In the dunes, on the edge of the beach, Pier Kloeffe (Petrus Decreton) looks out over the horizon in fisherman's clothing. The bronze statue became the figurehead of the fishing industry in De Panne.
Photo gallery
Artist
Louis Van den Eynde
Monument
Pier Kloeffe was born on 4 August 1853 and was actually called Petrus Decreton. The name 'Decreton' was derived from the farming village of Creton in the Eurevallai region of Normandy (F). The whole family was nicknamed Kloeffe because the ancestors still ran the inn ‘De Kloeffe’ on the road to Veurne.
Pier Kloeffe went on an Icelandic voyage with a schooner up to nine times. After this heroic time, Pier took it a little easier and chose a new spot after the First World War: the beach, where he practised shore fishing. He invariably appeared there in his typical fisherman's clothing. Every now and then it would be too much for him, and he would go out to sea for a few hours, usually in the company of his inseparable friend, painter Louis Van den Eynde.
As always, Pier wears the white 'chinstrap' beard typical of the old Icelanders, as well as the Westhoek fisherman's clothing: the blue sailor's cap with black peak, a red line-grain blouse (the chasuble) and thick dark blue trousers.
