How God Safeguarded Me By W.H. Verheijen

8/12/2019 How God Safeguarded Me By W.H. Verheijen

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How God Safeguarded Me

By

W.H. Verheijen

(Translated from the Dutch with a preface by Nan Spaan

transcribed by !ane Hart "


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Preface

# truly remar$able diary. Shoc$in%& stirrin%& most mo'in% and(heartbrea$in% stories on World War . n honour and %reat respect for

the author who became the 'ictim for his patriotism.

)aptured by the Na*i re%ime. But +r. Verheijen sur'i'ed atrocities of

war by bein% so deeply reli%ious.

This diary is an appropriate document for anyone who de'otes oneselffor peace, so that this will ne'er occur a%ain.

Therefore this diary deser'es to be read o'er and o'er a%ain.

#u%ust -/0

Harmelen&Holland


3/33

1a%e -

was on duty at the Buitensin%el at 2ampen in the beautiful ni%ht of the month of +ay in-34. (it was from the thto the -4thof +ay. t will ha'e been about 5 o6cloc$ in the mornin%

when a tremendous lar%e number of airplanes flew abo'e our country. # continual dronin% by the

snortin% of the en%ines.By this the tenants of the sin%el wo$e up and put their heads outside the windows to see

what was %oin% on. The dan%er of war threatened already for a lon% time but by the 78hrer6s (9

Hitler" assurance that Holland would not be attac$ed. # lar%e number of the population was notyet aware of the seriousness about this. Howe'er, already soon the riddle was dissol'ed if you

can call it that way.

#lready early at the mornin% hours the wireless announced the cruel raid by the :erries (9

nic$name for ;ermans".


4/33

1a%e A

!ife as a policeman became more unbearable day by day. When our respected Superintendent of

police, +r. Van de Drift, made his traditional speech for the New ?ear on New ?ear6s Day -3-

and with that proclaimed


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uniform it was as if


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the four of us sat down on the ed%e of the iron bedstead. We %ot stren%thened by the #ll&

Bountiful Hea'enly 7ather who nobody abandons who trust in Him. >ur hopes and confidence

were set on Him, especially now. What had happened at 2ampen was already $nown soon. 1eter'an #sselt brou%ht for e'erybody a piece of sausa%e. De 2leine from Hotel


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children whom stayed behind in measureless a%ony. #fter eatin% some porrid%e we went to bed

at -4 o6cloc$. The room door is bein% loc$ed, imprisoned. >f course we cannot sleep that ni%ht.

1a%e -4

Dreadful stories about Vu%ht are already $nown to us. Would be awaitin% us the same destinyFThis and more Guestions $eep you busy. pray my collea%ues that ;od will be our Sa'iour in our

necessity. #t ni%ht time was announced we would be transported the net day. To what placeF

They reassured us this we would find out at the station of #rnhem. >ur companions were thesame companions were the same comrades who brou%ht us from 2ampen to #rnhem. ;uarded

by fi'e members of the constabulary we set out throu%h the streets of #rnhem to the station in

the blea$ mornin% of the Ard of #pril -3A. #fter waitin% some time two ;erman 1olice >fficers

(%rune 1oli*ei" came who too$ us o'er from the constabulary.We %ot into the ready standin% train of which destination was still un$nown to us . Would it be

;ermany or may be the town of Vu%htF t becomes clear to us we will be %uest of Vu%htF t was

announced to us by the police officers who added to it that we probably shall be %oin% to

;ermany shortly to wor$ for impro'in% the roads and so on.#t Mtrecht chan%in% train. +arra %ranted himself the ri%hts as$in% a %entleman who was

wal$in% at the platform there whether he would write to ?sseldy$ 3, at 2ampen that we were offto Vu%ht. Totally unaware of thin%s this %entleman will ta$e his note&boo$ and pencil, but +ara

disco'ered the all&seein% eyes of the :erries and says. donLt note it down, remember it. This

messa%e did ha'e results, for which we than$ this un$nown %entleman.

1a%e --

Still once more we had to %et into train and off we went headin% the place of eile Vu%ht. Somepeople loo$ compassionately to us at that fo%%y mornin%. t is to see on them that they pity us.

This sympathy did us %ood. We wal$ on, we all are dressed in uniform. We arri'e at the first

post. # pole across the road. # :erry ser'ant lifts it up. He loo$s disdainfully to us. #n hundredmeters further ion a%ain a %uard. The same scene. Then we see the first prisoners. # shi'er %oes

throu%h our bones. # Iebra&outfit, close&cropped heads, a pair of clo%s far too bi% and weaponed

with a sho'el, so he is standin% there. Who would he beF # cler%yman, a doctor, a labourer ormay be a collea%ueF We see more of them. They all loo$ in the same monstrously way. They

loo$ up shyly to us, but ri%ht away they %o on wor$in%. They dare not ha'e a loo$ to say so. n

the meantime we ha'e come to a bi% buildin%. t is the commando all ali%ned neatly and in a row.

With a fficers saluted the >ber&Scharf8hrer who is %oin% about our weal andwoe. He handed them a paper on which probably mentioned our names. We ha'e to line up

neatly and in a row in the lon% corridor of the commando. Here too, the Iebra6s who loo$ around

fearfully to what ta$es place. They are the writers, barbers and the li$e, a $ind of people whoha'e a fa'ourable position. >ne of them turns around a little bit and we hear him say


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somebody who is $nown to you and has already spent some time at such torture place. But he

also retires a%ain. When a :erry passes by him, he comes to attention. This we $now already at

least. Here it is to be careful and watch out, this is your parole. We are already aware of this. nthe meantime the officers ha'e finished their business li$e tal$in% and we ha'e to come in. The

>berscharf8hrer 1arne$e(they are all S.S.ers" points out our wron% attitude and command us to

ta$e off our uniforms. The Mniform worn in honour for 5A years has to be handed in to the :errytyrants. They insisted we besmeared our uniforms with stains of unjust blood, but we ha'e

refused to eecute this instruction.

We ha'e listened to the word of our Eminent )ardinal de :on% who had forbidden this tous by his pastoral letter. Therefore we shall accept all conseGuences which result from it. E'en if

we ha'e to pay this at the sacrifice of our li'es. The uniforms ha'e been ta$en off, we are

allowed to $eep our underwear and we are %oin% to the Be$leidun%s$ammer( 9 room where

clothin% is stored". Ner'es played a tric$ on me and do not how to $eep to%ether my duds, butsoon had the situation in hand.

The ser'ant at the Be$leidun%s$ammer has a calmin% effect. He is a decent person (also a

HOftlin% (prisoner"". 1ity canLt remember his name. He hands us a *ebra suit and shows us theway to the Schreibstude where e'ery prisoner is re%istered. %et prison number C430. #fter this

scene they show you the barrac$s. was appointed barrac$ -3. #s a stran%er in the ni%ht youwal$ around. The leader of the barrac$ (an old ;erman capo" (these are often communists who

already ha'e ser'ed about -4 years of imprisonment" #lfred is our Lbloc$oudsteL (9 elderPleader

of the barrac$".

He shouts and yells somethin% we can hardly understand about mar$ieren (9 write down". We

are told that we ha'e to %et our number at the tailor. # :eho'aLs witness from #peldoorn (a

pharmacist" is Lbloc$ writerL and notes our numbers down a%ain. 7inishedQ The number isattached to our *ebra suit and just abo'e it a red trian%le, indicatin% that we are political

prisoners.

Keli%ious people ha'e a purple one, butchers a %reen one, so that they can immediately

distin%uish us. Not wearin% the number or trian%le, implies a sure amount of punishment. We are

re%istered political prisoners in camp Vu%ht. #t least we made it so far without any beatin%s. Weare depressed about the future, but our fellow prisoners comfort us and say that the war will soon

end and that it all will be o'er in a month or three. Mnfortunately it soon becomes clear that this

promisin% prophecy will not be true.

Somewhat uncomfortable we min%le with our fellow prisoners in barrac$ -3. They inform us that

we ha'e not pic$ed a %ood day for our arri'al in Vu%ht. Today the whole camp will be

disinfected a%ainst lice. The place is swarmin% with it. #round --.44 a command soundsE'eryone %et completely undressed and %o the the L#ppellplat*L (9location where the roll calls

were held". This seemed stran%e to us, but we were forced to join and could not escape this

dis%ustin% situation. We were not used yet to the customs at the camp. Suddenly a deputyLscharfurerL steps into the barrac$s. !ater we hear that his nic$name is Ldrec$*ac$L, as he would

use this swearword for e'ery prisoner. f such LroyaltyL came into the barrac$s the nearest

prisoner was epected to shout #chtun% (9attention", after which e'eryone was epected to


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stand up strai%ht. #s mentioned before, we were not aware of these customs yet and hence we

didnLt shout L#chtun%L. There we were, buc$ na$ed and with an empty food bowl in our hands.

Then the command of this ecuse for a human Hinle%en (lie down". #fter lyin% with our

na$ed bodies on the floor he would command we should stand up a%ain. We had to do this about

-@ to 54 times as punishment for our ne%lect. He then disappeared. ?ou could see that he enjoyedhumiliatin% powerless people.

#t around -5.44 one could obser'e the unusual si%ht of 5444 people, of all a%es (e'en childrenfrom -@&-C" standin% na$ed on the sGuare. t is a heyday for the tyrants.

1a%e -A

# man of C4 years of a%e (it was +r. Blauw from Nyme%en" who had a hideous complaint as$ed

permission to $eep on his trousers. This was refused to him curtly. Not before he had been

standin% at the cold roll&call place for more than one hour he %ot permission to put on his

trousers. The poor soul he had to pay for it with his life for this nude culture of the :erries.Si wee$s after this horrible occurrence he was cremated. #lso sun came throu%h for a little

while so now and then, still it was a cold day. With the na$ed bodies pressed closely to eachother one tried to $eep oneself warm a little bit in this way. When e'erybody had lined up and

the roll&call was ta$en it went in close formation to barrac$ / where would ta$e place the

disinfection. The hairs were cut from heads and bodies and one was sprayed on with aninsecticide powder. This too$ lots of time for so many people and is understandable. This too

was the reason we had to stand na$ed for A or 3 hours. #fter the disinfection one %ot an old shirt,

a pair of underpants plus a new con'ict suit and one was


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1a%e -C

The net day they all were stolen, about 54 pairs of shoes. #fter this lu%ubrious action on which

all li$e cler%ymen, mayors, priests as Doctors had to ta$e part we went to Barrac$ AC where we

were sheltered. n a room for -@4 people there were pressed into it about @44 people you werefallin% down o'er each others feet. There was no opportunity for sleep. ndeed at the dormitory

of the barrac$ there were some iron cots with wire mattresses. The first ni%ht had %one by. t

was li$e a %roup of emi%rants as saw them many times at the station when was wor$in% at thetown of Emmeri$ when was still a boy. So we were layin% o'er each other and on each other

that ni%ht. We could not stay in our own barrac$s because that place had to be disinfected too.

We were so ehausted that second ni%ht as we did not %et a win$ of sleep for two ni%hts already.

So we laid down onto a wire mattress of a bedstead from the dormitory. 7or $eepin% oursel'eswarm a little bit )hris and laid down bac$ to bac$. The net mornin% prints of the wire mattress

were mar$ed into our bodies. When we were allowed enterin% our own barrac$ on the second

day after the disinfectin% we were most happy. Now at least we had straw mattress and a few

blan$ets on which we could stretch out our tired limbs. Ke%ardin% acti'ities this turned outbetter than was epected for us as policemen. We were considered Jprisoners of war6 and hence

were treated that way. The first days we didn6t do much more than wander around the barrac$s.

1a%e -0

#lfred our bloc$ warden, he luc$ily was not the worst of the :erry %uards. He e'en allowed us

smo$in% and playin% cards if we would watch out we would be ta$en by surprise by the


11/33

discoura%ements were a blessin%. We did not dare hopin% such %reat pri'ile%e was allotted to us.

#s we had been at the camp for only a short time it was not yet $nown to us who of the priests

had to %o throu%h these trials with us. #lready soon we percei'ed some amon% whom chaplainHe%%en from the town of s6&Heerenber%. He would become our reli%ious leader to whom we

re'ealed all our worries and needs at the same time. He was familiar with life at the camp. He

had been stayin% there already for more than one year for his < low and bad deed=(namelystencillin% an Episcopal letter". #s many times as possible this little club of )atholics came

to%ether under his leadin% and were addressed by him which %a'e you much stren%th for all

'icissitudes. He had already suffered a lot and was able to encoura%e you. How many timesthey were already tormented. still see them standin% at the roll&call place behind the wire&

fence. Was the roll&call finished, then the cler%ymen had to hop in a sGuattin% position from the

roll&call place to the barrac$. This because they were eempted from wor$ by then. #lso they

could not escape from the embarrassment of the lice&disinfection. They especially were 'ictimsof foul lan%ua%e and actions.

1a%e -

t was outra%eous, but all of this they suffered it boldly and bra'ely. #fter this spiritualinterme**o return a%ain to barrac$ -3. was feelin% relie'ed when the news came we would

%o o'er to barrac$ - as bein% hosta%es. There met an old acGuaintance, namely +r. W. Ber%a. %ot to $now him when was an assistant customRhouse officer at the town of 2la*iena'een

twenty&fi'e years a%o. Now he is a policeman at the town of ;roote%ast. He is a


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was a 'eation for them who arri'ed, we found comfort in bein% able to %reet new 'isitors in

oppression. saw them comin% in the %entlemen 'an der Veen, 'an de >e'er, 1older, 'an

Ber%en, 2ey*er, 'an Dy$, W. Bos, 'an der 2ouwe, and more acGuaintances from 2ampen. twas a comfort to be able %i'in% them a piece of bread. This was made possibly to us because we

%ot sent parcels made with much care from home and other residents from 2ampen. did not yet

dedicate one sin%le word about food in the camp, but in one word, this was so bad one could note'en %i'e it to the pi%s.

1a%e 5-

7or four or fi'e wee$s one would eat turnip or carrot soup. The mass of the prisoners could not

stand it and became serious trouble with their bowels. Diarrhoea and loss of blood occurred thenfreGuently. Drin$in%&water was 'ery bad(%roundwater". Howe'er they payed attention to this

indeed, because the :erries were fri%htened for infections. Nice life at barrac$ was of short

duration. #fter ha'in% been eempted from roll&calls for a fortni%ht we had to appear at the roll&

call place. That is to say in the mornin% at C o6cloc$ midday at -5 o6cloc$ and at ni%ht time at 0o6cloc$. Sound the re'eille was at summer time 3 o6cloc$ and at wintertime at @ o6cloc$. Who

not %ot up immediately after jin%lin% the bell %ot a buc$et of water o'er his head or wascud%elled out of his cot. #n efficacious remedy for lie&abeds in ci'il life. Durin% the Koll&calls

were enacted usually the %reatest horrors. f someone had sinned a%ainst the rules of the camp,

e'en if it were a trifle matter, then was produced a wooden horse. The 'ictim had to put himselfo'er it and he had to hold the underneath lath of the wooden horse so that the muscles of the

bac$ were stretched ti%htly. >ne of the jerrie&%uards was chosen for %i'in% a particular number

of stro$es with a stic$ (5@ or @4". He acGuitted himself of the tas$ with all ener%y which was in

him by which the 'ictim often cried it out because of pain. Herewith the sufferin% ne saw these scenes almost dayly.>ne of the most touchin% moments of my life at the camp was the carryin% off of the :ewish

)hildren at Whitsuntide -3A. Either the father or the mother was allowed to %o with them, so

one of the two had to stay behind. They flin%ed their arms round their parents nec$s and couldnot loosen themsel'es as it were. #lso with respect to the little sic$ poor thin%s there was no

clemency. They were dra%%ed away from the infirmary with a temperature of 34 o ) de%rees or

e'en hi%her. Some of them died in the arms of father or mother at the station at Vu%ht. Thelittle bodies were brou%ht bac$ to the camp and cremated there as we learned later on. still see

them in front of me these poor souls who fou%ht for their children with the coura%e of

desperation but it was of no a'ail.


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last %ift %ratefully. n the meantime the would&be wit of the :erries had in'ented somethin% else

too, with re%ard to us. t annoyed them they saw us layin% down out in the sunshine a%ainst or

behind the barrac$. We had to be made producti'e. # %reat happiness for us hosta%es was that apart of the 1hilips industry from Eindho'en was mo'ed to the camp in Vu%ht, we were epected

to wor$ here.

1a%e 5A

Boonstra, )oeleman, de Beste, +ulder and howe'er were destined for ne could stand camp life better than the other, but for Harmsen it was

'ery bad. #ll throu%h the days his mind was occupied by the thou%hts he would not sur'i'e the

camp. #fter ha'in% been with us for some months he left us for employment as an attendant atthe camp of the town of Haren .

# well&deser'ed tribute for this man is on the ri%ht place here. Howe'er that clandestine letter

has %i'en me many sleepless ni%hts. was constantly scared that would ha'e to report to the

camp commander.


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1a%e 5@What this meant $new already many of us. +ore than e'er in'o$ed the Holy Vir%in that she

mi%ht protect me and she has heard me because ha'e ne'er heard anythin% about it. Howe'er

soon there came an end to our Stubedienst(9 room ser'ice" because these ser'ants too had to bebrou%ht to producti'e wor$. So it happened had to %o too with the others to the 1hilips

barrac$s. was placed at Barrac$ 34. With the others had to scour onto rusty wirelesses and

en%ines and so on, still because of the fire at the 1hilips wor$s at Eindho'en. But still wor$in%there was socially, at least if you could call that wor$in%. E'erybody sabota%ed and it did not

come to much of wor$. >ne was wor$in% li$e his life was dependin% on it only when an S.S.er

was approachin%. #s a rule this was announced by a post put out at the barrac$. But he had not

yet turned his bac$ or one was readin% or playin% card a%ain.7irst in the mornin% at 0 o6cloc$ before startin% wor$ the political situation was discussed.

E'erybody had his special club. belon%ed to one whereby was di'ided a %ara%e proprietor from

the town ;asselternij'een, a communist from Kotterdam and a certain +r. Iaa%water from the

town of Tiel. The latter a fine man had to sacrifice his life for our freedom. He was called awayNo'ember -3A and shot to death on -@th of December. He has pictured all his course of life and

his ille%al wor$ for me. n piety for him mention his name here and remember him in myprayers. n the meantime the number of labourers at 1hillips was %rowin%, amon%st them were

also cler%ymen.

1a%e 5C

7ather Schaafs from the town of !osser was a special friend of mine. :ust as 7ather )hristofoor

+eulendj$s and 7ather !enonards from Bel%ium. #s learned 'ery well darnin% soc$s as a -3

year old boy in ;ermany, for me it came in 'ery handy now. Se'eral tens of pairs of soc$s ha'edarned and all of this happened durin% 1hilips wor$in% time. )hris and we loo$ed for thrown

away soc$s out of dustbins ra'elled them out and used this as material for darnin%. So darned

soc$s of the 1riests, of collea%ues and many other acGuaintances a ci%arette was the reward formy wor$. +r. 2nibbe a Secretary of the )hamber of )ommerce at the town of !eiden was also

one of the characters who sabota%ed in a hu%e way. Sometimes he showed it ob'iously which

would not always benefit the matter.#n e&collea%ue +r. De Kuiter from Schoonrewoerd has remained %ratefully to me for

darin% soc$s. Kecently he entitled me in a letter addressed to me with Hello friend and darner of

soc$s from Vu%ht=. Keli%ion too was eperienced at its full etension there at the 1hilips

barrac$s. >ne Sunday a 1riest held a sermon, the net a Ke'erend, in spite of se'ere chec$in%s ofthe :erries. There ma%nificent sermons were held, which will remain in your memory for the rest

of your life. +i%ht reli%ion become professed in normal day life li$e at a concentration camp.

Here amon% communists and atheists you could cross yourself and pray respectfully and nobodywould be ridiculed. That was different at the barrac$s. f a jerry would see you pray

1a%e 50

one was chased out of the barrac$ and abused or a buc$et of water was thrown at you. f they

only could ridicule reli%ion they too$ part in it. >nce they went thou%h the barrac$ for a so&

called palm& procession at 1alm Sunday. n front went the room broom as a cross and then a


15/33

blessin% with a hand brush, this all around the barrac$. They will not ha'e escaped from their

condi%n (F " punishment for these atrocities. +ost of them lost their li'es at the raid of the

#mericans as learned. %o bac$ to the 1hilips barrac$s a%ain. We, 7ather Schaafs, de Vries,7renc$e, 'an Wel, 'an Schai$ and were sittin% to%ether at a table. E'eryday we to%ether were

tellin% the beads. The little pins of the radio&'al'es which we had to use as material had to act as

rosary. No'ena6s were held one after the other and we were heard. # few times we saw %oin%alon% our barrac$ a %roup of ci'ilians hea'ily %uarded. We $new what this meant. They were

sentenced to death on the %allows and the crematorium, that was awaitin% them. E'erybody was

silent and starin% after the poor souls. How somethin% li$e that mo'ed on you is indescribable.What we only could do was to endea'our some moments of silence which were utili*ed to pray a

few >ur 7ather6s for them who would fall for our freedom and they would ha'e a blessed dyin%

hour. They were commemorated a%ain in joint e'enin% prayers at ni%ht&time. The crematory was

the most terrifyin% place at camp Vu%ht.

1a%e 5/

There it was situated hidden so Guietly behind the firwoods and what enacted thereF Bein% able

to describe all this is appallin%. The remains of the cremated bodies not Guite perished to asheswere thrown into a pit an hideous scene, horrible to behold. We were assured from an

authoritati'e source the bodies were anatomi*ed first before crematin%. This occurred on a%ranite table in which a human body fitted eactly. ( ha'e seen them standin% near the

crematorium". n the center of such table was an openin% under which a conduit&pipe was fitted

throu%h which the flowin% fluid could run from the dead body. +ostly this lu%ubrious job wasdone by a :erry&ser'ant who %ot so much alcohol for it as he li$ed from the camp leadin%. That

this rou%h riff&raff had no respect at all for a body is to be understood. ;olden teeth were

etracted for not sayin% anymore about the dreadful dishonourin% of the bodies. n the

be%innin% the crematorium too$ only a small place but soon the buildin% was etended so therecould be operated 3 furnaces now. +any times we felt %rie'ously when we saw hea'y blac$

clouds comin% from the chimneys. The furnaces were sto$ed by crude oil. >nce 7ather Schaafs

had 'ery laconically the remar$


16/33

to suffer for it especially. +r Hendri$s had the nic$name of


17/33

;ood 7riday -33 was a %loomy day for all of us. #t the e'enin% roll&call sounded the

command


18/33

1a%e A3

#fter waitin% fore'er and after bein% re%istered a%ain ( %ot number 3@@" we had to hand in our

ci'ilian clothes. n echan%e we %ot a set of clothin% so %reasy and dirty, they e'en could not be

used for ra%s. #t the


19/33

pa%e A@

that saw a%ain my belo'ed wife my youn%est son and my eldest son a%ain after more than -/months. Because of the %oodness of some ur !ord. 7or me it was li$e already had for%otten all misery now we had met each

other for some minutes. +y brother :an too made %reat efforts for bein% able to see me still fora moment. am 'ery %reatful to you dear brother for this, and shall remain this for always too.

With all our incon'enience and discomfort which #mersfoort caused, howe'er care for

reli%ion was arran%ed 'ery well althou%h it is without sayin% it went clandestine. E'ery mornin%

)hris, 'an Schai$ and recei'ed Holy )ommunion from 7ather Kutten to recei'e our !ord. Thetabernacle was a small tin can. #fter recei'in% Holy )ommunion we felt so stron%.

1a%e AC

>ne could %o throu%h e'erythin%, all difficulties of all day, because these were %reat there. >newas walloped and cud%elled there by our own camp rascals. n a manner of spea$in% they would

beat you to death literally for an etra portion of food which they %ot for their lu%ubrious wor$. f

they saw a couple of prisoners standin% to%ether than they drew their swords and they beat you

where they could hit you. But soon to this would come an end too by our lea'in% for ;ermany. ha'e tried to %et myself rejected, but did not succeed. We all (-4 policemen" we %ot a dischar%e

certificate from )ommandant 'an de Ber% from #mersfoort on the 50th of #u%ust -33, early in the

mornin%. We left with ba% and ba%%a%e under %uard of C or 0 policemen (Dutch ;r8ne 1oli*ei" to#mersfoort station from where our %reat journey would be%in to ;ermany.

The warm affection of the #mersfoort citi*ens attracted attention here li$e at Vu%ht and

somewhere else. # -3 year old boy was standin% near the station. He handed some rolls withmeat and eel and some fruit to us. t was $nown to us that our journey was %oin% to #i la

)hapelle. By a bi% stupidness of our %uards the journey did not %o on smoothly, which we li$ed

'ery much of course. #s we missed the connection at Mtrecht, we had to wait at Venlo for A

hours. We had the opportunity to see Jnormal people6 a%ain, an epression we had used when weleft camp Vu%ht.

1a%e A0We saw normal life a%ain. By that profited by as$in% a boy to phone my brother in law at the

town of Koermond and to tell him would arri'e at 3 46cloc$in the afternoon that day. This was

successful because my sister, brother in law and the children were standin% at the platform when

train came in at Koermond. There were tears of happiness but also of uncertainty about my future.


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The fine ci%ars from Mncle :an which he presented me at this opportunity were 'ery welcome and

enjoyed them. So had the pri'ele%e to con'erse with them for some minutes but to this came an

end too, and train left in the direction of Heerlen. They wa'ed at me as far as they could see me.was con'inced they would recommend me 'ery specially to >ur !ady ur !ord

and his Holy +other, of whom a beautiful ima%e was placed in the church. Nothin% could harm usanymore and there could come what mi%ht now. Mnited with Him we were stron% enou%h to be

able to bear all that is han%in% o'er our heads. #fter endin% we went a%ain to the employment

office where the ci'il ser'ant from :8lich was waitin% for ta$in% us. We stared when we weremissin% the two. n the meantime it had become clear to us because they had remo'ed their names

and addresses from their suitcases. We mad the :erries belief they had lost their way in #i !a

)hapelle and they would be found a%ain. So we set out on the journey to :8lich without ourcollea%ues. #t the employment office we were as$ed what $ind of wor$ we could do. stated was

familiar with farmers wor$ and was able mil$in% cows too. #ll this was recorded. #fter

re%isterin% we were told we were employed at a locomoti'e manufactory at :8lich. We were placed

at an old men6s home. n comparin% with the camp food was prepared well and sufficient too. #


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cross&eyed :erry who was in char%e with the distribution of that , he said to us in dialect that was

close to Dutch, %et your food (etten holen". There were no bed a'ailable for us, hence we

1a%e 34

spend the ni%ht on a few benches with blan$ets. Still we were feelin% happy, so called to be free.

We went to%ether down town and we bou%ht a lo'ely pot of beer at the #achenerstrasse. Weindeed attracted attention, because our collea%ue Ber%a who was with us, was a %iant of 5 meters

tall (9almost 0 feet" and wei%hin% -A4 2.%. (9 about 54.@ stones". The Wirtschaftsfraulein(9 lady

who ser'ed us at the cafU", howe'er was soon on our side and in spite of the presence of -4:erries she run down the Na*ism.

# railway official was %oin% to %et us the net day(+onday", but before he came, the

three of us ()hris, the boy from Hen%elo and " we had recei'ed Holy )ommunion at a little

chapel belon%in% to that old men6s home. We had as$ed this one of the )haplains of the parishand he complied immediately with our reGuest. With -4 of us we marched to our new field of

action towards midday. #t our first arri'al we were disappointed. We saw namely a lar%e camp

surrounded by a wire fence. >ur camp leader +r. Dohmen assured us we were entirely free and

we could lea'e the camp at anytime pro'ided that we would be present a%ain at ten at ni%ht time.The ten of us we %ot assi%ned a $ind of small barrac$ (a small buildin% shed" which was di'ided

in a day and a ni%ht Guarter. t was sociable there for as far as possible. We did not wor$ yetbecause we did not ha'e wor$ clothes yet. When they finally arri'ed fun was o'er and we had to

1a%e 3-%o into the factory. #n area of maybe @4 or C4 Hectares(9one hectare9 -44 sGuare

meters"E'erythin% belon%ed to the factory and in there nothin% but en%ines and locomoti'es

which had to be repaired. The Tympanums would almost tear by such hellish noise. There my

first wal$ was to the office of the factory to apply for a lea'e. The :erry said Der Deutschensoldat hat $ein Mrlaub=.(9 the ;erman does not %et 'acation", on which answered him that we

were no ;erman soldiers. Then he answered, < Wir sind ollen Deutschen Soldaten=, (9 We are

all ;erman Soldiers=, and continued


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to me, was already used to so much. #t the camp one was not so dainty too. Howe'er the :erry

ser'ant tried in all ways to stay on and so t happened that could lea'e nly a simple handsha$e. >n the contrary he

almost embraced me because had assured him to loo$ after his Hector 'ery well. He hadscarcely left when some nei%hbour&women came to the farm&yard and said to Seef < Hast Du die

fahne noch nicht herausF = (9 Did not you put out the fla% yetF" Seef had said namely if 7rit* had

to become a soldier she would put out the fla%. Then Seef told me her eperiences witrh 7rit*durin% her married life. He had been a tyrant for her and had mishandled her enormously. Her

joy about his lea'in% was eplicable. #s was $nown a little with farmwor$, it was not so hard

on me because had practiced it at my youth. #ssisted by Seef and her dau%hter we mana%ed torun the farm. The hoouse was small. # small $itchen and a frontroom downstairs and upstairs A

small bedrooms. E'erythin% eGually old but still clean and neat. had a little room of which the

walls were almost Guite co'ered with de'otional pictures of saints and framed mortuary cards of


23/33

the family. >n top of that there was a hu%e rosary han%in on the wall, it was so bi% that it made a

7ransiscan rosary loo$ small in comparison.

1a%e 3@

The beddin% was clean and tidy. Seef and Dela too$ care of my clothes 'ery well by launderin%

and repairin% it for as far as still had some of it. E'en my wor$in% shoes were oiled by thedau%hter. #lthou%h food was not eactly prepared so tastily, still it was always 'ery nutritious.

had to slau%hter a rabbit e'ery Saturday which was disposed on Sunday. did not need wor$in%

on Sunday6s but only loo$in% after the cattle. Durin% wor$&days %ot up at C o6cloc$ in themornin%, mil$ed the cows, brushed Hector and the cows, with which was already about 0

o6cloc$. 7irst had lit the $itchen ran%e and put up the $ettle so that Seef could ma$e a bi% pot of

coffee ri%ht away when she %ot up. Howe'er much was her wor$in% mana%er ou%ht to be

described the followin%. When 7rit* still was at home one of the cows was mil$ed by him,because this one $ic$ed tremendously accordin% to 7rit*. He punished this animal by puttin% a

$ind of harness around the trun$ between which a cud%el which was turned on so ti%htly that the

animal had to stand with a cur'ed bac$. Then the head was pulled to the crib and so 7rit* started

mil$in%. He put a reser'e pail near him and when he had mil$ed one litre he added it to the otherpail to a'oid spillin% any mild. #fter 7rit* left Seef would ha'e to do this chore.

1a%e 3C

felt sorry for the poor soul who applied the same method as 7rit* whereby sweat run alon% her

forehead. too$ o'er this job and after three days mil$ed the cow without blade, cud%el orsomethin% similar. Seef was ama*ed about it and wrote to her husband < Das $ann nun ein

1oli*ist und du hast dich da Iwei :ahre mit %e%ualt=. ( 9That is what e'en a policeman is able to,

and you ha'e drud%ed with it for two years". Now she li'ed in peace and was happy.

>nce she wrote a letter to 7rit* with the followin% contents fen schon,

und :et*t hore ich nicht mehr unter an der treppe 2omm leraus du faules #as=.( 9 Now am

ha'in% hea'en on earth. When %et up two pails of mil$ are standin% on the threshin% floor andthe $itchen ran%e has been lit already and now do not hear anymore at the bottom of the stairs

%et out you la*y carrion". # fine compliment to 7rit*. 7urther there ha'e plou%hed, sown and

harrowed and in a word e'erythin% which ou%ht to be done at a farm. To be depri'ed of homewas the only 'eation for me. was ha'in% a %ood life. 7rom time to time it was dan%erous

indeed because the Tommies they rose to the occasion and 'isited us continually. So one day

had to %et clo'er for the cattle. The meadow was was close to the street #$en&2eulen. There

was shot at with by machine%un.(sentence cut off by photo-copier L.H.)

1a%e 30

The bullets hit only a small distance from me. too$ co'er underneath the cart on which clo'erhad to be loaded. Happy and than$in% ;od arri'ed at the farm a%ain safe and sound .

Besides the acti'ities at the farm sometimes did odd jobs for the nei%hbours li$e

transportin% beets and fetchin% briGuettes. 7or this last went from home at ni%ht to a'oid bein%seen on the street by day li%ht as less as possible as the dan%er was 'ery %reat to be fired at from

the s$y. had to %et these briGuettes at one of the mines at the town of !uc$erber% about three

hours dri'in% from 2oslar (;oslar". So once had to %et briGuettes . #s the farmer6s wife had

for%otten to call me had to dri'e by myself in contrast with the other times when some other


24/33

'illa%ers dro'e with me. t was pitch dar$ and a small co'ered paraffin lamp was all that

li%htened the road a little bit. When dro'e onto a road un$nown to me there were were retired

:erry troops to await the #mericans.


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'illa%e when we saw in loo$in% bac$ that already some streets were on fire. >ne eplosion

followed the other and than$ed ;od we were so far away which was beyond reachin%. The

weather was not fa'ourable and it rained shells. We arri'ed at a 'illa%e called Spiel about @o6cloc$ in the afternoon. There was a li'in% a friend of Seef6s and Dela6s.

unharnessed the horse and put Hector at a little stable at the opposite nei%hbour. The

animal was restless and was ill at ease. went to loo$ ha'e a loo$ se'eral times and when itheard me it nei%hed. We dried our clothes and of course after ha'in% eaten a bi% piece of fried

rabbit slept 'ery Guietly on a bed which had been put ready for me in the li'in% room. We dro'e

to the town of Bedbur% the net day (5-stof No'ember" from where all e'acuees would betransported to Sa$sen. The ba%%a%e was reloaded into a wa%on and my faithful Hector was sold

for D.+. -444(9 ;erman mar$s" there at the station. Seef could %i'e up reluctantly this faithful

animal, but necessity $nows no law. She stared after him with tears in her eyes. #t the station

about 0 to / hundred people were waitin% for the train.

1a%e @-

;rey&haired men in the a%e of /4&4 years old , women and %irls, children and babies e'ery body

side by side. # sad picture. Seef assured me could %o with them to Sa$sen too, but as did notha'e the ri%ht papers for it, to me it appeared unli$ely after all. tal$ed to an S.S. fellow about

this who said < Sie 2onnen nicht mitfahren sonst be$ommen sie %rosse Schwieri%$eiten,= (9?oucannot dri'e alon% with us otherwise you will %et %reat difficulties". So only Seef and Dela went

to meet the lar%e un$nown country. She still %a'e me a pac$et of butter and a piece of sausa%e

and there stood all by my self a%ain in that bi% ;ermany. But no fearQ would mana%e to sa'emyself. The liberation came in si%ht and this encoura%ed me to conGuer this set&bac$ too. There

at Bedbur% @/44 people from Kotterdam had arri'ed that 'ery day who were loc$ed up. What

would doF To join themF NoQ went alone to the S.S. who referred me to the S.#. #fter

%a'in% an eplanation there about my eperiences %ot a Keisbefehl (9 bein% obli%ed to tra'el toa certain place". was informed to announce myself at the 1arty Buildin% at the town of

Ber%heim about 34 2.+. from Bedbur%. arri'ed there late at ni%ht. %ot some ;erman soup

and as loo$ed decently was allowed to sleep with comrade +uller. The bedroom was actuallya bathhouse that was used as %uardroom by a

1a%e @5couple of S.S. ers. They $ept watch on an hundred Kussian and 1olish people who were

encamped in the nei%hbourhood. #s had not slept the pre'ious ni%ht slept li$e a top amon%

some S.S ers with a raincoat as blan$et. When wo$e up disco'ered had slept in a bathin%

establishment, went to the buildin% where announced myself the ni%ht before where %ot apiece of bread and some coffee. They made clear to me that had to %o with a number of ten

Kussians and 1olish people to the town of T8rnich under %uard of some S.#. fellows (they were

called the


26/33

because had the fear to be sheltered with them at the barrac$s and would end up in the trenches

durin% winter.

1a%e @An order to escape this went to the 'illa%e of Bal$hausen at ni%ht and made inGuiries whether

there would be wor$ for me at a farm. #n a%ed ;erman went for a wal$ with me and meant to

ha'e found somethin% for me, namely at a woman6s whom6s husband was at the 2rie%(9war".She had a -3 year old boy as a ser'ant. So was unsuccessful as the woman did not dare to send

away this boy. Bein% at my wit6s end went to church where reGuested >ur +other of

1erpetual Help for a relief which turned up 'ery soon. The local farmer6s leader where appliedto promised me could be placed at )ount Hoensbroec$6s at the castle. said %ood&bye to the

Kussians and 1oles and went to Schloss(9castle"


27/33

this little chapel was room for C4 or 04 people. The 'illa%ers of T8rnich came to church here too.

Holy +ary has protected me 'isibly here also, because 'iolence of war arose here too after some

months. >n the a'era%e went to rest 'ery early at ni%ht time because for the dan%er of bombin%we had to %o into the under%round shelter more times a ni%ht. When heard bu**in% a bomb

thrower was awa$e immediately. Then you could hear fallin% down already the bombs in a

distance. Howe'er not until they were dropped in a short distance we left the beds and went intothe shelter. The acti'ities were of such $ind that could do it shamblin%. n the mornin%

brea$fast at 0 o6cloc$. #fter this feedin% and mil$in% some cows and at o6cloc$ a second

brea$fast. Than, this was dependin% on the weather, to the fields for di%%in% up potatoes or beets,spreadin% dun% and so on. -5 o6cloc$ sharp home a%ain for lunch well cared for by !iesbeth our

$itchen princess. #t -A41.+. set to wor$ a%ain till @ o6cloc$. #fter that ta$in% care of the cows

and after wor$ we would to%ether pray the rosary in the chapel. #t 0 oLcloc$ diner of fried

potatoes, bread and porrid%e would be ser'ed.

1a%e @@

There, @ 1oles were employed too who were not so li$eable to me so had not much to do with

them. They used to spea$ 1olish while their $nowled%e of ;erman was pretty %ood, so did notassociate much with them.

#lready for lon% had hoped to may be at home with my wife and children on )hristmasday -33. But this happiness was not yet reser'ed for me. n order to lessen the mental pain the

)ount and )ountess came and presented me a small decorated )hristmas tree, plus a bo of

ci%arettes, speculaas(9 spiced coo$ies" and some boo$lets of reli%ious tendency. By this was'ery touched and was cryin% when was on my own. +ay ;od reward these %ood people who

feel so sorry. The #mericans ad'anced continually nearer. The thrown out pamphlets from the

aeroplanes $ept us informed about the pro%ress and durin% acti'ities at the fields there was

loo$ed for carefully. #mon% the personal at the castle was also a %ardener named :osefHambach. He was a fine fellow and an anti&Na*i man. Howe'er he was hit by a $illin% lead on

5Ardof :anuary -3@. He had to sacrifice his life for the Na*i re%ime. We were busy threshin% at

a field&farm which was situated about -44 meters from the castle on 5Ardof :anuary [email protected] we heard machine %uns firin%.

1a%e @C immediately too$ co'er between the bales of straw, and saw comin% 5 lar%e bombs in a

distance of not yet -44 metres. # number of -4 bombers battered the castle with machine %uns

and bombs throu%h which a barn was hit and 'anished entirely from earth6s surface. The castle

was spared ecept for some holes by machine %uns in spite of the -3 bombs which were droppedin the nei%hbourhood. #ll windows were smashed to pieces. #fter lea'in% of the bombers we

went to the castle and established that the %ardener who had been wor$in% at the hot house was

hit there. He was moanin% underneath rubbish. With united efforts he was ta$en away from thatplace, put onto a door and brou%ht to the castle. 7rom there he was ta$en by a Ked )ross

ambulance to the hospital at the town of 2erpen where he died after some hours. was present at

his funeral. The mayor of T8rnich spo$e at the %ra'eside and by then he already pointed out thedan%er which was threatenin% ;ermany as the border had been crossed already at many places.

But yet finally for ;ermany the


28/33

was on the e'e of my birthday (5Ardof 7ebruary" when an e'acuee from the town of Barmen near

2oslar %a'e me two letters. He too was sheltered at the castle and presented me two letter that he

%ot from a ;erman soldier.1a%e @0

t was incomprehensible for me as had ne'er been in touch with the two < ;entlemen ctober which recei'ed at 2oslar. wrote re%ularly e'en 5 or A times a

wee$ and ne'er %ot an answer bac$. This was ma$in% life so hard. #nd yet 5 letters at the timewith such news of splendid contents. t was the most beautiful present which e'er mi%ht recei'e

on my birthday. The liberation came within si%ht but the situation became more dan%erous

continually.

# ;erman captain who participated in the rosary&prayers e'ery ni%ht said to me at acertain ni%ht ur joy is unlimited. #t the ris$ of still to be fired upon

by ;erman %renades we went to the 'illa%e to welcome and than$ our liberators. >ur hearts areo'erwhelmin% of :oy. The fi'e 1oles and offered ci%arettes, and we as$ them when we could

set out for home. Wait for full occupation, is the answer, but that ta$es too lon% for me.

1a%e @

The lon%in% for home is too stron% that restrain myself to wait here. #fter attendin% Holy +ass

at the chapel of the castle on Sunday --thof +arch %a'e to understand the )ount that was

%oin% to lea'e. He calls me to his room, %i'es me a sort of testimonial and an amount of ;erman


29/33


30/33

consisted of #merican ca$es and some soup which was not 'ery tasty. We were condemned to

stay at the barrac$, %oin% out was prohibited. +y friend and sleepin%& mate Hen$ Biermans was

not feelin% 'ery well, he had a soar throat. This became so bad that he had to be ta$en to a clinicand later on transported to a

1a%e C5hospital at #i !a )hapelle. !uc$ilyhe has sur'i'ed his illness. t re%retted me 'ery nuch indeed

that could not ta$e him with me when we were lea'in% #i !a )hapelle the net Tuesday. #t

last the day which had been waitin% for lon% had come. #bout -5 o6cloc$ at noon cars dro'e infront and decorated by the Dutch tricolour and with a couple of bi% drums we left the barrac$

sGuare in the direction of the Dutch border.

How was beatin% my heart of joy and was near cryin% when it so precious Hollandcame in si%ht. #bout 5 o6cloc$ we passed the border at the town of Vaals on +arch 54th. Thus we

were a%ain onDutch soil. #ll the population of Vaals came out of their houses and %reeted us in a

limbur%er %enial way. How %ood did it to me. Somethin% to remember for always. But the

journey went on . Weysden was our destination. 7irst at the station we were chec$ed for politicalreasons. #fter this we all were sprayed on with D.D.T. powder for disinfection. #fterwards we

went in %roups of -@ or 54 persons to a nunnery(F" for %ettin% a physical chec$ up by the present

physician. #fter this we had to announce oursel'es at a school where the repatriates would besheltered for the time bein%. 7ather 1rofessor 'an Tiel was at the head of the repatriation. The

care was 'ery %ood here . ;ood food and beddin% and e'en no lac$ of entertainment.

1a%e CAThe people from Brabant and !imbur% already could %o home since their towns already had been

liberated. We, who wanted to %o home so badly we could not yet %lory in a freed place. Soon

was at wor$ at the repatriation ser'ice and %ot acGuiainted with Ser%eant )onstable Straatman,who reGuested me to %o into ser'ice of the )onstabulary arms till 2ampen would be liberated.

This was somethin% to my li$in%. So on the 5/ thof +arch -3@ could put on a%ain the uniform

which had to hand o'er to the :erries on the 5ndof #pril -3A. eperienced one of the most %lorious moments of my entire life here. t was $nown to

me that namely my eldest son Herman as a no'ice stayed at the 7ranciscan +onastery at

Hoo%cruts. This place is situated about 54 2.+. from Eysden. >n the 54thof +arch -3@ called

at the %ate of the monastery for seein% my son. The friar at the door announced this to 7atherSuperior who informed him of my bein% present by the words < Today it is feast , he is here Q


31/33

1a%e C3

To Guestions mutually did not come an end. #s he had been depri'ed of news from home since

September -33, now could tell him how matters were anyhow at the situation of last 7ebruary.To%ether we ha'e wal$ed in the monastery %arden and we were feelin% as rich as a $in%. With

him his fellow friars and 7ather Superior too participated at this happiness. #fter a 'ery sociable

con'ersation and a 'ery cordial reception left the monastery after ha'in% spent more than 3hours with Herman. #t the Straatman family found a 'ery cosy home and these 'ery %ood

people re%arded me as their housemate. ha'e spent 'ery many sociable hours there for which

shall remain 'ery %rateful to them. Howe'er, already soon we were f course, my first journey was a%ain to Hoo%cruts where was stayin% all Sunday now.

>n my comin% home was awaitin% me another surprise. #t the house where slept a

%o'ernment& buildin% where Ser%eant 2noops was li'in%, suddenly #nnie was standin% there atthe bottom of the staircase. She could not brin% out a word and could not $eep bac$ her emotions

nor me either. We both cried. # reunion for both of us too after 5 years. The family Straatman

Hoogcruts onastery as it is today


32/33

accommodated her and we eperienced 'ery happy hours to%ether. Howe'er, 2ampen was still

not yet liberated.


33/33

shi'erin% at me. He says

Documents

How God Safeguarded Me By W.H. Verheijen