Introduction-
by Johan Ates jr. Translation: Johan (John) Willems.
By means of word-to-mouth, I heard of the role de family of painter
de Boer had played during the German occupation of the Second World
War. It was at a reception of my grand parents (Pake and Beppe) when
Maryke (my wife) remembered that Beppe pointed out black Tiny, Tiny
Mulder the most famous Friesian Courier during the war.
When we at one time picked Pake and Beppe up from Thabor, a house for
senior citizens, Pake along the way would all of a sudden start with
a story about B19, (his code name during the war). That on it’s
own always created an interest.
In the write up of the works “Occupation in Friesland” written
by Pieter Wijbinga is J. de Boer / B 19 not mentioned. Also in a book
written by Piet Stavast a diary of a normal resistance fighter, is
pake de Boer’s name also missing although most of the story written
took place in Sneek, the second largest city in Friesland. If I am
right, pake and beppe attended the wedding reception of Piet Stavast.
Therefore I am pleased that uncle Herre in his document “ When
I think of my Childhood” made a lot of reference to the occupation
years.
In 1995 a book called “De Waag staat in brand-Sneek 1940-1945” translated
meaning: (The weigh-house is on fire-Sneek-1940-1945) pake Johan’s
name is mentioned twice.
I became very active in searching for information when the archives
from the association Friesland 1940-1945 were made public in 1995.
In a very short time I was able to locate a dossier of B19, with a
complete report about the war years and a hand written report of the ”attack
of the police station”. To make it readable I have typed this
story in the following episode.
Attack of the police station, February 12, 1945.
On the Sunday morning, “Arie” the leader of the underground
of our city Sneek, stopped me for a moment and said quietly in a few
very simple words:
We will try early tomorrow morning.
What the meaning
of trying meant for me to be ready and available early in the morning
for every possible task.
Needless to say that you wake up a bit earlier
than normal.
Around seven thirty the doorbell went three times. (Which
was illegal)
The door opened and the custodian of the Highschool past
by me closed the door with force and told me in a short but meaningful
tone:
The attack was very successful.
The results were Beautiful, seventeen
men and three women.
And now de Boer they are your responsibility.
Immediately after the attack the leader of the local resistance went
to their central command told them of the success of the attack, and
informed them that de Boer is now responsible for further activities.
So
there you are, also this time.
The twenty people were hidden in a secret
location and than all of a sudden you are a nurse for twenty people.
Well I did not exactly look like a nurse, I was wearing a not to clean
coverall.
But with paint can in my hand we went to an illegal bakery.
We purchased without the required stamps Bread, Butter.
We already
had made arrangements for milk to be delivered.
Our very friendly cook
had to our surprise made real chocolate milk.
With my first supplies
I planned to go and visit my “Children”.
My path took me
past the office where the distribution of goods and stamps is administrated.
One of the employees of the office a friend of mine stopped me.
He
said, hear this, they emptied the police station last night and freed
thirty-six people.
I said, “is that so?”.
With a very loud
voice which even scared me.
After some short talk I was again on my
way and reached the building where the ex jailbirds where.
Upon arrival,
another disaster, there were gardeners working in the garden, which
made it more difficult for me.
So just to make sure for the safety
of the twenty people, because you do not look for escapees where workers
are active.
In discussion with the custodian the food and drinks were
placed in a cabinet that was available.
The custodian would look after
the rest.
While I am writing this I do not have to be scared anymore,
but at the time you would have to be extremely careful with your work.
I was responsible for twenty people whom were under life threatening
circumstances liberated from German control.
At the time remember there
was continuous control, the Germans “grunen” were given
a list with all the names of the people that were liberated.
At that
time you are within your heart extremely thankful to assist in making
the life of the occupying forces more miserable.
They had started a
rumor that the liberated people were transferred from Sneek immediately.
At around twelve o’clock, Mr. Dries from the central command
came to discuss the evening activities. Because all the people required
going further, we looked for boarding places, which was done in the
most secret way.
We finished at three o’clock pm, and decided
to leave from our home at six forty five pm.
We also agreed to use
the lowest number of personnel for this activity and selected therefore:
the following, 1 Dries, 2 Zondervan, 3 Hinke, (My Daughter), 4 Yours
Truly.
In the afternoon around four pm, I made my first contact with
the twenty.
When the board that covered the hiding place was removed,
a warm stale air greeted you.
We told them that they must be ready
for travel by Seven o’clock this evening and told them we will
see you later.
At seven thirty we were eating our evening meal consisting
of a sandwich (Dries was our guest) and than action.
Making sure our
journey would be successful we had requested help from our Almighty
God in prayer.
And with His strength supporting us we were on our way
to the school.
The wooden shoe of Dries had a crack in it; it made a
funny noise with each step he took. (Strange that you remember such
small incidents).
The doors of the building were already unlocked.
The custodian was at his post (much respect for this great person).
We had agreed that Zondervan and Hinke would stay at the door.
Since
the building was a school, the custodian, Dries and yours truly B.
19 walked through circular path’s, around benches through benches
from classroom to classroom where eventually we ended at our place
of destination.
The cover of the hiding place was removed and there
they came crawling along, all twenty of them, one of them grabbed me
and asked: “did you bring any tobacco?”
Almost mad: Shut
Up man, we are concerned about people’s lives.
We did not care
who went with whom, the two Sneker girls were told where their boarding
houses were and were sent on their way.
The two Sneker men received
each a stranger, Dries had six and we had the rest.
At this time we
proceeded cautiously and slowly.
The weather was perfect; it was pitch
dark.
After a while when we got to the doorway we proceeded to go on
the street, I was at the back so was not exactly sure how it went.
At that moment, I had a scare of my life, I was supposed to deliver
at least two people and there was only one left, I went back “Is
there still someone here?” there was no answer.
In the meanwhile,
it was twenty minutes before eight o’clock.
So on we went.
At
Ten minutes before eight, we got our answer.
We already mentioned how
dark it was, now Dries had gone to one part of the city called (het
Sperkhem) with six men, but when he had delivered the six, there were
still two.
There was no time left for a return so Dries received an
other contact and this delivery was also complete.
The next day, “Maaike” came
with twenty stamps so that supplies could be obtained.
The coverall
was put on again and that distribution was also successful.
Unfortunately
not everyone maintained his or her freedom very long.
An unexpected
search by the Germans in the city when a friend Dokkem from Koudem
was asked for his identification, and arrested.
With some luck he was
identified as a different person.
With the assistance of various couriers
all of the freed jailbirds were transferred from Sneek.
This has been
a beautiful accomplishment.
A successful conclusion of this plan could
not have been accomplished without the extraordinary contribution of
the organization of the underground resistance and Mr. Bijlsma, custodian
of the R.H.B/S. (the school where the people were hidden)
Yours Truly,
B. 19.
The Attack on the Police Station, March 6, 1945
The attack happened just before dawn.
The same Mr. Bijlsma came up
with the same remark: The attack was successful, result five persons,
two were already placed and three should be taken care of by yours
truly, this small number could be taken care off by the two of us,
my daughter and I.
But we still had a problem; it was still daylight.
Hinke had a change of name and was called Sijke in case there should
be a problem and walked in front.
Every time we were close to the
door where we had to go through there were people in the area. Eventually “Sijke” grabbed
my arm tight and together there they went.
Than we went the other
way.
The rest of the happenings are the same as the previous one,
Hero’s every one of them.
Yes it is easy to write about this
now, but you should remember the eyes of the enemy, “grunen” they
were always watching you wherever you went.
And not to forget your
own countryman who called himself or herself true countryman and
collaborated with the Germans.
They are the ones our resistance people
fought against Folks I have seen this the last few years with my
own eyes, they are true Heroes and Heroin’s and also their
couriers who worked with them.
All of them deserve a tremendous amount
of respect and we must never allow forgetting them.
Sneek, Juni 1945 J.de Boer (B19)
