1896
Personal details
- Forenames
- Harmen Jan
- Surname
- Papiermole
- Born
- Dale, 14 October 1896
- Buried
- Berkenhove General Cemetery, Aalten
- Grave number
- 1479
- 14 October 1896
Born
DaleOpen Archieven
- from 9 February 1922
Partner
Dina SwieninkBevolkingsregister 1920-1930Bevolkingsregister 1930-1940Open Archieven
- from 1944
Occupation / role
Authorised signatory
- 1950
Secretary of
Groene Kruis, afd. AaltenAdresboek der Gemeente Aalten, 1950 — verenigingen
- 1950
Secretary of
De EendrachtAdresboek der Gemeente Aalten, 1950 — verenigingen
Buried
Berkenhove General Cemetery, Aalten · grave 1479Find a Grave
Family
Partner(s)
Dina Swienink
1894 · from 9 February 1922
Children
Willem Herman (Wim) Papiermole
1922–2014
Sources
- ECAL – Bevolkingsregister Aalten, gezinskaarten
- KerkVenster – Christelijk Gereformeerde Kerk in Aalten
- Reformatorisch Dagblad – In klederdracht uit de kerk ontsnapt
- Adresboek der Gemeente Aalten, 1950
- Kadaster Aalten – Bredevoortsestraatweg 43, 1924 en 1961
- Findagrave – Community Memorial
- Open Archieven – Marriage record, inv. no. 9005.06, folio 5
- Open Archieven – Population register, inv. no. 1108
- Open Archieven – Population register, inv. no. 1118
- Open Archieven – Population register, inv. no. 1109
- Open Archieven – Population register, inv. no. 1097
- Open Archieven – Population register, inv. no. 1079
Harmen Jan Papiermole was born on 14 October 1896 in Dale. He held a variety of positions in Aalten: he worked as a tram supervisor, bookkeeper and grocer, and during the Second World War was an authorised representative at the Driessen firm. He was also active in local associations.
From tram supervisor to shopkeeper
In the population register for 1920–1930, Papiermole is listed as a tram supervisor. He lived with his wife Dina Swienink at what is now Bredevoortsestraatweg 43. In 1924 he became the owner of the property.
In the 1930s he is described there as a bookkeeper and grocer. A grocery shop was associated with the address. The property remained connected with the Papiermole family for many years; the 1967 directory also lists H.J. Papiermole at number 43.
The church raid of 1944
On Sunday 30 January 1944, the German occupiers carried out a raid at two churches in Aalten. Papiermole’s son Jaap, then eleven years old, saw a German raid van carrying detainees through the village. At that same moment his father approached. Harmen Jan was wearing a uniform jacket of the Air Raid Protection Service and stopped the vehicle.
In a commanding voice he demanded to see the identity cards. He then selected one and pretended to the Germans that he was looking for the man concerned because he worked for him. The detainee was taken out of the van. After the vehicle had driven on, Papiermole returned the man’s identity card and allowed him to escape. A later newspaper article confirms this remarkable escape.
In accounts of this story, Harmen Jan Papiermole is described as an authorised representative at the Driessen firm. The sources found so far do not establish with certainty which Driessen business was meant.
Active in the community
Papiermole remained active in community life after the war. The 1950 directory names him as secretary of both the Aalten branch of the Groene Kruis and De Eendracht.
Harmen Jan and Dina Swienink were, among others, the parents of Willem Herman (Wim) Papiermole, who later became a general practitioner in Bredevoort.