ABSTRACT
Clara was born in 1900 in a little hamlet in Flanders, the northern part of Belgium which from medieval times was distinguished from the southern part (Wallonia) by language and culture. Today, Flemish is spoken in Flanders, while French is the official language in Wallonia. In the early days of independence (1830), however, French was the official language throughout the country and Flemish was considered the language of the lower class. It was only in 1930 that Flemish became the official language in Flanders.
