Straight away it reminded me
of a photo of my father-in-law Arno van Bergen taken in Limburg, Netherlands
around 1930 and wearing a ‘sailor suit’, and so a good prompt to begin writing his fascinating story.
Arno was born Johannes
Arnoldus van Bergen in 1925 in Maastricht to carpenter Johannes Jacobus van
Bergen (b1895) and tobacconist Maria Elisabeth Hardy (1898-1993). Many
generations of both sides of his family had lived in Limburg, with his mothers
family going as far back as I could trace - all from Maastricht.
The innocent looking boy in
the photo knew nothing of what was to become of him as war broke out in his
country by the turn of the decade. He had a very strict Catholic upbringing so
he is almost certainly not wearing a sailor suit at all – it is probably a
choir or altar boy’s outfit, and he is likely to be holding a bible or prayer
book in his hands.
He was a mischievous boy who
loved to run and play soccer. He was very good at maths. By 1940 he had
probably finished school, or was in his last year.
 |
Despite the destruction of the Wilhelminabrug and the Sint Servaasbrug (pictured)
German troops passed Maastricht, a vital traffic hub, relatively quickly.
Photo taken 10 May 1940 in Maastricht (from Wikipedia) |
A month after his 15th
birthday, on 10 May 1940, German troops invaded the Netherlands. The
inexperienced Dutch Army held out for four days until the Germans bombed
Rotterdam and 800 people were killed. The Royal family and the government went
into exile in England. Anyone in a government position who stepped down was
replaced by a member of the NSB, the Dutch Nazi Party. Some government
officials tried to stay on to protect the Dutch people from things like
conscription into the German army. Some newspapers and radio stations were
banned or shut down in an attempt to control.
 |
| The aftermath of the 1940 bombing of Rotterdam from Wikipedia |
Before he turned 16 years old, the
first ‘roundups’ of Jews occurred, on 22 Feb 1941 and this shocked the Dutch so
much the illegal Dutch Communist Party called for a national strike (and
marches) three days later. It started in Amsterdam and spread to outlying
towns. The Germans were caught by surprise and reacted by shooting at groups of
strikers. The strikes didn’t prevent further persecution of the Jews but it did
strengthen the disgust for National Socialism in the Netherlands.
In 1941 every Dutch citizen
over 14 years (so including Arno) had to carry an identity card. Propaganda was
increased, with an overwhelming amount of cinema newsreels, pamphlets,
brochures and posters. Aversion to Jews was stirred up.
The Netherlands had pride in
their educational system, with different religious groups having separate
schools. The Germans had trouble gaining influence in the schools apart from
giving preference to NSB teachers, banning school books and increasing the
hours of German study. Pupils and teachers were fiercely anti-German so jokes
and songs circulated.
Many more people became church-goers
as protests were preached from the pulpit and clergymen urged their
congregations to help those in hiding.
Catholic and Christian trade
unions came under National Socialist leadership in 1941 and when the churches
urged members to cancel their membership, 95% took their advice.
The standard of living
dropped, imports were impossible and many goods were transported into Germany.
There were long queues at shops, petrol became scarce and bicycle tyres were
replaced with wooden ones.
Just after he turned 17, at
the end of April 1942, all Jews were required to wear a Star of David, and
deportations began in that summer. About 80% of the Dutch Jewish population was
murdered in the extermination camps.
As Arno turned 18,
the Germans decided they needed labour forces and announced 300,000 Dutch
soldiers would be transported to Germany. Spontaneous strikes broke out and
spread across the country. Known later as the ‘milk strikes’ because they were
mainly in country areas where farmers refused to deliver milk to the factories.
The German occupiers responded, executing strikers and shooting at groups of
strikers. They insisted on all radios being handed in, resulting in many being
hidden.
In May 1943, all men between
the ages of 18 and 35 had to report for forced labour – this included Arno,
aged 18 years and one month – bad timing!
About 140,000 Dutch citizens
were taken to Germany and forced to work very long hours in factories that were
Allied bombing targets. There were promises of good meals, cigarettes and
payment, that in reality didn’t eventuate.
About 120,000 more were used to dig trenches and build fortifications in
northeastern Holland – “soldiers without guns”. Arno was one
of these - moved from his home in Maastricht, Limburg over 200 kilometres to the
area around Lochem, Gelderland.
Many of those in forced
labour died or suffered long term physical and/or psychological effects. Many
tried to go into hiding but this was difficult as they had no money or ration coupons,
and they were fearful of what would happen to their family.
This move was in one sense a
good thing for Arno as it is how he met his future wife, and mother of my
husband.
This post is long enough –
I’ll talk to my mother in law and write more later – including how Arno escaped!
This time last week I got an email from Shauna
Hicks, co-ordinator of National Family History Month sent me an email to say I
had won one of the fabulous prizes from the many sponsors of NHFM.
