Hendrik Jan Wikkerink (30 June 1896 – 18 January 1981), known by his alias ‘Uncle Jan’ (‘Ome Jan’), was a key resistance leader in Aalten during World War II. In 1942, in his home on the Patrimoniumstraat in Aalten, he helped found the Landelijke Organisatie voor Hulp aan Onderduikers (LO – National Organisation for Aid to People in Hiding), working alongside figures such as ‘Aunt Riek’ (‘Tante Riek’) from Winterswijk.
Resistance Work
‘Uncle Jan’ Wikkerink (1896–1981)
Throughout the war, ‘Uncle Jan’ was actively involved in the resistance. He helped escaped prisoners of war and downed Allied airmen flee via Belgium to England. He also arranged hiding places for Jewish citizens and Dutch nationals who refused to work for the German occupying forces.
With the courage and support of many farmers, he provided shelter for those in hiding. The LO coordinated safe houses and the distribution of food ration coupons. A well-known story is that of the Jewish baby, Willem Herfstink. The newborn was the son of the Aalten rabbi, Jedwab. The couple was in hiding in Lintelo, but the baby could not remain at that location. With ‘Uncle Jan’s’ knowledge, the child was left on his doorstep as a ‘foundling’. This staged discovery meant that the child—subsequently named Willem—was given shelter with the Wikkerink family.
‘Uncle Jan’ narrowly survived the war. On 15 October 1944, he and two people in hiding were arrested by the Germans at his own home and imprisoned in the marechaussee (military police) barracks on the Ringweg. That same afternoon, he was liberated by resistance ‘action squads’ (knokploegen) and went into hiding on a farm in Vragender. Two days later, the occupiers took out their anger on the ‘terrorist’s’ home. They threw hand grenades inside, which set the house on fire. However, the local fire brigade managed to limit the damage.
LO identity card of Hendrik Jan Wikkerink
Awards and Recognition
Bust of Hendrik Jan Wikkerink in the Nationaal Onderduikmuseum in Aalten
Because of his respectful demeanour and deep-rooted values, he remained an undisputed leading figure even after the war. Following the liberation, Queen Wilhelmina visited the Wikkerink couple to personally thank them for their brave courage and loyalty. He was knighted in the Netherlands and also received medals of honour from both French President De Gaulle and American President Eisenhower. In 1978, Hendrik Jan Wikkerink and his wife, Dela Gesina, were recognised by Yad Vashem as ‘Righteous Among the Nations’. It is fitting that his bust stands in the hall of the Nationaal Onderduikmuseum in Aalten.
Tijdens de bezettingsjaren was er korte tijd een ‘Fallschirm-Armee Waffenschule’ gevestigd in de Openbare Lagere School aan de Herenstraat in Aalten.
After the Normandy landings, Hitler wanted to launch a large-scale counterattack on the Western Front as soon as possible. With this he wanted to bring the Allies to a standstill. This should give Germany time to complete their “secret project,” which is the development of weapons of mass destruction.
The Germans made preparations in a very tactical manner and the necessary combat units were assembled. This is also the case in Aalten. Here, Freiherr Von der Heydte had to put together a Kampfgruppe in preparation for a special deployment in this new offensive. In these months, Aalten was overrun by German troops. They requisitioned almost all school buildings for the quartering of these troops.
School for paratroopers
The so-called ‘Fallschirm-Armee Waffenschule’ (October 1944 – February 1945) was established in the public school on the Herenstraat. The majority of the Germans were also billeted here. Non-commissioned officers and officers were billeted with civilians in Aalten.
The school was intended to train aspiring officers of the German paratroopers in practice and prepare them for work at the front. In addition, experienced instructors gave courses on how to disable the enemy’s armored vehicles with the resources and weapons that the Germans had at the time. And finally, a special Kampfgruppe (combat unit) was formed. He was going to receive a special assignment, namely an in-force parachute jump behind Allied lines during the Ardennes Offensive. At its peak, about 1200 German paratroopers were gathered in Aalten. They formed the so-called ‘Kampfgruppe Von der Heydte’.
German paratroopers were billeted everywhere in Aalten and surrounding villages. Not only in large school buildings but also privately in people’s homes. The soldiers had to go to the district office that was located in the town hall. Here they received a certificate of quartering, as they called it at the time, and continued their way to the address where they were allowed to stay. In addition, almost all cafes in Aalten were used by the German troops and converted into so-called kasinos. Not to watch films here, but to entertain the soldiers in their spare time with fun and trinkets.
Strict regime
There was a strict regime among the German troops. Valuable time was efficiently used to turn this mixed group into a real Kampfgruppe as soon as possible. Every morning the troops were expected to complete a march of about 10 km on an empty stomach. Furthermore, shooting exercises were held on some training grounds around Aalten and the battle groups were trained in fighting in wooded areas.
Een ooggetuige heeft Duitse parachutisten in sporttenue gezien, op weg naar zwembad ‘t Walfort. Hier sprongen de parachutisten van een verhoging in het mulle zand. Bij het in contact komen met het zand maakten zij een zogenaamde para-rol om de val te breken. Ze moesten deze manoeuvre beheersen voordat ze een parachutesprong gingen maken om zo blessures te voorkomen.
After Von der Heydte had left the so-called Kampfgruppe, Hauptmann Von Hütz took over command of the Waffenschule in Aalten. During the remaining period, this new battle group deployed a number of operations. These were described as very harsh by both the Allies and the Germans themselves.
During the Second World War, food became increasingly scarce. Although the severity of the situation differed per region, people everywhere had to deal with ration cards and family cards. These were wanted, but at the same time objects of irony. In a clandestine paper, which was distributed in Aalten, there was a curious recipe:
“Take the meat card, roll it in the flour card, put it in the fat card and fry it with the coal card until deliciously brown. The potato card is placed in the butter card and slowly braised in the petroleum card. Then you heat up the coffee card, add the milk card and the sugar card and dip the bread card into it. Take two bread coupons, put one meat coupon in between and you have a sandwich. After dinner, one wipes one’s mouth with the pedigree. Enjoy your meal.”
Food shipments to the west
A train at Aalten station during the Second World War (photo for illustration, this is not necessarily the Rye Bread Train)
Ondanks de oorlogsomstandigheden hadden de Achterhoekers het over het algemeen niet slecht. Zelfs met 2500 onderduikers op een bevolking van 11.000 inwoners, kon men in Aalten redelijk goed eten. Er was zelfs genoeg voedsel beschikbaar om grote hoeveelheden naar het hongerende westen te sturen.
De Aaltense bakkers stonden elke dag urenlang voor de oven. Massa’s roggebrood en andere levensmiddelen gingen dagelijks met de trein van ‘s middags half vijf naar het westen. Niet alleen in Aalten, maar ook op andere haltes op de lijn Winterswijk-Arnhem werd voedsel meegegeven voor de hongerige bevolking in het westen van Nederland.
De eerste zendingen van roggebrood naar het westen begonnen in 1942. In 1944 reed er in Aalten dagelijks een paard-en-wagen met zestig à zeventig zakken roggebrood van het postkantoor naar het station. De trein van half vijf werd al snel bekend als de ‘Roggebroodtrein‘ en groeide uit tot een begrip. In het eerste jaarverslag van de P.T.T., dat na de oorlog verscheen, werd zelfs een foto opgenomen van het inladen van de vele roggebroden.
On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the liberation, the Orange Committee and the local branch of the 1940-1945 Foundation organized liberation celebrations in Aalten from 4 to 6 May 1970. One of the highlights of these festivities would be a reunion of people in hiding and veterans. The intention was that the people in hiding would stay at their old hiding place as much as possible. On Liberation Day, 5 May, a memorial meeting with the pastors and the chaplain from the war years, and an allegorical parade were on the program. The NCRV paid attention to this Aalten initiative on Nederland 2.
The NS would use a special train for the transport of the reunionists: the old Rye Bread Train. With the same equipment with which rye breads were transported during the war, the veterans and people in hiding would return to Aalten to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the liberation. This time, however, the Rye Bread Train would run in the opposite direction, from the west to the east, to bring the reunionists to Aalten. For this special occasion, a special train ticket would even be designed.
Unfortunately, shortly before the commemoration celebrations, the organization decided to cancel the reunion, the most important part of the program. The reason for this was that there seemed to be insufficient interest among the people in hiding. Afterwards, however, there were signs that something might have gone wrong with the sending of the invitations. Anyway, the Rye Bread Train definitely remained a memory of the past
On Sunday, January 30, 1944, 48 young men were arrested during a raid by the German occupiers on two churches in Aalten. The men were taken away and five of them would not return alive. The event made a deep impression, both at home and abroad.
The occupiers knew that many young men between the ages of 19 and 23 avoided the compulsory Arbeitseinsatz or had not returned after leave. They also knew that the churches in Aalten were full of churchgoers on Sundays. The Germans seized this moment to make their move.
Die zondag omsingelden Duitse SS’ers de Christelijk Gereformeerde Kerk aan de Berkenhovestraat en de Gereformeerde Westerkerk aan de Hogestraat. De mannelijke kerkgangers werden gedwongen hun persoonsbewijs te tonen. Jongemannen in de leeftijd van 19 tot en met 23 jaar werden aangehouden en afgevoerd naar de koepelgevangenis in Arnhem. Ook enkele oudere mannen werden opgepakt.
From Arnhem, the 48 arrested men were sent on to Camp Amersfoort or the Oranjehotel in Scheveningen. Some were put to work on farms in Germany or in factories in the Ruhr area. Others ended up in German concentration camps.
Escapes
During the war, Aalten offered shelter to 500 evacuees from Scheveningen, many of whom wore traditional costumes. Some men managed to avoid arrest by disguising themselves with a white Scheveningen hood or by hiding under a wide cloak.
In the Westerkerk, Mrs. Visser-Taal, an evacuee from Scheveningen, helped the 19-year-old Gerrit Hoopman, who had not reported for the Arbeitseinsatz, to a disguise. She gave him her overskirt, shoulder scarf and traditional hood with head iron. Disguised as a woman, Gerrit, arm in arm with other women, left the church and managed to escape.
There was also a young man who was hidden under the floor by churchgoers, on top of the heating pipes, where he stayed until the coast was clear.
The plan of the Germans was to raid the Oosterkerk and the Westerkerk. When someone was asked the way to the Oosterkerk, this person got a frightening suspicion of what the occupier was planning. The Germans were misled and sent to the smaller Christian Reformed church on Berkenhovestraat. Jaap Papiermole (11 years old at the time) witnessed the robbery on the street. He says:
“On the morning of January 30, 1944, I was just coming out of a house of an acquaintance on Berkenhovestraat, when a German raid car drove up, which stopped in front of the Christian Reformed Church. The street was closed off and the Germans surrounded the church building. I have seen that they arrested men, but I don’t think the loot was that big. Mr. Bennink took pictures of what happened. The robbery car with the arrestees then drove towards the Ring Road. At that moment the air raid siren went off and I ran home, because my father was strict and had instilled in us to come home immediately in case of an air raid siren.
When I walked out of the Oosterkerkstraat, the same robbery car drove from the Damstraat towards the village. At the same time, my father came running and stopped the car. My father wore a kind of uniform jacket that belonged to the Air Protection Service. The car door opened and with a commanding voice that brooked no contradiction, father roared: ‘Ausweise sofort!’ The Germans were impressed by his harsh voice and handed over the pile of identity cards. Father walked through it, picked one out and said: ‘Dieser Mann suche ich. Er arbeitet bei mir.’ *
He walked to the back of the car and gave the order to let the person in question get out immediately. The bewildered young man got out of the car and walked with father to our house. The truck drove on to the Bredevoortsestraat. When father was in the backyard with that young guy, he said: ‘Here you have your identity card back. Get out of here.’”
* Jaap’s father H.J. Papiermole was an authorised representative at the firm of Driessen
The impact of the raid
The raid in Aalten made a big impression, both in his own country and abroad. It was the first time that such an action took place during a church service in the Netherlands. The London News wrote on February 14, 1944:
“AALTEN – When leaving the church, a raid was held. 50 people in hiding walked in! So going to church is no longer safe either. People stay at home, although that will be difficult for many.”
From that moment on, people in hiding no longer went to church. From then on, church services were held in secret on remote farms, with someone always on the lookout.
Five of the arrested men did not survive. Four died of the hardships in a German concentration camp or during a death march, the fifth in a bombing. The men who did survive bore the consequences of this for the rest of their lives. The raid left deep scars in Aalten and remains a tragic and unforgettable chapter in local history.
Documentary
Also watch the documentary made by Omroep Gelderland “Saved by the iron“, about the special escape of Gerrit Hoopman:
During World War II, the Jewish couple Frits and Amalia Landau lived in Aalten. Their lives ended tragically when they were executed by the resistance due to Frits’ dangerous behaviour. Their bodies were presumably buried in the countryside surrounding Aalten, but the exact location remains unknown to this day.
Frits Landau was born on 28 November 1905 in Aalten. He became a travelling salesman and remained unmarried for a long time. On 6 June 1942, he became engaged to Amalia Lorch, known as Maly, born on 20 December 1902 in Bocholt. They married in August of that same year and moved in with the Schaap family at ‘t Dal 1 in Aalten.
Soon, they were forced into hiding. From 1 April 1943, Gelderland was officially to be Juden-frei, Juden-rein (free of Jews). The Aalten population register states that Frits & Amalia departed on 17 March 1943, with no destination recorded. They subsequently stayed at two different hiding addresses, most recently with the Van Eerden family at the farm De Maote in the rural district of Dale.
Unpredictable and dangerous behaviour
It is said that Frits Landau was an alcoholic with a short temper, which led to unpredictable and dangerous behaviour. Reportedly, he did not make things easy for his hosts; he harassed young ladies and demanded his drinks every evening. He was accustomed to a luxurious lifestyle, yet in 1943, alcohol was barely available on the farms.
On several occasions, Frits threatened to betray his hiding places in order to buy his own freedom from the Nazis—at least, he assumed this would succeed. Twice, such attempts were thwarted at the very last minute.
Amalia and Frits Landau-Lorch (photo: Aalten Vooruit)Het Joodsche Weekblad, 5 June 1942
Liquidation by the resistance
Because he was considered a safety risk to other people in hiding by the local resistance, the decision was made to execute him to protect other fugitives and their helpers. The Council of Resistance and even local clergy discussed how to deal with him. Ome Jan Wikkerink proposed keeping Frits under permanent guard by other hiders and pilots. This did not happen, however, as several young resistance members took the initiative to eliminate him themselves.
They told the Landau couple that they would be taken to another hiding address in Vragender—a suitable excuse to get Amalia to come along with Frits. Incidentally, the intention was to separate Frits and Maly, as they wanted to spare her this fate. However, Frits refused to cooperate with being separated, and thus Maly was drawn into his fate.
Frits and Amalia Landau-Lorch were liquidated and buried in the countryside of Aalten by the local resistance in late 1943 or early 1944.
Location unknown
Aaltensche Courant, 28 August 1945
Opinions differ regarding the exact place and date of the liquidation. According to one theory, Frits and Amalia were killed on the Schaarsheide, close to the Nazarethdijk. Another theory points to the Daalse Goor.
The burial site of the Landau couple has been searched for several times, with the aim of giving them a reburial in the Jewish cemetery, but so far without result.
During a search on the Schaarsheide, a lady’s shoe and three rusted shovels were found. Investigation indicated that the shoe likely dates from the 1930s. It is plausible that the first burial site was discovered there. According to those involved, the bodies were later reburied. At the time, everything had to be done quickly, and apparently, it was later decided that the original burial site was unsuitable. During the clearing of the first grave, the lady’s shoe was supposedly left behind. Afterward, the mortal remains were reburied elsewhere, but where is unknown.
The most recent search took place in 2023. In a small patch of forest between Aalten and Lichtenvoorde, twelve experienced amateurs searched for the bodies of Frits and Amalia. Using detectors, they searched at various frequencies for different materials, but no human remains were found.
On 13 April 2016, two Stolpersteine (stumbling stones) for Frits and Amalia Landau-Lorch were laid at their last official residential address at ‘t Dal.
During World War II, the Germans constructed a Freya-type radar station on the outskirts of the village of Aalten. The location was situated north of the Ringweg, approximately halfway between the Tolhuis (tollhouse) and the water tower. This radar site was part of an extensive air defence system operated by the Luftwaffe.
The radar system, named after the Germanic goddess Freya, had been developed by the Germans in the late 1930s. It was capable of detecting enemy aircraft at a distance of approximately 150 kilometres.
The radar installation was situated on a site with a circumference of about 800 metres, surrounded by a system of trenches and barbed-wire fencing. Additionally, anti-aircraft artillery was present on the site.
Location Freya Radarstation, Aalten (1945)
There was a large radar unit, consisting of a red brick base, approximately seven by seven metres and three metres high. Mounted on top was the antenna, a metal framework measuring six by six metres. The large, square antenna screen could be rotated manually to the desired direction.
There was also a smaller radar unit, which lacked a brick base. Furthermore, there were approximately ten wooden barracks on the site, measuring four by six metres and painted green, used to house the personnel.
The immediate surroundings of the radar site were declared a Sperrgebiet (restricted area). The Ringweg was closed to pedestrians from the Tolhuis to the water tower. Signs marked “Militäre Werke” were placed in these areas. Cars and cyclists were permitted to drive through, but stopping or dismounting was strictly forbidden.
The Freya radar site in Aalten was constructed at the end of the summer of 1942. The site was abandoned in the autumn of 1944. Traces of the radar site, such as the concrete and brick housing for the antenna screen, remained visible until the early 1950s.
Features
Cadastral no.
L-583
Function
Radarstation
Year of construction
1942
Demolition
1950s
Remnants of the Freya Radar installation in Aalten, with the water tower in the background
Sources
Britse littekens in Aaltense bodem, feiten en achtergronden over de bevrijding op 30 maart 1945, Wim Rhebergen
During World War II, host families in Aalten provided shelter to approximately 800 children from heavily bombed Rotterdam. The initiative was spearheaded by Rev. Th. Delleman, a minister in Kralingen who had recently served in Aalten. Thanks to his dedication and the networks of both church communities, Rotterdam children were able to find temporary respite in the Achterhoek – far removed from the violence of war.
Rotterdam after the German bombardment of 14 May 1940
In May 1940, Rotterdam was struck by a devastating German bombardment. Almost the entire historical city centre was destroyed. In the Kralingen district, Reverend Thomas Delleman witnessed the consequences first-hand. He saw how, above all, the children were scarred by fear and grief.
Rev. Th. (Thomas) Delleman (1898–1977)
Amidst this chaos, Delleman decided to take action. He knew the Achterhoek well: from 1930 to 1938, he had been a minister in Aalten, where he had experienced the hospitality of the local people. He believed that a temporary stay in the peaceful surroundings of Aalten would benefit the children – a place where silence and care could help them forget the war for a moment.
A committee was soon formed with the support of deacons and congregation members from both Rotterdam and Aalten. In July 1940, the first groups of children departed for the Achterhoek, where they were placed with host families.
Over the course of the war, an estimated 800 children from Rotterdam were cared for in Aalten and the surrounding area. Upon their departure for home, they often took gifts with them: eggs, bacon, rye bread, and sometimes even live animals. Later, the visits were supported by local diaconates. The last group of children travelled back to Rotterdam in February 1945. However, the connection remained: many children continued to return to their Achterhoek host families annually long after the war had ended.
A Wartime Letter
One of the children who came to Aalten thanks to Rev. Delleman was Anneke Hijmans. She stayed with the Aalbers family at ‘t Slat farm in IJzerlo. After her stay, she cycled back to Rotterdam in a single week. Shortly thereafter, on 26 January 1945, she wrote a letter to her host family — a personal document filled with memory and gratitude.
Letter from Anneke Hijmans to the Aalbers family in IJzerlo:
Letter from Anneke Hijmans to the Aalbers family in IJzerlo (image courtesy of Bea ter Maat-Aalbers)
Commemorative Window as Thanks
After the war, a committee was formed in the Reformed Church of Kralingen to present a commemorative window to the citizenry of Aalten on behalf of the collective churches and the Jewish community. It was a lasting gift in gratitude for the hospitality offered during the war years.
The window, designed by artist Marius Richters, depicts among other scenes how Aalten farmers and families welcomed children from Rotterdam. It was installed in the Oosterkerk in Aalten and officially unveiled on 13 July 1946 by Rev. Delleman himself.
Commemorative Window in the Oosterkerk, Aalten
Newspaper reports
‘Rotterdammertjes’ in Aalten
“Thanks to the benevolent hospitality of the Aalten Community, we were enabled to send approximately 100 children, largely from afflicted Rotterdam, to Aalten,” stated Mr B. Hoving in the Rotterdamsche Kerkbode. These children are now enjoying the peaceful rest and excellent care that Aalten offers them, far away from their devastated city.
Rotterdamsch Nieuwsblad, 17 August 1940
The ‘Rotterdammertjes’ Depart
Six weeks ago, we published a photograph of the arrival of the first ‘Rotterdammertjes’. This morning, the departure took place. At ‘Elim‘, the Reformed children bid their farewells. Each child was presented with a lovely souvenir of this holiday: a fountain pen and pencil in a case, kindly provided by Mr F. Buesink, ‘Febea’.
It was a scene of cheerful bustle. The children appeared in ‘full regalia’—which, in this context, meant with an average of three times as much luggage as they had arrived with. Naturally, there were all sorts of boxes, parcels, and bags filled with apples and pears (how fortunate that they are all ripe just now), as well as bouquets of various flowers, which, together with bunches of heather, are intended to provide a hearty welcome home. One child was so fortunate as to have stayed with a friendly baker, with the result that the little one was sent home with a currant loaf almost as large as the ‘Rotterdammertje’ itself!
There was an unprecedented crowd at the station; it was estimated that over 500 people were present. Rev. Th. Delleman spoke a brief word of thanks on behalf of all groups. He had not dared to hope that Aalten would have been so hospitable. “Rotterdam has been impoverished in many things, but your love has made us rich. Never shall Rotterdam forget the benevolence shown to her children.”
De Graafschapper, 30 August 1940
‘Rotterdammertjes’ return after a four-week holiday in Aalten
Loud cheering erupted from the special train that brought 128 children from afflicted Rotterdam families back to the ‘Maas City’ on Friday afternoon around four o’clock. The waving and shouting children would have liked nothing more than to jump straight out of the train windows to greet their mothers, brothers, and sisters, and to tell them all about their time in the Gelderland Achterhoek, in the friendly village of Aalten.
No sooner had they spotted one another than the children began to show what they had received from their foster parents. Almost all of them carried a box of flowers and gifts; one had received a rabbit, another a chicken, and one ‘Rotterdammertje’ had even been treated to a currant loaf… a metre long! Furthermore, everyone had received a fountain pen and a propelling pencil as a memento of their stay in Aalten.
The citizenry of Aalten has certainly spoilt the ‘Rotterdammertjes’. People had spontaneously approached the Diaconate of the Dutch Reformed Church with the request to send children from affected families, to provide them with a carefree month-long holiday. During this long holiday, thanks to the minister, Rev. Klijn, and the headteacher, Mr Hopman, the children visited numerous beautiful spots in the Achterhoek, while film afternoons also provided the necessary variety.
It goes without saying that the children thoroughly enjoyed themselves in Aalten. The acquaintance seems to have been mutually appreciated, as many Aalten foster parents invited the children to spend their holiday with them again next year upon their departure.
In the local Sociëteit (Social Club) last Saturday afternoon, an exhibition was opened by the Netherlands Association for Air Raid Protection (Nederl. Vereen. voor Luchtbescherming), to which the municipal executive, military officers, heads of various departments, and the boards of several associations had been invited.
The chairman of the Aalten branch, Mr Klaassen, extended a warm welcome to those present and expressed his sincere gratitude to the Mayor and Aldermen, the head of the Air Raid Protection Service, the board of the Sociëteit, and others for their cooperation in making this exhibition a success. The speaker announced that the Mayor was prevented from opening the exhibition due to a minor indisposition, and that Alderman Te Gussinklo had kindly agreed to deliver the opening address.
Mr Te Gussinklo began by apologising for the fact that he actually knew very little about air raid protection. He regretted that no better term had been found in the Netherlands, for “we do not protect the air, but rather protect the people from the dangers that come from the sky during a war via aircraft with their destructive bombs that bring death and ruin.” He questioned whether the population of Aalten, and of the Netherlands, was sufficiently aware of its duty in this regard. The answer, he stated, must be: no, the majority certainly are not. Therefore, it is very useful and very necessary that the Aalten branch has organised this exhibition.
It is often said that the army must be brought to the people, but the speaker also wished to posit that air raid protection must be brought to the people. It is highly necessary that the Dutch public knows more about this. For this reason, the Aalten municipal executive has strongly applauded this visual instruction. The speaker expressed his hope that this free exhibition would attract many visitors. Now that the war has continued for some time, interest has somewhat waned and might otherwise slumber further. However, when we consider that between 1,000 and 2,000 bombs are being dropped daily on a country in Northern Europe, we must wholeheartedly agree that this information is not unnecessary. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.
The speaker congratulated the board on the magnificent way this exhibition was arranged and therewith declared the exhibition open. After tea was served, a tour was conducted under the guidance of one of the gentlemen from the board of the Netherlands Association for Air Raid Protection.
De Graafschapper, 28 March 1941
Everything was clearly explained, and the numerous visual representations—both in pictures and in reality—of air hazards, their effects, and the measures taken against them, will certainly clarify much for all visitors that might not have been fully understood simply by reading booklets. Posters show us the varying population densities of different countries, the effects of high-explosive, incendiary, and gas bombs, the measures taken by the authorities and those that can be taken by citizens, etc. etc.
We see various gas masks, lanterns, a model of a cluttered attic compared to an attic as it ought to be, a model air-raid shelter, etc. etc. The clear explanations were listened to with great interest. It is to be hoped that this exhibition, which remains open until Tuesday and is entirely free to the public, will be well attended.
In 1937, G.H. Rots described in a series of articles in the Aaltensche Courant how life used to be in Aalten in former times. Regarding the historical belief in witches, he wrote:
“According to popular belief, witches held gatherings at night, and in the Aalter Esch there was a specific spot where these nocturnal assemblies took place. That piece of land, located approximately halfway between the Linde and the Lichtenvoordsche road, was called the ‘heksenbeddestêe’. It was a piece of no man’s land to which no one laid claim.”
Anyone reading about what transpired in this field is stunned by the stories of witches and ghosts that circulated in earlier times. It reached such an extent that even educated people believed in witchcraft, and the authorities of those days intervened in this ‘evil,’ punishing those found guilty of sorcery.
To determine whether an accused person was innocent or guilty, the so-called water trial was applied: the victim was thrown into the water. If they floated, they were deemed a witch; if they sank, then what? Then they were not a witch, but they usually drowned. It was believed that those who could perform witchcraft could transform themselves into animals. Illnesses among livestock or even among people were often attributed to witches. If the milk had a blue tint, or if a clump of hair was found in a calf’s or cow’s stomach, it was all blamed on the witches.
There were even people who believed themselves capable of witchcraft, claiming they had regular audiences with the devil. Witches were said to ride through the air on broomsticks and gather at the ‘beddestae’ in the Aaltenschen Esch to celebrate their nightly festivals. It should be said to the credit of the spiritual leaders of those days that they, at least, did not believe in it and repeatedly pointed out the absurdity of witchcraft to the population.
However, what is once deeply rooted is not easily dislodged, and so it took years, even centuries, before the superstition vanished. The authorities, primarily at the urging of the clergy, engaged in the suppression of witchcraft. They employed methods that were terrifying. If it was believed that someone could perform witchcraft or claimed to do so, the most severe measures were taken. Often the victims paid with their lives; even stakes were erected for burning.
Shivers down the spine
The old night watchmen could tell eerie stories of what they had experienced at night. The listener of these tales would feel ‘the shivers down their spine.’ For instance, it was told that ‘behind the hedges in the Heuksken,’ a woman dressed in white wandered every night. And then there was that mysterious light in the charnel house at the cemetery. Occasionally, mysterious animals were encountered that made the streets of Aalten unsafe. Furthermore, there were the ‘omens’ of fire. If a fire broke out in the village, one of the night watchmen had sometimes seen a ‘red glow’ above the site of the fire weeks in advance.
Berent Sweenen
Around 1600, a certain Berent Sweenen lived in Barlo. His neighbor, Geerdt Luiten, accused him of witchcraft. Luiten’s cows, pigs, and horses had regularly died of ‘unnatural sickness’ or sorcery. In the stomach of one of the cows he had cut open, ‘toads and snakes’ were found. Furthermore, Berent Sweenen’s sister ‘was also a witch.’ The whole place was hexed, and Luiten had already gone to Lichtenvoorde to complain. Berent Sweenen was summoned before the authorities and had to listen to all these accusations.
Luiten brought forward a new accusation. It was no longer possible to churn butter in his house. The cause: a hex by Sweenen. Another neighbor, Bernt Tolkamp, recounted that he had drunk buttermilk at Sweenen’s and had become ‘dreadfully ill’ from it. Tolkamp’s daughter had also fallen ill, likewise hexed by Sweenen.
More witnesses were called, namely Geerdt Winkelhorstink and Johan Merkerdink. They could only state that Sweenen had long been regarded as a sorcerer. Personally, however, they had not been troubled by him. A certain Herman Olthuys provided further incriminating testimony. Other neighbors recounted that they had hosted Berent Sweenen, who was a tailor, in their homes and that he had told them he could perform witchcraft. Eleven witnesses then took the oath and declared, invoking ‘God and His Holy Gospel,’ that what they had asserted was the truth.
Berent Sweenen, the simple tailor, maintained his innocence, but he stood alone. Eventually, under the weight of all those accusations, he gave in and said that he had understood the art of witchcraft for some 18 to 20 years. His fate was sealed, and given the punishments of those days, his head likely fell under the executioner’s axe. One case among many.
People pondered much. During the long winter evenings by primitive lighting, they saw all sorts of strange things. They heard wondrous tales, and when the old man sat in the corner by the hearth, he was asked to tell stories; then the tales of ghosts and witches would emerge, and at night in their sleep, people heard all kinds of sounds. The mystery of the unknown. That unknown, that mysteriousness, unsettled the people, and the case of Sweenen in Barlo is not unique.
Fourteen years earlier, the Bailiff of Bredevoort had already written to the Lady of the Pledge that witchcraft in Aalten was taking on ever greater proportions. One can conclude from this that the governing officials—the intellectuals of those days—also believed that witches existed. The fight against the ‘evil’ was therefore not conducted by convincing people that ‘witches’ cannot exist, but by the extermination of the individuals who carried out the evil.”
Aleida Voesters
“We wish to share one more case to provide an accurate picture of the dismal conditions in those days. It concerns a woman named Aleida Voesters. She was accused of witchcraft and thrown into prison, but was released when she promised to reform and paid a monetary fine. However, once the population views someone in a negative light, their reputation is ruined.
So it was for this woman. The population would not leave her in peace. The cup overflowed when a certain Wessel Wassink, a tailor by trade, claimed that he had fled from Mrs. Voesters’ house because he had heard devils quarreling there. The rumor reached the authorities again, and they deliberated on how to deal with this woman. The ‘executioner’ told the Bailiff that he knew a way to intervene with forceful measures. The woman was imprisoned again and transported to Bredevoort. She was thrown into the water and… she floated; she did not sink. Proof that she could perform witchcraft. They pushed her down with a long pole, but it seems that the excessive women’s clothing of those days prevented her from sinking.
The woman was then tortured with extreme cruelty. She was to be made an example. She was tied to a ladder and flogged, but the woman maintained that she could not perform witchcraft. Two days later, she was stretched on the rack again. But she did not confess. They tied a rope to her hands and hung her from a beam. At that moment, the pitiable woman let out a sound as if three men’s voices had called out. Immediately thereafter, her neck was broken. Her body was burned on a stake, made of wood that the farmers were expressly required to supply for that purpose. Such were the witch trials.”
Milk Witch
In a legal document from the Court of Bredevoort dating from 1533, we find the following story: The couple Gert and Lise Stapelkamp have a church pew in the Saint Helen’s Church in Aalten, which they claim was originally purchased by Gert’s mother, Sine Stapelkamp. However, the couple Koep and Nale Heinen claim it is their pew. During the service, Nale called Lise a ‘molkentoversche‘ (a witch who hexes cows) three times, after which Lise struck back. A significant disturbance in the church!
Sources
‘From Aalten’s Past’, by G.H. Rots, Aaltensche Courant, 26 November 1937 (Delpher)
‘From Aalten’s Past’, by G.H. Rots, Aaltensche Courant, 11 March 1938 (Delpher)
In 1937, G.H. Rots described in a series of articles how things were done in Aalten in former times. Regarding the ‘night watch’ and the constables (veldwachters) in Aalten, he wrote the following:
“When the population of Aalten had found rest in the arms of Morpheus, they were watched over at night. The night watchman made his rounds and, accompanied by his faithful dog and with a thick rattan cane in hand, patrolled Aalten’s streets. He also served as a ‘knocker-up’; that is, if certain people needed to be woken early, he was the man who ensured it happened.
For many years, the night watchman carried a rattle, and every time the tower clock was heard, the rattle was spun and the night watchman called out the hour that had struck. For example, at twelve o’clock, he would cry: ‘The clock has twelve, twelve has the clock!’. It was eventually realised that such customs were not conducive to the residents’ night’s rest, and the practice was subsequently abolished.
For monitoring purposes, check-clocks were mounted at several points in the village, designed so that the authorities could verify whether the night watchmen had performed their duty. In turbulent times, or whenever the authorities deemed it necessary, the night watchman was reinforced by a ‘watch’. Each rot (ward) had to provide one man to stand guard. The ‘watch’ was stationed in the building where Mr ter Maat’s barbershop is now located.
The permanent night watchman thus had the assistance of these men, and they accompanied him on patrol. When it was pitch black, it sometimes happened that such a greenhorn assistant-watchman lost his way and ended up in a refuse heap or a manure pit. It is well known that this circuit through the village—the rattling aside—was not entirely silent, and one could hear the night watchman approaching from afar. For thieves and other ruffians, this was the signal to take to their heels or go into hiding.”
Since 1 January 1915, the night watchman in Aalten has been a thing of the past. One of the last night watchmen in Aalten was Jan te Slaa, better known as the town crier ‘Jan met de Panne’.
spine-chilling stories
“The old night watchmen could tell spine-chilling stories of what they had experienced at night. Hearing these tales made one’s skin crawl. For instance, it was said that ‘behind the hedges in the Heuksken’, a woman dressed in white wandered every night. And then there was that mysterious light in the charnel house at the churchyard. Sometimes, mysterious animals were encountered that made Aalten’s streets unsafe. Then there were the ‘premonitions’ of fire. If a fire broke out in the village, one of the night watchmen had sometimes seen a ‘red glow’ above the site weeks in advance. This happened quite often, as Aalten had a certain ‘reputation’ when it came to fires. There were occasions when fires broke out three days in a row. The ‘red glow’ must have been seen quite frequently then.
The belief in witches and ghosts had not entirely vanished in the last century, so these ghost stories were often believed. According to folk belief, witches held meetings at night, and in the Aalter Esch, there was a spot used as a nocturnal witch’s dwelling. That piece of land, situated roughly halfway between the Linde and the Lichtenvoordscheweg, was called the ‘heksenbeddestëe’ (witches’ bedstead). It was a patch of no man’s land that no one claimed. The night watchmen were not afraid of any of this, and through their heroic stance against these mysterious things, they commanded great respect from the population. Undeniably, quite apart from the above, the night watchman performed good service, and many viewed the abolition of the night watch with regret.”
Constables
“And then there was the police surveillance. Jan Steven Schaars Prins was well known as a State Constable (Rijks-Veldwachter). Merely mentioning his name was enough to strike fear into people. The youth would retreat into their shells at the sound of his name, and naughty rascals could be sent to bed with it. But Schaars Prins was also someone held in awe by adults. His mere appearance helped to restore order, and when he took action, order was immediately reinstated.
A formidable man, then, who certainly faced his share of trouble. Often he set out alone to fine dangerous poachers, but he also showed his strength against more serious criminals. The arrest of two escaped German murderers in 1875 earned him an honourable distinction from the German government.
On one occasion, he is said to have been overpowered by superior force; poachers in the Aalter Goor tied him to a tree, and he was only freed a few hours later by a passer-by.
Jan Steven Schaars Prins (1817–1893)
In the middle of the last century, Jan te Hoonte and Constable Beernink were known as the municipal police. They were appointed at a salary of 145 guilders a year. Not too many official reports (proces-verbalen) were drawn up, for if a case had to be heard at the court in Zutphen, they had to make the journey to Zutphen on foot as witnesses. Fining a poacher, however, was another matter, as it yielded an extra reward, which was quite welcome alongside the aforementioned salary.
The constable went to the town hall in the morning to ask if there was ‘anything special’ to report. Sometimes it was a message for a local resident, but usually, the Mayor had nothing on the agenda, and the constable would go to tend his farm; if something significant happened, one could find the constable out in the fields.”
Sources
‘From Aalten’s past’, by G.H. Rots, Aaltensche Courant, 26 November 1937 (Delpher)
A small group of glider pilots from this area, who until now practiced their sport at the airfield near Enschede, sought out a site in the Schaarsheide—a location that combines all the favorable factors for gliding.
The steep slope descending from Vragender and Barlo toward this site provides the necessary thermal air currents, while the site itself, spanning over 5 hectares, is beautifully level and has firm ground.
Should the site be approved by the competent authorities, the intention is to commence gliding activities at the beginning of August. An aircraft is already under construction and is nearing completion. If these plans are realized, Aalten will have the scoop on this most modern of sports.
Aaltensche Courant, 5 October 1934
One of the enthusiastic glider pilots may well have been Jan Bennink from Aalten. He built his own glider in 1934 and successfully flew it. Read more »
The task of the gravedigger was to dig graves for the dead. In rural areas, this duty was often outsourced to impoverished villagers or combined with other roles: sextons, night watchmen, or schoolmasters performed the gravedigging alongside their primary occupation. The office of gravedigger provided only a modest (supplementary) income.
Some well-known gravediggers in Aalten and Bredevoort (incomplete list):
De Graafschapbode, 13 April 1889Zutphensche Courant, 16 April 1889Zutphensche Courant, 25 January 1893
De Graafschapbode, 17 November 1914Nieuwe Aaltensche Courant, 12 November 1918De Graafschapper, 6 December 1918Aaltensche Courant, 5 December 1919De Graafschapper, 1 March 1927
Aaltensche Courant, 9 February 1934De Graafschapper, 21 August 1936Dagblad Tubantia, 4 February 1959
On Monday evening, a public meeting of the Nat.-Soc. Bew. (National Socialist Movement) in the Netherlands was held here in the Community Hall, where the leader of this Movement, Ir. A.A. Mussert, took the floor. There was an extraordinary amount of interest in this lecture. The entire Community Hall was occupied to every corner. A very large portion of the visitors had come from the surrounding towns, Winterswijk, Dinxperlo, etc.
Aaltensche Courant, 27 March 1936
The stage was neatly decorated in the colors orange-white-blue and supplemented with plants. The well-known emblems were also displayed in the hall. After the doors were closed at 8:15 PM and Mr. Mussert was received with the customary greeting, he immediately took the floor.
My fellow countrymen, perhaps there are some among you who think that I have come to Aalten to make you national socialists, but I cannot do that. You either are one, or you are not. It depends on what you feel in your heart. Gauge your own heart. If it tells you that what I have said is good, and you believe that we must take this path, then join us. Why am I a national socialist? Because I cannot live in such a mess. We desire things to be as good as possible. We cannot bring you a utopia. But things can and must be different! I shall justify myself to you by showing you how things are now.
I want to speak to you about the moral and material decline. First about the material decline, because it is easier to understand. No one can say that we have been living in a time of progress for the last 20 years. How poorly the farmers are doing. Every day they sink deeper into the pit. Go to Drenthe, to the cities, and see the decline in all classes of society. The unemployed, who learned about the 8-hour day from the S.D.A.P. (Social Democratic Workers’ Party). There are currently 500,000 who have brought it down to zero hours.
The moral decline: See the lack of discipline, the decline of religion. Where is the joy of work, the joy of life? Present-day society says: clothes make the man. That is how one is judged. They can keep the clothes; I want the human being! People are idling away nowadays. Professional expertise hardly exists anymore. Indeed, professional expertise is even often a curse.
Unreliability! Who is still reliable in this world! My fellow countrymen, who is to blame for this? You too will have heard it said here: it is God’s will that man perishes. No, that is blasphemy. We have had no droughts, no floods, etc., that destroyed everything. No. We have had enough of everything, so much even that we had to take it to the manure heap.
Stupid people have made such a mess of it, and we must try to make it better, and it can be better. The system of government is focused on democracy, and it masters the principle of divide and rule.
The country of democracy par excellence is the United States, and there is only one value left there: the dollar. Everything has its price there! And that is the extreme of democracy. Fortunately, we are not that far yet here.
Here they all promise something. If you vote for so-and-so, this and that will happen! That is simply impossible! Since 1920, the gentlemen of the right have governed. Two gentlemen, an Anti-Revolutionary and a Roman Catholic, go out together. One speaks for the R.C. and says, what would the R.C. church be without the R.C. State Party and says: vote R.C.! The other does the same for the A.-Revolut. in Goes. The next day they tell each other that they both did well, and so it has been for years and years!
Now that the N.S.B. is everywhere, the government wants to get rid of proportional representation and return to electoral districts. I shall be curious to see if they manage to do so.
Originally, democracy was well-intentioned. What has become of it, however? For 150 years, people have been working on liberty, equality, and fraternity. Liberty! I stand here in a gray shirt. I am not allowed to stand here in a black shirt, because then I am a danger to the state! In a gray shirt, I am not!
Fraternity! That does not exist at all. Equality consists of the fact that once every 4 years, by placing a dot, you can say which political party you belong to. The national socialist state will be a state of work, hard work. There will then be workers and rabble! Democracy lives off the dictatorship of the political parties. We will no longer tolerate that tyranny of the political parties.
In 1914, when I had to serve, they did not ask me which political party I belonged to. They only asked me that when they dismissed me from my office. Just as we were only Dutchmen then, we should surely be able to be so in normal times as well. The S.D.A.P. has turned from red to pink, and it is moving toward orange. They are getting to the point where, before they eat a pastry, they sing the Wilhelmus while standing!!
The gentlemen in The Hague also speak to the people through the radio now. Be calm, go to sleep peacefully tonight. Dad will look after you! The speaker would like to say to the gentlemen in The Hague: stay in parliament, then the people understand you best. We should have the feeling: state and people are one, but it is not so.
Education is also no longer good. Thousands of guilders are lost annually to vandalism. The people are no longer being educated. There is no longer a future. Where are we heading? Such is the situation! Those who still have something for themselves and otherwise have no interest in anything do not interest me. I need the people who do feel responsibility and want to help build up.
In the first place, we must become a people again! We must start by looking at our own people, to tidy them up. Then we will have done enough for the time being. Let us not interfere with the Abyssinians. There is enough to do here. One is national when one is prepared to make sacrifices for one’s nation. We have a task. This nation must not perish, but for that, we must first feel like a people again. Are we militarists? No, we are only Dutchmen and we want to sacrifice ourselves for the country when necessary, but then with good equipment.
We have 2 warships that were already outdated 20 years ago. I would rather not say how they are now. But when we send you out, it will not be on old scrap metal, but with modern ships. That is also the underlying cause of the mutiny on the “Zeven Provinciën”. That is our militarism. We shall, however, not force anyone to become a soldier who does not wish to do so for reasons of principle.
Once again, the beginning of everything must be: Ensure that you first become a people again! It is about one’s place in society, and democracy can never bring you this. Especially not in the countryside. There are more votes in Amsterdam than in the whole of Groningen, Friesland, and Drenthe. We want everyone, depending on the position they hold, to take their place within their people. The 8,000 miners will have their voice as a corporation, as will the farmers, etc. A people can only be great when everyone performs their task, not for themselves, but for the benefit of the entire people.
What we do is very ordinary; we are no longer mocked, but now feared. Not by the people, but by the government, because we want to make the people one again. That is why our black shirt had to go! But it will return, fellow countrymen, and in much greater numbers than they think!!
Applause.
When the Jews in Germany were dismissed from their offices, the Dutch shed liters of crocodile tears! But when Dutchmen were dismissed from their offices, they thought it was fine! The entire press is ruled by money, by democracy! This regime is perishing and the new rulers will be the national socialists or the communists. We always go straight ahead, we shall always speak the truth, also in “Volk en Vaderland“!
Yes indeed, in “Volk en Vaderland”. If it contains something that is not true, we shall take it back, but when I am asked to write somewhat softer words, I am not at home. We must cut out the wounds. Each of us individually means nothing, but collectively, when we feel like one people again, we can achieve something and we will achieve something. That is the meaning of national socialism. Steady as she goes!!
After the break, various written questions received were answered in detail by the speaker. Then, the 1st and 8th verses of the Wilhelmus were sung while standing.
De Graafschapper, 7 April 1936
Letters to the Editor. Outside the responsibility of the Editorial Board
The fact that Ir. A.A. Mussert, the General Leader of the National Socialist Movement, has spoken in Aalten, gives me cause for the following remarks. I would have preferred to explain the following facts in a debate, but we know the staging of N.S.B. meetings: no debate, but an opportunity to ask written questions. If no questions are submitted, some are quickly fabricated; if difficult questions are asked, then by chance so many questions have come in that there is no time left for those difficult questions. Moreover, as a pre-eminent expert in N.S.B. affairs, I am denied access to the meetings, let alone a debate. A foretaste of the Mussert regime!
I begin by repeating my offer to any group of the N.S.B. to fully inform members and the public in a public meeting about everything that may interest them, namely about farmer deception, bossism, corruption, dishonesty, and immorality within the N.S.B. I am afraid, however, that no single group of the N.S.B., knowing what appalling conditions within the N.S.B. I would bring to light, will dare to accept my offer, and therefore I must make use of your hospitality to at least rescue a few points from oblivion.
The officials of the N.S.B. in the Achterhoek have spent more than a year trying to persuade Mr. Mussert to speak at a public meeting in Aalten. Mr. Mussert did not feel much for it as long as the circles in the Achterhoek, Zutphen, Winterswijk, and Doetinchem did not bring money into the coffers. For the N.S.B. needs a lot of money every month. While the leaders are always muttering about the fascist “serving and sacrificing,” they let themselves be paid handsomely by the N.S.B.
Mr. Mussert receives a salary of ƒ 8,000 plus emoluments, Mr. C. van Geelkerken ƒ 4,000, although as a clerk at the Provincial Registry of Utrecht he never earned more than ƒ 2,400. Rev. van Duyl receives ƒ 2,400 salary from the N.S.B. on top of his salary as a minister. Not all N.S.B. bosses are paid so generously. At the District House in Arnhem, for example, a former police officer works. The man has no pension or redundancy pay and is on the dole. If everything were normal with this man, he would not need to be on the dole; he would be in receipt of a salary, redundancy pay, or a pension.
I cannot be clearer, but it is the kind of people with whom Mr. Mussert prefers to surround himself. This man earns five guilders a week from the N.S.B. Until recently, he was a sergeant in Mr. Mussert’s glorious W.A. (Stormtroopers). Naturally, he cannot live on ƒ 5 per week, and therefore he is also on the dole. Until recently, he did not report his N.S.B. wages to Social Services. He does this on the advice of high-ranking N.S.B. officials. Of course, that man is exposed to criminal prosecution every day; he always has one leg in prison.
For me, the aggravating factor is that Mr. Mussert is aware of this, for I have written to him personally. At the District House in Arnhem alone, I could point out three such cases. They are, of course, only a small percentage of the members who are paid for their work. Their “sacrifice” is then set as an example to those hundreds of misled people who are truly so naive as to believe that all members perform the tasks assigned to them without payment.
In Dinxperlo, for example, a group house was built by the unemployed which, now that it is finished, is hardly used. Those unemployed were not compensated a single cent for their labor by the N.S.B., and these poor wretches were set as an example by the N.S.B. in all other places for the members as proof of self-sacrifice. Would these misled people want to perform the same work for free again if they knew that in the large cities all labor is paid for by the N.S.B., such as canvassing and distribution?
I once attended a meeting with Mr. Mussert where the possibility of making workers members of the N.S.B. was discussed. Mr. Mussert believed that we could try to make workers members, but we should leave the “scum” alone. In this context, Mr. Mussert meant the unemployed by “scum,” of whom the N.S.B. supposedly already had enough.
A similar expression was once uttered by the provincial election leader of the N.S.B. for Gelderland, Mr. J. Frowein in Oosterbeek, during the propaganda campaign for the Provincial Council elections last year. “What use are those unemployed to you as members? You can’t let them do anything or you have to pay for it.” Mr. Mussert also knows this, because it was reported to Utrecht by an unemployed person. Without result, however, for Mr. Frowein, together with his brother, Mr. F.W. Frowein, pays two thousand guilders in membership fees per year to the N.S.B., and Mr. Mussert is careful with such members, while that ƒ 2,000 for the aforementioned wealthy men is merely a kind of insurance premium in case the N.S.B. actually comes to power!
Some time ago, I attended a meeting of the N.S.B. in Winterswijk with Mr. Mussert as the preacher. It was still in the time when the N.S.B. was on the rise, when many in their despair and decline saw salvation in that N.S.B. Thus, the meeting was also attended by many country folk. It was a cold evening and the hall was poorly heated. Some older people still had their caps on when Mr. Mussert appeared on the stage. The first thing he barked into the hall was: “caps off.”
You see, such high-handed behavior from a supposedly well-bred person toward simple people who, after a hard day’s work, take the trouble to attend a meeting, reflects the mentality of the General Leader of the N.S.B.
Those cap-wearers, that scum, do not interest him because they cannot pay membership fees from which the often very substantial salaries of the N.S.B. bosses can be paid. I must not abuse the hospitality of your paper. I could fill columns with facts that would demonstrate the insincerity and the charade of the N.S.B.
I could point out how the N.S.B. in the cities is against the Cooperative, yet in the countryside does not dare to agitate against the agricultural Cooperatives; how the N.S.B. itself has no agricultural program but hopes to parasitize on the Drenthe success of a farmers’ organization like “Landbouw en Maatschappij”; how, for example, in the Achterhoek, in places like Winterswijk, Varsseveld, Doetinchem, and Dinxperlo, farmers’ meetings were held under the name of “Landbouw en Maatschappij,” while those meetings were requested, prepared, and settled, and the risk borne by the N.S.B.; how the N.S.B. works with different demagogic means in every region or city because everywhere and always the interests of stakeholders supporting the N.S.B. with money must be spared, etc. etc.
I end with a very topical proof of the insincerity of the N.S.B. In the Achterhoek, too, many meetings have been held with the butcher Roelofsen as speaker about the pig crisis scandals. The N.S.B. deemed it necessary to repeatedly announce in “Volk en Vaderland” that the N.S.B. had nothing to do with Mr. Roelofsen’s campaign. A falsehood, for Mr. R. was paid by the N.S.B. for this work and received all the data for his campaign from the N.S.B. Mr. R. was somewhat careless in his campaign and received police reports and finally a prison sentence.
I personally have seen the letter in which Mr. R. was informed on behalf of Mr. Mussert that he would no longer receive a salary. He received that letter on the day he was arrested in Rotterdam to serve his first sentence. Sensitive, isn’t it? Yes, is it pleasant to sacrifice for the N.S.B. and be a martyr!!
In the meantime, he was sentenced again by the Court in Zutphen to 5 months in prison. Having appealed this, he sought legal assistance from one of his comrades in Arnhem, an N.S.B. lawyer. This “comrade,” however, asked for such a high fee for his help that Mr. R. could not pay it. He did not receive help from Mr. Mussert or from Headquarters either. Is it any wonder that he had had enough of the N.S.B. and resigned his membership himself?
In the session of the Senate, the N.S.B. member Count de Marchant et d’Ansembourg (also not an unemployed person) is severely rebuked by the agricultural expert Ruijter, and the Roelofsen case is also brought up. What does the Count have to answer to this?: “Mr. Roelofsen was expelled because, despite warnings, it was no longer possible to work with him.” A Count does not lie, does not speak untruths. Let me put it very parliamentarily: The Count is mistaken; Mr. Roelofsen was never warned, was never expelled as a member; he resigned as a member of the N.S.B. himself in my presence!
But let this Roelofsen case be an instructive lesson for all residents of the Achterhoek. Sacrificing and serving, wonderful, if the leaders set the example. Socialism, wonderful, but then also for the unemployed or any other “scum” whatsoever. And no criticism of others until things are so pure within one’s own Movement or organization that one has the right to exercise criticism. In my opinion, the N.S.B. is the very last political party that has the right to throw dirt at others.
The glorious weather of the past few days—true summer weather, with plenty of sunshine and mild temperatures—is still luring many people out to the woods and heath. Walkers and those in more of a hurry, venturing out by bicycle, often choose the beautiful Zelhemseweg (the present-day Romienendiek, ed.), the old Hessenweg, for their excursions.
On Friday, there was something else to enjoy alongside the natural beauty. A number of young men were labouring along the soft, sandy road, pulling a cart laden with strange-looking contraptions. Pausing occasionally to catch their breath, they chatted and gestured animatedly. Clearly, something special was underway. Anyone wishing to satisfy their curiosity could only do so at the cost of a fair walk. The group pushed ever further, pulling or pushing with renewed zeal after every short rest. Upon reaching the Schaapskooi (sheepfold), the column turned right, and they halted at the edge of the woods on the heights above the flat, reclaimed terrain, where flowering lupins still painted bright, brilliant yellow spots on the brownish-grey surface here and there.
There was no more catching of breath. Now, busy activity: nimble hands carefully took the mysterious objects from the cart and laid them out meticulously on the beautiful heathland according to a set plan. Pliers, wrenches, bolts, and nuts were produced. With care and deliberation, the various items were connected; the work began to take shape. What was about to happen here?
A kind of sledge with a seat, and in front of it a swivelling stick where the feet could be placed. Behind that, a pair of upright tubes, firmly attached to the sledge. Next, it was the turn of a few large, flat pieces: a construction of tube and slats, covered with linen and paper, approximately 9 metres long and well over a metre wide. With combined effort, these pieces were placed on the upright tubes and secured with bolts. Tension wires ensured the correct alignment. The whole structure now took the shape of a large bird. All that remained was the tail, which was also soon attached, and before us stood a glider—perhaps not constructed to all requirements, but a very decent one nonetheless—with an elevator and rudder on the tail, albeit without ailerons on the rear of the wings.
Everything was checked thoroughly one last time, nuts were tightened again, tension wires were adjusted slightly, and then the first test was to be carried out. The tow cable—in this case, a number of inner tubes—was attached, the device was dragged to the edge of the slope, and the pilot took his place on the sledge. Feet on the ‘steering’, checking briefly if it worked, and yes, it worked fine. The rudders responded to the slightest pressure of the foot.
Aaltensche Courant, 5 October 1934
Now, the great moment had arrived. Expectations were high. Would it succeed? One part of the helpers positioned themselves behind the machine to hold it back; another part went to the tow cable and pulled, pulled with all their might to achieve the greatest possible tension. After all, the greater the speed at take-off, the greater the chance of lifting off the ground. The wind, too, played a part. However, it was nowhere to be seen; it was absolutely still.
They decided to give it a try regardless. The helpers pulled harder; one more tug, and with a whistling sound, the rubber cable, stretched to its limit, snapped. A mixture of sadness and amusement: sadness over the setback, amusement at the helpers who bit the dust, rolling down the slope head over heels. Soon, however, the cable was repaired. An experience richer, they started again, this time with a little less energy. Then the pilot’s command: “Let go.”
With a jerk, the contraption lurched forward and glided along the ground for a distance, even lifting slightly. But there was no talk of gliding yet. Back to the starting point. The elevator was adjusted to be a bit steeper, and they started again. And yes, it went better. The aircraft clearly lifted off the ground, but it landed somewhat uncomfortably a bit further on. Without too much damage, however.
Back to the starting point once more. The third time’s the charm. Once again, the helpers pulled with all their might, the command “Let go” sounded again, and again the bird surged forward, now with the elevator even steeper, and yes, now it was going up. This silent bird glided over a stream, but one of its wings struck a tree branch. The wing snapped off, and like a bird shot in flight, the machine slid down and hit the ground with a crash, irreparably damaged.
Months of labour in spare hours had been destroyed in one fell swoop. The still-usable material was dismantled and loaded back onto the handcart, and a less enthusiastic troop returned to the village. Less enthusiastic than on the way there, but the constructor, the 17-year-old electrician Bennink, was not discouraged. After all, it had worked! It must be possible with a home-built, but slightly better-constructed device of more stable build. Plans for this were already being made, and this indicates that we will likely see this enterprising young man make another attempt in some time. Taught by experience, a subsequent attempt will surely have a better chance of success.
De Graafschapbode, 3 October 1934
The builder of the glider, Jan Bennink, lived on the Kattenberg in Aalten. Ninety years later, a home-built glider by Jan Bennink was discovered near his childhood home, in the attic of a building on the Lichtenvoordsestraatweg where a friend of his lived at the time. Perhaps this friend hid it as a precaution shortly after the outbreak of World War II, after Bennink had been questioned at the police station about his flying hobby.
In 1932, there was excitement among historians regarding a potential “find of prehistoric value” in the Ringkampsbulten near Aalten. The presence of 2,000-year-old vaulted dome-shaped graves was suspected within an artificial mound there. Excavations were to provide clarity, with unexpected results.
Mysteries
On 9 March 1932, the Graafschapbode reported:
Mr Beernink from Aalten, a member of “de Graafschap”, approached the secretary, Dr Westerbeek van Eerten from Hummelo, with the request to come and conduct an investigation in a heathland area on the German border to the south-east of Aalten. Situated there was a small artificial mound with ramparts where, according to the local residents, things were not quite right. They spoke of pixies, ghosts, ulkenpötte (hobgoblins), and further mysteries.
The Aaltensche Courant wrote on 11 March 1932:
Along the historical road leading from neighbouring Barlo in Germany to the old fortress town of Bredevoort lies, on the right-hand side as one travels in the direction of Germany, a small pine wood, ostensibly identical to several of these woodland plots still to be found on the Haart.
For the historian, particularly the researcher of prehistory, this wood signifies more than just a plot of woodland. For him, the lines and contours of the soil are a page of history – history from thousands of years ago. To the layman, it is a bumpy plot of pines, featuring first a rampart about 1 metre high, then a slight depression, followed once more by a rise in the centre of which is a bowl-shaped hollow.
Upon closer inspection, it appears that the outermost rampart follows a roughly egg-shaped course, with a length of about 100 metres and a width of approximately 50 metres. Within this enclosure sits the aforementioned elevation with its characteristic bowl-shaped hollow, which immediately leads the connoisseur to suspect a “tumulus” or barrow from prehistoric times. At the thickest end of this egg shape (the pointed end lies on the eastern side), we encounter the mound with its bowl-shaped hollow.
A photograph of the presumed “tumulus” in the Ringkampsbulten. Underneath the vaulted ground, 2,000-year-old graves were believed to be located.
Standing upon this mound and looking eastwards, it becomes apparent that this elevation in the terrain – which locally consists predominantly of light yellow fine sand – directly borders a plain which, as far as the eye can see, formerly consisted of marshy ground, but has been converted into agricultural land over the past forty years through effective drainage. Further north, the terrain remains fairly undulating and mainly sandy. A few lower-lying plots have already been brought into cultivation here as well.
The outermost ring or rampart (the site derives its name of “Ringkampsbulte” from this ring) has partially fallen into decay on the western side due to a cart track, whilst a woodland path also intersects the ring in two places. However, when standing on the mound, the characteristic shape of the ring is clearly delineated. The terrain is entirely overgrown with pines, the falling needles forming a soft carpet over the firm ground into which our feet sink. Rabbits, burrowing their holes into the mound, have brought the pure sand to the surface here and there.
Pixies
In popular folklore, it is said that “eerdmannekes” (pixies) have been seen playing on the rampart; furthermore, the mound was reputedly haunted, while older folk recall tales of urns that are supposedly present there. According to the scholars, one is dealing here with a barrow from the Neolithic period – that is to say, from the third or indeed the final period of the Stone Age. The outermost ring, however, is unique.
Mr A.J.G. Beernink of this town, who had been aware of these conditions for years and sensed the history of this piece of nature, informed the government commissioner for the detection of historically valuable monuments of this some years ago, because so much of value had already been lost on the Haart. This warning, however, yielded no result. To prevent unskilful digging and searching, Mr Beernink did not publicise the matter. Fortunately, the land, which is municipal property, remained intact.
In August 1930, the aforementioned gentleman informed Mr Hoefer in Hattem, chairman of the prehistoric society, of his suspicion that a grave or cremation site of the ancient Germanic peoples was to be found here. Initially, nothing was heard in response to this either, but after Mr Beernink had once again pressed the matter with the society, Mr Westerbeek van Eerten came here as the plenipotentiary of the “Foundation for the Protection of Prehistoric Monuments in Gelderland”. Then the ball was set rolling.
Scientific investigation
Shortly, a systematic scientific investigation will begin under the direction of Dr van Giffen. Dr van Giffen considers the find highly important, all the more so since traces of timber construction have been found and the dimensions are unique. The excavation, which must of course be carried out with the necessary caution and usually consists of hoeing away the soil layer by layer in thin slices, will commence before long. This will be done from the south-western side towards the centre, because experience has shown that over such a vast span of time, the topsoil shifts somewhat in a north-easterly direction due to weather influences. With this method, one therefore stands the best chance of finding the actual dome-shaped graves as quickly as possible.
What will be found? Perhaps interesting discoveries will be made even for a layman, in the form of urns and stone objects. The urns, if found, are extremely fragile upon discovery because, being mostly fashioned from clay, they were dried in the sun. Baked urns, which are consequently stronger, invariably dated from a later period. If dried urns are found and are handled and dried carefully, they can sometimes still be saved. For the expert, however, every non-natural modification in the strata provides an invaluable clue.
Thus, for example, dark round spots in the excavation point to a post that was driven in previously, whilst in this manner it has been possible to establish the site where a hut stood thousands of years ago. A ring-shaped site, for instance, enclosed by round dark spots in the lighter-coloured soil, indicates the posts that propped up the hut. Inside such a ring, one then sometimes finds remnants of ash and occasionally prehistoric objects as well.
All objects that are found will be handed over to the local Oudheidkamer (historical museum). When presently the hoe is thrust into the soil, when the scanning eye of the historian searchingly contemplates the exposed earth and finds what is presumed to be found, then this find will prove to be one such as has not been made in the Netherlands, indeed perhaps in Europe, to date. May it be so.
Unexpected result
On 25 July 1933, the Zutphensche Courant reported:
In its annual report for 1932, the board of the Foundation for the Protection of Prehistoric Cultural Monuments in Gelderland states, among other things, the following: At the general meeting of 26 February 1932, a commission was granted to Dr van Giffen to carry out an excavation on the Ringkampsbulte near Aalten, after which Dr van Giffen made a start on the investigation at the beginning of April. Just a few days later, the excavation was halted, as to the astonishment of Dr van Giffen and his staff, it had become apparent that one was dealing here with a natural ring dyke (ringwal), the highly peculiar shape of which had misled the experts.
Close to the ring dyke, however, lies a grave from the La Tène period, and Dr van Giffen suspects the presence of a necropolis there, for which further investigation would undoubtedly be rewarding. This investigation, however, was impossible for the moment due to the condition of the land, so that we hope to be able to return to this later.
Whether any matters of interest have been found in the Ringkampsbulten (since then) remains unknown to us for the time being. Do you have more information? We would love to hear from you!
At the end of September 1931, large-scale army exercises took place in the Achterhoek, in which the municipality of Aalten also formed part of the battlefield. Troops were billeted with civilians, and a complete tent camp was erected on the Varsseveldsestraatweg in Lintelo. The simulated skirmishes attracted many curious spectators, and the press reported extensively. Below are several fragments from newspaper articles of that time.
Wednesday and this morning, our town was the centre of the manoeuvres. All day long, the aircraft circled above this area, and from the railway line to the North, straight through the Wolboom and the Aalter Esch, it was one continuous line of outposts and machine-gun groups.
Half of Aalten, as well as a very large number of strangers, visited the “front”. We also noticed a great many German cars. Night fell without an encounter having taken place. The posts remained in position and spent the night in so-called “dog kennels” on a thick layer of straw and provided with a few blankets. In some parts of the village, where the Red troops lay close to the houses, coffee was brewed all night long, and in many families there, not much sleep was had.
Minister Deckers to the front: the Minister of War with his car at Hotel Schiller in Aalten; accompanied by several staff officers
When we stood on the Aalter Esch at nine o’clock, Blue had gained combat contact and heavy firing was also heard in the North. The Red outposts lay with one or two men in a bundle of straw like birds in a nest. It might have appeared as if they had just crawled out of a strange egg, but that was not the case; they had lain on that windy height all night.
Blue could not advance further for the time being and this, as we know, was not the intention either. After all, the decision was to be forced to the North and South of Aalten.
By a field kitchen
A sergeant-messmaster writes to us from the battlefield: It was three o’clock in the morning on Wednesday when the 10th and 22nd Infantry Regiments departed from Ede with all vehicles by train to take up the defensive position of the Red party near Aalten. The organisation — truly no small feat with such nocturnal transport en masse — proved to be in excellent order and everything proceeded with the greatest regularity, so that troops and baggage train arrived promptly at the agreed time of 6:15 AM in Aalten.
The morale among the troops is high, to which the well-filled bread bag (bread, cheese, and extra currant buns) certainly contributes its share. Moreover, the weather is beautiful, and nothing boosts the morale of the troops as much as good weather and good food.
“As long as the rations are in order, messmaster,” said a giant of a fellow from the troops in his sturdy Rotterdam dialect, “then we’ll manage the hauling.” And my cooks see to it that the rations are in order. Just outside Aalten, a set of field kitchens is stationed, and the personnel, one cook and two assistant cooks for each kitchen, are already busy ensuring that the coffee is ready at 12 o’clock and that a large quantity of hutspot is ready for the hungry troops by about five o’clock.
The fires are burning; in one pot of my field kitchen, the water for the coffee is boiling, and in the other pot, the carrots and onions are already beginning to simmer, as the cook calls it. Now, this afternoon, the potatoes still need to be boiled, the boiled meat mashed in with fat, and the troops can enjoy a hearty meal.
To the front
At 10 o’clock, the order came to “line up as close as possible to the respective company,” and so the field kitchen, while the pot was tended to during the journey, moved to a small outdoor café near Aalten, where we positioned ourselves under the trees, “covered from enemy aircraft” as it is called. Our men are in the defensive position and, beaming with pleasure because they have a “line,” are waiting in the sun for the enemy. And when the coffee was brought to them promptly at 12 o’clock, the unanimous verdict was that these manoeuvres weren’t so bad after all.
The bustle in Aalten
The otherwise so quiet and peaceful Aalten is now full of the clamour of war. Aircraft hum above the village and engage in mock dogfights, which all villagers watch with the greatest attention. But the field kitchens with the increasingly dirty cooks also attract attention. Motorcycles and cars with umpires shoot through the villages with loud bangs, and an extensive staff of military police ensures that the abnormally heavy traffic does not cause any accidents.
Aaltensche Courant, 5 June 1931De Graafschapper, 18 September 1931Zutphensche Courant, 19 September 1931Aaltensche Courant, 29 September 1931
Distributing food
The army cooks are busy satisfying so many eager mouths during the exercises
Five o’clock! The field kitchen heads out onto the country roads with a full pot of hutspot to deliver food to the company in its various units, the sections. The vehicle is greeted with cheers everywhere. The soldiers have a hearty hunger, despite the easy job in the defensive position. The food is excellent and sufficient, so there are no complaints or grumbling. On the contrary, jokes and quips fly back and forth.
There is only one concern left among the troops: where will we sleep tonight and when must we get up again. And that is precisely a question that cannot be solved for the time being, because the troops are in a so-called alarm position and a message could arrive at any moment that they must move forward or backward, and then instead of sleeping in quarters, it will be sleeping in small tents, with the possibility that just as the troops have fallen asleep, they receive word to depart elsewhere again.
Surprising things were unfolding there in the North. The Blue Reconnaissance Department, which had set out from Vossenberg towards Winterswijk, found Vragender occupied by Red and had established itself in Lichtenvoorde, the most important road junction North of Aalten. There, the Light Brigade now found itself missing out. It had received orders from the Red commander to occupy Lichtenvoorde, but encountered the Blue Reconnaissance Department there, which could still hold out for a while.
The commander of Red began to fear the threat to his Northern flank. He called upon his Grenadiers, who for this occasion were swift-footed, and who were hastily dispatched from Groenlo in Ford vehicles via Winterswijk towards Bredevoort to extend the Northern flank there. They took up positions on either side of the Bredevoort—Lichtenvoorde road, North of Barlo, just past the three-way junction.
The armoured cars played a large part in the military operations during the manoeuvres held on Friday in the vicinity of Doesburg and Aalten
Two observers in position at a forward post during the army exercises held in Aalten and Doesburg on Friday
End of exercise
Today, Thursday morning, the Blue troops advanced strongly, so that eventually the Red army had to retreat to the Lichtenvoorde road. After 11:30 AM, there was not much more for the very numerous public to see. Most had certainly thought that a major attack was still to come, but the army leadership apparently felt it was enough and nothing more happened. Particularly fine were the performances of the aircraft, which cruised incessantly above Aalten.
At 12 o’clock, the manoeuvres came to an end. Throughout the afternoon and evening, there was a great bustle in the streets of troops departing again, either to the station here, where long passenger and freight trains were formed and departed all afternoon and night, or on foot to Winterswijk to catch the train there. A large part remains here tonight, so there is a great deal of billeting. Tomorrow, peace will gradually return to the village.
This morning, on the German border near the Kruiskapelle, on the small road leading from Bauhuis to Germany, an encounter took place between German customs officers and smugglers. A customs officer, emerging from a forest, fired several consecutive shots at a German who was fleeing by bicycle toward Holland, with the result that, when he was approximately 10 m onto Dutch territory, he collapsed with two gunshot wounds to the chest.
According to the statement of the eyewitness, shopkeeper Bauhuis, the customs officer must still have been shooting when the smuggler was already on Dutch territory. If this is the case, and the statement is very pertinent, it signifies an instance of border violation that will likely have further consequences.
The Eyewitness’s Story
When we asked Bauhuis about the circumstances of the case, he informed us of the following:
Around 7 o’clock this morning, three German smugglers headed toward the German border. Just as they were briefly on German territory, a young German customs officer emerged from a forest and attempted to detain the smugglers. Two of them fled toward Germany, one toward Holland. The latter was pursued by the customs officer.
During this pursuit, he fired about twenty shots, even when the fugitive had already arrived on Dutch territory. When he had crossed the border by approximately 10 meters, he collapsed, hit in two places on the right side of the chest by revolver bullets.
His statement was firm that shots had been fired at the smuggler who was already on Dutch territory. He was also of the opinion that the customs officer, a very young man who had presumably arrived only recently, did not know exactly where the border lay at that location.
When the man was shot, Bauhuis stated, I was under the impression that he was going to die soon, and since I would rather not have him in the house, I made him a bed of straw on German territory, where we laid him down. I should not have done that, because later the German police took custody of him and transported him to the hospital in Wesel.
This naturally complicates the investigation from the Dutch side, as it is no longer possible to determine exactly what the situation was when the man fell.
Meanwhile, a different explanation is being given from the German side. The matter is being investigated. The leadership of this is in the hands of the detachment commander of the Marechaussee here, Sergeant G. v. Buren. During the initial investigation, the acting Mayor, Alderman F.H. Somsen, was present at the scene.
In 1937, G.H. Rots described how life used to be in Aalten in a series of articles in the Aaltensche Courant. Regarding wolf hunting, he wrote:
“Just as fox hunts are organised nowadays to exterminate the few long-tailed foxes that remain, this was once done to eradicate a larger and more harmful predator. In the years when the population suffered greatly at the hands of marauding soldiers, the wolf was still a feared predator in these parts.
Imagine the situation in those days. Extensive forests, and in the lowlands, the farmsteads. Livestock grazed in the meadows, surrounded by woodland. The coppice also grew luxuriantly around the essen (es-lands). An eldorado for wildlife, therefore. The wolf went hunting, and the farmers’ dwindling livestock was also plagued by its natural enemy. Large drives were then organised.
Large nets were stretched out somewhere, and the game was driven into them, while the hunters lay in wait to bring down the prey with their guns, equipped with ‘pan and stone’ (flintlock mechanism). However, the wolves likely disappeared more due to advancing deforestation than through the hunts. Especially when the torch of war ceased to burn and the farming population settled everywhere, the wolves’ reign came to an end.”
Wolf Hunt, 16th-century print by Etienne Delaune, Rijksmuseum Amsterdam
June 1923
About a century ago, there were reports of a wolf present in the woods of ’t Walfort.
De Graafschapper, 12 June 1923
December 1847
During the night of 5 to 6 December, two ‘large dogs’ wreaked havoc in the sheep pen at Kortbeek farm in Heurne, Aalten.
Groninger Courant, 14 December 1847
Wolf hunt in the Achterhoek (1600)
Sources
‘From Aalten’s Past’, by G.H. Rots, Aaltensche Courant, 11 March 1938 (via Delpher)
At the end of 1922, the residents of Aalten sent food aid to the destitute population of the neighboring German city of Bocholt.
Germany’s defeat in World War I had profound consequences. In 1919, the Allies forced Germany to accept full responsibility for the war, and enormous reparations were imposed on the country. The staggering debt burden to the Allies led to hyperinflation and a severe economic crisis. This resulted in extreme poverty and famine for the majority of the German population.
On September 28, 1922, the municipal council of Aalten decided to help the destitute population of the neighboring German city of Bocholt, “in recognition of the good that Aalten enjoyed from this industrial city before the war.” The aid consisted of sending foodstuffs that were available here in abundance.
On November 17, the Aaltensche Courant reported:
Old Town Hall of Bocholt, for illustration
“This morning, the second shipment of food, collected by the citizens of the municipality of Aalten, left for Bocholt. In the following weeks, the residents of the municipality of Aalten gathered several more shipments of food and sent them to Bocholt. On Tuesday, seven wagons carrying potatoes, cabbage, rye, etc., crossed the border, while two more transports are scheduled to depart next week. That these efforts are received with great joy requires no explanation, given the dire need, and this humane act will certainly contribute to the resumption of friendly relations (broken by the war) with our neighbors.”
Dr. Schmitz, Mayor of Bocholt
Ten days later, the Zutphense Courant wrote:
“Nov 26 – During the council meeting of the border city of Bocholt, the mayor delivered a speech to express his gratitude for the great sacrifice made by the population of the municipality of Aalten to provide the poor of the city of Bocholt with all kinds of foodstuffs such as potatoes, flour, fat, vegetables, etc. Fourteen wagonloads had already been received, which the Aalten farmers brought to Bocholt themselves. The mayor regarded this assistance from the Dutch border residents as a sign of rapprochement toward their German neighbors.”
At the end of May 1918, the first reports appeared in Dutch newspapers regarding a ‘mysterious illness’ in Spain. Although its origins likely lay elsewhere, it was soon referred to as the Spanish Flu. This pandemic held the country in its grip for nearly two years and claimed 38,000 lives. In 1920, the disease vanished as enigmatically as it had arrived.
The municipality of Aalten did not escape the Spanish Flu either. The number of fatalities here is estimated at approximately 60, out of a population of roughly 10,000 at the time.
Newspaper reports
Aalten, 16 October 1918 – “The Spanish sickness is increasing in scale in Aalten. In many households, one or more family members are confined to bed. It is also markedly noticeable in schools, where many children are absent. Consequently, the Christian school on Breedevoortsestraat has been closed. Fortunately, the illness has not yet taken a malignant course. Lung conditions have only occurred in a few individuals.” De Standaard
Cartoon from 1918–1919. Newspaper clipping, collection Scheltema
Aalten, 29 October 1918 – “The Spanish flu, which at first was sometimes spoken of jestingly, is now appearing alarmingly in places. So too here in our municipality. Among the very numerous cases, several have resulted in death, sometimes so suddenly that people pass away within a few days. Indeed, the number of reported deaths at the town hall here has never been as high in a single day as was the case yesterday, when no fewer than eleven death certificates were filed. There is general widespread sympathy for the households where death has made such an unexpected entrance.”
Bredevoort, 29 October 1918 – “Whereas until now the Spanish flu was actually only known by name here, as people were recovered within a couple of days, it has now become quite different and has taken on a more serious character. Already several victims have died of this illness, while many are seriously ill. The public school was closed yesterday (Monday morning).” Aaltensche Courant
Aalten, 5 November 1918 – “The flu continues to rage here with the same severity and claim its victims. Yesterday, four persons in this municipality died of the disease.” De Graafschapper
Aalten, 20 February 1919– “In the municipality of Aalten, the Spanish flu has now broken out for the third time. The illness has been confirmed in many families, with some cases already resulting in death.” Arnhemsche Courant
Aalten, 5 March 1919– “The Spanish flu continues to demand sacrifices in Aalten. The number of cases remains significantly high, while numerous deaths occur.” Arnhemsche Courant
Miracle Cures
Entrepreneurs also saw commercial opportunities and sold all kinds of remedies for the flu, such as ‘Abbey Syrup’, which was essentially nothing more than sugar water with cinnamon. Other promoted treatments included “sublimate injections, fumigations with nitrous acid, eucalyptus oil, sugar beets…”
Advertisement in De Graafschapper, 27 December 1918
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