Jan Olieslagers documentary

Executioner128 · 23 June 2005, 04:16 PM

Today there was a very interesting documentary about the life of

JAN OLIESLAGERS (The Antwerp Devil), I had already seen it, but I was still impressed. Documentary was made during 2003.

At that time, Jan Olieslagers' daughter Maggie Olieslagers was still alive, don't know if she is still today, I think so yes.

Did anyone here see the documentary, or has ever seen?

Jan Olieslagers was a friend of Von Richthofen and Göring. (He met them during his pre-war tour all over Europe, he already was a very famous stunt pilot before the war, one of the first). He also was a close friend of the Belgian king of that time, King Albert I.

His daughter said that, for more than 60 years, she has missed her dad every day, but the most in 1969 (Apollo 11 to the moon) , if Jan had seen it ...

I suppose no one did see it here because it would be coincidence if someone would switch to Belgian television just at the moment of the documentary. Not much Belgian members here, I've only seen EdmondThieffry , thus far?

Greetz

Regulus · 23 June 2005, 10:38 PM

And one of the other Belgian's here was able to miss it ! Damn !

Best from Johan

jempie · 24 June 2005, 09:47 AM

Hi!

Not seen it, but I saw it once a time ago...fine documentary!
I believe there was even a more recent one on TV some months ago?

Got some year ago a request in to contact someone in Antwerp on the subject! Thought it had to deal with, but seems it wasn't so!

Willy Coppens d'Houthulst wrote 1935 a book " Un Homme Volant,

Jan Olieslagers" nbrs 41 until 70 were printed on special paper (Lafuma) and specially resevated to Jan only!
nbr 41 I have into my personal library and was dedicated and signed by Jan to a Mr. Alfred Martougin (Which I believe was a director of a firm at Paris -?- for which Jan Olieslagers was a representant or salesman there?
It's at those days he saw Santos-Domont flying into his "Demoiselle-plane" but finally decided to learn to fly on Blériot surely due to Blériot's "Cross Channel flight" succes ?

I have a lot on Jan, but specialists are to find at Antwerp (and) Airfield where for more regularly exhibitions are held on the subject.
Also it seems all "cups" and "awards" he won, are into some (closed) room on the airfield building to find there, but can only be visited on special request!

His statue stand at the entrance of the airfield and the "airfield grounds" are a donation from Jan to the Antwerp City!(1923)

Contact is the Antwerp Airfield organisation (Aviation Society of Antwerp) or another possibility is to turn you to the Stampe-Vertongen Museum!

I have some postcards on him too...1909 - 1910 -1911
(See http://www.baha.be )

VBR

Jempie.

Executioner128 · 24 June 2005, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Regulus

And one of the other Belgian's here was able to miss it ! Damn !

Best from Johan

A pity ! don't worry, this was already the 2nd time in 6 months they broadcast it, so I'm sure they will do it again.

Cheers

Barrett · 24 June 2005, 06:50 PM

That's interesting; is it known how Olieslagers met MvR and Goering? It seems doubtful that he would have spent enough time with either of them to become good friends, but wouldn't you like to be a fly on the wall? Presumably he spoke German.

Gregvan · 24 June 2005, 08:39 PM

Hi,

I really wonder how Olieslagers might have met both (Manfred?) von Richthofen and Goering before WWI, and befriended them, even if he was a well-known pilot in the very small aviation community that existed pre-war. As far as I know, neither Richthofen nor Goering had any interest in, or involvement with, aviation before WWI. Richthofen was a cavalryman and Goering was in the infantry.

Now, I suppose if Olieslagers stayed active in Europe's aviation community after the war (and I suspect he did - he was active in the founding of the Antwerp Airport in Deurne in 1923), he might have eventually met Goering and-perhaps-Wolfram von Richthofen, or maybe even Lothar before Lothar's death in 1922.

Forgive me for being a skeptic at heart.

Greg VanWyngarden

Vlaming · 25 June 2005, 01:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Regulus

And one of the other Belgian's here was able to miss it ! Damn !

Best from Johan

The Library of Gent has a copy of the video so maybe there is one in Brugge too

Wout

Bluedevil · 25 June 2005, 01:50 AM

There are more Belgian forumites than you might think Vlaming

What's more I'm from Gent too, even though I live in Zaffelare
We may run into each other during the coming "Gensche fieste"

Sadly I've missed the documentary about

Jan Olieslagers

A good read about this amazing fellow is "Une figure de proue : Jan Olieslagers" written by his friend

Willy Coppens De Houthulst... which you undoubtedly have read

I wonder if it could be the same book as "" Un Homme Volant, Jan Olieslagers" that Jempi mentioned? ( got my book in the military museum shop in Brussels...it is a reprint. You can also buy it at "De Krijger" in Erpe-Mere )

Jos · 25 June 2005, 02:07 AM

I recorded the documentary on video and saw it afterwards. I heard Jos Ghoos (former com. of airport Deurne) say that Jan knew von Richthofen and Goering before the war. Just like Greg I wonder if this is true.
Both, von Richthofen and Goering had any interest in flying at that time.
Just before the war started the Germans asked Jan to come to Berlin to give a demonstration. Jan said he couldn't manage it. The Germans responded: We will come to you. But several days later the war started.

Jos

Bluedevil · 25 June 2005, 02:33 AM

Hmm...first sentence of my previous message should be directed @ Executioner128...
I got a bit too enthousiastic when I noticed my city of birth under Vlamings
name....