Trivia

He became one of the most widely read authors in Flanders.

He married the Dutch-born writer Stephanie Vetter.

Claes treated several subjects. Animals and children were the subject of such works as Floere het fluwijn (1950; "Floere the Polecat") and Jeugd (1940; "Youth"), and World War I was the topic of Namen 1914 (1916).

Although he was usually kind, his tone was occasionally judgmental, as in De vulgaire geschiedenis van Charelke Dop (1924; "The Ignoble History of Charelke Dop"), a bitter and cutting tale of a war profiteer, and Clementine (1940), the story of a dishonest servant girl.

Claes' novels were also adapted into the popular TV series Wij, Heren van Zichem (1969-1972).[.

Some of his works are written under the pseudonym G. van Hasselt.

He gained international renown with various novels based on his childhood and wartime experiences in the region where he was born.

Up until World War Two Claes drew on his memories of and empathy with the 'ordinary man' and his often tough struggle for survival.

He was all too aware that his strength as a writer lay not so much in his imagination, but in his storytelling prowess.

He was a Flemish author, and best known for his regional novels, including De Witte ("Whitey"), which was the source material for the first Flemish movie: De Witte (1934). In 1980 it was remade as De Witte van Sichem by Robbe De Hert.