Das Haus von Moses has a unique history. It owes its name to a former owner (resident from 1951 to 1968), an eccentric art collector and artist, who was known far and wide as Moses due to his appearance with a cane and a long grey beard. To this day, numerous stories about Moses circulate in the village (most of them urban legends to keep naughty children on their toes), for example that his bed resembled a coffin and that he closed the lid at night.
In 1968, Moses sold the house to Frans and Catrien Brons, parents of one of the current owners, who bought it as a holiday home for their young family. The village of Ouren seemed like the end of the world back then: it was cut off from the outside world in winter, had a school and a pastor but no public transport, was truly a forgotten corner of Belgium. The house had three coal stoves, one water tap and limited electricity but no gas connection, no toiler or shower and of course no telephone or TV. There were bullet holes from the 2nd World War still visible in the house walls.
Did someone say “fixer upper”? While rolling up their sleeves, Frans and Catrien ran Das Haus von Moses as an open house. They welcomed family, acquaintances, relatives of relatives, acquaintances of acquaintances. Someone was always renovating, fixing and improving something. Generations of children spent many happy summers and holidays here, roaming freely in the surrounding nature. Over the years – with lots of generous help from friends, family and neighbours – Frans and Catrien renovated, fixed and refurbished the house inside and out. Catrien, an art teacher by profession, became skilled in applying layers of colourful wallpaper, which literally held together the crumbly plaster walls!
Over the years Das Haus von Moses has acquired a fiercely loyal following of friends and fans who continue to come here with their children and grandchildren. The house has meanwhile become an official protected village sight in the hamlet of Ouren. While the area and the village gained in popularity as a beautiful tourist destination for nature lovers, the house remains a wonderfully peaceful and unpretentious place to be. Many families have celebrated life here, friendships have been rekindled, loves have arisen and blossomed, many stories have been shared around the campfire, many hectic lives calmed, many inspiring ideas born.