How It Was 40 Years Later

By Jessica de Hoon-Hoedemaekers

The following story is that of a young girl who kept her own personal diary during the occupation of Holland in 1940-1944, and in 1984, in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the liberation of her town of "Beek", she wrote this story as a text for all of the schools in the area.

"Beek" is a small town, 14 km north of Maastricht, and it was liberated primarily by the 2nd Armored Division with some clean-up assistance by the 30th "Old Hickory" Division.

Memories of the Second World War

Maybe you wonder why Beek has festivities on the 17th of September 1984.

You know, of course, that the German occupation ended 40 years ago, but 40 years is very far in the past for you.

You can read about it now in a story of an inhabitant of Beek, who was also young like you, 40 years ago.

In the thirties, we attended the schools that you attend now. We played in the same streets where you live, and often the same games that you play now. But still, there were a lot of differences.

We, as young people in the forties, consciously lived through the Second World War. I kept a diary in those days. That's why I was asked by the headmaster of your school here in Beek, to write a short story about it.

I will now tell you about that time and the liberation. If you should want to know more, there are many good books and articles that you can read and learn more about it.

In our youth, Beek was already a prosperous village. The Beek Airport, now the Maastricht Airport, was not there. Only after the liberation, the American Army made a runway for their planes.

In May 1945, Germany surrendered. That was the end of the war in Europe, and the American Army and Airforce left in May 1945. After that, the Dutch Government started building an airfield for civil aviation on this location in Beek. Now-a-days it is called the Maastricht Airport, although Maastricht is 14 km distant.

1940

The tenth of May started as a sunny day, but, we were rudely awakened by the invasion of Holland, (and Belgium & France), by the German Army.

Four years of occupation followed. Four Miserable Years !! Persecution of the Jews -- Concentration Camps -- German Cruelty - Scarcity of Food, Clothing and many other goods. Many people in The Netherlands, many from your own town of Beek, suffered from the German occupation.

A very sad day was the 5th of October 1942. By mistake, the Allied Airforce thought that they were flying over Germany, (the border of Germany and Holland was not far away), and they dropped all of the bombs in our neighborhood, on nearby villages and coal mines not far from the town of Geleen. From my diary of that day:

"Bombardment in the towns of Geleen and Beek at about 10 o'clock at night. It was terrible ! We ran outside to look at what was going on. Suddenly an enormous "Bang"! The first bomb was dropped nearby, followed by an indescribable tumult. It was dangerous and everybody ran for the air raid shelter. Very loud bangs were followed by a tremendous increase in the air pressure, and we all felt as though we had been blown up. When it stopped for a few minutes, we looked outside carefully. What we saw was frightening! The whole neighborhood was on fire in the center of Beek. A woman with a child in he arms came running into our cellar because her house was on fire.

After that it started again. An incendiary bomb fell so close to our cellar that we had to leave it. Suddenly the planes disappeared. There were shouts and orders. We all had to leave our houses because they thought that our houses near the town hall would be burned down. With the help of many people, we managed to take our belongings to the square in front of the town hall. Together with neighbors, we watched over our belongings throughout the night.

After some time, I heard a sound under a bundle of clothing. That was our canary in its cage. Fortunately, it had survived the chaos. With the cage and bird on my knees, I waited until dawn. Our house was not burned down, so my parents, my brothers and myself had to take all of our belongings back to our house. We had been lucky. So far, the description of this event in my diary.

"For many people it was awful as they lost all that they possessed. About 80 people were killed in Geleen.

Between 1942 and 1944, the situation in The Netherlands got worse and worse. The Germans deported the Jews and the Dutch people who were political radicals and anti-German.

Before the deportation of our Jewish fellow citizens, they had to wear a "yellow star" (Star of David), and everywhere one could read the text on shop windows, "Forbidden for Jews."

In the beginning, before the Jews were deported, we young people used to go cycling with a Jewish girl friend. She was not allowed to enter a restaurant to have even a drink of lemonade. So, we all took our lemonade outside and shared it with her and drank it out in front of the restaurant. Later on the situation for the Jews became very serious. Tens of thousands of Jews died in the concentration camps. A few Jewish families from Beek went underground. They were lucky and they survived.

When the Dutch people revolted against the Germans, cruelties, the revenge of the Germans was terrible. People were shot or sent to the concentration camps for the slightest infraction of the rules laid down by the Germans. Most of them never returned. That also happened to people who helped Allied pilots whose planes were shot down, and people who helped the Jews. Yet, lots of people risked their lives to help the Jews and Allied soldiers.

In 1943 and 1944, the situation still worsened. Hardly any food or clothing was available for the Dutch people. Apart from that, the people had to be very careful of what they said to their "neighbors and friends". Collaborators betrayed them !

People were not allowed to travel more than 3 km from their homes. The Germans also tried to influence the Dutch people with German propaganda films. But most of us saw through that !What we still had was : Freedom of Thoughts !! What Freedom means, you learn to understand only when you lose Freedom, like in 1940-1944.

At the end of 1943 and the beginning of 1944, we all had some hope because of rumors about an invasion of the continent by the Allied Armies. We gathered our information by secretly listening to the BBC radio.

The big news came on the 6th of June 1944, the day that the Allied Armies landed in Normandy, France. The invasion had become a fact. Everybody had new hope once again. The invasion area and the routes that the Armies followed can be seen on a very big map at the American Cemetery at Margraten.

When the war activities came closer, the Germans got worse in their punishments. They wanted all Dutch men in our neighborhood to dig trenches from which the Germans could shoot at the Allied soldiers. But the Dutch soldiers didn't go and went underground. By this time, the Germans were demoralized and didn't search for them. My mother was very busy preparing for a long stay in the air raid shelter.

Early in September, 1944, parts of the German Army, coming from France and Belgium, passed through our town, day and night, in the direction of Germany. At the last, they came on bicycles and on foot. We knew that the Allied Forces were not far behind.

Then, on the 11th of September, we could hear the booming of the artillery guns. The front line was coming very close.

On the 14th of September, some citizens were seriously wounded by exploding shells. I assisted in a provisional hospital that day. People were frightened and uncertain about what was going to happen, and they stayed close to their cellars.

And Then !! Sunday, the 17th of September 1944 !!!

In my diary: "Birthday ! What a Day! A real sad one. But before the day was over, it turned out to be the most memorable and happy birthday that I have ever experienced! Liberated at Last ! About 10 o'clock in the morning that Sunday, the front line was very close. Planes were diving down at the fleeing Germans. Then, suddenly, at about six o'clock in the evening, it became very quiet. We heard very soft steps around the houses. Later on we learned that American soldiers of the 2nd Armored Division, who flanked the 30th "Old Hickory" Division, had been looking for German snipers.

Then - - a Cry ! THEY ARE HERE !!

Everybody rushed to their front doors and then we saw the street full of tanks and smiling and waving Americans! I'll "Never" forget this moment as long as I live ! The tension was suddenly gone. People were crying with joy, and laughing…

Every person will have experienced the Liberation in his own way, but the joy to be FREE again, certainly was the same for everyone.

It is that Liberation, now 40 years ago, that the citizens of Beek are going to celebrate.

But, also, a time to remember, that thousands and thousands of young men fought for our Freedom and many thousands of them were killed, and lie in our nearby American Cemetery at Margraten.

It was only later on that we realized a little bit of what it meant for the Americans to fight their way from Normandy into Belgium, The Netherlands and then on into Germany, under the most miserable of conditions and circumstances.

We have every reason to celebrate and to be Grateful !

Also, it is a time to remember our Jewish countrymen, and many others who suffered and died under the yoke of the Nazis.

Young people today must remember that the Freedom that they have and enjoy now in 1984, was given to them by the American Army in 1944, and must never be forgotten.

The Freedom to say What they Like; to Go Where they Like; and Do What they Like, all with in legal and moral bounds, is what we Celebrate here this day.

Remember: Never, Never, Forget the Men who Sacrificed Their Lives For Your Freedom !!

Published and re-edited with permission of author:
Mrs. Jessica de Hoon-Hoedemaekers, by Frank W. Towers, 30th Infantry Division

How It Was, II

This is a short story related to me by a young Dutch girl, shortly after the liberation of Heerlen, The Netherlands, in the latter part of September 1944.

A previously written article spoke briefly and vaguely about the plight of the Jews during the occupation by the German Nazi regime in WWII, but this story is an elaboration and confirmation of the life of the Jews during the occupation.

Shortly after arriving in Heerlen in the latter part of September 1944, I met three young men and their sister, of the Saelmans family, and they invited me to come into their home, and over a period of time, we became close friends, and they confided in me and told me the following story.

First of all, the father, Martinus Saelmans was the owner of a bicycle shop on Noblestraat in Heerlen. The family lived in the few rooms above the shop. The three sons were, Cor Jr., Karl and Jacques. All employed by their father in the shop repairing and rebuilding bicycles. Some were brought in badly damaged, worn out, and some too badly damaged to be repaired. With new parts not available, every piece possible was cannibalized from these bicycles, and were used to repair other bicycles, and to rebuild some into a usable bicycle. The young daughter, Mia, was primarily her mother's helper in keeping house and shopping, as well as going to school.

The German soldiers were confiscating any bicycles owned by Jews, without any remuneration, so the Jews would bring their bicycles to Mr. Saelmans and exchange them for a small quantity of food rather than surrender them to the Germans. Their food rations were extremely small or non-existent, so this bartering was better than losing their bicycles outright with out payment.

Consequently, Mr. Saelmans built up a very good business repairing and rebuilding bicycles, and in turn re-selling them to the German soldiers, but only after putting sand in the bearings, and installing other faulty parts that would last only for a short while, thus requiring early return repairs! (Sabotage !!) This was also at the expense of the Jews, but he had compassion for them, as they were his lifelong neighbors, and he would have been fined heavily and perhaps jailed, if he had been caught dealing with them and supplying them with the necessities of life.

As time went on, and the Jews were being "eliminated", most of whom were their nearby neighbors for many years, Mr. Saelmans continued to have compassion for them and assist them whenever he could, at the risk of his own welfare.

Mr. Saelmans became a member of the secret underground organization, which engaged in all sorts of sabotage against the Germans, and was a member of the "underground railway" system which helped to hide the Jews and assisted them in eluding the Germans, and eventually be spirited away in the night to "the next stop"enroute to Belgium, France and eventually to England.

This was a very dangerous activity, and if found harboring Jews, it meant instant death to the entire family ! This was a choice that they had to make of their own free will.

At a pre-arranged time, a Jewish family would be delivered to the Saelmans' shop, via back alleys to the back of the shop. Inside they were led downstairs to the basement, used for bicycle storage and a storage area for many, many boxes of bicycle parts. In the center of the basement floor, there was a trap door leading down to another level, previously used as a bomb shelter for the family. This was a small room about 10' x 10' and about 8' high. This was just barely large enough for 4 persons to exist during the short periods of bombing when necessary, but now this new utilization caused this area to be used as a total living quarters for a Jewish family of 3 or 4 for a much longer and indefinite time, perhaps 2 to 5 days, until the moment arrived for their movement to their next station of the "underground railway". And so it went week after week, coming and going at all hours of the night, when the coast was clear for movement. It took a great deal of cooperation among the members of the underground, to learn the routine of the German patrols in their area, the area along the projected route to the next site, and in the immediate area where the Jews were to be moved to, for their next "rest stop".

In this new overnight clandestine location, the Jews had to live almost like animals. It was either this, or deportation to a slave labor camp and the prospects of almost certain death. In their hiding place, they were furnished by their host protectors, a few blankets to lay on the floor for their bed, make-shift pillows, one or two stools, a flashlight or battery powered lantern, and a bucket to serve as a toilet. This was their living quarters for an indefinite period of time. If discovered, it meant instant execution for them, as well as the family harboring them.

When the Jewish family went into their new hiding place, the trap door was closed and a heavy carpet rolled over the door, then a workbench and stools wereplaced over this, so that the "hollow sound" of the trap door given off when walked on,would not be detected.

During hours when the German soldiers were not patrolling the area, the Saelmans family, all taking turns, would watch for patrols and signal to the downstairs persons when soldiers came into the shop for business, or frequent "inspections". One or another would have the duty of removing the table and stools and carpet,, and remove the "used" toilet bucket and replace it with a fresh one; lower a pail of water for washing, and a small quantity for drinking, as well as a small quantity of food. Contact and replacement of supplies could not be done on a regular schedule, but only when they had the opportunity to be "safe" in carrying out this duty. Food was severely rationed, so each member of the family had to forgo a small portion of their daily food ration.

Mr. Saelmans had many relatives and customers who lived outside of the City of Heerlen, and he often visited them on the pretense of business, and would be able to secure small quantities of farm produce with which to supplement their rations, and to help feed the Jewish "visitors". (Butter, eggs, milk, meat & vegetables).

Everything that they did, every move that they made was closely watched by the Germans, but over a period of time, by doing "favors" for the German soldiers and gaining their confidence, he was able to more easily travel from place to place without too much interrogation.

Many times during these clandestine visits, the Jewish wife, mother or daughter would have their periodic monthly health problems, and the young Saelmans girl or her mother would have to go down "in the hole" to administer and comfort them as best that they could. It was too risky to even call a Doctor, who in fact may be a German sympathizer - no one knew.

So, supplying the Jews with a hiding place, feeding them, caring for them and their health needs and sanitary conditions, it was a tremendous burden on the family, but it was the humane thing to do and at great risk to all of the family.

It was rare that the family went for one week during the entire occupation period of 4 years, 4 months and 4 days without having a Jewish family in hiding in their home.

In hearing this story, and seeing the sub-basement beneath the trap door, I was in awe that these people who had so little for themselves, would risk their lives and share what little they had with perfect strangers over this long period of time, for nothing in return.

"They were Heroes during the German occupation." Upon a return visit to Heerlen in 1978, I found this family, although Papa Martin and Mama Gertruda had died. I was able to meet once again with the four living members of this "Heroic" family, and we reminisced about those harrowing days of the occupation and the wonderful days following their liberation on 17 September 1944. Their only regret is the fact that they have never heard from one of their Jewish families, and they have always wondered if they made it to a safe haven, if they had been apprehended, or if they had no way of knowing who their "saviors" were, so as to be able to get back in contact with them.

To this day, I still remain in contact with the one remaining member of this heroic family, for whom I have the highest regard and respect, Mia Saelmans- Slangen, the young daughter, now married with her own family, and their families.

Written from my recollection and diary notes:

Frank W. Towers
30th Infantry Division.
Above information was researched by Frank Towers. It has been modified only to enable its viewing since his death.
Page last revised 01/01/2022
 James D. West
Host106th@106thInfDivAssn.org
www.IndianaMilitary.org