Buvens’ Story – Transport XX • Miracles Docs #9 • 20260604 🇳🇱🇬🇧 🇧🇪🇫🇷

Buvens’ Story – Transport XX • Miracles Docs #9 • 20260604 🇳🇱🇧🇪 Dutch-Flemish (original) • Subtitles: 🇬🇧 English Open Captions & 🇫🇷 🇧🇪 🇳🇱 French, Dutch, Flemish Closed Captions (CC)

SYNOPSIS

Dutch 🇳🇱 — Buvens’ Story Transport XX — Miracles Docs Episode #9 — Documentaire over het verhaal van treinbestuurder Buvens, die in de nacht van 19 april 1943 Transport XX tot stilstand brengt voor een rood licht ‚ op het spoor tussen Boortmeerbeek, Haacht en Hambos. Het verhaal wordt verteld door zijn dochter Marie-José Buvens en getoond in het verslag dat de Belgische Nationale Maatschappij der Spoorwegen (NMBS/SNCB) maakte april 1943, enkele dagen na die aanval op Transport XX naar Auschwitz.
🎬 Korte film van Michel van der Burg & Marc Michiels • Miracles•Media — Nederlandstalig gesproken met Engelse en Franse ondertiteling. Première op 4 juni 2026 bij Miracles•Media.

English 🇬🇧 — Buvens’ Story Transport XX — Miracles Docs Episode #9 — Documentary about the story of train driver Buvens, who on the night of 19 April 1943 brings Transport XX to a halt at a red light on the track between Boortmeerbeek, Haacht and Hambos. The story is told by his daughter Marie-José Buvens and shown in the report that the Belgian National Railway Company (NMBS/SNCB) produced in April 1943, a few days after that attack on Transport XX bound for Auschwitz.
🎬 Short film by Michel van der Burg & Marc Michiels • Miracles•Media — Spoken in Dutch with English and French subtitles. Premiere on 4 June 2026 at Miracles•Media.

Français 🇫🇷 — Buvens’ Story Transport XX — Miracles Docs Épisode #9 — Documentaire sur l’histoire du machiniste de train Buvens, qui dans la nuit du 19 avril 1943 immobilise le Transport XX à un feu rouge sur la voie entre Boortmeerbeek, Haacht et Hambos. L’histoire est racontée par sa fille Marie-José Buvens et illustrée par le rapport que la Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Belges (SNCB/NMBS) a établi en avril 1943, quelques jours après cette attaque contre le Transport XX à destination d’Auschwitz.
🎬 Court métrage de Michel van der Burg & Marc Michiels • Miracles•Media — Parlé en néerlandais avec sous-titres en anglais et en français. Première le 4 juin 2026 chez Miracles•Media.

Documentary

Daughter Marie-José Buvens recounts her father August Buvens’ (1898–1982) account as train driver on Transport XX (D.A.801) — the night of April 19, 1943, when the train stopped at a red light on the track near the towns of Boortmeerbeek, Haacht, and the hamlet of Hambos. Recorded on video tape June 12, 2001 in Kessel-Lo, Belgium, by Marc Michiels. A transcript from this testimony was published online from 2003 at Marc Michiels’ site Holocaust Boortmeerbeek – XXth Convoy (1).

This short documentary film by Michel van der Burg, co-produced with Marc Michiels (†2021), combines that June 2001 testimony of Marie-José Buvens (1,2) with a recently published ‘Special Accident Report’ of the Belgian National Railway Company NMBS/SNCB (‘Bijzonder Ongevalsverslag’) made April 1943 (3), three days after what became known as the attack on the 20th Convoy to Auschwitz — ‘Transport XX’.

Notes

1) August Buvens, engine driver XXth convoy. Marc Michiels. In : Holocaust Boortmeerbeek – XXth Convoy (website). Retrieved from July 18, 2003 snapshot of the website in Marc Michiels Collection (1MEMO_20260604_3) • Miracles•Media • Text from transcript testimony (2) of August Buvens daughter , Mrs Marie-José Buvens on June 12, 2001 in Kessel-Lo, Belgium .

Holocaust Boortmeerbeek – XXth Convoy • Edition 2003 Website Marc Michiels • August Buvens, engine driver XXth convoy • Retrieved from July 18, 2003 snapshot of the website • Marc Michiels Collection • Miracles•Media • 1MEMO_20260604_3 • Screen capture (note : at french page credit address redacted).

A last revision of Marc Michiels’ site (2016) was republished at transportxxboortmeerbeek.be (posthumous) including a copy of this 2003 portrait page of Buvens (Retrieved June 4, 2026) URL https://transportxxboortmeerbeek.be/eng/starten.htm

2) Excerpt 7 minutes from a 44 min interview by Marc Michiels of Marie-José Buvens (from Kessel-Lo; daughter August Buvens), June 12, 2001 , Kessel-Lo (Video Tape) . Source : Digitized video tape ‘20010612 Getuigenis Marie J Buvens’ (DVD July 26, 2013) Michel van der Burg • Marc Michiels Collection • Miracles•Media

3) Belgian National Railway Company NMBS/SNCB ‘Special Accident Report’ 23 April 1943. Source : Nico Wouters , CegeSoma Report , Senate / State Archives Belgium) • Bijzonder Ongevalsverslag nr. 6 1943, Dossier 308 (A1052/43) 27 April 1943, Dossiers 727-2729 Sabotages 1943, Arch. NMBS/SNCB.NMBS Archive . URL https://www.senate.be/home/sections/geschiedenis_en_erfgoed/NMBS-SNCB/CegeSoma-rapport-def.pdf

Additional

Map : Carte Officielle Des Chemins De Fer Belges (Octobre 1927) Societé Nationale des Chemins de fer Belges. Institut Cartographique Militaire 1927. Scale 1:400.000

Reglement Omtrent de Handseinen. Beheer van Staatsspoorwegen. Brussel, 1922.

DRB Class 50 steam locomotive and freight train video and sound (2011). Michel van der Burg • Miracles•Media

Social Edition Film dd 20260604
This ‘social’ edition of the video dd 20260604 has burned in English captions facilitating posting at social media.

Comments & corrections — like for French, Flemish subtitles — welcome : send me a message please via contact form at https://miracles.media/about/ Thanks , Michel van der Burg

Citation info :

🎬 Buvens’ Story – Transport XX • Miracles Docs #9 • Miracles•Media • 1MEMO_20260604_1 • ISAN 0000-0007-329C-0009-A-0000-0001-5 • Short film (9 min) by Michel van der Burg & Marc Michiels • © 2026 Miracles•Media • Source miracles.media/2026/06/04/

Street Art Simon • Miracles Docs #6 • 20251019 🇫🇷🇬🇧

Synopsis

English – 🇬🇧 Street Art Simon — Episode #6 of Miracles Docs — captures the emotional unveiling of a mural created by artist HYER honoring Holocaust survivor Simon Gronowski at the S2J School Center in Liège, Belgium. Through Simon’s testimony and message of hope, the film celebrates resilience, remembrance, and the enduring beauty of life.

Français – 🇫🇷 Street Art Simon — épisode #6 de la série Miracles Docs — retrace l’émouvante inauguration d’une fresque murale réalisée par l’artiste HYER en hommage au survivant de la Shoah Simon Gronowski, au Centre Scolaire S2J de Liège. À travers le témoignage de Simon et son message d’espérance, le film célèbre la résilience, la mémoire et la beauté de la vie.

Intro

Unveiling of the street art mural created by HYER , a tribute depicting the story and credo of Simon Gronowski, in the Garden of Remembrance and Memory of the S2J School Center in Liège, Belgium, on Saturday, May 17, 2025.

Saturday 17 May 2025, Simon Gronowski arrives at the Station Liège-Guillemins — invited for a surprise event at the S2J School Center in Liège, Belgium.

Surprise

After climbing the stairs to S2J school’s hanging garden, Simon has his first encounter with this street art mural on the S2J school’s garden wall, and with the Liège artist HYER.

Inauguration

In her opening speech Antonia Hicter (Principal, S2J School Center) recounted on the history, rationale, and team of this mural project, and the memorial work — the duty of remembrance at S2J .

Next, Philippe Renette (Teacher, S2J School Center) described Simon Gronowski’s impact on the school, the students, and the teachers during Simon’s regular school visits over the past 12 years.
Philippe Renette further explained how this inauguration of the mural also marked the first step in the development of S2J’s ‘Jardin du Souvenir et de la Mémoire’—the Garden of Remembrance and Memory.
Renette concluded by describing this work of art ‘that reads like a book, that is, from left to right, and that unfolds like a tracking shot in a movie’.

Simon Gronowski

Simon Gronowski in his speech focussed on the main points of his history and his message:

The Nazis killed my mother, my sister, in the gas chamber, at Auschwitz-Birkenau. And my father, died, just after the war, in July 1945, in despair.

And I myself, at 11 years old, the Gestapo took me, threw me into a prison, the Dossin barracks in Mechelen.

And after a month of internment, they deported me, in the 20th convoy, and by some miracle, I got out of the train, and I escaped.

A miracle. I was 11 years old.
…
I do not bring today, nor previously…
in this school and elsewhere…
a message, of negativity, or sorrow.

I bring a message, of hope and happiness.

Never forget, life is beautiful.

But it’s a daily struggle.
You have to fight every day.
Because no one is sheltered from life’s trials.

Misfortune can happen to anyone.
We can lose a loved one, in a road accident for example, or through illness. When it happens, when misfortune happens, you have to face it with courage.

I’m not saying I’m courageous, by the way, but I say this for everyone, one must overcome. Fidelity to the deceased person, is to live fully and happily.

And despite today’s tragic events.
I keep my faith in the future , because I deeply believe , in human kindness…

Long Live Peace And Friendship Among Men !

Simon concluded – “to let off steam a little” – with two of his favourite pieces of music , playing on a keyboard.

Street Art Simon • Miracles Docs #6 • 20251019 • French (original) • Subtitles: English 🇬🇧 Open Captions & French 🇫🇷 Closed Captions (CC)

Notes

Unveiling of the street art mural created by HYER, a tribute to Simon Gronowski in the Garden of Remembrance , S2J School Center (Jardin du Souvenir et de la Mémoire , Centre Scolaire S2J) , Liège, Belgium, Saturday 17 May 2025.

Thanks to Simon Gronowski, the S2J team, and especially former student Maxime Louis for his last minute helping hand with the keyboard.

🎬 Street Art Simon
Miracles Docs #6 — A short documentary by Michel van der Burg | Miracles•Media
Co-production: Michel van der Burg (Miracles•Media, Netherlands) & Philippe Renette (S2J School Center, Liège, Belgium)
Languages: French (original) — Subtitles: English 🇬🇧 Open Captions & French 🇫🇷 Closed Captions (CC)
Duration: 22 min
© 2025 Miracles•Media

Social Edition dd 20251019
This ‘social’ edition of the video dd 20251019 has burned in English captions facilitating posting at social media.

Clean Edition dd 20251012
A first ‘clean’ edition of this film (with no burned in captions) with closed captions (CC) for both English and French was published dd 20251012 at miracles.media/2025/10/12 . Reference : Street Art Simon – CC | Miracles Docs #6 | Miracles•Media | 20251012 | ISAN 0000-0007-329C-0006-G-0000-0000-Q

Upload YouTube : Street Art Simon • Miracles Docs #6 • 20251019 🇫🇷🇬🇧

Street Art Simon • Miracles Docs #6 • CC ⚙ 🇬🇧🇫🇷 • 20251012

Synopsis

English – 🇬🇧 Street Art Simon — Episode #6 of Miracles Docs — captures the emotional unveiling of a mural created by artist HYER honoring Holocaust survivor Simon Gronowski at the S2J School Center in Liège, Belgium. Through Simon’s testimony and message of hope, the film celebrates resilience, remembrance, and the enduring beauty of life.

Français – 🇫🇷 Street Art Simon — épisode #6 de la série Miracles Docs — retrace l’émouvante inauguration d’une fresque murale réalisée par l’artiste HYER en hommage au survivant de la Shoah Simon Gronowski, au Centre Scolaire S2J de Liège. À travers le témoignage de Simon et son message d’espérance, le film célèbre la résilience, la mémoire et la beauté de la vie.

Intro

Saturday 17 May 2025, Simon Gronowski arrives at the Station Liège-Guillemins — invited for a surprise event at the S2J School Center in Liège, Belgium.

Surprise

After climbing the stairs to S2J school’s hanging garden, Simon has his first encounter with this street art mural on the S2J school’s garden wall, and with the Liège artist HYER.

Inauguration

In her opening speech Antonia Hicter (Principal, S2J School Center) recounted on the history, rationale, and team of this mural project, and the memorial work — the duty of remembrance at S2J .

Simon Gronowski

Simon Gronowski in his speech focussed on the main points of his history and his message:

The Nazis killed my mother, my sister, in the gas chamber, at Auschwitz-Birkenau. And my father, died, just after the war, in July 1945, in despair.

And I myself, at 11 years old, the Gestapo took me, threw me into a prison, the Dossin barracks in Mechelen.

And after a month of internment, they deported me, in the 20th convoy, and by some miracle, I jumped off the train, and I escaped.

A miracle. I was 11 years old.
…
I do not bring today, nor previously…
in this school and elsewhere…
a message, of negativity, or sorrow.

I bring a message, of hope and happiness.

Never forget, life is beautiful.

But it’s a daily struggle.
You have to fight every day.
Because no one is sheltered from life’s trials.

Misfortune can happen to anyone.
We can lose a loved one, in a road accident for example, or through illness. When it happens, when misfortune happens, you have to face it with courage.

I’m not saying I’m courageous, by the way, but I say this for everyone, one must overcome. Fidelity to the deceased person, is to live fully and happily.

And despite today’s tragic events.
I keep my faith in the future , because I deeply believe , in human kindness…

Long Live Peace And Friendship Among Men !

Simon concluded – “to let off steam a little” – with two of his favourite pieces of music , playing on a keyboard.

Street Art Simon • Miracles Docs #6 • CC ⚙ 🇬🇧🇫🇷 • 20251012

Notes

Thanks to Simon Gronowski, the S2J team, and especially former student Maxime Louis for his last minute helping hand with the keyboard.

🎬 Street Art Simon
Miracles Docs #6 — A short documentary by Michel van der Burg | Miracles•Media
Co-production: Michel van der Burg (Miracles•Media, Netherlands) & Philippe Renette (S2J School Center, Liège, Belgium) Languages: French (original) — Subtitles: English 🇬🇧 & French 🇫🇷 Duration: 22 min
© 2025 Miracles•Media

Joyeux anniversaire - Happy 94th birthday this Sunday 12 October 2025 , Simon 🎈

News

Updates text (20251013) : minor corrections video subtitles (french, english closed captions), and post text

Citation info : Street Art Simon – CC | Miracles Docs #6 | Miracles•Media | 20251012 | ISAN 0000-0007-329C-0006-G-0000-0000-Q

Saint Sepulcre Moments • Miracles Docs #8 • 20250918

Moments from a vibrant testimony and jazz by Simon Gronowski at the Saint-Sépulcre school in Liège, Belgium, 19 november 2013.

The Institut Saint-Sépulcre (now S2J School Center) hosted 3 sessions with Simon Gronowski that day for different age groups, including adults in the evening — and, in between, an intimate jazz moment was created in the surreal ambience of the school’s chapel.

Thanks to friends Philippe Renette (co-producer), Simon Gronowski, Koenraad Tinel (Photo Dieter Telemans featured in Die Welt , Saturday 16th Nov 2013 – Feinde wie wir, by Felix Stephan) and Patrick (assisting with sound), staff Marc Belleflamme and André Hérin, and teachers Christine Marchal, Ingrid Lothe, others, and the Saint-Sépulcre students.
Special thanks to the students Hélène, Charline, Tristan, Kimberley, Elodie, Farah, Esther, Estelle, Laetitia, Catherine, Tracy, and Pauline for making possible the unique events that month in 2013 for this Miracles film project.

Filmed by Michel van der Burg at the Station Liège-Guillemins, and Institut Saint-Sépulcre , Liège, Belgium, 19 november 2013.

Saint Sepulcre Moments | Miracles Docs #8 | Miracles•Media | 20250918

Notes

French talks with English subtitles in open captions (OC).

Miracles Docs #8 :

The first French edition was published in 2022 as Simon Stompin’ at the Saint Sépulcre | Miracles•Media | 20221119 | ISAN 0000-0007-329C-0008-C-0000-0001-0 .

The here presented, second, edition is titled ‘Saint Sepulcre Moments’ and has open captions (burned in) showing English subtitles.

Espace Simon Gronowski • Miracles Docs #7 • 20250905

Poster – Espace Simon Gronowski • Miracles Docs #7 | Miracles•Media | 20250905

Inauguration 19 February 2019 of the Espace Simon Gronowski — a tribute to Simon Gronowski — in the hanging garden of the S2J School Center in Liège , Belgium.

Speech by director Marc Belleflamme and Simon Gronowski in the special presence of Mr. Boonen from the Territoires de la Mémoire, and Ms. Verrekt (administrator) and Mr. Grosch (president) of the Board of Directors.

Film : Michel van der Burg (Miracles.Media) thanks to the S2J school community , in particular Philippe Renette (co-producer).

Notes

French talks with English subtitles.

Tags #Espace #Simon #Gronowski #school #Liège #S2J #street #holocaust #war #education #miraclesmedia

Escape | Miracles Docs #4 | 20240705

Kuttekoven (Borgloon), Belgium. Sunday, January 26th, 2014. At nightfall, Simon Gronowski recounts to people of Kuttekoven, his daring escape – helped by his mother Chana Kaplan that rainy night of April 19, 1943 – from the 20th deportation train to Auschwitz, at this very spot on the railway track bed (of the so-called ‘Fruitspoor’) where it enters the village of Kuttekoven.

Watch film at Miracles•Media – link
https://miracles.media/2024/07/05/escape-miracles-docs-4-20240705/

Close Up | Miracles Docs #2 | 20240423

Brussels, Belgium. February 28th, 2009.
Day two of my encounter with the TRANSPORT XX installation outside at the Royal park in Brussels, that presented 1200 photographic portraits of Jews deported from Mechelen (Belgium) to Auschwitz, April 19th 1943.
That day, Saturday morning, three close-up long takes – ‘traveller shots’ – of two rows of the installation were recorded. The first take of the bottom row is presented in slow-motion here. Two months later – April 19, 2009 – the short film TRANSPORT XX — installation Brussels was published.

Kazerne Dossin digitized the photo’s, that mostly are from the “National State Archives of Belgium. Ministry of Justice, Public Safety Office, Foreigner’s Police, individual files“.
Thank you: Marjan Verplancke and co-workers of the Kazerne Dossin / Jewish Museum of Deportation and Resistance in Mechelen (Belgium) of project “Give Them a Face”.