918 Monday. No news.

July 30, 1918 Tuesday. No news.

July 31, 1918 Wednesday. No news

 August 1, 1918 Thursday.

Our boys are 48 full months inside; no end to the war. Patatoes 1fr. the cgr. Boonen 1 fr. The kgr.

 August 2, 1918 Friday.

 Our notification card will be stamped for the 9th time at the City Hall by the 'Antwerpsche Meldeambt'.

 August 3, 1918 Saturday.

The 5th war year begins. I am 28 years old.

 J.Lentacker draws 50 fr: about the 1918 crop from the State for his son Edmond and 60 fr overdue money from 1915-1916

 We draw from our Albert, as well as 60fr. Overdue money from 1915-1916.

j.Lentacker draws 12 fr: from Mech.Tern. about July 1918.

 Verders is the thing that happened last year on the present and we act with patience in the 5th year of the war

 August 4, 1918 Sunday.

Patatoes 10 fr: the kgr. Meat 23fr: the kgr.

August 5, 1918 Monday. No news.

6 August 1918 Tuesday. No news.

7 August 1918 Wednesday. No news.

August 8, 1918 Thursday. No news.

August 9, 1918 Friday. No news.

10 August 1918 Saturday. No news.

11 August 1918 Sunday. No news.

12 August 1918 Monday. No news.

August 13, 1918 Tuesday. No news.

August 14, 1918 Wednesday. No news.

August 15, 1918 Thursday. No news.

August 16, 1918 Friday. No news.

August 17, 1918 Saturday. No news.

August 18, 1918 Sunday. No news.

August 19, 1918 Monday. No news.

20 August 1918 Tuesday. No news.

August 21, 1918 Wednesday. No news.

 August 22, 1918 Thursday

In the OLVr. Presentation Plezantstraat TS is a flying school; about 100 German officers follow the courses; these are billeted with the rich people and fly to Elversele and Waesmunster.

August 23, 1918 Friday. No news.

August 24, 1918 Saturday. No news.

August 25, 1918 Sunday. No news.

 August 26, 1918 Monday

The urban milk distribution comes into effect; those who enjoy it must collect their own milk from the farmers at 0.50 fr. the liter.

27 August 1918 Tuesday. No news.

August 28, 1918 Wednesday. No news.

August 29, 1918 Thursday. No news.

August 30, 1918 Friday. No news.

 August 31, 1918 Saturday

 Patat 1fr: the kgr.

 September 1, 1918 Sunday

 Bread costs from now 0.82 fr: the kgr.

French fries may be stewed. The soldiers are 49 full months inside.

September 2, 1918 Monday. No news.

 September 3, 1918 Tuesday

Our registration card is stamped for the 10th time. The 50th war month begins today.

September 4, 1918 Wednesday. No news.

September 5, 1918 Thursday. No news.

September 6, 1918 Friday. No news.

September 7, 1918 Saturday. No news.

September 8, 1918 Sunday. No news.

9 September 1918 Monday. No news.

 September 10, 1918 Tuesday

 Eggs 1.35 fr: the piece.

 The College and the Normal School and the big barracks are changed into German Lazaret and completely cleared.

We are stabbing 3000 kgr from Jo Roeden. potatoes; they cost us 0.13 fr: the kgr. pure

September 11, 1918 Wednesday. No news.

September 12, 1918 Thursday. No news.

September 13, 1918 Friday. No news.

September 14, 1918 Saturday. No news.

September 15, 1918 Sunday. No news.

 September 16, 1918 Monday

 The watches are put back for 1 hour so that we stand for 1,30 hours on the true BT.

 September 16, 1918 Monday No news.

 17 September 1918 Tuesday No news.

 September 18, 1918 Wednesday No news.

 19 September 1918 Thursday No news.

 September 20, 1918 Friday No news.

 September 21, 1918 Saturday No news.

 September 22, 1918 Sunday No news.

 September 23, 1918 Monday No news.

 24 September 1918 Tuesday No news.

 September 25, 1918 Wednesday

 Today at 12 o'clock we will be called Etappengebied, at the same time as Nieukerken, Tielrode and Temsche which are the Etappenkommandantur St Niklaas.

 September 26, 1918 Thursday No news.

 September 27, 1918 Friday No news.

 September 28, 1918 Saturday No news.

 September 29, 1918 Sunday No news.

 September 30, 1918 Monday No news.

 October 1, 1918 Tuesday No news.

 October 2, 1918 Wednesday

150 men from here are forced to unload, they are housed in the factory Verbrugge van den Leopold 2 lane. The 51st war month has started.

 October 3, 1918 Thursday No news.

 October 4, 1918 Friday No news.

 October 5, 1918 Saturday No news.

 October 6, 1918 Sunday

There are refugees from Thorhout here; they are billeted to the citizens; In the Gildenhuis, Nieuwstraat she dines at the food every three times every day.

 October 7, 1918 Monday

 The German soldiers who die here are buried here in the cemetery.

 8 October 1918 Tuesday No news.

 9 October 1918 Wednesday No news.

 October 10, 1918 thursday (here he has a dine day)

At 12 o'clock we have become Closed Etappen; without a pass we are not allowed in any other municipality unless Nieukerken is counted at Sint Niklaas (writes indeed Sint Niklaas and not Sint Nikolaas). The German is here 4 full years.

 11 October 1918 Friday No news.

 12 October 1918 Saturday No news.

 October 13, 1918 Sunday

Our registration card is claimed for the 11th time at the city hall. At the same time, 1,000 citizens are being demanded to load wood in Antwerp: they are temporarily housed in a factory called V Havere der Slachthuisstraat; the food she gives to eat.

't Brood costs 0.85 fr: the piece. The polders are put under water.

October 14, 1918 Monday. No news.

October 15, 1918 Tuesday. No news.

 October 16, 1918 Wednesday

The Cigars factories Tinchant; Mercatorstraat and Tabakstraat have changed into barracks.

 The City Hall and the Academy will be vacated.

The town hall is transferred to the Museum of Statiestraat. The Police Guard to the Grain Market. The Town Hall is changed in a quarter of an hour for the German Staff.

 The Akademie in German barracks.

 The Old Museum will be changed into a pass bureau.

The cafés De Spiegel and De Hoop are cleared and turned into institutions in German cafés. In all schools there are German soldiers as well as in the factories.

The retreat of the Germans begins to be felt by the procession of chariots and soldiers who come to Antwerp here. The troops and soldiers are waiting in Beveren to be able to transfer to Vlaamsch Hoofd.

 October 17, 1918 Thursday no news.

 October 18, 1918 Friday

The retreat continues. The St Nicholas soldiers were sent to Antwerp. (on November 1, 70 men were left, the others had fled and came back here, these 70 men were sent to Hasselt on that date).

October 19, 1918 Saturday. No news.

 October 20, 1918 Sunday.

The retreat continues. About a thousand marines, real janhail, are quartered in the Academy of St Niklaas, the officers of the citizens of the city.

 October 21, 1918 Monday

We have become an operational area (underlined). Kommandant Rieck has been replaced. This Commandant, the worst of Germany, commanded to shoot from his German Police about 10 October each of those who did not obey the first order of standing; a 20-year-old boy from Nieuwkerken was shot dead on 5 streets and 2 boys in the Dalstraat and Molendreef were hurt.

 October 22, 1918 thine's day

Meldeambt. Some 500 citizens are taken care of and locked up in a dance hall in Ankerstraat.

 October 23, 1918 Wednesday

The 500 citizens who were arrested yesterday were sent to St Amands at Puurs to work on the reinforcements. Most of them deserted the same night and come here the next day.

 October 23, 1918 Thursday

 The retreat continues.

All were successful that it is a pleasure. So, among other things

 Flesh last week 22 fr: now 6 fr: the kgr.

 Rye 2 fr now 0,35fr:

 Wheat 5 fr: now 2.50 fr:

 French fries 1 fr: the kgr now 0.20 fr

The German soldiers rob the farmers; pigs and cows are stolen. There is a cow for 50 marks.

 October 25, 1918 Friday

 There are 2 German kites here.

October 26, 1918 Saturday. No news.

 October 27, 1918 Sunday.

 The roof and the buildings along the station will be made white.

There are a lot of enemy kites flying over here, these are shot at. The German eviction continues.

 October 28, 1918 Monday

 All men between the ages of 18 and 39 must register at the command of the commander-office (300 men give up).

October 29, 1918 Tuesday. No news.

October 30, 1918 Wednesday. No news.

 October 31, 1918 Thursday

The Marines of the Academy leave St Niklaas for Antwerp; they are replaced by others.

 November 1, 1918 Friday

 Our boys are 61 full months inside.

 November 2, 1918 Saturday

By order of the commander, these were all at 8 o'clock in the morning at 8 o'clock in order to be deported. There were 7 people the others stayed home, of course.

 November 3, 1918 Sunday

 The eviction of Belgium continues.

 November 4, 1918 Monday

The 52 th war month has begun. The German staff has come here; the offices are on the town hall; the fishing mine has been settled.

In the morning they are again called young men from 18 to 39 years in the same place at 9 o'clock in the morning; no one had come

 By noon the Commander declared to the mayor of the city that, by order of the high, all the claim had been canceled.

Kannonen, who had been set up at Scheerders Steenbakkerij and machine guns that stood on the platform of the house Standaert, Groote markt, fired for the first time enemy flying machines that dropped notes. the bread costs 0.82 fr: the kgr. The Ration is 333 grams.

 November 5, 1918 Tuesday

 The eviction continues.

The Belgians are for Ghent and in Zelzate; one clearly hears shooting here. They are still 29 km away from us. The Germans have become puny. The lazarets here were cleared and turned into fieldlazets. In the cemetery there are already 60 German graves here. Belgian prisoners of war were billeted in the Centrumschool, which look good.

 November 6, 1918 Wednesday

 The General Staff is replaced here by the Division Staff.

 November 7, 1918 Thursday

 The German retreat continues.

November 8, 1918 Friday. No news.

 November 9, 1918 Saturday.

The Germans let the St Niklaas St Gilles line jump. They shoot cannons to kites of the Allies who pass here.

 THE END

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