Hendrik Geeraert, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

Hendrik Geeraert

Date of Birth: 15-Jul-1863

Place of Birth: Nieuwpoort, Flemish Region, Belgium

Date of Death: 17-Jan-1925

Nationality: Belgium

Zodiac Sign: Cancer

Hendrik Geeraert (15 July 1863, Nieuwpoort, Belgium – 17 January 1925, Bruges) was a Belgian folk hero during the interwar period who he came to symbolize the Belgian resistance movement against the German forces during World War I.
He became famous among the Belgian soldiers in 1914 at the Battle of the Yser.
Serving as a Nieuwpoort skipper, he opened the sluices (a Dutch water channel controlled by a gate) of the Yser River, flooding the polders and bringing the advancing German army to a halt. Geeraert was born at Langestraat 40 in Nieuwpoort, the son of skipper Augustine Gheeraert and Anna Veranneman, a housekeeper, and lace-maker.
Hendrik also became a skipper.
At the age of 24, he married Melanie Jonckheerein in Veurne.
The couple had eight children.