360 24 26018 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/61c5db2c80dc63b88439d28c4da87bbf.pdf 5ef334244767c60a48f8646958f1ff00 PDF Text Text OUR FATHERLAND Prologue ''Tomorrow at )lawn, stand fast", read the coded message from Major Sas, Netherlands' military atta~ in Berlin to Army Head Quarters in The Hague. Our strict \ neutrality violated? Yes. Just another broken promise from Hitler. Naively, too many in responsible positions underestimated the evil that existed across the border. Half a dozen broken promises between 1935 and 1939. Under the surface of the fast developing events ran the deep feelings of our people; the shock of the attacks, the unexpected speed of the defeat after the torching of Rotterdam, and the slow adjustment to the status of an occupied nation. And then, the at first difficult to discern, but irresistible tightening of the screw of oppression. Then the moral angle. Where do I call a halt? Are we sliding from bad to worse? Where is the fine line between right and wrong? Between good and evil? Some people were confronted at an early moment with a moral choice, some for the sake of principle, others because circumstances had placed them in a particular situation, at a certain time, which demanded a fast and clear-cut decision. But in those five years of occupation, too many were never confronted with a sharply defined cho~ce. As for the Resistance, one also had to judge each situation as it took place at that time. In the afternoon of Tuesday, May 141 1940 the military surrender of the Netherlands, with the exception of the province of Zeeland and the Netherlands' East and West Indies, 'b~came .a fact. Further resistance in the face of the overw e ~ blOJY _Of the fall of all oF . -·-·---- ---- - - L.:. -~ -- western Europe from the North Cape iri Norway --to the Spanish border in 10 short weeks, �2 appeared useless. The Nazi's were there. How were they to be thrown out? An early expectation of that was unrealistic. But to get along meant to perish as a free and I democratic nation. No resistance of some kind meant to perish. For the mc!n'ient resistance / ' from ~thin seemed the only and long road left to be liberated. Awareness that resistance would face repercussions was painfully acute. Very limited at first, growing stronger as the barbaric tyrant forced tragic decisions on o_u r people, the varied resistance groups, unprepared, inexperienced, began to fight back with determination and against great odds. Many generations had passed since they had to face so sharply a choice between survival and extinction. For the past, its benefits, its tradition and determined striving for freedom, we were grateful. Not since the murderous Spanish Inquisition had a generation been faced with so clear a choice of destiny. All that we were as a people was laid as a trust upon our generation. To fight the good fight for a free country, perhaps in ruins, as a sure foundation on which our children would build the country anew as had our ancestors. Freedom, true justice and honor, with our inherent strength, had always prevailed. In our generation, the times past, and the times to come focused together, when history and prophesy called our generations to our sacred duty to God, Queen, and Fatherland. Our personal active participation in the Resistance started right after the Netherlands' capitulation, which was caused by the destructive bombing of Rotterdam on - May 14, 1940. We could then only anticipate that the occupation, just started, would not be over soon. �3 My dad was an aide-de-camp with an Infantry Regiment, engaged in the count~/ / / attack against the German breakthrough west of Arnhem. !n 1940 the population of the Netherlands had pas·sed the nine million mark, of which 150,000 were Jews, a ratio of about one and a half percent. Ninety percent of the Jewish minority lived and worked in Amsterdam, while the remaining 10% were to be found across the eleven provinces. In our hometown of Alkmaar, there were about fifty Jews, on a population of approximately 34,000. We started the Underground started in August, 1940 with press releases from England. It would continue until May 8, 1945 at a rising cost in lives. Nobody escaped the pressure of a pure material choice, forced upon the people through the ever tightening clamp of war-economy on food, clothing, transportation, and the ever diminishing opportunity for relaxation and respite. The net, in which we were caught, pulled ever tighter as gold, silver, gold, copper, bronze (coins and artifact), radios, bicycles and food, obtained on 'hunger trips', was confiscated. The dark shadows of self esteem, stolen by being chased by the slave haulers, and forced to hard labor at hunger rations far from home, became a way of life. _ _ - ' Gradually the resistance grew. It began to express itself in seveE._al forms. At the same time many varian~es of collaboration became manifest. Only few acted on principle, most were based on opportunistic grounds, because Germany at that time seemed to be on top. �I I 4 / In the occupied countries of Europe, the Nazis ruled in several cµfferent ways, I / adapting tactics which all served their - purpose. Naive underestimation of( the real designs / of nazism, fascism and corporatism was the rule. It was wishful thinking to not hear, see I and understand. Nazi Germany instituted the draft in 1933, grabbed the Rhineland in 1936, joined Austria with 99.75% of the vote in 1938 and its "homecoming" in the Third Reich, and annexed the Sudeten territory in Czechoslovakia in 1939. These acts, _aggravated by England's and France's complicity, were as many violations of good faith as any astute observer should need to arrive at the only possible judgement: 'Who is next and what can be done about it'. Nov. 9, 1938: The infamous Kristall Nacht takes place. Fifty years later, on November 9, 1988 I have the honor to address the congregation of Temple Emanuel, and the 'Congregation Ahavas Israel' in Grand Rapids, Michigan in commemoration of this unforgettable event as follows: "It is with great sadness that we commemorate together the infamy of fifty years ago, of what has become known as 'Kristan Nacht' or 'Night of Glass'. It happened less than a year before Poland was partitioned between Germany and Russia. In March of 1938 Hitler's armies had been invited into Austria, and that country was in its entirety integrated. Austria had among its population 185,000 Jews; many of whom were arrested and sent to the concentration camp of Dachau. But among these were 20,000 - Jews with Polish nationality, who tried after the German-Austrian unification (Der L Anschluss ), to return to Poland. The Polish government refused to take them back, and SS �5 General Heydrich had these 20,000 people loaded on trains and dropped off at the Polish border where they, exposed to the elements, wandered about in a no-man's land. After some six months an accord was struck between Germany and Poland, whereby each country took in half of these helpless refugees. The inhumane conditions in which these twenty thousand people lived for six months aroused widespread sympathy in Europe, but little practical help - for two reasons. To reach them deep inside Europe during the tense situation already existing between Germany and Poland was virtually impossible. In the second place,~ western European governments were hesitant, even loath allowing Jewish refugees into their countries. Hitler's mad ravings over the radio had intimidated many of these so-called statesmen. During that horrible fall of 1938, Dutch journalists covered the news along the border with Germany, and bitter indeed were their memories. For example, they saw a six months old baby lying on the luggage counter in the Customs building at the border post of Oldenzaal, without its parents. Not being able to get away themselves, the parents had apparently put their baby in a train compartment destined for Holland. And there it was, between the luggage, crying. But the Government's dictum stood: 'it did not want any more refugees', and the smuggled baby was sent back to Bentheim, across the ~order. After the war, the prominent journalist Bakker received a phone call. An English speaking lady wanted to come and see him. The young woman he met was unknown to him. She showed him a picture of a healthy set of twins and said: 'Without your help these children would never have been born.' Confused, the reporter looked up. Then she said: 'Kerkrade', and that's when Bakker made the connection - a small Dutch restaurant close �6 to the border, and two young people cowering in a corner; across the road a German border guard waiting to take them back. They had fled from the gruesome violence of Kristan Nacht and had fled to the Netherlands, trusting on its noble tradition of asylum. An officer of the ~tate Police arrived to hand them over. The man cursed from indignation at this task. Bakker asked him to delay the matter and called the Department of Justice in The Hague. Twice they turned his request for asylum down. The restaurant owner advised the young couple to throw a couple of stones through the window of the Police station. After al1, a Dutch jail was always preferable over going back to Germany. But the young man shook his head and said; "Ach nein, die Hollaendische Behoerden haben uns <loch anstaendig behaendelt." ("Rather not, the Dutch policemen have treated us decently"). Bakker managed to negotiate another half hour's delay, and called the Justice Department again and told them: "This is my third call, and I want you to know that I will dip my pen in poison and publish this nationwide. I have sufficient influence to bring this matter up in Congress. So, unless these two people can stay, only then will I be silenced." It worked. They were allowed to stay, and after the war Bakker sat there as he fumbled with a picture of the twins. It was alas but one exception to the Dutch government's rule. Among the first Jews to be rounded up for the no-man's land between Germany and Poland were the Grynszpans, whose son, Hershell, was a student in Paris. Unsettled by the fate of this parents, he shot and killed Ernst von Rath, Third Secretary of the German Embassy in Paris. It shocked the always hysterical atmosphere in the Nazi Party and - inflamed it to such an extent that Hitler gave the order to attack all Jews in their homes and business on November 9, 1938. In one night two hundred synagogues went up in flames; �7 eight thousand storefronts were devastated, and shattered plate glass littered German streets. It was later estimated that the destroyed plate glass represented half a year's production of the Belgian plate glass industry, from which it had been imported. Eight hundre~ stores were plundered and thirty five jews murdered. Thirty thousand Jewish men were arrested and put into the concentration camps of Sachsenhausen, Buchenwald and Dachau. After six weeks they were set free; but only after an additional four hundred had been murdered. A fine of one million Deutsch marks was imposed, and one fifth of their investments confiscated. Poor Jews would no longer be eligible for social care and were concentrated in work camps. Theaters, musea, public parks and swimming pools became off limits for Jews. Their children were removed from every level of schooling, and the total number of Jews in Germany, three hundred thousand (about one percent of the population and unarmed) were concentrated in Berlin and Vienna. Protest rallies were held all over Europe, but to no avail. The churches in Holland remained totally committed to helping the Jews, and the number of their martyrs, after they themselves were subjected to five years of occupation, testifies to that eloquently. The only concession before the war was that children would be admitted in limited numbers, without their parents. England would accept ten thousand; Belgium one thousand; France six hundred; Switzerland three hundred; The Netherlands one thousand five hundred and Sweden two hundred and fifty. It proved too little, too late. It had been night, and now it was day- KRISTALL NACHT- Night of Glass - had made its horrible mark in history. �8 After my years at Almere College, my parents sent me to the Pedagogic Academy in Alkmaar, where I stayed with my grandparents until my parents and brother followed me from Kampen out there, half a year later. I graduated in 1933 and continued my studies towards a Masters degree in education. Due to the financial pressures of the depression, severe budget cuts had to be made by the schools and, as a result, the maximum number of great school students per class, which until now had stood fixed at 25, was with one stroke of the pen increased to 45. Consequently, there were massive lay-offs of teachers, and for us newcomers there was no chance whatsoever to find employment. After seven months I finally landed a job with the local government. It was a very modest position of paymaster with the job description of 'Computing Unemployment Benefits', and controlling payments in cash on Wednesday afternoons. I switched my studies to Accounting and Economics at the Business Institute in the city of Leiden, which I completed in just two years, and on April 18, 1939, in spite of the increasing threats of war, Janny and I were married. August 28. 1939: Mobilization of the Netherlands 200,000 soldiers and sailors total now: 300,000 September 1, 1939: Germany attacks Poland. England and France declare war on Germany. �9 Jan. 13-April 9, 1940: The Netherlands are put on general alert. April 19, 1940: The Netherlands are in state of siege. ~ur first son was born on April 27th, 1940 and named Cornelus Barend, after his paternal grandfather. It had been a tense night at the Termaat's home. It had been a very difficult birth, with labor lasting two days. ·However now, although exhausted, Janny and Kees were doing well, and with the assistance of a registered nurse, good food and a few nights of sound sleep, the young mother would soon be back on the road to recovery. Unfortunately, this could not be said about the political situation of the country, as newspapers and radio news broadcasts were reflecting the tense international situation at the eastern border with Germany. Bridges had been mined, ready to be blown up at a moment's notice, and road blocks were in readiness. The water table had been allowed to rise slowly. For the western part of the country, which was situated below sea level, this meant flooded meadows and farm land. The western half of the country lies below sea level. An intricate pumping system, taking place in several steps, drained the excess water from the lowest level in several steps to sea level. May 10, 1940: Germany invades The Netherlands. A little before 4:00 a.m. German planes were heard flying overhead in formation. It wasn't the first time. They had been flying across Holland ever since Poland had fallen and �10 England and France had declared war on Germany. As a result, the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs had ordered the German Ambassador to his office, protesting strongly against this violation of our neutrality, but it had been of no avail. The German planes continu~d to fly across. Was this going to be just another attack on England? It didn't take very long to find out that it wasn't. Half way across the North Sea, the Nazi squadrons had turned their planes around, splitting up into separate formations, entering low across the Dutch dunes, attacking the airports of Ypenburg, Valkenburg, Bergen and Ockenburg, in a surprise attack, largely destroying the small Dutch Air Force. Nazi paratroopers landed at the airports around The Hague, the seat of the Dutch Government, and the residency of the Royal family. Although many parachutes did not open, too many of them did. Besides The Hague and the above mentioned airports, paratroopers also landed at the Waalhaven airport, across the Meuse River, south of Rotterdam, and on the two Moerdijk bridges, the bridgeheads across the main rivers to the south. They were right on target in order to cut off any attacks by French troops and their armor, which were moving north, through Flanders, to attack the southern flank of the German army. Smaller para units jumped at the De Kooi airfield near the naval base of Den Helder, and near IJmuiden, where one of the major canals, which was also a major water transport connection with Amsterdam reaches the North Sea. Around The Hague Dutch Army Reserves consisted of a well trained battalion of Grenadiers and untrained Reserve troops, barely six week under arms. Between 4:00 and 5:00 a.m. of May 10th, German troop carriers landed one thousand troops for the attack and consolidated of the three airfields around The Hague. Fifty seven �11 of the carriers immediately sank up to their axles in the soft soil, and for the next three days became the target of the attacking Dutch troops, which either killed or captured the entire German attack force. ~n the meantime however, heavy German bombers (Heinkels) attacked strategic bridges in . Rotterdam, Dordrecht and Moerdijk at high cost. The Dutch air defense destroyed five hundred of them, including the previously mentioned transpo~ planes, which during the five-day war had become stuck in the soft soil and sandy beaches. These losses would hurt Germany for years to come. Most of the enemy planes were piloted by instructors. Nevertheless the German air force kept flying into The Netherlands through the same air corridors for five days. Losses on the Dutch side were considerable, as one hundred and twenty eight officers, two hundred and seventy nine non-commissioned officers, one hundred and sixty four corporals and one thousand four hundred and ninety one soldiers lost their lives. Six thousand nine hundred soldiers were wounded and two thousand one hundred and fifty nine citizens killed. Shot as traitors in the field were two officers, one non-commissioned officer and two soldiers. The Navy lost one hundred and twenty five men. Army officers counted for four percent of the army's strength, six percent of which were killed in action. The reason behind the German Headquarter's estimation to defeat the Dutch armed forces in 24 hours, was that they had counted heavily on the success of their airborne landings around The Hague. This would be a first in military warfare of vertical attack. - According to German military sources, the 22nd Luftlande Division (Airborne troops) sustained very heavy losses, both in men and material. Twelve hundred para troops were �12 captured, and at order of General Winkelman, C.I.C, Army Chief of Staff, these were immediately transported to England, an action which threw Hitler into one of his tantrums. The German air attack force used the instructors from the air force training school to fly t~e attack planes. They were not easy to replace. German losses in bombers and fighters amounted to one third of the force sent into combat. Transport planes lost fifty percent of their total force. Such losses were felt for years to come and were a factor in the delay of the attack on England in September of 1940. General Winkelman decreed that the defense industry was not allowed to work for Germany. Gas and oil use for the German attack on Western Europe amounted to three hundred thousand tons. They captured one and one half million tons in Holland, Belgium and France, of which half a million in The Netherlands alone. Elsewhere, German troops had crossed the rivers Rhine and Ijssel and established bridgeheads despite heavy casualties. They wondered why the dead float? Why the wounded sink?" The mid-country railroad center of Amersfoort lay now in the line of attack. As a result, the Chief of Staff ordered the complete evacuation of that city and its surrounding areas to the city of Alkmaar in the northwest. Forty thousand people arrived by trains and buses, hoping to find shelter with the local citizens. It was a chaotic and pitiful scene, as bus loads and train loads of people arrived with only the clothes on their backs. Janny and I opened our doors to a family with five of their ten children. The remaining five children were placed with our neighbors across the street. Unsettled by the �13 events however, they naturally gravitated towards their parents. Most of the evacuees dared not imagine what could happen if the war machine would roll over their city. The fear that they might lose their homes, their businesses and all their personal belongings worried them greatly. The, situation at our home had become chaotic, to say the least. Seven guests were sleeping in the one and only guest room, in a home with only one bathroom. And all this, while Janny was slowly trying to recuperate from a difficult childbirth. To complicate matters, I was called up for air reconnaissance duty in the city, but thanks to my mother and our family doctor, who stopped by on his regular house calls to check on Janny and Kees, we made it through until a larger home was found for our seven guests. Next, we received a young mother with one child, whose husband had been drafted and could not be contacted. After one month our guests were able to return home. Their city had been spared serious destruction. Due to the strong counter attacks by the Dutch, the German plans to take over Holland in twenty four hours failed, and the battle continued from Friday into the following Tuesday. Frustrated, the Germans forced the issue by bombing Rotterdam on May 14, resulting in the loss of nine hundred civilians and the destruction of twenty four thousand homes, two thousand five hundred stores, one thousand two hundred businesses, five hundred restaurants, seventy schools, twenty one churches, twenty 1:_ank buildings, twelve movie theaters, four hospitals and two concert halls. To prevent destructions of other open cities, which already had been targeted by Nazi �14 squadrons, Holland at last capitulated. Our country was now occupied territory, as were Norway, Denmark, and Belgium. France was soon to follow, and the British expeditionary force was evacuated, stripped of all armaments. Immediately, the German army began to prepare_for the attack on England. Inland shipping vessels were requisitioned for use as landing boats in this attack, known as the 'Battle of Britain'. However, after the Battle, none of these ships were ever returned to their rightful owners. Queen Wilhelmina and the Royal Family, as well as the Dutch Cabinet left for London, England, from where they continued to govern the East and West Indies. Only Queen Wilhelmina and Prime Minister Gerbrandy stayed within the city of London during the entire war from 1940 to 1945. The other cabinet members preferred the luxurious estate of Crowe Court near Worcester. In a country dominated by the commercial middle class, any authoritarian tradition had remained weak. An absolute monarchy had never developed, and during the 19th century and the first decades of the 20th century a parliamentary democracy had evolved, and without major upheavals. Conquest was indeed a shattering experience for the Dutch people. Reverend Welter, the minister of the gospel to the Royal Court expressed the overall feelings best in his poem: �15 ''No, you did not flee but followed, when God called; I don't ask what you went through, a battle, so intense, so painful. We kneel down with you and beside you, with our eyes and hands raised to God; Please give Holland back to the House of Orange, and the House of Orange back to Holland. And come what may, we pray, stay silent, the night is black, the day draped in black, but iord, Your will be done." On German orders all windows had to be covered with black paper shades, so that no glimpse of light would shine through. (Kees told us years later of his fear of uncovered windows. Likely from impressions received at the age of two). Children were not allowed to fly kites any more out of fear that they might signal to British planes flying over! Really! The Wehrmacht, the soldiers belonging to the regular army units, were astounded by, what they called, 'the luxurious life style' in Holland, compared to the pre-war economy that had been ravaging Germany for some time. Bakeries and tobacco stores were swamped with soldiers. It should be said however, that they paid for what they bought, at least for the time being. When the Dutch prisoners of war returned home in July 1940, we heard many stories, about empty store windows, women without stockings, and badly worn shoes. Surely, the depression years had hit Holland too, and hard, but the availability of food and merchandise had been ample. However it was not going to last. Within a few months of the occupation we were beginning to notice the first shortages as certain food items and other products were rationed, which aggravated, as people started to stock up in anticipation of worse times to come. �16 Rationing, in principle, is a flexible system, which can be controlled by determining quantities and valid time periods, both of which can be either increased or decreased. Retailers will only be able to stock their merchandise by delivering the ration coupons, receive~ from the consumers, back to the wholesaler, who in tum can replenish his stock by delivering the ration coupons to the government inventory warehouses. As a result, a retailer who sells items without receiving ration coupons, cannot restock, etc. This would have been too simple however, and the administration of the ever expanding rationing system for manufacturers, stores and farmers became very burdensome and very time consuming. It qualified by and by as a national food stamp plan, expanded to include also non-food items. The following is a list of the first rations in 1940: Bread, Flour, Coffee and Tea; Butter, Margarine, Cooking Oil, Rice, Noodles, Corn, Flour, Soap and Detergent; September: Meat and Cold Cuts; October: Coal, Cheese (4 ounces per person per week); November: Grits, Eggs, Baked Goods; December: Cooking Gas and Electricity; When I arrived home one day, it must have been around lunch time, I found Janny and Kees gone. Concerned, I called both sets of parents, but no one seemed to know where �17 they had gone. Our neighbors had seen her leave the house earlier that day with the baby in the carriage. Finally, at the end of the day, she showed up, exhausted, but happy nevertheless. Frightened by the shortages, she had gone out and visited every store that had wool for sale, a commodity which was still available in ·nominal quantities without ration coupons. Bit by bit, she had been able to fill the baby carriage, hiding it underneath the baby. Tired as she was, her toughness and persistence proved to be providential in the years ahead, and for what would then be our two children. Our modest savings soon began to run low, but not until I had managed to buy a case of twelve bottles of peanut oil at a friend's wholesale business. Meanwhile, the German tactics showed a clear goal: By all means, keep the population calm. After the battles during the month of May, life continued somewhat peaceful, keeping the occupied country calm. Before the war I had served in the National Guard and as a member in leadership position in the N.J.V., a national youth movement of which Her Royal Highness, the Crown Princess Juliana, was honorary Chairwoman. The N.J.V. became the first organization to be banned by the Germans, and among the rank and file of its membership were the first Resistance commandos to be executed in 1940. Shortly after the fall of Holland I met Sam Wolf, the son of the Rabbi of Alkmaar. Like myself, he too had been a member of the National Youth Organization since 1932. Sam was depressed. The Amsterdam newspapers had publicized the death of some �18 prominent Jewish people. We were all aware that there had been many suicides, but except for vile language, until this moment nothing had been openly undertaken against the Jews. This too, however, proved to be just another tactic to lull the people into a passive frame of mind. Janny and I had joined the 'Nationaal Jongeren Verbond' (National Youth Union) in 1932 following the initiation of the West Friesland Chapter. At that time there were chapters in all parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands with a combined membership of 1,500. These chapters formed a catalyst among loyal citizen groups on national holidays and attracted students who would give historical and patriotic lectures throughout the year. We felt at home because of the shared moral and patriotic high ground. In those crucial years we worked alongside men and women who were courageous, idealistic and dedicated to a degree which until that time had seldom been seen among other youth groups. Our group had been preceded in 1927 by a youth organization, which mainly directed its efforts against the marxist propaganda for unilateral disarmament. Its transformation to the National Youth Union under the honorary chairpersonship of her Royal Highness the Crown Princess Juliana didn't come until later. Besides the goal to strive for a strong national defense, (not too long after the carnage of World War I, Europe was slowly coming to a boil once again), the organization came out strongly for the unity of our kingdom as it had existed for centuries, not only in The Netherlands, but also in the Dutch East Indies, from Sumatra through New Guinea, the islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao in the West Indies, and last but not least Suriname. �19 Just prior to our wedding day on April 18, 1939, an order for pre-mobilization of specialists and strategic regiments was issued. Total mobilization followed on August 29. 1939. Recalling all too well the often critical shortages during 1914-1918, the years of The Nether!ands' neutrality in World War I, a distribution system was instituted in September of that year. Ration cards were issued under the management of the Centraal Distributie Kantoor ( Central Distribution Office) in · the Department of Commerce,. Industry and Shipping. Allocation of food supplies was administered by the Department of Agriculture. Thanks to proper foresight, the Cabinet had stockpiled such critical items as wheat, vegetable oil, rice, gasoline, coffee and tea. After the capitulation to the German Armed Forces on May 14, 1940 our youth organization was the one which stayed on a steady course and participated in the national public celebration of Prince Bernhard's birthday, on June 29.1940. Orange buttons were worn by just about everyone, and orange bunting was featured all across the country. People everywhere were wearing white carnations (Prince Bernhard's favorite flower, which he always wears), and outside the Royal Palace in The Hague and at Royal Monuments flowers were piled up. Thousands signed the palace register with their congratulations, which was later confiscated by the Nazis. In our monthly 'De Trom' ('The Drum'), we encouraged people to stay loyal to the Queen and our fatherland and to ignore the German presence as much as possible. Sometime after June 29, 1940 two members of our national board, Messrs. Van �20 Santen and Schiebergen, were arrested and our organization was awarded the high honor of becoming the first organization to be banned and we, the members, became part of the first organization, which had now been declared illegal by the invaders. Another organiz~tion, besides ours, which also received the honor of becoming illegal was the 'Order Service' (O.D.), consisting of military personnel only. May-Nov. 1, 1940: A curfew is put into effect for the coastal provinces of Groningen, Friesland, Noord Holland, Zuid Holland and Zeeland. No one is allowed outside between 10:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. After November 1, everyone has to be inside by midnight. I A free press and radio had disappeared immediately at the beginning of the occupation. It was forbidden to listen to the B.B.C., London and on May 13th, 1943, all radios were confiscated. We hid ours carefully. This gap needed now to be filled by writing or printing pamphlets with the latest news releases clandestinely received via the B.B.C. from 'Radio Oranje' (Radio Orange), the official broadcast of the Dutch Government in exile in London. Insidiously, in all of Europe, the Nazis had never exercised pre-publication censure (prior restraint) of the press. They simply rationed the amount of paper the newspapers - were to receive. As a result those publications not liked by the Nazis were put out of business. The rationing, however, cut so severely into the size of the remaining publications, �21 that nothing substantial was printed. All this took place very gradually, step by step. However, to resist step by step proved futile. The steps were nearly always too small to provoke any major reaction from the publishers. But, as with the rationing of all our other needs, ~he iron ring around our necks, personally as well as a nation, became tighter with every turn of the screw. Starting in the fall of 1940, men were recruited to work in Germany, in factories and on farms. In 1941, many of them were sent to help build the Atlantic Wall from the North Cape on the Barent's Sea to the Pyrenees in Spain. It all started on a voluntary basis. Being unemployed at home, as a result of the depression, made regular wages very tempting. However, in the spring of 1942 this type of employment became compulsory, for German manpower had eroded swiftly, either through heavy military losses in Russia or casualties of bombings at home, and slave labor all across Europe was initiated. Many men refused to go. Winter 1940/1941: No light is allowed visible to the outside, as windows are covered with black shades. Store windows are kept dark. Street lighting and lights on trains and busses are minimal. When travelling, one notices quickly that very few people read the paper. Headlights on cars and bicycles are kept down to a narrow slit. Flashlights are not available; it's substitute was a hand-driven dynamo with a bulb, called 'knijpkat'. �22 Before the start of the winter the Germans order all pigeons destroyed, nationwide, for fear that they might carry messages to England. Obviously, the Germans didn't understand that a pigeon had to be brought over from England first, in order to return messag~s. The-winter evenings were very long and very cold, especially during this first war winter. By the middle of December, 1940, rivers and canals were frozen solid and stayed that way until the end of February. Powerless and angry, we had to stifle our emotions. Braving the bitter cold, for two and one half months transported underground newspapers to our contact in Broek op Langedijk by skating over the Hoornsche Vaart and the Ringvaart (both canals). Among the papers I transported were 'Vrij Nederland' (Free Holland) and many more regional papers. Fortunately, I never encountered evidence of the enemy. To control he multitude of waterways and the low-lying soggy land was apparently just a bit too much for them. The bridges which were blown up by the Dutch military at river crossings had not been repaired, and in the spring of 1941, old hand-drawn ferries, pulled along a cable, were put back in service. From 1940 until August 1944 the daily rations in terms of calories for adults had been reduced to about half the pre-war intake. During these four years, the average ration amounted to less than 1500 calories per day. Although it did not qu~e represent a famine level, it did lead to a progressive decrease of physical energy and lowering of resistance to disease. �23 At that time refrigerators or freezers were not in use. People's ability to stock up was limited to non-perishables. Thus we began stock home-canned foods, which had never been a common practice outside farming communities. Then there was a psychological factor at work. \Yhatever goods were made available on ration cards were purchased, whether or not they were needed within the next week or two. A perfect example was the purchase of cigars, cigarettes and pipe tobacco. Non-smokers would purchase whatever smoking articles became available and either gave them to family members or friends or used them as barter or sold them at higher prices. From September 1939 until May 1940, when the occupation by enemy forces became a fact, only sugar and peas had been rationed, although in adequate quantities and with reasonable frequency. What was making things worse for the Dutch people was, that only very recently they had begun to recover from the aftermath of the terrible depression during the years of 1929 to 1938. Because of this depression, household items, furniture and other basic necessities had already become depleted by the time the war started. During the first eight months, ending December 1940, the German authorities rationed yet another 22 items, affecting 70% of the average family's consumption, and by November 1943, 95% of the diet was rationed. Every person, 14 years of age, and older had to carry and I.D. card with picture and fingerprint. Meanwhile the list of rationed products keeps growing: �24 March: Milk and Surrogate Coffee Potatoes All articles made from copper, nickel and chrome must be surrendered. All Preserves November: Cocoa Every day items, such as soap and towels also become very scarce. Jan. 19, 1941: We receive 12" snow in one night, something almost unheard of in the Netherlands. Feb. 22-23. 1941: Four hundred Jews are put on transport to Buchenwald. Dutch Nazis are attacked by the population. Feb, 25, 1941: Streetcars and city services in Amsterdam go on general strike. Initiated by the Amsterdam dock workers. The strike quickly spreads to the cities of Haarlem and De Zaan. Heavily armed police cars cruise the streets. There is shooting taking place and numerous people are killed. The system of hostage taking had started soon after the capitulation and continued all through the five years of occupation. Well-known citizens were arrested with the purpose - of intimidation of the population. Some were tortured and killed. If somewhere an act of sabotage occurred, a number of hostages were shot and their names splashed on the front �25 page of their hometown newspaper. For the survivors it meant years of internment. The first group of about 300 hostages had been arrested in July, 1940 - two months after Rotterdam burned. It was publicized as a retribution against the internment of all Germar.i citizens present in the Netherlands East Indies~ These acts went so much against our ingrained feelings of justice, that the resistance of the people grew stronger day by day, as did the realization of the risks and sacrifices that we would encounter. The women, serving in the Resistance, are fantastic. They act as couriers, transported weapons, distributed underground newspapers and microfilms, and were active with illegal newsprint. They assisted in falsifying documents, helped those in hiding, used secret radio equipment and distributed stolen ration cards to tens of thousands of fugitives. March 13. 1941: The first execution takes place. On March 13, on the Waalsdorper Vlakte, near the Hague, eighteen resistance fighters die by firing squad, which act will become known as the "The 18 Dead", after a poem by Jan Campert, a Senior at the Amsterdam University's Medical School. It proved to be prophetic, as, later on in the occupation, Jan himself was captured and executed for his resistance activities. �26 THE SONG OF THE EIGHTEEN DEAD A cell two meters long for me, but not two meters wit:{e, that plot of earth will smaller be Whose whereabouts they hide. But there unknown my.rest I'll take My comrades with me slain, Eighteen strong men saw morning break We'll see no dawn again. Oh bright and lovely land farewellr Farewell free dunes and shore/ I vow that from the hour you fell I thought of ease no more. What can a loyal man and true, At such a time essay, But bid his wife and child adieu And fight the useless fray? My task was hard, my duty stern, It brought me toil and strife, But yet my heart would never tum Back to my easy life. Freedom was once in Netherland Both honored and maintained, Until the savage spoiler's hand Its dwelling place pro/an 'd. �27 Until that lying boastful one Lengthened his tale of shame When Netherland was ovenun And we his serfs became. Honour he claims, but knows it not, he glories in our grief And so"ows on our people brought, That false germanic thief. Berlins Pied Piper pipes a tune Seductive, false and sweet, But sure as death is coming soon, My love no more I'll greet. Nor ever sup with her again, Nor by her side will lie, His seeming kindnesses disdain That fowler cruel and sly. Remember always, you who read, These friends who with me die, Kinsmen and all for whom we bleed, Keep green our memory. As we have seen in days now gone These words to you we say: 'The darkest night precedes the daw74 All clouds must pass away'~ �28 The early morning light I see Gleams through that window high, Dying, 0 God, a light make me, My failures justify. All men will e" though they may plan; Thy mercy, Lord, I pray, That I may quit the world a man Before the squad to-day. Jan Campert In Germany, the extermination camps of Buchenwald, Mauthausen, Auschwitz, Treblinka and many more, process their victims evermore efficiently. Unauthorized possession of firearms or other war materials will be punished by execution, as will the hiding of Allied air force personnel. April 1941; Bicycle tires are becoming very scarce, in a country where virtually everybody uses this as a common means of transportation May 8, 1941: It is still cold, but the first swallows have returned. What was still an exception in 1940 - offering aid and helping to escape bailed-out allied crews - becomes an active part of the Resistance movement in 1941. �29 June 1941-1945: Twenty thousand Dutch Nazis are killed in action in Russia and Germany. July 1941: Leather is no longer available and soles on shoes are being replaced by wooden soles, tied to the feet by silk-like straps, that come loose with every step. Fall of 1941: Streets, squares, schools, public buildings, businesses and products may no longer carry names of living members of the Royal House of Orange. Major portion of the harvest is sent to Germany. November 1941: Cars are disappearing rapidly. Coal and charcoal gas motors are being built. Cylinders with compressed gas and gas balloons appear on taxi cabs. There is a squeeze on distribution, as a continuous lowering of quantities, and tightening of rations continues. The results are visible in the faces of the Dutch people, as they are beginning to lose weight. Both, Janny and are slimming down. Kees has first choice to the food supply. The black market is born. �30 Nov. 22. 1941: The "Kultuur Kamer' ('Chamber of Culture') is initiated with compulsory membership for artists. It turns into a fiasco. The Nazi regime tries to exercise total control. Dec. 1941: Hotels, bars, movie theaters and all public buildings become: 'FORBIDDEN FOR JEWS'. Dec, 12, 1941: The traitor Mussert, 'leader' of the Dutch Naz~ Party, swears the oath of loyalty to Hitler in Berlin. Bicycles are confiscated at fifty guilders per bicycle, about 20% of the value, which is little better than stealing. The goal is ten thousand. Actually taken are three thousand six hundred. And the rationing continues .... 1942: January: AH silver and copper coins are replaced by zinc coins. May: Chocolate and sugar candy gone. ~ Private persons may not transport vegetables. lYJy; Drastic cuts in the rations of butter, cheese and fats. Bicycles are only available with a special permit. September: Skimmed milk December: Apples �31 Living from September, 1942 on in a rural and fertile area, a typical meal would consist of meatballs without meat, although made from home-grown kidney beans, onions and oatmeal, it turned out very nourishing; "Hutspot", made from mashed potatoes, onions and carrots, mixed, and if available a tiny piece of bacon to add to the flavor; "Cement", named for its consistency of a mixture of mashed potatoes and navy beans; pea soup or red bean soup and cabbage. Already in 1940, the Department of Agriculture has decreed that the emphasis should be shifted from dairy farms to agriculture. Cattle breeding is to be curtailed, and meadows turned into arable land, with emphasis on the production on potatoes, rape seed, sugar beets and rye. Chemical fertilizers however are in short supply and the shrinking cattle herds diminishes the change-over. Farm power begins to depend more and more on horse power, but they too are requisitioned by the Germans, as their supplies of oil and gas start to dwindle. During 1942 some poor farmers are seduced into going east, with the promise that they will own their own farm. In reality, however, they are used as front laborers in Russia. Janny Termaat relates ... By now everything was rationed and as a young housewife (I was 26 at the time) with small children it was very difficult to make food, and other necessities of life, last from coupon day to coupon day. Children, fortunately, do not understand including our young son, Kees, who had an enormous taste for butter. After I had just finished setting the table for �32 lunch, one day, with all its pretty dishes but not much food to put on them, I had briefly returned to the kitchen to make a pot of fresh tea. When I returned to the dining room I found our son, two years old, seated in the middle of the table consuming the butter. He sure had his fill and he seemed very content. But only for the moment. Besides a terri~le case of diarrhea, he broke out in great big lumps all over his body. The doctor was called but there was not much he could do about it. Nature had to run its course and we had to live without butter that week. Janny, pregnant with our second child, receives a modest extra ration. We arrange to have the baby born in the hospital where food is more plentiful. On New Year's eve, at 11 o'clock p.m., we check into the hospital oblivious to the New Year. At 4:30 a.m., January 1, 1942, Nicolaas Pieter Jan is born, named after his maternal grandfather. FebruaQ'., 1942: A telephone cable of the German army has been cut on two different occasions, for which the city of Alkmaar is punished with a fine. Signs saying: "JEWS NOT WANTED' are posted everywhere. Under protection of darkness, the word 'not' is often blacked out. March 11. 1942: The Japanese occupy the Dutch East Indies. Because the Dutch Government has put Germans, livjng in the Dutch East Indies, in internment camps, movies or slide presentation about these colonies are no longer allowed. �33 Because of the massive unemployment, plans had been made in 1938, at the national level, to separate the Unemployment Reduction Program from the other Social Services Programs. In 1941 the Plan had finally gone into effect, and I became a federal employee. pie occupied Netherlands East Indies were subjected to forced labor on a la~ge scale, and delivered at ten cents a head by the communist Sukarno. Some one hundred twenty thousand laborers from our country had found work in Germany, because trading, shipping and fishing on the high seas had come to a standstill. In the spring of 1942 the German Nazi, Boening, issued a directive, forcin~ unemployed people to accept work in the German war factories. Large German losses at the Russian front combined with Allied bombing was putting a heavy drain on German manpower and on the rebuilding of bombed-out factories. As mentioned earlier, at the depth of the economic depression, I had switched study directions, just to get an ever so modest paying position. After eight years, I had progressed to the position of Regional Manager for the evaluation and placement of the unemplyed. Suddenly, in April of 1942, I was faced with an order from the occupation forces to select and send men to Germany over my signature. On May, 1942, I wrote a letter to the Regional Direct, which read as follows: "I hereby confirm my verbal communication that, for my conscience sake, I cannot execute the latest directive about placement of members of the Dutch labor force in - Germany. I, therefore, request that you will grant me an honorable discharge from federal p. employment. Signed: The negotiator for Traffic and communication, P. Termpiat." �34 Shortly after I received an answer, which read as follows: "In answer to your letter, you are notified that, on the basis of a directive from President Boening, no discharge may be provided to those who do request this on the basis of conscientious objection against the execution of the labor draft." After receiving this reply, I resigned. As it turned out, I had been the only one. Janny and I had unanimously decided to take this step. Having been married only three years, with two small children, the oldest, two years of age, and the youngest only four months, and no money in the bank, it had been a difficult decision, however principle won over self-interest. We fully realized the political and economic consequences, but our prayers sustained us powerfully. My career, which had been rapidly moving upward, had now come to an end, with no other financial resources to fall back on. Meanwhile the availability of food, textile, coal and other utilities, as well as cleaning supplies reached unknown low levels. From 1944 to 1945 food rations would reach a low of 350 calories a day, if available. Those, who had refused to work in Germany had their ration cards canceled because of non-compliance. Now, besides trying to find hiding places for them to protect them from being arrested, we also had to find ways to provide them with ration cards as well as I.D. cards, both of which were difficult to produce, and many a time we_had to take by force, that of which we were short. In a decent and non-violent society, this was a difficult turn around, which weighed heavily on our conscience. �35 As time went on, the number of fugitives steadily increased. Among them were flight personnel of the British Bomber Command, which had bailed out of their crippled planes. In 1943, the American Air Force began their air attacks, flying the more dangerous daytime missions. Naturally, our rescue missions were more difficult by day than by night. Vje began to receive some weapons, as they were parachuted to us at night in remote areas by pre-arranged signals. I vividly remember the first American I rescued. He was an Oklahoman. Most fliers were hidden at first, their uniforms and identifiable items destroyed. Then, after being furnished with used civilian clothing, false I.D. cards, ration coupons, as well as escape and evasion kits, the contents of which were coins, sometimes hidden in the hollowed heels of their wooden shoes, they were passed along the underground railway through the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Spain to Lisbon, Portugal, from where they were returned to England. How many of them ever made it back to fly just once more? We could only hope, and hope was in ample supply among our forces. It was the only thing that helped us to see it through, along with iron determination . Sometimes a parachute was being kept as a trophy and carelessly used to make a woman's blouse. And sometimes a parachute had failed to open. At the point of impact we could see a piece of the parachute sticking up out of the mud, and we realized that, several feet down in the soft wet soil, a brave allied flier had perished. We were frightened by the risk we were taking, to say the least. If an Allied flier or a Jew was found hiding, all family members of the Resistance family, except for their �36 children, were sent off to the concentration camps in Germany, and their worldly goods confiscated. If a man was caught hiding because of his refusal to work in Germany, he would be sent there under armed guard. May 2. 1942: All Jews are ordered to wear the five-point yellow Star of David, with the word JOOD (JEW) printed in the center. They have to purchase them themselves at the cost of four cents plus one textile ration coupon! After that another step is taken. Jews are ordered to live in a certain section of Amsterdam. Barbed wire fences are quickly put up to surround this section, and SS guards keep a twenty four hour watch at all control points. Strikes are breaking out everywhere out of sympathy for this tiny and defenseless group of people. Who can choose his own heritage? Despite the pre-war publicity, we did not realize, nor could we imagine the horrors that were yet to come. May 15. 1942: Two thousand Dutch military officers are sent to P.O.W. camps in German. 140,000 Jews are at risk, as are the resistance fighters and their families, the resistance SWAT teams, as well as those men who refuse to work in Germany, gypsies, �37 hostages and political prisoners. July 1942: The first group of Amsterdam Jews amve in the Dutch concentration camp of Westerbork, a 'holding tank' for furt~er transportation to Auschwitz. August 15, 1942: The first political prisoners are executed. The resistance loomed high in the mind of the German Command, but in realistic terms, it was a modest-sized force, relentlessly pursued by the Nazis. One of us paraphrased it as follows: 'One can squeeze a bee between two fingers until it dies, but while dying, it will sting the hand that kills it. You might say that this is precious little, but if the bee did not sting, bees would have become extinct a long time ago.' During the course of 1942, armed resistance is getting organized. resistance fighters of every sector of the population, cooperate in damaging the enemy, whenever and wherever possible. Fall 1942: An old, historic theater at the Plantage Middenlaan in Amsterdam is put to use as a central point from where Jews are being sent to the concentration camp Qf Westerbork in the province of Drente. From there they are sent through the concentration camps located mainly in Austria and Poland. �38 Amsterdam alone lost 80,000 Jewish citizens. A despicable Dutch Nazi supporter, by the name of Puls, who is president of a moving and storage firm, collects Jewish possessions from their empty houses. These are shipped to_ Germany and marked 'Love gifts from the Dutch people.' By the end of 1942 my resistance group begins to receive requests from the Amsterdam Resistance groups to find hiding places for the few Jews who have escaped the Nazi dragnet. Ultimately, by the end of the war only some fifteen thousand will have survived, either through hiding or as wretched survivors of the extermination camps. This number represents ten percent of the pre-war Jewish population. It is obvious that, when we compare the number of Jewish survivors with the number of other fugitives, the aid to the Jews accounted for only a small part of the Resistance work, but they were the first to express their appreciation, once the war had ended. Did the Resistance, and the European population as a whole, do enough to save those hunted down? Many of us who lived are still being plagued by that thought. More could possibly have been accomplished if more people had taken heart. Wherever the Germans marched in, too many citizens collaborated. However, when the Americans, Canadians and British marched in, their excuse was: "We resisted." The record of heroism, courage, hypocrisy and compromise prompts one to wonder. Which of today's intellectuals would collaborate if the Russians were to appear in their countries? �39 Does lack of perception of the immensity of the crimes planned and committed provide sufficient excuse? I think not. Retroactive observation, weighing the pros and cons, fortified by intuition and association, do fully justify our efforts during those five years. Jan Campert express~d it so well in his poem The Eighteen Dead'. Every decision by the group to protect and rescue was made individually, one by one, often on impulse. Every day yet another person had to be taken care of. Our staff meetings, opened and closed with prayer, were held as often as possible within the rural confines of the maze of narrow waterways of our small country. These historical safe places had proven to be so decisive in the Eighty-year War against the Spanish Inquisition. In 1982, when we were decorated by His Royal Highness Prince Bernhard at the Embassy of His Excellency Dr. J.H. Lubbers, the Dutch Ambassador the United States, we received wholehearted support and cooperation from Congressman Harold S. Sawyer. Among his many actions on our behalf was a commendation from President Reagan. It mainly mentioned our aid to the Jews. Having been cited honorably by Israel and the local Congregation Ahavas Israel, the President's commendation only added to this particular aspect of our resistance work. It did not acknowledge, however, the Commandos' wide range help and support to the Allied cause, actions which lead to the death or crippling of many comrades-in-arms. To provide a more balanced view, and to ~onor those comrades, I deemed it necessary to present my view. �40 After 40 years, it is very difficult for us to understand that most of the Jews let themselves be deported without much resistance. However, one has to understand the many, often complicated causes. The hard rule of the occupation authorities and their ilk; their si!}ister cleverness to play different groups against ·one another; the tragic role of the Jewish Council, which thought it could choose between lesser and greater evil, by cooperating in selecting who could and who could not be sent away; the idea of many Jews that they were only sent out to Germany or Poland to work, and of course also the nonJewish Dutch who did not wish to get involved, and failed to help. Few indeed, were the Dutch who helped Jews hide, trying to suppress their fear for their own well being, and that of their families. Occasionally, some of those Jews were caught, either through treason or by accident, but always with the ultimate consequence for their protector - death. Anne Frank is the symbol of this perilous existence. Besides Westerbork, several other Dutch concentration camps began to appear on the scene, such as Amersfoort, Ommen, Schoorl and Vught. From the concentration camp of Westerbork alone, a total of ninety three trains, each consisting of twenty nine freight cars, loaded with Jews, departed for concentration camps outside the country. Dutch railway personnel carried out all transports. A Jewish girl, from my own Almere College, managed to throw a postcard from the train. It read: "We are going to leave Holland. Mom is going too. �41 Hope to see you soon." Three days later she died at the Mauthausen Concentration Camp. Inhumanity by the occupied forces increases. Cruelty without mercy reigns. But in the faU_of 1942 the tide of war begins to tum. British troops from all parts of the Empire defeat Rommel's army at El Alamein. At Stalingrad the German armies are halted at first, then surrounded. At German Headquarters reality comes to pass, and the possibility of an Allied landing on Europe's west coast looms and seems more and more possible. Hitler and Goebbels are convinced that the Allied landings will take place in the Netherlands. Dr. Joseph Goebbels, who had acquired a Ph.D. in 1921 at the age of twenty four, (few Nazis were that literate) was a most skillful and immoral liar. He writes in his diary (page 494 ): "The Fuehrer expects the Anglo-American invasion attempt to come in The Netherlands. We are the weakest there, and the population would be most inclined to give the necessary local support to such an undertaking. As everybody knows, the Dutch are the most insolent and obstreperous people in the entire west." In the dunes around the Hague thousands of pill boxes and hundreds of gun turrets, made of reinforced concrete, are being built, all connected by paved roads. The German thinking is clear: 'the shortest way to their war production center of the Ruhr leads from The Netherlands to Dusseldorf - 135 miles. The Netherlands and Belgium were conquered in May 1940 primarily for the attack on England, but also to protect G:rmany's war industry in the area called 'the Ruhr', where Albert Speer kept his war production in full force until late in 1944. �42 Church bells are hauled away for the German war industry, and a new sign appears clandestinely: 'WHO SHOOTS BY MEANS OF GOD'S BELLS, CANNOT WIN THE WAR'. !n The Hague and Scheveningen a steel wall is to be built as an important bulwark. To make this possible, a colossal demolition plan is taking place. Houses, stores, office buildings, even entire neighborhoods are flattened in furious tempo. Through The Hague a gigantic tank ditch is being dug, very deep and miles on end, thereby creating a crosswise excavation, which hides inventive obstacles, which are to impede the breakthrough of tanks and other attack vehicles. Among the German army units along the Dutch coast are battalions, forced to serve, from India and Russia (specifically from the Caucasian region of Georgia). Nazi mayors publicly forbid women and girls to consort with 'non-germanic' soldiers! October 14. 1942: First armed attack by the Resistance on a distribution center in Joure, Friesland takes place. That fall a characteristic incident occurs. The Military Police, still in their pre-war uniform, and one hundred percent trustworthy in their dealings with the Underground, usually patroled at night. I had just picked up a Jewish man at his hiding place in order to take him to another one. I remember that he had a valise and an umbrella with him. Between the tiny village of Broek op Langedijk and St. Pancras a Military Policeman appeared, identifying me with his flashlight. "Out for a walk, Mr. Termaat?" he asked. We �43 chatted for a while, and as we did, the policeman completely ignored my companion. It came off so naturally, that only later it hit me: he had protected both of us, me and my Jewish companion. November 1942: The start of the British offensive from the Egyptian border to the west, and the Russian offensive along a three thousand mile front from the Wolga and Don rivers to the west. But for us the allies are still far away. Targets in the Netherlands, such as airfields, harbors, ship yards, and factories, are more frequently attacked by Allied Bomber Command. Bomber sorties against The Netherlands' industrial and mining targets result in many civilian casualties. Rationing and confiscations continue. lW Au~st: All vegetables and fruits rationed November: Textile available with special permit .only Fish is not rationed, but rarely available. When a store has some, queues immediately begin to form. �44 At the same time, the meat ration of four ounces per week per person is cut to four ounces per two to four weeks per person. Prices skyrocket; precipitous drop in purchasing power; real poverty has come to most people. The task of the house wife is getting tougher all the time, as endless repair of clothing and mending of socks is being performed with only daylight to-work in. Life is continuously in a turmoil, and it seems that 'make do', 'improvise', 'look and plan ahead', 'be prepared for the unexpected' and 'make the most of what you have on hand' are the order of the day. So says Janny, as she relates the following story. We were now burning wooden shutters in order to save fuel, and this morning I had made pea soup on our potbelly stove, and to enhance the flavor I had added a small square of bacon. I had made enough to last us at least three days. But wouldn't you know, at about 5:00 p.m. we were unexpectedly visited by Piet's brother, Cor, and his Jewish 'house guest' Mr. Mau Kleinkamer. They had just escaped a raid in Alkmaar and decided to come over to our house where they knew they would be safe. Having waded through a shallow, flooded polder for about 8 kilometers, they were soaking wet, cold and obviously in need of a meal. I didn't know whether or not Mr. Kleinkamer adhered to the Jewish dietetic laws, so I said: 'I have just made a large pot of pea soup, but I've put some bacon in it. Would you mind having some?' He didn't seem to have a problem with it, because in just one meal the three days-worth of pea soup was completely gone. After dinner Mr. Kleinkamer asked if he would be allowed to d_ry his underwear? Cor had already taken some of Piet's underwear and exchanged it for his wet ones. But how about the proper, well-educated Mr. Kleinkamer? Well he decided to remove his underwear, �45 (in private of course), put his wet pants back on, and seated in front of the potbelly stove held his underwear up to dry. Feb. 5, 1943: Dutch General Seyffardt, ·commander of the Dutch Nazi Volunteer Regiment, which serves at the Russian front, 1s executed by the Dutch Resistance. Mar. 11, 1943: The 'Landwacht' (Military Dutch Nazi Organization) under command of the 'Waffen SS', receives extra rations, as well as financial aid for their families, and free medical care for all their dependents and parents. Mar, 27. 1943: The Amsterdam SWAT team, lead by Gerrit-Jan van der Veen attacks the building in which the Population Registration is kept. Despite the quiet support of the fire brigade, which tries to maximize the damage, 85% of the registers remain in tact. Crippled Allied planes sometimes come down on cities; bomb bays are opened prematurely, mistakes in navigation over populated areas, all of which results in many casualties. Apr. 1943: A new German edict: three hundred thousand former soldiers are to be shipped out as P.O.W.'s. �46 The real reason is germany's shortage of manpower in their war industry. This, however, backfires and from April 29 to May 3, 1943, general strikes paralyze industry and striki:r;ig men gather threateningly. The strikes are total in the provinces of Gelderland and Friesla:pd. The German command is taken by surprise, but they react quickly; summa,ry justice by the Gestapo and soon the first death sentences are handed out - about 200. Many of those arrested are sent to concentration camps, but the goal of the strikers is achieved, and the P.O. W. scheme is dropped. Only eight thousand are sent to Germany. The normal complexity of pre-war human existence is now shot through with a new miserable tension; the antitheses of 'good' and 'bad', who can you trust, who talks too much. The velvet glove which Seyss-Inquart had offered m 1940, to Hitler's great satisfaction, has turned into a mailed fist. May 13, 1943: As Germany suffers military setbacks on many fronts, SWAT team action against traitors is stepped up. Two Frenchmen, who turned Nazi, are shot in The Netherlands, while in Alkmaar the former Sergeant Hogeweg, now a Nazi police officer in Alkmaar, is shot down for treason. Summer 1943: Radio receivers are being confiscated.: Possession will be severely punished. �47 Systematic raids continue to take place. Jews are concentrated in a section of Amsterdam, and on May 27, 1943 this section is surrounded, the Jews are arrested, and via the Muiderpoort Depot transported to Westerbork and from there in ever increasing transp~_rts to the destruction camps in Poland and Austria. Sept. 1943: The last large group, exempt till now, which includes the Jewish Council, are put on transport. After this date, there are only one kind of 'free' Jewish citizens in The Netherlands these who are in hiding. At this time we had taken in a Jewish boy, fifteen years old, who we would only know as Ben Nijdam, his forged name. His real name, Jaap Lobatto, would not be revealed to us until after the war. Hiding people was very frightening for all parties, as Janny relates. It was late summer or early fall of 1943 in the small village of Broek op Langendijk. I was at home alone with the children and our Jewish teenage 'house guest', Ben Nijdam. I wasn't expecting Piet until late. We were having a cup of surrogate tea. Ben was sipping his tea, standing away from the window, looking out into the garden. I was having mine, seated at our dining room table in the garden room, doing the endless task of mending clothes. Suddenly, Ben dropped his cup, calling out: 'Look there!' About a dozen German helmets were bobbing behind the wooden fence bordering ou! property; stopping occasionally to look at our house. Talking among each other, they continued to walk around the free standing house. I said: 'Ben, you better get back into your hiding place!' Ben's �48 hiding place was in the attic, between a wall and the sloping roof. It had no light, and the only furnishings were a pillow and blankets. The entrance to it was covered with a large pile of branches of lima bean plants. He obeyed and quickly went upstairs, wondering what was gotng to happen, while I kept a close eye on the intruders. Then suddenly they left, just the way they had come, without ever having rung the doorbell. What were they up to? I continued my sewing, and after a while Ben decided to come downstairs again. Pretty soon it was time to get dinner ready. Since Piet would be home late decided not to wait for him. The house was very quiet and quite dark, with only the sporadic flickering of a candle. All of a sudden we heard someone walk across the pebbles on the south side of the house towards our back door. We heard the latch being lifted, but the door did not open. Ben and I looked at each other and he immediately sneaked back into his hideout. What was I to do? It had to be a friend, I told myself. I opened the door slowly and in the darkness of the night a figure rose in front of me. 'I am Herman Barners', he said. He didn't give me much time to recover, when he continued. 'What did you think was going on this afternoon?' 'No idea.' I replied. 'Well, let me tell you. The Germans are looking for homes they want to take over for their own use including everything that's in them; putting the owners out on the street. I have been appointed to show them possible houses. When the Ge~ans began to discuss the merits of this old house, I casually made the remark: 'You don't want this one. It's a pigsty. I know the people. She is a terrible housekeeper. Nicht Sauber.' Indeed, that was not �49 what they wanted. I was dumbfounded. Thanking him, I closed the door, realizing that in the pitch-darkness I hadn't even been able to make out the man's face. Again we had been saved because of some quick thinking. Ben was able to leave his hiding place and we were safe ag_~in for another night. October 1943: The Dutch Nazis, known as the 'Landwacht' is changed to 'Landstorm' and a new corps is initiated to serve as auxiliary police in the fight against the Resistance, but in the year and one half that follows, until VE-Day, they will have also terrorized their own people, especially during the war winter, when they robbed and beat up people at random. The occupation starts to weigh still heavier on the population as German reverses on the battle fields increase. The active Resistance, though still limited in numbers, acts bolder as the pressing need for shelter, food and I.D.s as well as safe passage from hiding place to hiding place becomes more pressing. We are facing the grim prospect of the fourth winter under enemy occupation with less and less of life's necessities available. A carefully planned attack by boat on the ration office in the next village of Zuid Scharwoude has come off like a charm. The only bad moment came when we had to cross under the connecting bridge between the two villages, Broek op Langedijk and Zuid Scharwoude. Suddenly, there were foot steps and voices. We stayed under the bridge while spying the street before proceeding. We had taken off from the west side and had to cross �50 underneath the bridge to the east side where the ration office was located. We unpacked the stolen coupons in the carpenter's shop of Jacob Balder nearby, and began repacking for distribution the next morning. Female couriers, the packages hidden underneath their clothing, would take them for delivery in the larger cities~ An inventory list was hidden until we had a chance to hand it over to our contact at the local IRS office. Their files would not be touched. Our district Internal Revenue Service hid many documents. We gambled that the occupation forces could hardly be interested in these offices. In October 1943, while walking the short distance from our home to the office, I passed the manse of our Reformed church, when the minister Marius Koole hailed me with some urgency. Locking the door behind us we sat down and I learned the reason for his calling me in. After three and one half years of occupation nothing surprised us anymore. Marius related how he had just received a call from a fellow minister, who now was minister in the Reformed Church of Rumpt, Reverend Koole's previous parish. It appeared that the Gestapo had raided a small monastery in the neighborhood of Rumpt, which had been providing hiding places for Jews. Several of them had managed to escape and two of them had found a very temporary hiding place in the house of the school principal of Rumpt. They were a German Jewish couple, engaged to be married. Since the Gestapo was searching and raiding the surrounding areas, it had become necessary to find another hiding place farther away, and as quickly as possible. The difficulty however, was that Rumpt was situated in the province of Gelderland, sixty miles south, one of the four provinces with territory south of the Rhine, Waal and Meuse rivers. �51 These four provinces formed a buffer zone just west of the heavily industrialized German Ruhr district and had been put under martial law. Passes were required to cross back and forth. Moreover, these passes had to be signed by German authorities. The Rhine and Meuse _rivers flow from the south to the north until they reach the alluvial hills north , of Arnhem. There they bend to the west. The Rhine divides itself into two river beds, called the Waal river and the Neder-Rhine river, which is named 'the Lek' to the west. These rivers form a natural barrier of which one, the Neder-Rhine, would have to be crossed to reach the village of Rumpt. Marius was not too hopeful whether we could be of help, but I told him that we would try. Opposite the manse was the Post Office and next to it, the carpenter shop of Jacob Balder, also a member of our Resistance SWAT team. Jacob and I sat down to talk things over. We would be able to reach the Rhine river, south of Utrecht, by train. But, considering the martial law, how were we to cross the river unnoticed? Who would be willing to venture a boat of some kind to help us cross the fast flowing river to Rumpt and back? To what extent were there German guards patrolling? How about on the train, and at the last stop before the Neder-Rhine bridge? Maybe at the first stop across the Neder-Rhine river bridge? Were they patrolling the river banks? Were there fixed defenses along the river banks? There simply were no immediate answers to most of our questions. We were facing a task wrapped in uncertainties, and time was of the essence. Finally we agreed on a plan that seemed to offer not only a possibility, but also the necessary expediency. Jacob, the couple and I would be at high ~sk, but not to try was to virtually condemn these people to a terrible fate. Jacob and I agreed to buy two round trip tickets to 's Hertogenbosch, the first sizable �52 town south of the rivers, but beyond the place where we wanted to go. Before that city, there would be only one stop, called Geldermalsen. It had only a small station which accommodated the rural area between the Neder-Rhine river to the north and the Waal river to_the south. We would try to leave the train at Geldermalsen, if we could get there. Geldermalsen is situated some seven miles from Rumpt. Would this prove to be impossible, we would then continue to 's Hertogenbosch, and on the way back, have another try at Geldermalsen. The risk of having I.D. control on the train would have to be faced, but we counted on the possibility that control might not affect all passengers, and we would use a ruse by buying two newspapers, one printed in German and the other one a Dutch Nazi publication. Furthermore, we would not sit together, and would not take a gun. If in a bind, we could at least try to pull the emergency brake and try to jump out. We boarded the train in Heerhugowaard after leaving a message for the other SWAT team embers to find a hiding place for the couple, and to look out for us in the evening. At the depot in Alkmaar we bought the newspapers, and agreed to meet in the Amsterdam's Central Station, where we would switch trains for the direction 's Hertogenbosch. The trip from Alkmaar to Amsterdam was uneventful. An armed German soldier kept pacing back and forth between compartments but never bothered anyone. Switching platforms in Amsterdam went off without a hitch and we boarded the train for 's Hertogenbosch without every seeing a German guard on the platform or on the train. After several stops we crossed the Neder-Rhine river bridge without stopping on either sid~ of it. When we got close to Geldermalsen the train slowed down and we opened a window to have a look at the small platform. A lone German soldier sauntered back and forth, visibly bored stiff. �53 When the train came to a halt, we waited for a moment until his back was turned, then· quickly we got out and hid behind the small building that served as a depot, until the train had left. The road to Rumpt was about 50 yards away, and we reached it unhindered. We set off _on foot, but after a few miles we were passed by a flat bed wagon pulled by two horses, and loaded with bales of flour. We asked for a ride and we were allowed to jump on the backboard. It was a beautiful sunny·day, and the countryside was a delight to watch as we rode by. Once in Rumpt we had no difficulty finding the school principal's house. He opened the door himself, and after we identified ourselves by mentioning Marius Koole's name, he invited us in. He was very surprised to hear how we had managed to get into this closed military district of the country. In a room at the back of the house we met the frightened couple. They were tense and nervous because of being moved around, being hunted, and not knowing what the immediate future would bring. We tried to reassure them, and it did calm them down somewhat. Then we got together with the principal and one of his teachers to plan for the return trip. They put a basket with apples before us to munch on while we planned, a luxury as we did not have orchards up north. The principal and the teacher were able to provide us with four bicycles to enable the six of us to get back to the Geldermalsen depot. It would get us there three times faster than it would if we had to walk. After dropping us off, the principal and the teacher would return on their bicycles, leading t~e extra two by hand. They insisted on buying train tickets for the couple from Geldermalsen to Heerhugowaard, but in order to cover our trail, we suggest that they better buy tickets from Geldermalsen �54 to Alkmaar. Once in Alkmaar, we would buy tickets for them to Heerhugowaard. It was agreed that we would leave at dusk. The principal and the teacher were to take the couple on the baggage carriers of their bicycles, while Jacob and I would go ahead together and leave t~e bikes in the back of the depot. Jacob and I arrived there safely with our large bags of apples, which they had given us. Luckily the guard had left and so the four of us would be the only passengers boarding. we signalled to the oncoming foursome that all was clear, and the couple joined us. the teachers purchased the tickets, shook hands, and waited for the oncoming train to stop. On boarding we found a compartment for six with only one passenger in it. Though the trains were lighted by small blue light bulbs, in order not to be detected by planes at night, we noticed that the man wore the uniform of the Dutch Nazi Youth Group. Jacob and I looked at each other, and from long standing cooperation, reacted in the same way, motioning the young couple to take the seats next to the Nazi, while Jacob and I took the opposite seats. During the ride between Geldermalsen and Amsterdam an armed soldier passed us twice but paid no attention, other then a quick glance into our compartment. Did the young Nazi's uniform satisfy him? Who knows? The young man, with his elbow on the window sill, his chin resting on his hand, kept looking out into the night until we reached Amsterdam. He never moved. We could only wonder what was on his mind. Maybe the battle reverses for the Nazis? All five of us left the train in Amsterdam. The Nazi went right to the exit, while the four of us went down the stairs t~ transfer to the platform for the tra~n to Alkmaar. At the bottom of the stairs we turned right, be we were stopped by a curt 'Halt!' It was definitely a German accent, but the man was wearing civilian clothes.... Jacob and I were carrying the �55 apples, and the man wanted to know where we got them, and where we were going. We told him that the apples were a gift from friends who lived on a farm and that we were going home. 'Too few for the black market', he said, and let us go. Meanwhile, the couple, who had walked behind us, had upon hearing 'halt', simply continued walking while yte talked to the man, a presence of mind we truly appreciated. We boarded the train for Alkmaar without having our papers checked, and upon arrival purchased two one-way tickets for the Heerhugowaard station. We arrived at 10 p.m. and were met by three SWAT team members who took the Jewish couple to their new hiding place, which they had been able to secure. The whole operation had lasted not quite twelve hours. The couple survived the war and saw freedom return to their land. During the winter of 1943/44 a very small German garrison was moved to Broek op Langedijk. These were mainly older men, and their equipment included a truck, which used smoldering wood blocks to produce gas, piped to the engine, to run it. They also had horses. Their truck was carelessly parked next to some bales of hay in the auction hall, normally used for flower expositions. The truck caught fire and a good part of the building burned down. Living only three houses further down the street, J anny and I, as well as our boys, Kees and Nico, slept right through the commotion. We later learned from the neighbors that the Germans had been running around, yelling: 'sabotage!' Peter relates .. .In order to save our precious fuel, we were living in the smallest room of the house, because it was easier to heat. Kees and Nico used to play quietly with their �56 blocks while Janny sang to them. At bedtime, I would read them stories. They each had their favorites and after reading the same ones over and over again, I got to know them by heart. Kees would catch me on a missed word. Weather permitting, the boys would play in the yar~ and their greatest pleasure was to let our two rabbits out of their cage. Kees often wanted to go to the horses, which the Germans had brought with them. and which were stables next to the bakery ·a t the corner. Even though the Germans were friendly to the little three year old, we could not allow him to go there. Besides, the neighbors had warned us, that he had told them that 'daddy had a shooter, and he was going to shoot the krauts.' In order to keep Kees and Nico on our premises, it became necessary to lock the gate to our yard. February 22, 1944 Nijmegen's city center is hit. Situated only one mile from the German border, this too is a navigational error, causing eight hundred deaths. The same type of error causes nine hundred deaths in Arnhem and Enschede, both equally close to the German border. April 11. 1944: Six low-flying Mosquito light bombers destroy the building of the 'Central Population Administration Bureau' in Amsterdam, guided by Resistance Intelligence. �57 On May 8, 1944, one month before D-Day, our home was raided by a ten-man squad of the Gestapo led by SS Commander Viehbahn. Only the fast and timely actions of our Intelligence Group saved my life, but our home was no longer a safe haven. During the year th_at followed I was forced to live somewhere else, staying away from our home al together., The traitor, a member of a communist resistance group and forced into being a counterspy, was caught by our Commandos within 6 days and ordered executed. Looking back, to be betrayed by a communist to the Gestapo, and live to tell about it, almost seems impossible. The events evolved as follows. This particular Sunday morning had started out quietly, in spite of the fact that during the night the heavily vibrating drone of allied bombers, on their way to their assigned targets, had kept everyone awake. After the last squadrons had passed however, there had been the usual lull until the first planes returned. No message had been received by the resistance of any bail-outs from crippled planes that night, at least not in our area. When daylight came, we could see the tight formations in seemingly endless squadrons fly overhead. Fighter planes, flying protective cover as far as their range would allow, looked tiny from down below, as they maneuvered their faster planes to stay with the bomber fleet. How far did their protection reach? Certainly not as far as their farthest targets. Still, maintaining their original formation, while bound for home base, we could count the missing planes, by the empty places. Frequently, some of them would be flY!_ng lower than others, and we wondered if they would make it back to their bases. Our children were up early too, and already quietly absorbed with their building �58 blocks. Stillness enveloped the village on this early Sunday morning. Janny had started our simple breakfast, a kind of porridge made out of ground wheat and water. Once a year, ever since 1942, the brothers Tijssen, wheat farmers from the town of Oterleek, had provided - us with a bag of 150 lbs of wheat A great gift; considering that they charged only . 10 guilders per bag, or some 6 cents per pound. Black market prices for such commodities had gotten entirely out of reach. One of the brothers, Jan Hendrik, had mentioned to me quietly that he supported the cause for which I worked. "Just stop by one evening. I'll have it ready for pickup. You may count on it as long as the war lasts." It truly became a matter of equilibrium as I rode my old bicycle, loaded with one hundred and fifty extra pounds of wheat, along the dike until I reached the Middenweg, through the town of Heerhugowaard, along the Stationsweg, past the farms of Gootjes and Wagenaar, where so many fugitives had found shelter, and finally along the dike of the canal to our village of Broek of Langendijk. (Both Gootjes and Wagenaar later emigrated to the U.S.). We had rationed ourselves to a few pounds per week, which we shared with our parents. It was heavy work to grind wheat with an old hand mill, but what excellent nourishment it was. My resistance to infection had gone down to the extent that the slightest scratch caused blood poisoning. Armed with a prescription from our family doctor, Willem Verdonk, I had visited some of the outlying dairy farms. The prescription simply stated that for health reasons I needed half a liter of milk every day. One farmer, by the name of Zuurbier at the Middenweg in Heerhugowaard, immediately_agreed to sell it to me at the going ration price. Later in the afternoon, after the milking was done, Janny would go and pick up the bottle of milk. Many were the farmers who helped their compatriots �59 without barter or charging them exorbitant prices. And so, on this quiet Sunday morning, our breakfast consisted of coarse ground wheat with some milk. Saying grace had become more meaningful than ever. Since one of us had to stay with the children, Janny had gone to the morning church service, while I planned to go that night. In this land of market-gardens, it had become against the 'new' law to sell directly to the consumer. However, when in season, such items as cabbage, carrots and potatoes, even though in very small quantities, were still sold, in spite of the 'new' law. The meat rations, as well as butter and margarine, had shrunk drastically, and were usually saved for the Sunday dinner, and it was for those few potatoes, and a cabbage, that we had become so very grateful. We were still able to send some of our ration coupons to friends in The Hague, where the population suffered real hunger. And so, on this quiet Sunday morning our breakfast consisted of coarse ground wheat with some milk. Saying grace had become more meaningful than ever. Since one of us had to stay with the children, Janny had decided to go to the morning church service, while I planned to go that night. In the afternoon the four of us had set out for a walk along the village street. The Dorpstraat was the only street then, and traffic was almost non-existent. Most I agricultural traffic moved along a network of canals that surrounded the village. Later that day, as I was getting ready for church, the doorbell rang. On our doorstep stood Evert Brink, one of our best friends, and a staunch Resistance man. He started right off. "Gestapo is going to arrest you. Let's clear the house ... rehearse the cover story and have the papers ready...come with me ...you will learn more later!" Speechless, Janny and �60 I looked at each other and immediately set to work. A few false ID cards, pistols, ration cards for people in hiding, micro films from air drops, and illegal news bulletins were quickly gathered, and all hiding places double checked. Young Arie Boon, our neighbor from across the street brought over a wooden box in his flat bottom boat and we packed everything ·away. Then, after one more quick check of the house, Arie Boon took off to bury the box in one of his far away island acres for the time being. Meanwhile, Janny and I went carefully over the cover story and papers. Then the most difficult moment had arrived, a tight embrace, and a hug for the children. A few moments later Evert and I were on our way, heading our bicycles in the direction of the village of St. Pancras, were we parted. Evert took the road straight ahead, direction Alkmaar, while I took the narrow bike path behind the 'Witte Kerk' (the Reformed Church, commonly known as 'the white church'), west to the village of Koedijk, which stretched along the Noord Hollands canal. Across from the canal lay the main road between Alkmaar and Den Helder. Before the war Den Helder had been our main naval base. When I arrived at the canal, the wide open country side allowed me to scan the road in both directions. There was no traffic of any military convoys in sight. A few hundred yards south, in the direction of Alkmaar was a bridge. It had short ramps on either side, and two floating ramps, which could be withdrawn under the entrance ramps to allow boats to pass through. It was typical for this part of the country. It appeared I was able to cross the bridge safely at that point to get to the main road to Alkmaar. So I Qid. turning right into the first side street, I at last reached Evert Brink's house through the back entrance, and that Sunday evening I learned the chain of events that had led Evert to warn me. �61 Earlier, that Sunday afternoon, Police Officer Jacob van Dijk had been alone on duty in Alkmaar's Police headquarters, when a young woman had entered the building, identifying herself as a member of the Gestapo. She had demanded the use of the telephone to contact her headquarters, which were · located at the Euterpestraat in Amsterdam. Jacob had offered her the phone of his desk, and as he continued his work, he was able to overhear the conversation during which she reported to have received a false identification card from a Pieter Termaat. She called for his immediate arrest, giving his home address in Broek op Langedijk. the woman left. Shortly after, at 3:00 p.m. Jacob completed his watch. It just so happened, that Jacob's mother and one of my uncles were sister and brother. Both of us were born in the town of Kampen, where we had lived through our teens. Needless to say, Jacob and I knew each other quite well. Besides, he and I belonged to the same Resistance group, covering Alkmaar and the surrounding areas. Jacob was aware of the fact that I had been living in the village of Broek op Langedijk since 1942, He also knew, that a very close friend of mine, Evert Brink, was living nearby, in the town of Alkmaar, and so on his way home he stopped at the Brink's house and told Evert what had transpired earlier that afternoon. Evert immediately left on his bicycle for my house. Treason had been committed ..... somewhere ...by someone ...., resulting in Evert's visit to our house, leaving Janny and the children behind in Broek op Langedijk, along with a welldesigned business cover and a 'clean' house, while I joined Evert at this home in Alkmaar. In neither home there was much sleep that night. On Monday morning Janny had managed to get a message to me, telling me that nothing had happened during the night. A hurried �62 conference took place, during which we had to decide what to do, or what not to do. The fact remained that the woman had warned the Gestapo. Unfortunately, Jacob's description of the woman had left us without a clue, and so the decision was made for everybody to remain in place, while the woman's description was being circulated among the members of our resistance circle. We could taste the danger, as the hours of the day crept by and the nights seemed longer yet. Meanwhile the nights for Janny were not only very long but quite eventful at that, as she relates ..... The first night after Piet's departure I hardly slept at all. The following day I was totally exhausted, and it didn't take long to fall into a deep sleep that night. It must have been somewhere between 3:00 and 4:00 a.m. that I suddenly was awakened by heavy blows on our front door. I ran to the window and peeked through the curtains, and noticed several trucks, cars and a number of men, some in uniform, others in civilian clothes, in front of our house. I knew, that if I didn't open the door soon, they would no doubt force their way in, so I quickly turned around and grabbed the first piece of clothing I could find to wear over my nightgown. It happened to be my light grey spring coat, which had 13 buttons, and to this day I remember buttoning every single one of them. The moment I opened the door, the men entered our house. Equipped with rifles some of the men in uniform posted themselves at the windows, while the rest of them made - their way to the bedroom, where they checked the bed for 'another warm spot' besides where I had been sleeping. Although satisfied that I had been sleeping alone, they continued �63 searching the rest of the house, opening each and every closet, leafing through our books, and asked question upon question, demanding answers from me while holding a flashlight in front of my face. I noticed that one of the men, obviously their leader, was not only imma~lately dressed, but was also wearing a very strong scented perfume (quite unus1;1al for a man, -especially in those days!). Little did I now what an important part this perfume would play later on in our lives. While they continued interrogating me, I told them my 'cover story' without hesitation, telling them 'that plans were in the works to built a deep freeze installation locally, once the war was over. (Which was true and indeed has been built), and that heavy financing was needed, which was not entirely available locally. As a result, Piet had been put in charge of finding possible investors for the project and as a result was of town visiting and interviewing prospects.' I must have been very convincing, because they seemed to believe my story and left. And what about our two young sons? Believe it or not, but they slept through the whole ordeal. But not so our neighbors, who had been watching the whole drama unfold from behind their curtains, because unlike me, they had been expecting the raid, as the following story became unraveled. First thing next morning I went over to see our neighbors, the Jacob Balder family. Jacob was deeply involved in the Resistance and had until only a short time ago 9 Jewish people hidden in bis home. His wife was pregnant and expecting their sixth child. Jacob wasn't home, but I told his wife that something was up in the air, and I begged her to make Jacob go underground. My pleading fell on deaf ears, because she told me that, considering her condition, Jacob had refused to go into hiding. He wanted to be near his family. �64 As I had feared not too long afterwards, Jacob was arrested, and shot in the dunes along the Dutch coast, where many of the members of the resistance faced their death. (Jacob never saw the baby, which he and his wife had anticipated so eagerly). 9n that same day, May 10, while I was visiting the Balders, I also learned the facts about the visit of the Gestapo, the previous night. Jacob Balder's daughter, who occasionally did baby sitting for us, was employed at the town hall at the time. The mayor of our town, who had decided to join the Nazi Party, had come up with a deceitful plan to try and arrest Piet for reasons described previously, but unbeknownst to us. He had made up a list of people whose homes would supposedly be searched during the night of May 9th, 1944, conspicuously leaving the Termaats off his list. It was that list, that Jacob's daughter happened to see. Excited about her discovery, she told her father about it, and as a result, the people on the list were warned, but not the Termaats. Again we had been just one step ahead of the traitors. Soon after my visit with the Balders, I rode my bicycle to my mother's house, having one boy seated in front of me, and the other behind me. On arrival I told her: 'Please don't ask any questions. I have things to do. Would you please look after the children for me?" And with that I got back on my bicycle again and via alleys and other roundabout ways, I rode to the house were Piet was hiding. I reported the happenings, said goodbye to him and left. My message on that Tuesday was: 'They were at th~ house during the night ... everybody safe ... business cover story listened to without comment....house surrounded by at least 10 men.... all were dressed in uniform, except Nazi mayor Stoutjesdijk. ...and �65 someone else, who smelled heavily of perfume. When leaving, the police van went into a southerly direction ...... The latter part of the message clearly indicated that they had made their approach north along the road Alkmaar-Den Helder, then east to 'the Langedijk and south along the only road across the dike to our house. It had become obvious, that Piet could not return home. In Alkmaar, as well as in several surrounding villages, he was too well known. It meant that he had to leave the city. A quick consultation took place. For one, he needed transportation, other than a bicycle. Since members of the medical profession were the only ones allowed cars, a message was sent to Nico Louis M.D. Pieter relates that Dr. Louis arrived that same afternoon. "I wiggled myself into the back seat of his small Renault, and the two of us drove off from the Bleau Straat, along the Bergerweg to the Westerweg, then in a southern direction, through the Heiloo forest. Once outside the city, I changed to the passenger's seat, so we could talk more easily. We planned to drive as far as Uitgeest where I was to board the train in the direction of Amsterdam. We arrived about fifteen minutes early, which allowed me just enough time to explain what had happened. 'Any unfinished business?' He asked. I told him that a resistance group, located north of Amsterdam, had been arrested. From what we had learned so far, the wife of the leader had escaped, and had found temporary shelter in a home at Lange<!ijk. The woman had escaped without I.D., money, clothing or ration cards. I had been able to furnish her with an I.D. and some ration cards. At the time, she'd told me that she could not remain where �66 she was, and was looking for a place to stay. She was willing to do household work or baby sitting. {A preliminary check had indeed verified the arrest of the group, which had included the woman's husband). My request to Nico Louis was: 'Would he follow up?' He promised he would. Meanwhile, the train had arrived and I boarded with the intention, at least for now, to go as far as Koog aan de Zaan, where Janny had a cousin living. When I arrived at Koog aan de Zaan, I got off with some twenty other passengers. As we began walking along the highway in the direction of Amsterdam, which ran parallel with the railroad track, a boy in his pre-teens stopped us, and told us that there was a Nazi roundup going on further down the highway. Without another word, all of us turned into the next road to the left. Looking back, we should at least have thanked the boy, but we had taken the warning very seriously and were only too anxious to get away. Walking along, my thoughts raced over the happenings of the last few weeks; some of the people we had seen in our village, mainly outsiders, who hadn't given us reason for suspicion. Then there had been the call from our Minister, Marius Koole, who had been contacted by one of his colleagues, the Reverend Nell, who lived in the town of Noord Scharwoude (the northern part of Langedijk). It was concerning a woman, who was hiding with a Mr. Keeman, one of his parishioners. Reverend Nell had requested help for her, following which Marius Koole had contacted me with the problem. I had given the initial help. But what could have gone wrong? Why was the Gestapo on mr trail? Janny and the children were all right, but she would undoubtedly be watched. When I arrived at cousin Peter's home, I was warmly welcomed, and given the guest �67 room. When I was ready to leave, cousin Peter had gone ahead to scout the train station in Zaandam to see if there were any round-up activities. Fortunately, there weren't any, and I boarded the train for Amersfoort, via Amsterdam. In Amersfoort I knew the family Bouma. At the beginning of the war they had been liVIng in Den Helder, the naval b~e. During the-early fighting they had been bombed out of their home and had been evacuated to the Langedijk, where we first met them. From there they had moved to Amersfoort, where Mr. Bouma had been appointed to the local college. My plan was to proceed from Amersfoort to Kampen, my birthplace, where I still had some relatives, who would undoubtedly be helpful in finding a new hiding place for me. The Bouma's however told me that, where the road to Kampen led to the bridge across the IJssel river, by rail or otherwise, I would run into a 24-hour guard. The risk of trying to cross at that point was too great. Why not stay with them for a short while until more was known? I accepted the invitation gratefully. There was a Resistance group operating in Amersfoort out of the train depot, which had their phone system operating independently from the national system. We transported mainly ration cards to a contact at the Amstel train depot in Amsterdam. Mr. Bouma turned out to be an avid walker, and while out on our walks, we sometimes passed the Cavalry barracks across from the house where my family had lived for 11 months in the year 1924. The neighborhood did not seem to have changed much. Occasionally we saw a group of prisoners from the nearby co_,!lcentration camp of Amersfoort, as they marched under heavily armed guard. Staring straight ahead, their heads shaven, their cheeks hollow from malnutrition, dressed in flimsy prison clothes, they were �68 ordered to sing. They were forced to work on a network of trenches, but were so obviously underfed, that one had to question their value of performing heavy work. Needless to say that my blood began to boil when I saw the group pass by. To talk to them was impossible even t~e slightest eye contact was being watched. The concentration camp of Amersfoort was notorious. It's camp commander, 35 year old Joseph J. Kotaella, was a brute nicknamed 'the Hangman'. He would hit his prisoners, while egging on his two large German shepherds, his constant companions. He had personally ordered and participated in the execution of prisoners. He seemed to especially enjoy watching the bodies of his victims drop, as garrote the noose tightened, and the last spastic struggle ceased. Some prisoners spent many days and nights in the open, surrounded by barbed wire, without any food or drink. By means of the Red Cross, a certain Mrs. Heemstra had, at times been allowed to take some food parcels into the camp. At such times Kotaella turned on his fake charm and requested to be photographed with her against the camp background. It was not until much later that I learned that my brother-in-law, Jacob, Janny's brother, was a prisoner at this camp at this time. The number of planes passing overhead seemed even greater here than in the Langedijk. One night, as we were sound asleep, a bomb exploded. Curled up in a fetal position, I awoke from a deep sleep by the terrible noise. It scared the wits out of everybody. All the windows were blown out, but the house was still standing. Hans Bouma, the family's youngest son, already having a broken arm from a fall off his bike, had stepped �69 in some glass causing severe bleeding, which we were finally able to stop by holding his foot very tightly. There was glass all over the floor, the furniture and the blankets. At day break we learned that a bomb had been dropped just east of the train depot, only five hundred yards from the house. The Bouma's were lucky to get off with merely glass damage. The_Bouma's lived at the Korte Bergstraat 8, and during my stay I had become acquainted with some of their neighbors. · On the night of Monday, June the 5th, one of them had invited the entire family and me over for a birthday celebration. By bartering some items from their clothing store they had even been able to lay their hands on some pastries. The following morning, on June 6th, I had left the house via the back yard to get a haircut, when the neighbor lady came running out of her house. "Mr. Termaat!" She called. "Don't go out in the street. .. the Allies have landed ... you never know what may happen ... they may get here too!" I quickly went back into the house. Mr. Bouma and I discussed this unexpected news and decided to take a walk to the newspaper building nearby, where a billboard next to its front door usually displayed the latest news items. Needless to say the unexpected surprise when we read the bulletin confirming that small scale landings had taken place on the coast of France. Amazed that the occupation forces would let this news leak out, we surmised that it had to be more than a small landing, which could hardly be covered up, since the BBC had warned everybody to stay away from Europe's coastal areas. We walked back to the house. Shortly after that the door bell rang. It was my good friend Evert Brink, who had come to bring me letters from Janny, clean underwear, as well as the latest news. Still �70 in shock by the news of the Allied landing, I blurted out: 'What are you doing here?' 'Hell, what kind of a greeting is that!' He replied. 'You knew I was coming!' 'But the Allies have landed!' I retorted. ~You're crazy!' He commented. Without wasting another word, I took him over to the newspaper building. Evert was as taken aback as Mr. Bouma and I had been. 'You cannot stay here!' He said. 'They (the Allies) are going to bomb the railroads and highways. If you stay, you will never be able to get out!' That seemed sensible enough, and so after a hasty good-bye and many thanks to the Bouma's, Evert and I boarded the train from Amersfoort to Amsterdam, where we changed trains to Alkmaar. We agreed not to talk, and each bought a German newspaper. We reached Alkmaar without any problems. Neither did we see or hear about any military activities in our area, except the regular drone of bombers flying over. My emotions ran high. I was getting closer to home, and Janny and the children were once again within reach ... the Allies had landed!...Would they land at other areas, besides France? ... Would they succeed? .... And if so, how quickly would they be able to proceed? .. .I was filled with questions, tension, wishful thinking ... and hope. But I also realized, that if further landings would not take place, it could be a long time yet before I would be able to surface, and until then I would have to keep moving around in the dark. The internal railroad telephone had been a real blessing, b~t being back on the national network made one once again alert to listening devices from radio detection units of the Gestapo. �71 We again spotted some troops from the Russian state of Georgia, as well as some from British India, imprest battalions to fill in for the heavy losses of Germany's army. They were obviously shifted around often. ~e people of the Dutch East Indies, residing irt Holland, had freely offered their share in the struggle for freedom also. It was amazing how close we had grown during these adversary times. Still, German infantry battalions continued to march through the towns, but much more disheveled looking, and not by far as cocky as four years earlier. During my absence, there had been a notice from the Probate Court in connection with the inheritance of my father-in-law, who had passed away the previous year. On the day I had been scheduled to appear, I had been in Amersfoort and unable to comply. How intensely dangerous the Gestapo was became quite clear, when they showed up at the Probate Court and arrested my two brothers-in-law. It was obvious that the Probate Court had connections with the Gestapo. Even though my brothers-in-law didn't know my whereabouts, their homes were searched, nevertheless. First the home of Jacob Schuurman, resulting in the arrest of a man whom they had kept hidden because he had refused to go to work in Germany. They also found a clandestine long wave radio receiver, which allowed them to listen to the BBC. Moving alongside the house, Jacob tried to escape via the meterwide gutter connecting his home to the house in the street behin<!_ bis. He was shot at immediately. Fortunately, they missed him by a hair. The center button of his coat had been replaced by a hole. He was arrested and sent to the concentration camp in Amersfoort. Any �72 further evidence against Jacob failed to tum up, and after four months of imprisonment a contact group of the Reformed Church managed to purchase his freedom, as even camp leaders were not beyond corruption. J.,ikewise, my other brother-in-law, Henk van Zuylen, also had his house searched. He too, wasn't aware of my whereabouts. And although the search didn't deliver any results, he was nevertheless taken to prison in Amsterdam (Huis van Bewaring), were he remained from May 17 to June 7, before he was let go. The day after, Nico Louis, the doctor who had smuggled me out of Alkmaar in his little Renault and had taken me to the train depot of Uitgeest on that Wednesday, May 20, had taken up contact with the woman courier by means of Rev. Marius Koole the very next day. She had shown up at his office that same evening. Cautiously, Nico had asked her what he possibly could do to help her. Then, she had related the same story to him, namely that she was in dire need of an I.D. card, as she was without one. Nico's quick mind was immediately put on alert. Had it not only been yesterday at the train depot of Uitgeest, that Peter had told him the story about the woman walking into the Police Station, calling the Gestapo, ordering the arrest of Peter Termaat because he had furnished her with a false I.D.? Nico kept his cool, not promising her anything. He told her to come back Friday evening, May 12. After she'd left, he'd alerted the local Resistance and that Friday evening, 5 days after her initial call to the Gestapo, she was captured and made ~ full confession. The question now was, what to do with her? Treason was proven and confessed to. She could not be kept a prisoner. The vote was unanimous and the matter was referred to the National �73 Resistance Organization. A terse order was sent back: 'Liquidate her!' Having been locked up since May 12th, the woman was transported out of town to the east near the village of Rustenburg, where the road runs across the dike. Here an injection ended her life and on May 19_th, her body was hurried in the dike. A bloody mess. Only the slapping and sloshing of the breaking waves would be heard. Then all became quiet. A report was sent to Headquarters that the order had been carried out. How long would it take before the Gestapo would catch on and begin their manhunt? Our Resistance group immediately began searching for hiding places. It was none to soon. Dr. Louis realized that the time had come for him to disappear, after all, it was more than likely that by now, the woman had informed the Gestapo of her visit to his office. In these last days of the war, fear had begun to grip the Nazis, leading to hysterical actions, such as trying to remove all records, containing all names and address of men who at any time had been unemployed, from the District Bureau of the Department of Social Affairs. This was the office where I had worked until my resignation on May 1, 1942, when I had refused to obey and execute their new laws, which would have sent men to Germany as forced labor to assist the Nazi war industry. Every evening, at about five o'clock, files containing these records were loaded on a wagon and brought, under armed guard, to the vault of the Twentsche Bank near the town square with its beautiful medieval tower. The route to the bank was not a direct one; a block from the bank, the wagon would tum into a side street. Our plan was to destroy the records before they reached the bank. In order to do that we needed gasoline, and Dr. Louis �/ 74 had just what we needed, five gallons of it, which I had previously smuggled into town and stored at his home. We would attack the guards, pour the gasoline over the files and set them afire. The point of attack was ideal - a maze of narrow side streets. The importance of our plan was clear. If successful, all data concerning the total labor force of the district would be destroyed. Faced with an almost certain visit of the Gestapo, the Louis's packed a few suitcases, loaded their car and disappeared. Nico was realistic enough to take the gasoline along on his flight. They would not return to Alkmaar until VE-Day. June 6. 1944 D-Day Hitler and his staff now expected the main landing to occur in Calais, on the narrow passage from Dover, and kept his 15th army with 100,000 soldiers at the Channel until September. But on June 6th, the Allied invasion in Normandy had begun. Low flying Allied planes flew in low formation over Europe's west coast, attacking Nazi traffic where visible. Nazi losses of military vehicles were heavy, but what hurt most was the loss of military personnel. To give them a better chance of survival, much of the traffic was conducted during the night, while men were rounded up as forced labor to dig manholes along the roads, and into the dike itself. While digging near the town of Rustenburg, a crew discovered a lady's shoe. And it was only moments later that they dug up the body of the liquidated..§py. On June 17, 1944 an ad appeared in the paper, which read as follows: �75 BODY FOUND IN RUSTENBURG The Head of the Criminal Investigation Department in Amsterdam, located at the Keizersgracht 103-105 (telephone 49055), requests on behalf of the Group Commander of the Mi~itary Police in Heerhugowaard, to be informed of the identity of the body of a woman found on June 13, 1944 on an elevated spot in Rustenburg (North Holland). Description: Between twenty and thirty years of age; height 1.63 meters; dark hair; small nose, wider at the end, blue-grey eyes; well maintained teeth, fully intact; scar on right side of abdomen, probably from appendectomy. Clothing: Short, dark blue coat with dark belt made of connected leather bands; white blouse with blue-green checks, brand 2330 Margo 17144 Frulensis mit den 7 punkten Gesla; Erpco Compagnie KoelnNeumarkt, Gegr 1901; black flat-heeled shoes, light pink petticoat, white panties, brand: 'Butterfly, Bijenkorr, pink camisole with the letter 'N' inside the shoulder strap, ankle-height woollen socks. Information urgently requested by the Criminal Investigation Department. Interestingly, no information was ever offered; the solidarity of the population showed once again. Soon after VE-Day the investigation, which had been going on during the last few �76 weeks of the war, is completed with the following information. One of the members of the Resistance group, operating just north of Amsterdam, had an affair with his wife's sister. Infuriated, when discovering the affair, the wife decided to go to th,e Gestapo and betray not only her husband, but the rest of his Resistance group as well. After giving her testimony, the Gestapo gave her two choices. Either she'd become one of their informers or be sent to a concentration camp as an accomplice. She decided to take the first option. The Gestapo relocated her to the village of Noord Scharwoude, one of the four villages of the Langedijk, where she stayed with a certain Mr. Keeman, a small exporter of produce, who was under no particular suspicion by the people in the village. It was Mr. Keeman who introduced her to Rev. Nell with the story previously mentioned. Having no connections himself, Rev. Nell called his colleague, the Rev. Marius Kool in Broek op Langedijk, who in turn introduced her to us. A quick investigation of her story confirmed that the resistance group, to which she and her husband belonged, had indeed been arrested and imprisoned. Consequently her amateurish operation led to her speedy and untimely demise. When VE-day finally arrived, Keeman was instantly killed when his motor cycle hit a tree. Suicide was suspected. On that day, in addition to the three strongholds we had held for several weeks, we - also took over the town hall. While standing in front of the town hall with two fellow officers, waiting for the first units of the First Canadian Army to arrive, Dr. Nico Louis �77 hailed us and joined our group. After some light banter we were interrupted by an MP on a motor cycle, who informed us that the father of the executed woman had been spotted in town. He apparently was armed and had announced that he was going to kill Dr. Louis, whom be blamed for the death of his daughter. We guided Dr. Louis into the Town Hall and sent out a patrol to bring the man in. It appeared that he had only partial information of what had transpired. After talking to him and pointing out to him, how his daughter, through her actions, had caused her own death, he accepted our explanation. He surrendered his gun and promised to leave town, not to return or to bother Dr. Louis again. Truly a rotten deal for a father to be faced with. By 1944 the number of refugees, men and boys between the ages of sixteen and sixty had grown to five hundred thousand. Needless to say, our task became increasingly more difficult, and we began to experience heavy losses among the ranks of Resistance fighters. But we helped wherever help was needed, no questions asked. By D-Day, June 6, 1944, we figured we had lost about two thousand fully active commandos. Latest evaluations showed that their life expectancy, from the day they entered the Resistance movement, had been three to six months. Their strength was augmented by many trusted contacts in a homogenous populations. After a month of fighting and building up the armed forces in Normandy, Eisenhower unleashed General Patton, and the Allied Forces began to make fast aEvances against strong German opposition. By the end of August the northern part of France and part of Belgium were free once more. �78 On September 1, the harbor city of Antwerp fell to the Allies, and on September 4, Hitler personally ordered the destruction of the harbors of Rotterdam and Amsterdam, which order did not go into effect until September 21. Heavy detonations could be heard twenty ~les away. So heavy were the continuous explosions, that in the Rotterdam sub~rb of Katendrecht four thousand families saw their homes destroyed. The destruction in Amsterdam was proportionate to that of Rotterdam, and that which once took decades of hard labor and persistence to built, in true entrepreneurial spirit, was destroyed in a matter of days. In Rotterdam, nine miles of wharf embankment was destroyed as were more than half of the hoisting cranes, all floating docks, all petroleum tanks ( even though they had been empty for a long time), shipyards and engineering works. Raw materials were transported in barges to Germany, were they would be used to rebuild Germany once the war was over. Ships were sunk in the main waterways connecting Amsterdam and Rotterdam to the open sea, obstructing all maritime traffic. Then there was the Field Marshall Montgomery blunder at Arnhem, when he ordered the British Airborne, ten thousand men strong, to land too far from the last bridge, needed by the Allied Troops to do any good. His miscalculation resulted in eight thousand either killed in action, or wounded and taken prisoners of war. Only 2000 survived. HRH Prince Bernhard, Commander of the Interior Forces, sounded bitter when he stated: 'My country can never again afford the luxury of another M~ntgomery success'. Meanwhile a mistaken radio news item in London named the Dutch city of Breda as the first liberated Dutch city. If true, there was only a fifty five mile gap left from Breda �79 straight north to the Zuiderzee, through which flight to Germany would still be possible. Wild panic broke out among the Germans and Dutch Nazis, as they fled all through the night towards Germany, either by foot or by any means of transportation they were able to steal. The German Command however regained contr"ol once again, as they opened the locks, flooding the low lying areas. Having to leave home as a fugitive, our first thoughts were for the family's well being. Part of that were the finances. Being self-employed in a partnership, we could count on a small monthly draw to continue. Furthermore, the L.O., organized underground, (L.O. stands for 'national organization') paid Janny a small stipend. They occasionally also provided some scarce food, such as cheese. The surrounding market gardens contributed cabbage, carrots and potatoes. These were sold in small quantities outside the rationing system. Janny only spent money for what was available on ration coupons and on what the village provided and not wanting to buy in the black market, items such as butter and meat were simply not on the menu. And that way she even managed to save some money. 1944: The rationing continues. September: All food and fuel rations are drastically cut. The remaining electricity ration is cut in half. We are forced to surrender any kind of textile products left in our homes. The city kitchen has opened her doors to the public and is allowed to supply a ration of maximum 600 calories per person. �80 December: Bread ration is cut to two pounds per week per person. Ground up bulbs (mainly tulips) are used as a substitution for flour. A total ban on electricity is announced. Homes are being tom up for firewood, kitchen doors, closet shelves, etc. The need is great for a little warmth or just to heat up a single pan. And as far as our beautiful trees are concerned, there are none left. 'Hunger trips' are a common occurrence in the farm country, as people knock on farm doors trying to buy, barter and, in some instances, 'steal'. Many people are utterly despondent, and desperate. Many die en route. September 17. 1944 OPERATION MARKET GARDEN Successful but not across the bridge, this operation imprisoned the population ~f the western Netherlands for its last, but most terrible war winter. For them freedom would still be eight months away, until May, 1945. To add to the devastation, we got hit with an unusually severe frost which lingered on. The only coal mines in Holland are to be found in the south eastern province of Limburg, but because of the railroad strike, coal was out of reach for the rest of the nation. - The strike, which had been ordered by the Dutch Government on September 17, 1944, at the time of the Allied airborne landings, was a total success. �81 As a result, however, we had to find hiding places for three hundred thousand men to protect them from being rounded up. Their families had to be paid a basic amount of money to be able to buy what little was made available on ration cards. The finances needed to keep_ the hiding places going and the care for the families of those men, who since 1940 had foughton the seas and in Normandy, had been guaranteed by our government in exile. The financing through the banking system was a major help in the underground struggle. Following the disastrous failure of the British Airborne attack near the city of Arnhem in September, 1944 food rationing was decentralized and became now a local responsibility. The size of the rations and its content depended fully on what was on hand locally. Furthermore, the German army closed off the western seaboard provinces by a 20 mile long cordon, which ran from the Rhine river, just west of Arnhem, all the way to the Zuiderzee. These provinces, the most heavily populated ones in the country, suffered terribly. The order by Nazi governor Seyss Inquart, to put an embargo on all shipments of food to the west of that cordon, was a major factor for the starvation rations. Food rationing in October, 1944 dropped to 1300 calories per person per week. In November it decreased to 950 calories, in December to 550 calories, ending in January, 1945 with only 340 calories per person per week. The north-eastern provinces of Groningen, Friesland, Drente and Overijssel managed to scrape by on 1300 calories per person per week from September 1944 till May, 1945. We weren't spared by the hunger either, which was weakening the health of our family. Infections were chronic, and on November 9, 1944 (the birthday of father C.B. �82 Termaat), Janny experienced a pre-mature birth in her four and one half months of pregnancy. Our family doctor, Willem Verdonk, feared for her life, and urged me to come out of hiding that night to be with her. Doctor Verdonk assisted us. It was a boy, so tiny in death, is features resembling those of Kees and Michie!. But there was no time to lose. I had to be gone by dawn. A box had to serve as a coffin and with our prayers, I carried him outside to the backyard, where I dug a grave. Then Janny and I said our goodbyes and I left again for my hiding place to continue the bitter struggle. Janny did not receive adequate food to regain her strength. Her mainstay was thin buttermilk porridge. A neighbor lady sacrificed some of her rations. "You need it more than I do", she said. In order to look for food, Janny's sister, Lyda, and I decided towards the end of December, 1944 to pay a visit to Oma (Grandma) Schuurman's relatives, who were still living on active farms. Riding our bicycles, we met the day after Christmas, early in the morning on the road towards the town of Purmerend. One bicycle had no tires at all, while the tires on the other one were in bad shape. We had planned to go through the Schermer polder towards Purmerend, and from there to the ferry in the Amsterdam harbor, if it seemed safe to do so. But a little ways outside of Alkmaar we experienced an unexpected obstacle. The Germans had flooded the polder to head off airborne attacks. So we rode our bicycles through the water as far as possible until we finally had to start walking. With cold, wet legs we at last reached Purmerend, and continued our journey along the canal towards Amsterdam. When we arrived at the ferry, we scanned for German u~forms. We were able to cross safely. We chose to find our way through east Amsterdam, thus avoiding the city center, which we knew was infested with Nazis. Once we reached the outskirts, we continued �83 to the town of Diemen, which was only a few miles down the road and from there we took the country road to Over-Diemen. The last farm on that country road, just east of the Amsterdam-Rhine canal, was the farm of Oma Schuurman's brother, nestled along the dike of the Zuiderzee. This was the family farm of the Hennipman's (Oma Schuurman's maiden name). Oma Schuurman, born in 1889 and her eldest daughter, my wife Janny, born in 1916, were both born on the same farm in the same room and in the same bedstead. We were warmly received, along with a hot meal. As we took our leave, we were given butter, cheese and some bacon to take back home with us. We chose the road to the west in order to cross the canal in the direction of the town of Hoofddorp, which was situated to the south of the Schiphol airport. However, when we arrived at the canal we noticed that the bridge we had wanted to cross was under construction. Only the piling, the side railings and a one foot long ledge, on which the steel beams were to be laid for the road deck, was all that existed. Neither the beams nor the deck were there. We had no other choice, however, but to get across and thus I took one of the bikes under my arm, and while holding on to the railing, walked across the ledge to the other side. Fifteen feet below me, the water with its floating ice, looked very uninviting in the gathering dusk. Coming back, I carried the second bike the same way. Next, I helped Lyda across. Safely back on our bicycles, just as we passed the Schiphol airport, we ran into a heavy fog. Finding the main road to Hoofddorp was not easy, but we did find it, nevertheless. Suddenly, from out of the fog, came a voice: "Wer da?" ("Who's there?"). We heard the bolt of a rifle thrown. Ignoring the command, we sped along the Middenweg till we reached the Roodenburg farm, which belonged to Opa (Granndpa) Schuurman's sister, who was married to Jacob �84 Roodenburg. Here too, we were warmly received. They fed us and invited us to stay overnight, since by now darkness had set in. The following morning, after breakfast, we were sent off with an amply supply of whatever the farm produced, among others several bags of beans and peas, which would go a long way to supplement the starvation diet of which we could not subsist. We thanked the Roodenburgs and left, carefully watching out for enemy checkpoints and platoons of the 'Landwacht'. These platoons were a particularly vicious uniformed group of Dutch Nazis, who roamed about roughing people up, sometimes even arresting them, confiscating whatever they carried on them. As a result, we occasionally checked with people before we decided to proceed in one or the other direction. Eventually, we decided to return to Alkmaar by making a wide circle around the Schiphol airport in the direction of the town of Velsen, where a ferry would take us across the wide and deep Noord Zee (North See) canal, which runs from the Amsterdam harbor into the North Sea. Once across, we would have a choice of several roads leading to Alkmaar. We made it safely across, but shortly afterwards we lost yet another tire. We managed to reach Limmen, a village several miles south of Alkmaar, and as dusk settled over the unlit road, we proceeded slowly with our precious load along the main road. When we reached Alkmaar we took the smaller side streets, which were so very familiar to us, until we at last reached Oma Schuurman's house, just before curfew time. Because of Janny's weakened condition, Oma Schuurman had ~aken her and our sons into her apartment in Alkmaar in February, 1945. As far as our home in Broek op Langedijk was concerned, we had gathered all our possessions into one large room and safely secured �85 it with a heavy lock. The remainder of the house was then rented out to a refugee family. My parents, Opa and Oma Termaat, were supplied with provisions by former soldiers, now farmers again. (My dad had been an aide-de-camp with the 15th Regiment Infantry). By March, 1945 however, their food supplies as well as those in Oma Schuurman's house had dwindled considerably and was reduced to a level of scarcity that begged for supplementation. Worsening the situation even more was the fact that Captain Vels Heyn was also in need of food for Resistance fighters hidden in the city. And so one day, I decided to make the four mile long walk along the back roads to the Langedijk were I knew a man by the name of Jonker, who operated a one-man transport business, using a horsedrawn flat-bed wagon with canvas sides and top. After talking to him, I found him willing to make a trip from Broek op Langedijk to Alkmaar. Several farmers on the way, who ( knew very well, were quite willing to sell us potatoes, huge carrots (in better days used for horse fodder), and cabbage at reasonable prices. I then returned to AJkmaar by myself and ventured into the city to visit a friend's house, who was the district president of the Chamber of Commerce. We discussed the various problems I was faced with, and what I had done so far to procure and transport food. It was now a matter of distribution. He was able to locate a dozen or so large, sturdy crates at no cost, as long as they were returned intact. Next, Mr. Jonker, once he had arrived in Alkmaar, loaded the crates onto his wagon and took them to Broek op Langedijk, stopping at the various farms I had suggested and fill them up with produce. I familiarized Jonker with his final destination, the house of Opa and Oma Termaat, and a day for the transport was chosen. Seated on a box, Jonker gently, and at a leisurely pace, guided his horse along. He managed to get into Alkmaar, across the Frisian �86 bridge, which was used by all traffic to and from all eastern directions and, with our help, unloaded the crates into the small barn behind the elder Termaat's house. The following days, as soon as dusk had set in, but well before curfew, an orderly distribution took place. For many it meant a lifeline during those last six weeks of occupation, and no one tried to profit unseemly from this operation. In the eastern part of Holland the battle still raged on. German anti-tank ditches needed to be dug and temporary airfields built, and thus the chase for forced labor was on. On October 7, 1944, raids on males between the ages of 16 and 60 take place in Amersfoort, Kampen and Utrecht. Soldiers seal off the streets and break into homes, carrying men and boys away like cattle, straight to waiting trains ready to take them to slave labor camps in Germany. The enemy uses any kind of tactic to make men between sixteen and sixty their target and sometimes they are caught by ruse. The moment the sirens go off and as people find shelter in their homes, the German troops move in, blocking every street. Then, as soon as the 'safe' sign is sounded, and the people are once more free to leave their shelters, the men are caught and marched to the train stations with only the clothes on their backs - destination: East. The first such raid takes place in Rotterdam on November 10 and 11, soon followed by the Hague, Amsterdam and Utrecht, the four largest cities. Rotterdam is sealed off by two German divisions, seven thousand men strong armed with machine guns and anti-aircraft guns. On November 10, between 4:00 and 7:00 a.m., the police has been disarmed and all telephone cables are blocked. Everyone has been given a written order to take warm clothing (few of them have any clothing left after four years of occupation) sturdy �87 shoes (wooden shoes were already at a premium), a blanket, a raincoat, eating utensils and food for one day. In return they are promised 'good food', cigarettes, 5 guilders a day and care for the family members who stay behind. Homes are broken into and combed for members of the Resistance, while others are driven irito the streets, marched off under armed guards and taken to large buildings. Many women assemble in front of the buildings where their loved ones are kept and in their burning hatred hurl verbal abuse at the German soldiers. When the men are being marched to the waiting trains or boats, they line up along the route, women and children, trying to get one last glance of their husband's or son's face. Men and women call to each other 'Courage', 'Orange forever'. Women cry, many pushing strollers. And then there are the elderly women losing their husbands, and young girls with their arms around their boy friends. The total catch in Rotterdam is sixty thousand men, of whom some then thousand are transported by train, two thousand five hundred by ship and some twenty five thousand on foot. And then the amazing solidarity of the Dutch people shines through. During short rest periods for those on foot, people from the neighborhoods, which they pass through, will give them what they think may be useful to them. The same thing is repeated where the barges are moored and at the locations where the trains stop. A large contingent of those on foot are forced to march to Amsterdam, where they are loaded onto small freighters and taken across the Zuiderzee to the cities of Kampen and Zwolle. In Kampen they are housed in the former van Heutz military barracks. The weather is cold and unsanitary conditions prevail. There is hunger and thirst and no medical assistance of any kind. Various kinds of �88 shock, caused by anxiety and rough treatment, begin to affect the nervous system as well as moral sensibility, but even more seriously and permanently affected is loss of personal dignity. Januaiy. 1945: 5 degree Fahrenheit In the big cities, the ties between the tram rails are broken out for fuel. No electricity, no heating gas, no food. Even the central kitchen, which has offered a thin soup, with unrecognizable content, comes to a halt. Babies and old people are the first victims. Mortality jumps three-fold. The dead are transported by push carts to the cemeteries. There is no wood for caskets and they are buried in mass graves. In the big cities, the dead are laid out on the stone floors of the old cathedrals. A Resistance SWAT team attacks S.S. Chief Rauter. The result is that two hundred political prisoners are shot. Between January 1 and May 1, 1945 a total of one thousand five hundred and seventy nine political prisoners are executed, which is three hundred and fifty one more than during the total period of 1940-1944. Meanwhile, as mentioned above, Janny had moved in with her mother. The following is her story. The final winter of the war was a terrible one for everybody. We knew that the Allied Forces were south of the rivers Rijn and Maas, but when would they come to free us? It had �89 been almost five years since the occupation and the tension was thick. The questions was: "When would we be free?" I had been alone since May, 1944. I was very weakened by the stillbirth of our third son, an9 I was glad when my mother invited me to move in with her and my two younger sisters, Lyda, twenty four years of age, and Greet, ten years old. This way, I would at least have some relief in the care of our children. At this time we were practically hiding in our own houses, trying to survive the ordeal. The Nazis were still after my husband and had even searched my mother's apartment, including the roof, but to no avail. In order to have some light in the evening we took turns riding the stationery bicycle, to which a dynamo was mounted, but most of the time we went to bed early. There, under the heavy covers, we could at least keep warm. Some times, while one pedaled the bicycle, one of the others would try to read in the light beam of the bicycle, but the moment the person would stop pedaling it became pitch dark. We kept ourselves busy with such daily chores as personal hygiene, the most necessary laundry and the preparation of meals. Toward the end we had to haul water in pails from an emergency community pump not too far away. Meanwhile, the rumors of the approaching Allies were flying and the Nazis were very jumpy. One had to be very careful not to become to daring. My brother Cor called attention to the fact that the family of Dr. J.B. van Amerongen, who made their home at the Wilhelminalaan in Alkmaar, had employed a �90 German nanny by the name of Ella Peterman, who hailed from the city of Cottbus. As it turned out, this city later became the final prison camp for Nel Lind, a young woman from Alkmaar, who, as a member of the Resistance, had been captured in Amsterdam by the Gestapo, and had subsequently received the death sentence. In the Cottbus camp, Ella Peterman had apparently been one of the wardens, but she had treated Nel Lind decently, as well as Gre Hekket, another death row candidate, and a distant relative. of ours. We were living on the Langestraat (the main street in Alkmaar) in an upstairs apartment. One afternoon, a German patrol came through the street, fully armed, carrying ammunition bands, wrapped around their shoulders, and pointing sub-machine guns at the windows. They were obviously trying to intimidate the population. We stayed away from the windows, but my husband, who had just recently joined us, awaiting the end of the war, had reached the end of his endurance. He could not take it any longer. He suddenly drew his revolver and aimed at the patrol. He was ready to shoot at them. Understandable but not smart. I begged him not to do it. For all our sake. After all, none of us would survive and we were so close to the end! He finally gave in to my reasoning and begging and had once again regained his self control. During that same week, on May 8, the Canadians came and freed us as they paraded past our apartment. We were so happy! We opened all the windows and while I played he piano, we all sang our national anthem and other patriotic songs. What a relief! Now we could begin to rebuild our lives and our country once again. Times were still very difficult �91 with everything still rationed, but we were free. Free to express ourselves, free to move about and free to walk the streets with no fear of curfew. Jbe little bit of food that is left is yet being rationed. 1945: January: Sugar Beets City kitchen ration is down to one pint per person per day. Water is only available per pail from newly dug wells in the city. January 28: A neutral Swedish ship, loaded with food, sails into the harbor of Delfzijl, a city in the far northeast part of Holland, which is now liberated. The provinces of Noord Holland, Zuid Holland, Utrecht and part of Limburg are still occupied. April 24: The city kitchen is forced to close, since food is no longer available. The German High Command refuses to allow food drops by the Allies. April 26: German Governor to the Netherlands, the Austrian born Seys lnquart, designates a few cities where food drops by Allied planes is allowed without German interference. April 29: R.A.F. food drops take place near the Hague, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Haarlem, Alkmaar and Gouda. �92 May 2: Allied food transports by road are allowed to pass through German lines. Sprin~. 1945: Bomber Command tries to bomb the rocket sites in a park in The Hague. A mix-up in the coordination causes the bombs to drop on a densely populated area. More than 500 dead, many more wounded, three thousand three hundred houses destroyed, one thousand two hundred houses heavily damaged, twelve thousand people homeless. During the five years of war a total of between forty and fifty five million soldiers and citizens have been killed. Burning dry eyes in a drawn face, embittered to a skin tight mask, the young widow stood in front of the window of her neighbor's farm. Carrying her baby on her arm, she stared at the still smoldering ruins of the small farm house and barn, which until a short while ago had been theirs. In young married bliss their first child was born just a few months ago, but their happiness was not meant to last. The SS had swooped down in their vehicles from both sides of the road, and surrounded the farm. They had driven her husband, herself and their child out of the home, while they had searched the house throughout, breaking open the - walls, ceilings and floors. Angered by the fruitless search, they had put a revolver against her husband's head, demanding to find out the whereabouts of two American flyers who had �93 been hidden in the area some weeks prior. Then, the Dutch Nazi, standing behind the SS officer, had spoken up: That's the man, Herr Kommandant'! Next, there had been a sharp sound, and her husband had fallen to the ground of his own farm yard, his hands digging the good earth, in a final sp~m. Before they had left, the SS had torched the buildings, preventing anyone of trying to rescue anything inside. A few of the Germans had walked up to the barn and had methodically shot the cows. Our longtime friend, Jan Walter, was shot nearby. Monday. May 7. 1945: Amsterdam liberated. Enthusiastic crowds gather on the Dam Square, in front of the Royal Palace. Women, who have fraternized with the Germans, have their heads completely shaven. A German naval detachment fires at random into the crowd. Twenty two dead, sixty wounded - the compliment of a sore looser. At the start of the war no one knew what the future would bring, nor how long the occupation would last, but one unyielding conviction we maintained: 'liberation from this evil regime must come.' It would later be said that the imperviousness of the Dutch people, as a whole, to Nazi contamination must be credited to the basic characteristics of its society, rather than to external circumstances. It was foremost the fact thatjn Holland the family and the churches had not abdicated their character-shaping and opinion-forming functions to the state and political groupings. The basic family unit and the churches were �94 comparatively inaccessible to Nazi ideology and could not be made to conform. The following is a summary of the losses suffered by the Railway System: 12J2 1945 Steam Locomotives 872 126 85.5 Passenger Cars 1702 146 85.9 Luggage Cars 1236 0 100 and Cars 667 0 100 Gas-driven Vehicles 38 I 99 Loss in% Electrical Locomotives Freight Cars 26856 445 98.3 Total Losses 31371 718 97.7 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Adriana B. (Schuurman) Termaat, Peter N. Description An account of the resource Collection contains genealogical, personal, and family papers and photographs documenting the lives and interests of Adriana and Peter Termaat. The bulk of the materials are related to family history and genealogical research carried out by the Termaats, including research notes and materials about places in the Netherlands that were significant to the Termaat and Schuurman families, such as the city of Alkmaar. Other materials in the collection are related to the Termaats' experiences on the eve of and during the Second World War, especially the German occupation of the Netherlands and the Termaats' participation in organized resistance to the Nazis. Also included are materials that document the family's post-war life in the United States, including their public efforts to recognize, commemorate, and honor people and events significant to World War II. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1869 - 2012 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection, RHC-144</a> Subject The topic of the resource Netherlands Netherlands--History--German occupation, 1940-1945 World War, 1939-1945 World War, 1939-1945 -- Underground movements -- Netherlands Dutch Dutch Americans Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text Image Type The nature or genre of the resource application/pdf image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng nl Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144_Termaat_WRI_Fatherland-Full Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Pieter Title A name given to the resource Our Fatherland Description An account of the resource Memoir by Pieter N. Termaat of the Nazi Occupation of the Netherlands during World War II. Subject The topic of the resource Dutch World War, 1939-1945 -- Netherlands World War, 1939-1945--Occupied territories Netherlands--History--German occupation, 1940-1945 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection (RHC-144)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/bc79cec9d36b8c39d9d262eb6272bfb0.pdf 848f5a7a4ae98f2fd836740edaa4eac1 PDF Text Text 1 ~ Economics in The Netherlands 1940 _ 1945 ( f/R-1.. r' 0 CCV f 11 ~rl..._, Its impact on our family. The two of us joined the National Youth Union ( Nationaal Jongeren Verbond) in 1932 upon the initiation of the West Friesland Chapter. At that time there were chapters in all parts of the Kingdom of The Netherlands with a combined membership of 1,500. These chapters formed a catalyst among loyal citizen groups on national holidays and attracted students with historical and patriotic lectures throughout the year. We felt at home because of the shared moral and patriotic high gro1.md. In those crucial years we worked with men and women, courageous , idealistic and dedicated to a degree at that time seldom seen in other youth groups. The group was preceded in 1927 by a youth organization which directed its efforts against the marxist propaganda for unilateral disarmament. The transformation to the National Youth Union under the honorary chairpersonship of her Royal Highness the Crown Princess Juliana came later. Besides the goal to strive for a strong national defense (Europe, so shortly after the carnage of World War I was beginning to come to a boil again) the organization came out strongly for the unity of our kingdom as it had existed for centuries in Europe, Asia and South America. Just before we married on April 18, 1939, the pre-mobilization command· was issued for specialist and strategic regiments. Total mobilization followed on August 29, 1939 .Recalling the often critical shortages during Netherlands' neutrality from war during 1914-1918, a distribution system of supplies was instituted in Se~tember. Ration cards were issued under the management of the Centraal Distributie Kantoor (Central Distribution office) in the Department of Commerce, Industry and Shipping • Allocation of food supplies was administered by the Department of Agriculture. With foresight the cabinet had stockpiled critical items such as wheat, vegetable oil, rice, gasoline, coffee and tea. After the capitulation to the German armed forces on May 14, 1940, our youth organization was the one which kept a steady course and participated on June 29th, 1940 in the national public celebration of Prince Bernhard's birthday. Everywhere people wore a white carnation ( Prince Bernhard's favorite) and at the Royal Palace in The Hague and at Royal monuments flowers piled up. Thousands signed the palace register of congratulation, which was later confiscated by the Nazi's. Orange buttons and bunting were featured everywhere • In our monthly "De Tram" (The drum) we encouraged people to stay loyal to the Queen and to ~ur fatherland and to ignore as much as possible the German presence. After June 29th, 2 members of our national board, van Santen and Schiebergen were arrested and our organization was accorded the high honor of becoming the first organization to be banned .We the members transfered to the first organization declared illegal by the invaders. This was the O.D. (order service) consisted of military personnel. From 1940 to August 1944 the daily ration for adults was about half of the pre-war consumption in terms of calories. In these four years the average ration amolm.ted to less than 1500 calories. This did not present a famine level, but did lea.d to progressive weakening of human energy and resistance to disease. O.£ At that time no refrirators or freezers were in use; mostly the temperate climate ranging from 20 to 70 Fahrenheit, did not make it necessary. So, thrown into war circumstances, your ability to stock up, besides financial considerations1was limited to non-perishables. So, we could stock home-canned foods, which were not popular outside farming communities. �2 Economics in The Netherlands 1940-1945 Its impact on our family. If r !lDRin-tlR ;;,,·c>l16L , ADfl..J/1111/l _IJ !~;'?fl{lf/t 1 , 1 11 DIV/lfdfi ' And then there was a psychological factor at work. That what was made available on ration cards, was purchased whether it was needttl or not that week or fortnight. A good example was the purchase of cigars, cigarett1_s and pipe tobacco. Non-smokers purchased what became available gave it i'o family members gr friends or used .ns,d;- it as barter or sold it at a higher price i/1v #..L. ,t.,C..c.-(. -n, ~e-'f. From September 1939 to May ,1940, when the occupation by enemy forces became a fact, only sugar and peas were rationed , although in adequate quantity and with reasonable frequency. What worked against the people was, that they had only begun of late to recover from the terrible depression of 1929 to 1938. And so clothing, household items, furniture and other basic necessities were already depleted ~ the start of the war • In the eight months ending December 1940, the German authorities added 22 rationed goods, affecting 70% of the average family's consumption. By November 1943, 95~ of the diet was rationed. After the disastrous failing of the British Airborne attack at Arnhem in September 1944, food rationing was decentralized and became a local responsibility. The size of the rations and its content depended on what was on hand locally. Further1 the German army closed off the western seab9ard provinces by a 20 miles long~cordon running from the Rhine river just west of Arnhem to the Zuiderzee. These provinces, the most heavily populated of the country suffered terribly. The order of Nazi govenor Seyss Inquart to embargo all shipments of food to the west of that cordon was a major factor for the starvation rations. In the west food rationing in October 1944 dropped to 1300 calories per person per week: in November to 950 calories; in December to 550; and in January 1945 to 340 calories. The north-eastern provinces: Groningen, Friesland, Drente and Overijssel managed to scrape by on 1300 calories per person per week from September 1944 to May 1945 • . ()t,,l,t., The h,mger reached us as well and weakened the health of,~ family. Infections were chronic. And then on November 9th 1944 (the birthday of father C.B.Termaat) .Jarm:ie had a premature birth at about 4½ months • Warned by our doctor Willem Verdonk who was in fear of her life, I came home that night out of hiding to be with her. Doctor Verdonk assisted us. It was a boy, so tiny in death, his features resembling those of Keith and M:Yte • But there was no time to lose , I had to be gone by d'awn • A box had to serve as coffin and with our prayers I carried him oupide and in the backyard I dug a grave • Then Jm:t!d:e and I said our goodb~S::1 and I left again for my hiding place, to continue the bitter struggle. ~ did not get _adequate food to regain her strength ; het mainstay was thin buttermilk porridge. A neigborlady_gave up some of her rations "you need it more than me-'' was all she said • Towards the end of December we decided that a visit had to be paid to Oma Schuurman' s relatives., still living on active farms to seek food • J&ir.flie~ s sister Lyda and I met the day after Christmas early in the morning on the road to Purmerend. One bicycle had no tires at all and the other tires were in bad shape. We had planned to go through the Schermer polder towards Purmerend , and from there to the ferry in Amsterdam harbor if! .it seemed safe. �J Economics in The Netherlands 1940-1945 Its impact on our family. ... 1"llfl.0W1V A little ways out of Alkmaar there was bad news : the Germans had flooded the polder to head off airborne attack. We rode the bicycles through the water as long as we could, but finally had to walk. With cold wet legs we reached Purmerend, and could then proceed along the canal towards Amsterdam • At the ferry we scanned for German uniforms and crossed safely. We chose to find our way through east Amsterdam, thus avoiding the center, which we knew was infested with the Nazi's. Reaching the outskirts we went the last few miles to Diemen where we took the country road to Over-Diemen. Just east of the Amsterdam-Rhine canal lay the farm of Oma Schuurman's brother, nestled along the Zuiderzee dike. We were cordially received; a warm meal was set and then butter, cheese and some bacon were given to take home. This was the family farm of the Hennipman's (Oma Schuurman's maiden name) Oma Schuurman born in 1889 and·Ju_-,.ie her oldest daughter born in 1916 were both born right thefrt, in the same room in the same bedstead. We took our leave and chose the road to the west to cross the canal on our way to Hoofddorp, south of Schiphol; Arriving at the canal we saw that the bridge we had anticipated was under construction. The pilings, the side railings and a one foot ledge existed on which the steel beams were to be laid for the roaddeck. But neither the beams nor the deck were there. There was no choice, we had to cross. I took one bike under rrry arm held onto the railing and walked over the ledge to the other side. ~-'• Fifteen feet below 1 the water with floating ice did look uninviting in ~ gathering dusk. Coming back I carried the second bike the same way, and then helped Lyda across. Again riding the biclycles we passed close to SchipholVwhere we encotmtered a heavy fog. Finding the main road to Hoofddorp was not easy, but we did find i t . Suddenly we heard a voice calling : 11 Wer da" , German for who goes • We heard the bolt of a rifle I, said nothing and speeded along the Middenweg till we reached the Roodenburg farm • Opa Schuurman' s eldeet sister was married to Jacob Roodenburg. Again the reception was cordial. They fed us and as it had become dark, we were invited to stay overnight. After breakfast we were given amply from what the farm produced: several bags of beans an:i peas • These too would go a long way to supplement the starvation diet on which we could not subsist. We thanked the Roodenburg's and took off, carefully watching out for enemy checkpoints and platoons of the "Landwacht" a particular vicious uniformed group of Dutch nazi's who roamed about roughing people up, sometimes arresting them, and confiscating what they had on them. We talked to people before proceeding in one direction or another We decided to return to Alkmaar by circling wide around Schiphol Airport in the direction of Velsen, where a ferry could bring us across the$ wide and deep canal which runs from Amsterdam harbor to the North Sea. Once across we would have a choice of roads leading towards Alkmaar. We made it safely across but shortly afterwards lost another tire. We managed to reach Limmen, a village several miles south of Alkmaar and as dusk was setting in over the unlit road, proceeded slowly with our precious load along the main road, On reaching Alkmaar we took the smaller side streets, which were ,<l{i so familiar to us and reached Oma's Schuurman's house just before curfew time �... 4 Economics in The Netherlands 1940 - 1945 Its impact on our family. ' I Because of Jarmie' s weakened condition • Oma. Schuurman took her and Keith and Nico in her apartment in Alkmaar in February 1945. after the house in Broek was closed; all our possessions had been gathered into one large room in Broek which we had then secured with a heavy lock. The remainder of the house was rented out to a refugee family • V J hJ v />/Ill£ rvrs Opa and Oma Termaatv'were helped by former soldiershwho were farmers , but by March 1945 they as well as everybody in Oma S-chuurman's house were again , .il reduced to a level of scarcity which begged for some supplement. ~ lf-,"rtif~wMm- ~Also by then captain Vels Heyn¥was in need of food for resistance fighters , already hidden in the city • " ; ., .,._~tJfl J. lt!ll.l-~ I walked one day along the back roads to the Langedijk where I knew a man by:il'd~:r,11 V Tll.AtltpoP.:r the name of Jonker , who operated a one manybusiness with a fla-t?'wagon with 'la · canvas sides and top. I found him willing to make the trip from Broek to Alkmaar. Several farmers I knew very well were willing to sell us onions, potatoes, huge carrots1 in better days used for horse fodder and cabbage at reasonable prices. I then ventured into the city of Alkmaar to a friend's house who was the district president of the Chamber of Coll'IDlerce. We discussed the problems I faced and what I had done so far to transport food • He was able to locate a dozen or so large sturdy crates at no cost as long as they were returned intact. So Jonker picked up the crates which filled his wagon and brought them to the village of Broek. There the crates were filled at various locations. When I had familiarized Jonker with the destination - the house of Opa and Oma Termaat, a day was chosen for the transport. Jonker. sitting on ~fibox gently guided his horse at a leasurely pace. ' I He managed to get into Alkmaar across thedcanal bridge for traffic t P~l..51111-i torqll eastern directions and unloaded the crates with our help into the small barn in the back of the elder Termaat's house. During the following days after dusk set in, but well before curfew, an orderly distribution was effected. For many it was a lifeline for the last 6 weeks of the occupation. No one tried to profit 'lll'lseemly from this operation. At the start of the war , no one knew what the future would bring nor how long the occupation would last. But one steely conviction we held liberation from this evil regime must come. It would later be said that the imperviousness of the Dutch people as a whole to Nazi contamination must be credited to the basic characteristics of its society rather than to external circumstances. Foremost was the fact that in Holland the family and the churches had not abdicated their character-shaping and opinion forming functions to the state and to political groupings • The primary family unit and the churches were comparatively inaccessible to the Nazi ideology and could not be made to conJ:orm/. llbl?.l/lt,/4-5 )( � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Adriana B. (Schuurman) Termaat, Peter N. Description An account of the resource Collection contains genealogical, personal, and family papers and photographs documenting the lives and interests of Adriana and Peter Termaat. The bulk of the materials are related to family history and genealogical research carried out by the Termaats, including research notes and materials about places in the Netherlands that were significant to the Termaat and Schuurman families, such as the city of Alkmaar. Other materials in the collection are related to the Termaats' experiences on the eve of and during the Second World War, especially the German occupation of the Netherlands and the Termaats' participation in organized resistance to the Nazis. Also included are materials that document the family's post-war life in the United States, including their public efforts to recognize, commemorate, and honor people and events significant to World War II. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1869 - 2012 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection, RHC-144</a> Subject The topic of the resource Netherlands Netherlands--History--German occupation, 1940-1945 World War, 1939-1945 World War, 1939-1945 -- Underground movements -- Netherlands Dutch Dutch Americans Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text Image Type The nature or genre of the resource application/pdf image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng nl Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144_Termaat_WRI_Economics-1941-1945 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Pieter Title A name given to the resource Economics in the Netherlands, 1940-1945: Its impact on our family Description An account of the resource Essay by Pieter Termaat describing the economic conditions in the Netherlands during the Nazi Occupation. Subject The topic of the resource Dutch World War, 1939-1945 -- Netherlands World War, 1939-1945--Occupied territories Netherlands--History--German occupation, 1940-1945 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection (RHC-144)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/e12609d26dd2e8f756da2776e6c8a0fd.pdf 9299988d7d87e5a0c7c2fb23779345f3 PDF Text Text I. ...... AN ORAL lil~'1'0RY OF ADRIAHA BARBARA TERh1AAT-i;:: ~CHUUR!\;AN ~nd Its SimilariLies to the American Experienc~ by Barbara S. Termaat Women in the United State s , History 371 Robin M. Jacoby Laura McCall, Friday 9 a.m. December 9, 1981 .. �-----, -- ·- ---- - li:TRODUC.. lOh My Oma (rrandma) was born and raised in the Netherlands. By tracing her childhood in the 1920's and 19JO's, the similarities be~ween a European and an American upbringing become apparent, These similarities are found in education, relations to parents, siblings and friends, and attitudes toward sex, work, and marriage. There is also a personal historical interest. By researching my heritage, I learned about a part of myself. ~y life has been influenced by my Oma directly and my father indirectly by her upbringing. Learning about my Oma's early life also helps me to understand several aspects of her present attitudes and beliefs, which in turn has strengthened our relationship. �I.. -1- ·" born in ~iiernen, -the j;ec.:-,erl2.:--1ds, in 1916. Both of iier parents' fa'Tlilies were farmers, Ler father from wheat farmers and her mother from dairy farmers. l-ier father did not become a farmer because he only wished to own and operate a farm on a large scale, which was not done in such a tiny, overpopulated country. He started a farm in Saskatchewan, Canada, but his plans fell through when World war I broke out. He had to return and serve in the army or not return to the Netherlands for fifteen years. .. His fiance, who was to follow him to Canada, insisted that he return because she would probably never see her-family ~gain_ if she moved to Canada. For this reason Adriana "was born a Dutch citizen and not a Canadian", While her father was serving in the war, Adriana's mother lived with her parents on the dairy farm. It was here and because of these circumstances that Adriana was born in the same room in the same bed as her own mother. ;:3oon after the \var, the family moved to Hillego.m. This was a small town whose main occupation was growing bulbs for the flower industry. Adriana remembered "the delicious fra- grance of these bulbs in the spring.". They moved again in 1919 to Warlem where her father became a manager in a transportation firm. Harlem was a much larger old town and the setting for most of her childhood memories. In 1927, when Adriana was eleven, her family moved to Amsterdam because of her father's promotion to man~ger of the main office. Her fathGr purchased a partnership in an Alkmaar transportation firm in 1928. Alkrnaar was the cheese producing center of --• �, ~olland ~~ farms. .'"l·: lriana the neighboring well a~ :~e r.,o·:eci ·.·:i ::.h ·r,er f2..-.il;: :c, ,,:,.lkmaar in J 929, her home town until her marriage. I've mentioned the movements of the .3chuurman family during Adriana's years at home because they illustrate several aspects of her family life. The family was fairly well off, comparable to the American upper middle class, because of her father's rapid raise in the business world, These promotions led the family to move often, but they never lived further than twenty miles from the coast, Adriana has .many memories asso~__ _ --:: - . -·- -=--~·- -:-=.·· • •_ - · :,;, • - - - - • .....c:. ciated with the ocean, ranging from hours ~pent on the beach and sand dunes to storm winds and rain rattling on their red clay roof. Also, the family always lived in cities, although the children were exposed to farm life through farming relatives, Several technological advances came into the home during Adriana's years at home, The first one she recalled was the - . - telephone conversation, around 1919, between her father and his brother-in-law. VJhen it was her mother's turn to speak she thought that her brother was drinking beer because she· could smell it over the phone, one with the beer, Actually, her husband was the It was something so new that her mother had confused what senses could receive messages over the phone. Technologic advances such as the telephone eased life at home and work, Educational trends were very similar on either side of the ' Atlantic Ocean. According to Goodfriend and Christie", .. class- rooms were organized in a highly structured fashion and the �- ;- . curr i cul u.i--:-, •,•;a~ ", ... ., 1n1~ex1D~e ,.1 1n rl~er1ca. 6 • • A.driar1a found the same structured env ironrr,ent in the Netherlands. started her education at age five in a private school. She Her parents did not have to pay ex"tra for the private school since each family had a certain amount of tax money for the education of each child which they could spend in either private, parochial, ar public schools, Classes went from eight o'clock in the morning until four-thirty in the afternoon. there was plenty of homework. After school Grammar school was a six-year program with only six weeks of vacation per ye~r ~ four i~ the summer and one each for Christmas and Easter. Because school was such a compact, intense program children rarely worked during their school years. On Saturday afternoons Adriana ·had piano lessons to fill out her busy schedule. Every morning the students had a religious lesson for half an hour which progressed into a Bible reading as they got older. They also had a church history course twice a week. French began in fifth grade. The other grade school courses consisted of basic academics such as mathematics, Dutch, reading, etc. There was an atmosphere of discipline and respect among students for their teachers. Students stood up when the prin- ciple entered the classroom. They responded to questions with two words1 "yes, sir'' or "no, sir". Approximately half of the teachers were women, and they were primarily in the lower grades. Adriana's favorite teacher was the woman who taught her french and geometry for three years. by her, She felt stimulated there was much encouragement to work bard and learn more. ..! �,... - Adriana has very fond ~omo~i e s o~ f.er childhood t . ~ause each child was treated as an indi~i du~l. ~he ~as never asked to help around the house (except supper dishes) or help take care of her brother and sisters while she was enrolled fulltime in school. lot too. Her parents demanded a lot, but they gave a Her father would help her with her homework, but more often he would encourage her with "Oh, you can do it.". She always had a very safe feeling at home. Only one room was heated during the winter, but the kithen was warm when the stove was on. Adriana's mother wore woolen :. - mittens when vacuuming because the metal handle was so cold in the unheated rooms. full day of ironing. coal stove. fv:onday was wash day, followed by a The meals were cooked on a kerosene or Adriana's mother always had a maid to help her with these household - chores because she had to raise _ four children born very close together and aiso entertain her husband's business associates. She was expected to look nice and neat during their visits, not the haggled housewife. Mrs. Schuurman had at least ten pregnancies. resulLed in healthy children: Only fi v e four within the first six years of marriage and the last when she was ~ 45. During the twelve- year gap between children she had~ baby die and at least four miscarriages. Adriana, who was 18 at the time of the last pregnancy, knew how physically and emotionally difficult this was for her mother. Upon hearing the news, her _response was: "Oh Mom, you are so old. I wishv I could do that for you! ". The births and deaths of the babies all took place within the home. ~hen Adriana's sister died two days after her birth, the little casket was surrounded by flowers and placed in the �-5- 1 . ' livin£ roorr,.· .s2ch chilc. ·,•;2..:c: ~2.J-:.en by their mother one by one to see their baby sister whc did not live. Because her mother was gentle. and understanding with her young children at the time of death in the family, death was not a scary experience for Adriana and her brother and sisters. Adriana was the eldest child in a family of one boy and three girls. Another sister was born 18 years after Adriana and raised as an only child, who was only one year younger, Adriana was closest to her brother, He was her best friend until she was about twelve because "theri he develo.pe·d fnto a ·boy and_ things were different.", Her two sisters were- also very close, -- -- -·-::;; , - ·•,7 Adriana never felt forced to play feminine games, in contrast to Goodfriend and Christie's statement that " ... female children have been expected to conform to more restrictive definitions of suitable behavior than those imposed on the , males,""': I believe that Adriana's parP.nts were unusually un- derstanding in the case of their daughters. Adriana was not too fascinated with dolls because they weren't alive, so her brother and she would often try to dres·s the cat. .. --=- Other games included jlli~p rope, cards, marbles, bingo, row dancing (with other girls), and hockey, Adriana was also an avid reader, especially books about far-away places such as Africa and the North Pole, Adriana's family had strong ties with her father's brothers and sisters. Family gatherings were ¼iuen-t-, considering the travel time, and remembered as big, happy events, to play with her J6 cousins, mostly boys. Adriana loved ~he reunions were held on a cousins farm where the children could swing in the .....f �hay, JUXp small ca~ a l s , and ha~e w~ :e ~ fich : s. were also spent on he~ aun~•s fan~. Sure~er vaca~ions ~he usually helped her aunt prepare meals for the hungry men in the field, but when she brough~ out their lunches she would ask all sorts of questions and so she learned how to recognize the various crops and care for the farm animals, Thus through her large family Adriana became acquainted with farm life, The family attended the Reformed Church every Sunday, even du~ing the summer on the farm when they had to take horse and buggy to town and back--sometimes twice a day, long and cold in ·the unheated church. Services were f1:embers could rent foot wanners (a piece of coal in a box) for ten cents. The foot warmers were piled high as you came in, emanating a peculiar odor. cologne, Inside, the church smelled of pepp8rmint candy and The chairs were placed on planks that covered the old gravestones. Adriana tried to decifer the names and dates to pass the time as a child, All children sat with their parents durine the service and attended Sunday School afterwards ·when they were older. Th e wo~en s a t in ~he middle of the church on chairs and the men surrounded them in pews, a custom remaining from the Middle Ages, Women held no offices within the church. one female minister during her entire childhood, Adriaria saw 4 rare sight. There was a strong women's organization in the church whose· primary function was visiting sick members of the congregation. Similar trends were found during ~his period in America-~ wom e n's ~roups functioninc in extensions of their tradi+ional roles and an obvious lack of women professionals--according to Robin Jacoby (11/16). ....,I �. .·~--- .. . . . ... -( ~ , \ / As students got olde~, rr.ore studen • £ • dropped out of school. The mandatory ace was fourteen In the r~e t~erlands and six teen in America. But the trend was for incre.1.sing amounts o"f adolescents to finish high school and attend college, especi~lly in the middle class. Even if they did attend college though, both European and American.girls found the socia~ly acceptable •. I • •' . •. •• • professional possibilities very limited--teaching, nursing, social work, and clerical work, And these were ~obs were just to fill in the gap between high school and marriage. Dutch students started high school at age 12, continuing their highly structured curriculum. Four·langua,ges 1n addi- · tion to six, seven, or eight other classes were required, -~he language requirement was a necessity in order for the students to be able to communicate with their neighboring countries. Many more people spoke English, French, and German than Dutch, Adriana took extra courses that weren't required to graduate in bookkeeping and commercial law. She completed the entire ten year education program with her parents' support, help, and encouragement. Adriana had a better education than her brother and sisters, Her brother had a business waiting for him, so he only learned_ what he needed to know for the business. One sister was not interested in school and another wanted more, along-with Adriana. Her youngest sister attended finishing school after grammar school. For the next five or six years she learned languages and art and music appr~ciation. The girls who went to finishinc; school came from families who did not expect them to earn their own living, but still receive a good education. Other options for schooling, aside from high school, were ... - ... ' �-b.J Latin school, trade schools, and household schools (cooking, sewing, household management, art, etc.). Latin school was required of students planning to attend Law School, Medical School, or the Seminary. Few women were enrolled in such a professionally-geared program. The options for women after high school were limited, especially for those who were interested in higher education. The prevailing opinion in Holland was that girls did not need more education for her task as wife and mother. But if she did not marry, she should have a means of suppor1.. Adrian'a wanted to go on and continue her education, either at Law School or the Gymnasium, but this was considered unnecessary for a girl--especially considering the economic climate in 19J2. She was expected to carry her own load after g~aduation from high school at 16. She went to work in her father's business and attended business school four nights a week for two years. Adriana had a mutual understandine with her father that she would go to work for him, even though it was not her greatest desire. She wanted to work, as did most girls her age. What was unusual was her wish to enter male-dominated occupations. Adriana was her father's ~ight hand at work. Her respon- sibilities included answering phones, typing, handling the cash flow, and eventually bookkeeping. She learned a lot about conducting a business through handling so many transactions. Her father would sometimes ask her opinion, but then not follow up on them, This frustrated Adriana because she thought she had given good advice. On other occasions he would order her to do a task and if Adriana hesitated he would say "this busi- �-9- ness is run like the army; do as your ,:;old, then ask questions.". Adriana would refuse because she "was responsible for her own actions" and would act accordingly, Then her father would smile, he was just testing her and he was proud of her response, All of ~he employees worked long hours to keep the business going during the Depression and Adriana learned how difficult it was to keep afloat during hard times. She also spent Saturday afternoons cleaning the office without pay, Adriana worked for her father for seven years, but she was nev€r considered for a management position, The business was bought for her brother to succeed her father, Adriana was only spending the interim period between high school and marriage at the company, Although Adriana was now expected to help pay for her food, clothing, etc., she was never allowed to actually handle these transactions. Her earnings went automatically to her mother. -when Adriana protested, her father said, "Your mother knows how to handle money, if you are not happy you can leave the house,", This was not an unusual practice, most girls turned their paychecks over to their families, It was a point of contention between Adreana and her parents, money, but was only given an allowance, She made good Her parents saved money for her also, and presented it as a handsome wedding present, all their linens. Adriana never handled her own money until the day she married, At home, Adriana's father always kept a certain distance from his daughters. He wasn't cold, he just didn't get emotionally involved in their lives. This was noticeable, in �-10- one respect, by the great modesty the girls had around their father and his total absense from their bedroom, looked after her physical appearance. Her mother Adriana was encouraged to be clean and neat, not too fussy about her appearance, Mrs. Schuurman didn't want her children to grow up before their time. Two exceptions for Adriana were wetting her hair with sugar water to set curls and wearing bows on Sunday. had her first permanent. At 18, she It was never an issue whether or not she had long hair because her hair would never grow past her shoulders. Her undergarments was not as confining as her mother's, but she had a full figure and wanted support. always wore sturdy, practical clothes, no variety. Adriana This was partially due to the Depression. Mary Ryan expressed that, in America, the center of teenagers' social lives were relationships with their peers, . ~specially heterosexual ties. 3 Adrian emphasized this subcul- ture in her life when she joined the National Youth Organization at 17 or 18. The Organization was patriotically oriented~ often inviting guest speakers or their own members to present stimulation lectures on politics and government. "We solved a lot of the world's problems in our meetings," The group was also socially active for its members. There were approximately fifty members, half women. They biked to Belgium, went by bus to Germany, and to the 1937 World's Fair in Paris. It was ~ere that Adriana first realized the great differences between herself (a "good" Dutch middle class young woman) and the people from foreign countries. �-11- People were sleepin~ in the s~reets. She saw drunks and more poor people than she'd ever seen in Holland, She also went underground for the first time when she rode the subway. It was an eye-opening experience, and an unusual one for a single young woman, Most of her peers did not go on unchaperoned trips to neighboring countries. Adriana was allowed to go be- caouse they stayed in Youth Hostels which had segregated dorms and curfews. And, more importantly, her parents trusted her. Adriana had several boyfriends that she met through the Organization, but they rarely paired off because dating under the age of 18 was done as a group. Their activities include~ bicycling, beach walking, skating, movies, political debating groups, singing, and church projects. The activities were kept in line by enforcing a strict curfew on the girls. The guys didn't think the activities were any fun without the girls, sothey complied with the rules. After 18, when dating was done on a more one-to-one basis, young unmarried women faced a double-standard concerning sexuality in America (Jacoby, 11/16) and in Europe. As a female, Adriana had to set the .standards to maintain her respectibility without seeming prudish, She never went out with more than one fellow at a time, or else she would be considered "fast". It was up to Adriana to learn everything she knew about her body and birth control. She learned from books because no doctors or her mother would explain the facts to her. Her sisters were too young to under~tand and Adriana was secretive toward her friends about such matters. On her 18th birthday Adriana received the only advice her mother ever gave her �- l ,~ - concerning sexu2.li ty. .r,er mother had been pregnant on her wedding day and felt it was a biG mistake, even though she was 26 years old, Adriana never forgot this. She often had sexual desires, but the fear of pregnancy always overcame her desire. She didn't trust the crude birth control methods of the time enough to let down her guard. Adriana met her future husband in the Youth Organization, They started dating when she was 19 and Pieter Termaat was 21. They were engaged a year later. Most women married men they met in organizations, church, or college, ie. close to home. Because Adriana was responsible and independent, she didn't want to burden her parents with her own financial problems by marrying right away without enough money saved up to live comfortably with her new husband. So their engagement lasted for three years, until Adriana was 23 (1939), During this prolinged engagement Adriana stood by her belief in no :~remarital sex. This caused some pressure within their rela- tionship, both within herself and Pieter. But she felt it was worth the wait in comparison to ·the possibility of a premature pregnancy when they couldn't afford it. Pieter respected her decision, which made matters slightly easier. Getting married was a fact of life to Adriana, although at one point she said she would not--perhaps in rebellion to her parents' saving her work earnings for her future marriage. But she was the first to marry in her family. didn't marry, including one of her sisters. Some women Lyda couldn't see herself alsays caring for others, she wanted something for herself. In large families there was often one girl who never �•. L _3- rrarriec, either by choice or for lac:: of prospects. But in 'iJestern culture, both iunerican and E:J.ropean, as the Depression ceased to be so harsh "more young pecple were marrying and 4 more were having children sooner", ~driana and Pieter were defini ·tely a part of this ~renc. _., COHCLUSI 01: ~iddle class women growing up ciuri~g the 1920's and 19JO's in Europe and America shared many aspects of their lives. Their education was socially influenced toward traditional professions such as nursing and teaching, and the relatively new clerical field, And when they did start to work, their families had control of their earnings. The family had a strong hold on the girls' activities, expecially before they turned 18, He~erosexual ties were very important, although many activities were done as a group, Once the young women started to date they were faced with pressures on two fronts, to retain their respectibility and still be accepted by their friends, ~arriage was considered a natural ending to their young adulthood in most cases, ··mothers. They were raised to be wives and With all these similarities and more, it is easy to conclude that the female experience did not vary much on either side of the Atlantic Ocean. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Adriana B. (Schuurman) Termaat, Peter N. Description An account of the resource Collection contains genealogical, personal, and family papers and photographs documenting the lives and interests of Adriana and Peter Termaat. The bulk of the materials are related to family history and genealogical research carried out by the Termaats, including research notes and materials about places in the Netherlands that were significant to the Termaat and Schuurman families, such as the city of Alkmaar. Other materials in the collection are related to the Termaats' experiences on the eve of and during the Second World War, especially the German occupation of the Netherlands and the Termaats' participation in organized resistance to the Nazis. Also included are materials that document the family's post-war life in the United States, including their public efforts to recognize, commemorate, and honor people and events significant to World War II. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1869 - 2012 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection, RHC-144</a> Subject The topic of the resource Netherlands Netherlands--History--German occupation, 1940-1945 World War, 1939-1945 World War, 1939-1945 -- Underground movements -- Netherlands Dutch Dutch Americans Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text Image Type The nature or genre of the resource application/pdf image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng nl Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144_Termaat_WRI_Adriana-Oral-History-as-told-to-Barb Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Barbara S. Title A name given to the resource An Oral History of Adriana Barbara Termaat-ne-Schuurman Description An account of the resource Biographical history of Adriana B. Termaat by her granddaughter, Barbara, for her Women in the United States History class. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Termaat, Adriana B. Subject The topic of the resource Dutch Dutch Americans Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection (RHC-144)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/b1e90475ffe79855bfaef6adcc89e2fe.pdf 375fed9dd08ebc9ee3919cb388a0087e PDF Text Text -· 1 november 1990 Uitreiking Yad Vashem onderscheiding in het Raadhuis te Hoofddorp. Ik mag u namens allen die deze dag de Yad Vashem onderscheiding mochten ontvangen heel hartelijk danken. Dank ook aan allen die zich hier voor hebben ingezet. Wij zijn zeer onder de indruk dat u na bijna 50 jaren wilt terugdenken aan die tijd waarin wij gedurende langere of korte re tijd onderdak hebben gegeven aan J00dse Nederlandse v rouwen en mannen - en niet te vergeten kinderen - die door de bezetter werden achtervolgd. Wij willen u daarvoor danken. De dingen die gebeurden in die donkere oorlogsdagen zijn bij ons niet uit ons geheugen gewist. Integendeel, die oorlog leeft nog steeds voort in onze herinnering. Het is een wezenlijk deel van ons bestaan geworden en gebleven. We zijn niet vervuld van trots om wat we deden. Ik denk dat in onze gedachten over die jaren geen plaats is voor trots. Wat we deden was ook niet iets geweldigs, in het · hele oorlogsgebeuren van die dagen. �/ - 2 - We waren geen verdedigers van Stalingrad of Londen, geen zeelieden op de schepen die ieder moment konden worden getorpedeerd. We vochten niet aan de invasiestranden. Wij waren geen piloten die honderden kilometers over vijandelijk gebied vlogen met rondom een vuurzee van kogels en granaten. We pleegden geen overval op een distributiekantoor of gevangenissen. Wat we deden kwam niet in de krant. Het gebeurde in het verborgene. Niemand mocht het weten. Er zijn er geweest die jaren Joodse onderduikers in huis hadden, zonder dat iemand buiten het huis dat wist. Zelfs de verzetsorganisaties niet. Niet trots willen we zijn omdat het ging over zo iets onwezenlijks! Mensen die zoals wij, gewone mensen waren, die in onze samenleving hun plaats innamen, zonder ook maar op te vallen. Ze werden van de ene op de andere dag gevaarlijk. Ze waren staatsgevaarlijk, ook de kleine kinderen. Ze belemmerden de komst van het duizendjarig Rijk "De grote Sociale Staat ter Wereld" (Goebbels 12-2-41). �,- - 3 - Het had ook ons kunnen overkomen. De "Satans knechten" zoals opa Boogaard hen typeerde hadden hun plannen klaar liggen om op een gunstig tijdstip al diegenen die niet pasten in hun wereld uit te roeien. De joden waren de voorhoede! Omdat we niet mee wilden doen met het synistere spel van ve rnedering van onze medemens hebben we onze huizen opengezet o m toen het nodig werd aan Joden die onderdoken huisvesting te verlenen. Niet trots! Omdat we niet vergeten zijn wat de onderduikers mee moesten maken. Ze konden niet in hun huizen blijven. Weg uit hun vertrouwde omge vi ng. Opgesloten in kleine kamertjes. Soms dag en nacht. Regelmatig wegkruipen onder de vloer of in een geheime kast. Zeker niet op straat. Soms even vlak·bij huis als het donker was. Even een paar stappen buiten. Ze waren er niet voor opgeleid onderduiker te zijn. Ook de gastvrouw/gastheer hadden zich niet voorbereid op het hebben van onderduikers. �/ - 4 - Angst - spanning en de kans om opgepakt te worden. Er was een voortdurend tekort aan de meest elementaire dingen van ons bestaan. De gezinnen waren meestal van elkaar gescheiden. Zonder op de hoogte te zijn van elkaars toestand. Ik heb het al meer gezegd dat vooral onze vrouwen in die situatie het zwaar hebben gehad. Daar heb ik bewondering voor! Grote bewondering. Gelukkig ging het meestal goed. Onderduikers en hun gast v rouw/gastheer konden goed met elkaar opschieten. Ve l e n werden vrienden voor het leven. De meeste onderduikers waren te vinden in de kleine huisjes. Niet velen waren zo gelukkig dat ze als de kleine Mozes konden onderduiken in het paleis van de dochter van de Farao van Egypte. Hoewel zijn eerste onderduik-adres in een biezen kistje tussen het riet van de Nijl was ook niet geweldig. Mozes was denk ik één van de eerste onderduikers. Na hem zijn er de gehele geschiedenis door Joden gevlucht en ondergedoken voor de achtervolgers. �, . / - 5 - We kennen de geschiedenis van het Joodse volk. Vanuit de Bij~el werd ons verteld van de oorsprong van het Jodendom. De geschiedenis van een volk dat zich ondanks vervolging en vernedering wist te handhaven. Vanuit de gehele wereld zijn ze in onze dagen terug gekomen naar het oude land Israël. Ook nu weer zijn ze omringd door vijanden die ze naar het lev e n staan. Chaim Potok zegt in zijn boek omzwervingen: "hoe komt het dat er na dit alles nog steeds Joden bestaan? "Ik schrijf dit boek in Jeruzalem en in bepaalde steden in Amerika en Europa. Ik schrijf het in het bloedigste tijdperk v an de geschiedenis van mijn volk, misschien zelfs van de geschiedenis van de mensheid. Wie in dit tijdperk joods is, beseft enerzijds ten volle dat het einde van de menselijke soort mogelijk is en gelooft anderzijds hardnekkig dat we zullen overleven". �,--~------------~- - 6 - Wij hebben een klein stukje van die Joodse geschiedenis met zijn mysterieuze en verbijsterende aspecten meegemaakt. Aan den lijve ondervonden. Wij zijn niet trots op die kleine rol die we mochten spelen in het grote verhaal van de Joodse geschiedenis. We zijn dankbaar dat er ondanks de gruwelen van de jaren 1940-1945 10.000 joden mochten blijven leven. Vooral dankbaar ook dat de bevrijding mocht worden meebeleefd door de 4000 joodse kinderen die v anuit de schuilplaatsen tevoorschijn kwamen. ~aar het is onmogelijk om daarbij niet te denken aan de 104.000 Nederlandse Joden die werden vermoord. Deze gemeente Haarlemmermeer heeft 26 dorpen en dorpjes; er wonen bijna 100.000 mensen. We kunnen ook vandaag niet vergeten de joodse onderduikers die zijn gevonden door de Hitler knechten. We schamen ons voor het verraad uit ons eigen volk. We denken aan de gastvrouwen/ gastheren die mee zijn opgepakt en nooit meer terug kwamen, of voor hun leven lang kapot gemaakt waren. Dank u wel voor de onderscheiding die u ons gaf. Niet trots. Dankbaar dat we iets mochten doen voor onze medemens. We zijn bevoorrechte mensen! � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Adriana B. (Schuurman) Termaat, Peter N. Description An account of the resource Collection contains genealogical, personal, and family papers and photographs documenting the lives and interests of Adriana and Peter Termaat. The bulk of the materials are related to family history and genealogical research carried out by the Termaats, including research notes and materials about places in the Netherlands that were significant to the Termaat and Schuurman families, such as the city of Alkmaar. Other materials in the collection are related to the Termaats' experiences on the eve of and during the Second World War, especially the German occupation of the Netherlands and the Termaats' participation in organized resistance to the Nazis. Also included are materials that document the family's post-war life in the United States, including their public efforts to recognize, commemorate, and honor people and events significant to World War II. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1869 - 2012 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection, RHC-144</a> Subject The topic of the resource Netherlands Netherlands--History--German occupation, 1940-1945 World War, 1939-1945 World War, 1939-1945 -- Underground movements -- Netherlands Dutch Dutch Americans Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text Image Type The nature or genre of the resource application/pdf image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng nl Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144_Termaat_WRI_1990-11-01-Address-Yad-Vashem Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Pieter Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1990-11-01 Title A name given to the resource Uitreiking Yad Vashem onderscheiding in het Raadhuis te Hoofddorp Description An account of the resource Address at the presentation of the Yad Vashem award at the Town Hall of Hoofddorp by Pieter N. Termaat, November 1, 1990. In Dutch Subject The topic of the resource Righteous Gentiles in the Holocaust World War, 1939-1945 -- Jews -- Rescue Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection (RHC-144)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource nl Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/190efc7d553280033317721b3f96b52d.pdf 82c62087f0ebcead56213d7f3f02ca5b PDF Text Text I -• • COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS HONORARY DOCTORATE OF Peter and Jean Termaat December 7, 1988 President Lubbers, Professor Baum, Provost Neimeijer and members of the Board of Control - honored guest s. My wife Jean and I are ·highly appreciative of the Honorary Doctorate bestowed on us. Foremost in our minds however, is the deeply held conviction that we may accept this only vicariously, mindful of all those who fell in the uneven battle against a ruthless and barbarian regime. It seems appropriate that our thoughts for a moment go back to the faculties and students in occupied ~olland, who .were suddenly faced with serious choices. �•• Professor Telders of Leiden University comes to mind. At the youthful age of 31 he had been appointed as a full Professor of International Law. He distinguished himself Constitutional Law, World History and Philosophy. With intensity he followed domestic and foreign policy and was widely travelled. . • further by many publ i cations, also in the fields of •• Neutrality of his country, situated as it is between Germany, France and England, was as he stated, not only a matter of law, but also of duty. Violation of neutral i ty hurt him deeply, and his feeling of justice being vi olated was translated by him in political militancy. Already on May 25, 1940 - 11 days after Rotterdam was bombed he advised the Secretary of the Interior not to appoint new judges or mayors, in order to prevent the appointment of Nazi elements. Hostages, usually prominent citizens, were taken in all major cities already within months of the start of the foreign occupation, lifted from their beds in the middle of the night in order to intimidate the population, ... ~ and to instill fear. The only result was a stiffening of . t the resistance. In 4 ed i torials in a Rotterdam newspaper, Dr. Telders stated that the Nazi commissar Seys-Inquart in the first 4 weeks had stayed within the perimeter of the International Law, but he made clear the limitations of this law, in order that ~ the people would know when and where these would be violated. .. . C ~ �I He emphatically advised government employees~ to tender their resignation unless they would be required to violate their conscience or their honor, and that would occur where the occup i ers political decisions would be in direct support of conducting the war. For Jean and for me that point was reached on Hay 1, 1942, after two years of occupation, when in writing I refused to send Dutch factory workers to labor • which indeed violated my conscience and my honor • in German war factories ,* The reply gave proof that I resigned. Dr. Telders had correctly spelled out the perimeters for resistance. I have said "us", because fully realizing the sterling qualities of faith , . . . determination and indomitablePoss1b1hty of arrest, it would have to be "our" decision. fl' courage. The reply read: 11 1 notify you that on the basis of a , I honor in my wife the directive from President Boening (A German Nazi) no discharge may be .provided to those who do request this on the basis of conscientious objections against the ezecution of the directive of the Labor Draft." In Dr. Telders 1 last editorial he warned the occupying aut horities agains t any form of unfavorable treatment of our I • Jewish citizens, a small minority - 1½% of the total population. Step by step the pressure on the Jews had increased by forcing them to wear the yellow Star of David and to concentrate them in Amsterdam, i n what was for the first time in Holland's history "a ghetto", separated from the general public. �I The spiritual principle of tolerance had given birth to the - I ... nation during the eighty-year war (1568-1648) against the ... 0 Spanish Inquisition. An independent Netherlands which would nor could honor this principle is unthinkable. The respect . for religious diversity has graced that country for centuries, and equality under the law, irrespective of descent or religion, has always been its high principle. •• C • In • 1940 the Netherlands counted 4 public and 2 parochial a Universities, all with a full curriculum and another 4 •=-- • In 1940, in all these schools, ..,•• the spirit of resistance towards the totalitarian form of r:., government began to form. --It specialized Universities. -.0 It In October 1940, 5 months into the occupation, a protest was signed by half of the faculty members and sent to the Nazi governor to warn against the violation of the principles of our government. ,- lo( ...• . • The other half was of the meaning that they had been appointed because of their achievements, though some of them stated honestly -~ that they were afraid to sign up. Professor van Loghem of the Medical faculty of Amsterdam's l~• ~ University spoke openly against the dangers of totalitarian •C influence and ended his speech by quoting from Netherlands' -r. ::r greatest philosopher, Spinoza: "Only if mankind is led by reason will freedom ensue." And we may add to this: "At the gate of the University, for always." .."'"' ,,. •,,. . (I ' . C it , -< i ...... • I �/ Leiden's University was hit by the Nazi governor, who closed 10 academic positions with Jewish tutors, among them two full professors. One of the latter was Dr. Heijers, in Europe regarded as an exceptional savant. That he was banned from his position was especially hurtful for Rector Cleveringa, for whom Heijers was a long time friend, but who had also been Cleveringa's promotor in 1919. In October 1940 all faculty members received the so-called Arian declaration, which had to be filled out, stating that one was of pure Arian descent. judge its legitimacy, caved in. The Supreme Court, asked to In the end in a compromise all 73 signed but 60 included their signed protest, which had been conceived and written by Professor Telders. Dr. Cleveringa decided to address faculty and students on behalf of Dr. Heijers. He told his wife Hiltje and her reaction was: "They are going to arrest you, but if you ar convinced that it is your duty, do it!" Leiden's auditorium was filled to overflowing and in a second auditorium those present could listen in by loudspeaker. Two-thirds of his speech was dedicated by Cleveringa to his mentor Heijers; factual, laudatory, unusually talented, who had touched deeply, not only the minds, but the hearts of the thousands of his students as well. "And now a foreign enemy removes him from his position �r . among us in direct violation of our constitution, which allows every citizen to be named to every position, independent of his or her religious conviction or ethnic background. which all:European nations A~ticle 43 of the "Land-war Regulations 11f binds the occupier to ere signatories . ~ honor the laws of the land he s~bjugated "sauve empichement :i absolu" (Except for absolute hindrance). There simply is no reason or hindrance to leave Dr. Meijers where he was. We can now, without falling in extreme measures, bow for superior force. Meanwhile, we will wait, and trust, and hope to keep in our thoughts and in our hearts the figure and the personality of him whom we cannot fail to believe, that he belongs here and if God wi ll, will return." Tuesday, November 26, 1940 - six months into the occupation the student body struck. The occupier closed Leiden's University, the second one after Delft. arrested on November 28th. Dr. Cleveringa was Calmly he defended himself: "You have violated the "Land-war Regulations" and I have said that we bow for superior force alone." He was jailed but set free after eight months. At the University of Utrecht Dr. Koningsberger spoke to the student body, which stood during his speech. He concluded with these words: "Whoever wants to report me to the occupation forces or to the Dutch Nazis, I leave the text of what I have just said here on the desk." �A student stepped up to the desk and tore up the notes. The six Universities had a combined student body of 14,600. 11,000 of these men and women refused to sign the declaration of loyalty to the occupier when ordered to do so in April, 1943 - three years into enemy occupation. The cost of principle is high. The 3,500 students who did sign finished their studies ahead of the resisting students. They grabbed the advantage to move ahead of the principled ones. Should at any time an occasion arise where a high moral choice has to be made, what will it be? This we know: "A personal decision, based on simple and honored principle, does count, and will maintain your integrity. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Adriana B. (Schuurman) Termaat, Peter N. Description An account of the resource Collection contains genealogical, personal, and family papers and photographs documenting the lives and interests of Adriana and Peter Termaat. The bulk of the materials are related to family history and genealogical research carried out by the Termaats, including research notes and materials about places in the Netherlands that were significant to the Termaat and Schuurman families, such as the city of Alkmaar. Other materials in the collection are related to the Termaats' experiences on the eve of and during the Second World War, especially the German occupation of the Netherlands and the Termaats' participation in organized resistance to the Nazis. Also included are materials that document the family's post-war life in the United States, including their public efforts to recognize, commemorate, and honor people and events significant to World War II. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1869 - 2012 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection, RHC-144</a> Subject The topic of the resource Netherlands Netherlands--History--German occupation, 1940-1945 World War, 1939-1945 World War, 1939-1945 -- Underground movements -- Netherlands Dutch Dutch Americans Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text Image Type The nature or genre of the resource application/pdf image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng nl Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144_Termaat_WRI_1988-12-07-Address-PNT-GVSU-Honorary-Doctorate-v2 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Pieter Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-12-07 Title A name given to the resource Commencement Address Description An account of the resource Address delivered by Pieter N. Termaat on receipt of his and his wife's honarary doctorates by Grand Valley State University. Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University Dutch Americans Degrees, Academic Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection (RHC-144)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/823b677a5ed3d856f7f1f4489b5632e1.pdf e53d9c701d0a27e583b149dc4a7ad85b PDF Text Text SERVICE OF COMMEMORATION KRISTALL NACHT November 9, 1938-November 9, 1988 Temple Emanuel Grand Rapids Rabbi Lewis, honored guests: It is with great sadness that we commemorate together the infamy of fifty years ago of what has become known as "Kristall Nacht" or "Night of Glass". It happened less than a year before Poland was partitioned between Germany and Russia. In March 1938 Hitler's armies had been invited into Austria, and that country was in its entirety integrated. Austria had among its population 185,000 Jews, many of whom were arrested and sent to the concentration camp of Dachau. But among these were 20,000 Jews with Polish nationally, who tried after the German-Austrian unification, to return to Poland. The Polish government refused to take them back, and SS General Heydrich had these 20,000 people loaded on trains and dropped off at the Polish border where they, exposed to the elements, wandered about in a no-man's land. After some six months an accord was struck between Germany and Poland whereby each country took in half of these helpless refugees. �The inhumane conditions in which these 20,000 people lived for six months aroused widespread sympathy in Europe, but little practical help for two reasons. To reach them deep inside Europe in the tense situation already existing between Germany and Poland was virtually impossible. In the second place, all western European governments were hesitant, even loath to allow Jewish refugees into their countries. Hitler's mad ravings over the radio had intimidated many of these so-called statesmen. During that horrible Fall of 1938 Dutch journalists covered the news along the border with Germany, and bitter indeed are their memories. For example, they saw a 6 months old baby laying on the luggage counter in the customs building at the border post of Oldenzaal, without parents. Not being able to get away themselves, they had apparently put their baby 1n a train compartment destined for Holland. luggage, bleating. And here it was between the But the Government's dictum stood; it did not want any more refugees and the smuggled baby was sent back to Bentheim across the border. After the war, the prominent journalist Bakker received a phone call. An English speaking lady wanted to come and see him. young woman he met was unknown to him. She showed him a picture of healthy twins and said: "Without your help these children would never have been born," Non-plussed he looked up. She said: "Kerkerade." The �Then Bakker could make the connection - a small Dutch restaurant close to the border and two young people cowering in a corner. Across the road a German border guard waiting to take these refugees back. They had fled from the gruesome violence of Kristall Nacht and had fled to the Netherlands, trusting on the noble tradition of asylum. An officer of the State Police arrived to hand them over. The man cursed from indignation at this task. Bakker asked him to delay the matter and called the Department of Justice in The Hague. down. Twice they turned his request for asylum The restaurant owner advised the young couple to throw a couple of stones through the window of the Police station. Dutch jail was always preferable over going back. A The young man shook his head and said: "Ach nein, die Hollandische Behorden haben uns doch anstandig behandelt." ("Rather not, the Dutch policemen have treated us decently.") Bakker managed to negotiate another half hour's delay, and called the Justice Department again and told them: "This is my third call, and I want you to know that I will dip my pen in poison and publish this nationwide. I have sufficient influence to bring this matter up in Congress. So, unless these two people can stay, only then will I be silenced. It worked. They could stay and after the war Bakker sat there and fumbled with a picture of their twins. rule. It was alas but one exception to the government's �, Among the first Jews to be rounded up for the non-man's land between Germany and Poland were the Grynszpans, whose son Hershell was a student in Paris. Unsettled by the fate of his parents he shot and kil~ed Ernst Von Rath, Third Secretary of the German Embassy in Paris. It shocked the always hysterical a t mosphere in the Nazy Party and inflamed it to such an extent that Hitler gave the order to attack all Jews in their homes and businesses on November 9th, 1938. In one night 200 synagogues went up in flames; 8,000 storefronts devastated and shattered plate glass littered German streets. It was later estimated that the destroyed plate glass represented a half year's production of the Belgian plate glass industry, from which it had been imported. 800 stores were plundered and 35 Jews murdered. 30,000 Jewish men were arrested and put into the concentration camps of Sachsenhausen, Buchenwald and Dachau. After six weeks they were set free, but only after an additional 400 had been murdered. A f i ne was imposed of one million Marks and one fifth of their investments confiscated. Poor Jews would no longer be eligible for social care and were concentrated in work camps. Off limits were now for Jews, theatr e s, musea, public parks and swimming pools. Their children were removed from every level of schooling, and the total number o f Jews in German, 300,000 (about 1% of the population and unarmed) concentrated in Berlin and Vienna. �Protest rallies were held all over Europe, but to no avail. The churches in Holland remained totally committed to helping the Jews, and the number of their martyrs, after they themselves were subjected to five years of occupation, testifies to that eloquently. The only concession before the war was that children would be admitted in limited numbers, not their parents. England would accept 10,000, Belgium 1,000, France 600, Switzerland 300, The Netherlands 1,500 and Sweden 250. It proved too little and too late. It had been night, and now it was day - KRISTALL NACHT - Night of Glass had made its horrible mark in history. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Adriana B. (Schuurman) Termaat, Peter N. Description An account of the resource Collection contains genealogical, personal, and family papers and photographs documenting the lives and interests of Adriana and Peter Termaat. The bulk of the materials are related to family history and genealogical research carried out by the Termaats, including research notes and materials about places in the Netherlands that were significant to the Termaat and Schuurman families, such as the city of Alkmaar. Other materials in the collection are related to the Termaats' experiences on the eve of and during the Second World War, especially the German occupation of the Netherlands and the Termaats' participation in organized resistance to the Nazis. Also included are materials that document the family's post-war life in the United States, including their public efforts to recognize, commemorate, and honor people and events significant to World War II. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1869 - 2012 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection, RHC-144</a> Subject The topic of the resource Netherlands Netherlands--History--German occupation, 1940-1945 World War, 1939-1945 World War, 1939-1945 -- Underground movements -- Netherlands Dutch Dutch Americans Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text Image Type The nature or genre of the resource application/pdf image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng nl Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144_Termaat_WRI_1988-11-09-Speech-P-Termaat-on-Kristall-Nacht Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Pieter Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-11-09 Title A name given to the resource Service of Comemoration: Kristall Nacht Description An account of the resource Address delivered by Pieter N. Termaat at Temple Emanuel, Grand Rapids, Michigan on November 9, 1988. Subject The topic of the resource World War, 1939-1945 Kristallnacht, 1938 -- Anniversaries Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection (RHC-144)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/3afa998199f05e7f27005ae727af04d8.pdf 6c948a5bcd343a7c68e32e2bf85c17ec PDF Text Text ''We remember" Honoring American born veterans Central Refonned Church Grand Rapids, Michigan May 5, 1985 by the Termaat family Pieter Termaat, my Dad, was scheduled to speak to you today. However, he and brother Michiel are in the Netherlands to commemorate the liberation of our home town, Alkmaar. Dad asked me to substitute for him. / Keith B.Terma.at On this , t he 40th commemoration of Victory-Europe Day, I consider it an honor to address the American born veterans, who, when Japan, Germany , and Italy declared war on our country, stood ready for our common defense. They succeeded beyond imagination in keeping our shores free from enemy invasion. As the years pass and human events as glorious as these victories fade away, these veterans, some of them among us, erected a monument of courageous achievement unique in the history of our country. Across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans they brought freedom to entire nations and halted the operation of satanic extermination camps across the world. One of those freed was a 5 year old boy on Victory-Europe Day, who wrote the following after attending one of the liberation commemorations in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, in September, 1984: · �NIJMEGEN. September 16, 1984 War planes scudded in low across the horizon, et first heard but not seen. The sound thundering, as the child in me stood helplessly exposed in the gloom. Then I sew them, Fokkers in formation! Then bombers, some two tailed, silhouetted against the overcast sky. Memories came rushing t,ck from my youth, when I had cowered against e hedge unprotected against that ·sound. It had been made by Allied war planes on their way to Germany. And also by planes that brought us food. But now, today, here in Nijrnegen, my fear faded as it became still ••• ••• as again men dropped from the sky, silently, amazingly quickly and virtually helpless to guide the course of their parachutes. Forty years had passed for the men of the 82nd Airborne Division, yet some, even though in their sixties, jumped again. This time the sound of cheers end applause replaced the explosions of anti-aircraft batteries and sharp reports of small arms fire. As before, they landed where their chutes took them, in trees and fields and on top of others already on the ground. Eighty-second Airborne members who had not jumped this time, motored in convoy with World War II military vehicles. Netherlanders stood by the road-side as they had before. Old women cried. Men fiashed the victory sign and thumt::6-up to the veterans who freed them forty years ago. Wave! Urged by their mothers, the children waved as I had in another time and another town. In the reviewing stand, old comrades exchanged stories and asked questions. Some had not known that the bridge at Nijmegen was 'the last bridge to be taken, and held, in Operation Market Garden. That the Waal river had been the war-front from September 1944 until May 1945. Now they knew that Netherlanders starved North of the Waal because the Nazis robbed the population of food during that terrible "hunger winter" of 1944. They heard that Jan van Hoof, of the B.S.( Binnenlandse Strijdkrachten,the Nether land's Internal Forces) had swum the swift current and struggled up the main bridge support. How he disabled the Nazi explosive charge to enable the Allied bridgehead across the Waal. �The night before, the veterans of the 82nd Airborne had been decorated by the grateful citizenry of the city of Nijmegen. They were awarded the bronze Erasmus medal for persiste~e in freeing the Netherlands from tyranny. While dining, it was whispered •General Gavin is here!" The respect was still there for the man who led them. Men, now fathers and grandfathers in the autumn of their years, still maintained a distance. , For many, Market Garden had been the peak event of lives lived in the ordinary pursuits of the middle class. Most had never been back ... until now. They came to reconnect with that awesome and dangerous event. Some had difficulty walking, others remained vigorous. Some came alone, others brought wives, and several, grown children. The care-worn and the cheerful, the well-to-do and those of modest means, the !rail and the healthy, came beck. They came to honor their buddies who lay buried in the soil of the land they liberated. And also to celebrate and party with today 1s Netherlanders. Surprised at the gratitude the people freely expressed for what had been, for each man of the 82nd Airborne, simply " doing my job ". I was that five year old boy on Victory-Europe Day. For me, these days helped make me whole. My youth in the Netherlands now connects more with my life as an American. In a real sense I was treed this September in Nijmegen. K. B. Te rma.a t 10/1/1984 �Even now, after forty years, I stand in awe of the massive and spontaneous reaction of that liberated nation as their people poured into the streets in honor df American born veterans. To the Dutch, those veterans were truly the means in God's hand to liberate those who had suffered so much and so long and who had been captives and slaves in their own land. '--v u- -\c-"'1--,.,..._~ _ l" ,.__, , �., Biographical Sketch I was born in Alkrnaar, Noord Hol ]and just 13 days before the Nazi invasion of the Netherlands. My early nanories include the CaT{)any of Nazi horse stationed near our fEITlily hane, the Nazi search for my Father in our hane, the taking of civilian men at Nazi gunpoint, the Allied airdrops of food, ft!,1 first ever white breed and weiners, and the victorious entry . of the liberating Ol.nadian forces into Alkrnaar. The memory of the sound and sight of l'ffissed military aircraft is particularly vivid for me. My participation in Nijrregen's 40th anniversary of ~eration Market Garden , which freed the South of the Netherlends in September 1944, rmved me to write this article. Kei th(Kees) B. Tennaat October 1, 1984 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Adriana B. (Schuurman) Termaat, Peter N. Description An account of the resource Collection contains genealogical, personal, and family papers and photographs documenting the lives and interests of Adriana and Peter Termaat. The bulk of the materials are related to family history and genealogical research carried out by the Termaats, including research notes and materials about places in the Netherlands that were significant to the Termaat and Schuurman families, such as the city of Alkmaar. Other materials in the collection are related to the Termaats' experiences on the eve of and during the Second World War, especially the German occupation of the Netherlands and the Termaats' participation in organized resistance to the Nazis. Also included are materials that document the family's post-war life in the United States, including their public efforts to recognize, commemorate, and honor people and events significant to World War II. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1869 - 2012 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection, RHC-144</a> Subject The topic of the resource Netherlands Netherlands--History--German occupation, 1940-1945 World War, 1939-1945 World War, 1939-1945 -- Underground movements -- Netherlands Dutch Dutch Americans Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text Image Type The nature or genre of the resource application/pdf image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng nl Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144_Termaat_WRI_1985-05-05-Speech-Keith-Termaat-Honoring-American-born-veterans Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Keith B. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1985-05-05 Title A name given to the resource We Remember: Honoring American born veterans Description An account of the resource Address delivered by Kieth B. Termaat at the Central Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan on May 5, 1985, the 40th commemoration of Victory-Europe Day. Subject The topic of the resource World War, 1939-1945--Peace Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection (RHC-144)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/c210bd40e660170ded543b1e5d026408.pdf 73279e115204eb2f96ef80c6e4278c81 PDF Text Text MBBI LEWIS , RJ\BBI WEINGARTEN , DISTINGUISHED GUESTS /\.ND FRIENDS , IT IS A PRIVILEl'.:rE ON THIS DI\Y OF COMMEMOMTION OF THE HOLOCAUST TO BRING YOU A MESSAGE FROM HIS EXCELLENCY DR . JI\N H. LUBBERS , AMBASSADOR OF THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS TO OUR COUNTRY . DR . LUBBERS ' MESSAGE READS : NATIONAL HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE D/\.Y /\.PRIL 10 , 1983 CONGREBATION AH/\.V/\.S ISR~EL PEI' ER N. TERM/\./\ T �Message of the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands April 10, 1983, gathering in Grand Rapids on Holocaust. NATIONAL HOLOCAUsr REMEMBRANCE DAY CON3-REBATION AHAVAS ISRAEL As year succeeds to year, and human events once believed glorious fade to ghosts of uncertain light, yet there are enterprises of mankind which persist as immutable monuments of shame, despite our efforts to pull them down forever. I speak of the Holocaust: the vengeful, pitiless and evil systematic destruction of our brothers and sisters. A half century ago this scheme was born in its modern w'ustrial manifestation when the means of production were perverted into factories of destruction. Forty years ago, the Holocaust had become an institution of total warfare, not against armies, but against human beings: clerks, grocers, dock workers, housewives, and children. It was turned against people whose only crnme under this horrific code was their religion, ethnic ancestry, frailty of mind or body. Great evil demands greater labors for good. In The Netherlands as in other countries of Europe, and in The United States, there were those who found, sometimes by chance, the opportunity and means to counter evil. Sometimes singly and without proclaiming their decision and work, sometimes in groups formed to oppose a system of evil with one of good, men and women, who equally by accident of birth had been preserved for the moment against persecution, fought to preserve life and sabotage evil. Now, decades after the immediate battle was ended, we know these freedom fighters as members of The Underground, and we have brought them up into the light as examples of courage for generations to come, and as candles of remembrance of those who could not be saved. And while those old factories and camps of death are now mounds of rubble and empty shells, there are still spores left in the ground, where they wait in suspended animation for the climate to change. But these spores of evil, spores of death, cannot tolerate light; they cannot withstand the forces of courage and good which you also celebrate today. Let us all bend our will and our efforts that never again will good be so overwhelmed by evil that it is reduced to a voice crying in the wilderness. Jan H. Lubbers �-.L-. NA.TIONI\.L HOLOCA.Usr REMEMBRI\NCE Dl\.Y SPEECH A.T l\.Hl\.VI\.S ISRI\.EL ON A.PRIL 10, 1983 • RI\BBI LEWIS, Rl\.BBI "\A.TEING/\.Rl'EN , DISTINGUISHED GUEsrS /\ND FRIENDS , IF EVER THERE IS A. NEED FOR ONE MORE LA.W TO BE PI\.SSED, WHICH TRI\NSCENDS l\.LL OTHER ISSUES , IT IS fl. LI\.W TO M/\KE ETHNIC INTIMIDATION /\ CRIME • ITS TIME IS NOW • TOO MANY INDIVIDUI\.LS /\ND GROUPS EXIsr TO MAKE P1\SSAGE OF SUCH I\. LI\.W IMPERA.T IVE • THE MEN WHO EXHORI'ED f\ND PROMOT E:D THE HOLOC/\Usr FOUND TOO LI\ RGE I\ NUMBER OF MEN /\.ND WOMEN , WHO OBEYED THEIR ORDERS WILLINGLY /\ND EAGERLY . FOR US , MEN A.ND WOMEN OF THE RESISTANCE , THE CLI\.RION CA.LL CI\ME IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE NI\.ZI OCCUPI\TION Bffil\N , WHEN FROM THE PULPITS ISI\Il\.H 11 S PROPHETIC VOICE SOUNDED OUT : 11 SHELTER THE HOMELESS, DO NOT BETRI\.Y THE FUGITIVE • " IT WA.S A. TRUSTED VOICE THAT HI\D CALLED ON OUR PEOPLE NA.NY A. TIME IN HisrORY BEFORE . l\.T THE STI\.RT OF THE 17I'H CENTURY , THE FRENCH PHILOSOPHER DESC/\.RI'ES WHEN VISITING THE NETHERLA.NDS , WROTE : 11 THERE IS NO COUNTRY IN WHICH FREEDOM IS MORE COMPLETE , SECURITY GREl\.TER , CRIME Rl\.RER , THE SIMPLICITY OF /\NCIENT MANNERS MORE PERFECT THA.N HERE • II A.ND IN 1660 ANOTHER VISITING FRENCHMI\N WROTE : 11 THERE IS NOT TODI\Y A. PROVINCE IN THE WORLD THI\.T ENJOYS LIBERTY SO MUCH A.S HOLLAND • THE MOMENT ll SEIGNEUR BRINGS INTO THIS COUNTRY A.NY SERFS OR SLI\.VES , THEY ARE FREE • EVERYBODY CA.N LEA.VE THE COUNTRY WHEN HE PLEA.SES , A.ND CAN TA.KE /\.LL THE MONEY HE PLEA.SES WITH HIM • THE ROI\.DS ARE SA.FE DAY /\ND NIGHT , EVEN FOR I\ MA.N TRI\.VELLING A.LONE • THE MA.srER IS NOT /\LLOWED TO RETAIN /\ DOMESTIC AGAINST HIS OR HER WILL • NOBODY IS T RO UBL ED ON fl.CCOUNT OF ONE I S RELIGION • ONE IS FREE TO SA.Y WHA.T ONE CHOOSES , EVEN OF THE MI\.GISTRf\TES • 11 IN SHORT : TO BIGOTRY NO SI\NCTION, TO PERSECUTION NO ASSISTANCE • 11 INTO THIS GENIA.L ATMOSPHERE THE REFUGEES FROM EUROPE , BOTH CHRISTIANS A.ND JEWS , IMPA.RI'ED I\. STIMULA.TING VI\.RIETY OF TI\.LENTS • THE UNIVERSITIES OF LEIDEN , FRANEKER, HA.RDERWIJK, UTRECHT /\ND GRONINGEN GA.THERED WORLD FI\MOUS SCHOLA.RS AS EARLY AS THE 16t h AND 17th CENTURIES • IN 16L10 LEIDEN UNIVERSITY HI\.D BECOME , I\ MERE 'l1 YEARS AFTER TI'S FOUNDING , THE MOST RENOWNED SEA.T OF LEI\.Rl\JING IN EUROPE. AMONG THE GENEML POPULI\.TION OF THESE UNITED PROVINCES LITERACY WAS HIGHER TH/\N l\.NYWHERE ELSE IN EUROPE . THE DUTCH PRESS Wi\.S THE FIRsr FREE PRESS . THE LEIDEN WEEKLY NEWS /\.ND THE i\.MSTERDAM GAZETTE WERE READ THROUGHOUT WESTERN EUROPE , BECI\ USE THEY WERE KNOWN TO SPEA.K FREELY , WHILE EVERYWHERE ELSE THE PRESS WAS fl.T THl\.T TIME GOVERNMENTI\.LLY CONTROLLED • WHEN 1\ KING OF FRANCE I\SJ<ED TO HA.VE /\. DUTCH PUBLISHER SUPRESSED , HE WA.S l\srONISHED TO LEA.RN TH/\.T THIS WAS IMPOSSIBLE • A.ND IN THIS CENTURY HOLLA.ND , UNDER HITLER ' s HEEL , SHOWED THE WORLD /\.GA.IN TH/\.T A FREE PRESS WA.S WORI'H SUFFERING FOR • �NATIONAL HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY APRIL 10 , 19e3 CONGREGATION AH/I.VAS ISMEL FOR CENTURIES PEOPLE WHO BECAME FUGITIVES FOUND A SAFE HARBOR BEHIND DID-JES AND DIKES • THEY LOVED THE N:EW COUNTRY /\.ND NEARLY ADORED AMSTERDAM • AND WHEN QUEEN WILHEUIDJA BROUGHT HER ANNU/\.L VISIT TO THE C/\.PITA.L , THE DOORS OF THE SYNI\.GOGUE WERE OPENED TOO , /\.ND INSIDE FESTIVE LIGHTS BIAZED BRIGHTLY . I\.ND THE ROYAL OPEN COACHES CA.ME TO I\. STANDSTILL IN FRONT, IN REVERENCE FOR THIS HOUSE OF WORSHIP • AND ITS PEOPLE WERE MOVED , ROYA.LISTS /\.ND REPUBLIC!\.NS , CONSERVATIVES /\.ND LIBERALS . THE HONOR WHICH THE HE/\.D OF STATE SHOWED THE SYN/\GCGUE W/\S THE SYMBOL OF JUSTICE /\.ND S/\.FETY UNDER THE LI\.W • /\ND WHEN TI\.LES 'i.-J"BRE TOLD OP CRUEL PERSECUTION ELS&lliERE, THE JEWS LAMENTED /\ND THEY S/\ID : "TH/\.T C/\.NNOT HAPPEN HERE ." BUT IN THE YEI\.RS FROM 19li0 - 19L 5 IT DID HA.PP.EN /\ND THE DRE/\.DTI'UL SHA.DOW OF THE CROOKED CROSS W/\.S /\LSO C/IST OVER THE LOW LA.NDS • /\.ND WITH THE LOSS OF FREEDOM THAT H/\.D BEEN A.LOTTED THEM HOSPITABLY, THE JE'WS BECJ\.ME ONCE MORE THE LOSERS • /\.ND HOLLAND LOST MUCH • I\ND /\.MSTERDAM SUFFERED I\ GRIEVOUS LOSS . /\.ND THAT LOSS C!\.NNOT BE RESTORED. 1,,llil\.T HI\.S BEEN LOST CANNOT BE RffiAINED • BUT ISRAEL W/\.S ESTABLISHED 1\S /\. NATION ON A N/\.RROW STRIP OF LJ\ND IN 19l.i8 , AND THE VA.LOR OF THE IRGUN AND THE HI\.GI\.N/\.H /\.RE /\. MATTER OF RECORD . I\.ND IT YJJ\.Y YET BE S/\.ID : HOW WILD THE STORMS 1\RE BLOWING, HOW RA.IN AND SNOW HAS L/\.SHED, THE TALL HIGH HOUSE OF ZION STILL STANDS UNYIELDING FA.ST • IN THE END THE NAZI BRUTES WERE V/\NQUISHED • THEIRS IS NOT THE DESTINY OF CIVILIZ/\.TION . THE LIE, THE TREASON, THE BRUTE VICJLENCE , THE BREAKING OF THE SPIRIT, THE DICTATOR ' s SUPPRESSION /\.RE THE TOOLS OP THE EVIL ONE , v-lliICH WILL /\.LWAYS MEET UP WITH STRONGER RESIST/\.NCE IN MEASURE TO THEIR MONSTROSITY IN HOLLAND THE FIRST MEN /\.ND WOMEN OP THE RESIST/\NCE FEL'L IN THAT BATTLE ALREI\.DY IN THE FIRST YEJ\.R OF TH/1.T DA.RK NIGHTSPI\.N OF FIVE YEARS OF OCCUPATION . HIDING , CLOTHING /\.ND FEEDING J\.LLIED FLYING PERSONNEL A.ND AIRBORNES FOR THEIR SHORT PI\.SSING THROUGH ON THE LONDON UNDERGROUND RHLROAD WAS I\.CCOMPLISHED NEXT TO THE EVEN MORE /\.ND LONGTIME INTENSIVE HELP OFfERED JEWS A.ND OTHER CITIZENS THREATENED WITH NI\.ZI HATRED • OUR BJ\.TTLE GROUPS I\.T TOTI\.L RISK FOUGHT AGJ\.INST . WHI\.T THE SPI\.RSE INFORMI\.TION FROM i\.USCHWITZ , TERBLINK/\, DACHAU A.ND MA.NY OTHER CAMPS SUGGESTED • HITLER 's RIGHT HA.ND M/\.N , GOEBBELS , WROTE IN HIS DIA.RY ON SEPTEMBER l0,19LJ3 : 11 THE FUHRER EXPECTS THE ANGL0-1\.MERICJ\.N INVASION ATTEMPT TO COME IN THE NETHERI.ANDS • WE i\.RE THE WEI\.KEST THERE , /\.ND THE POPULATION WOULD BE MOST INCLINED TO GIVE THE NECESSARY LOC/\.L SUPPORI' TO SUCH AN UNDERI'/\.KING • AS EVERYBODY KNOWS , THE DUTCH /\.RE THE MOST INSOLENT fl.ND OBSTREPEROUS PEOPLE IN THE ENTIRE WEST • " QUOTE , UNQUOTE • WID\.T STILL Hi\UNTS US A.S RESISTANCE PEOPLE IS : COULD WE HA.VE DONE MORE THAN Si\.VE ONLY ONE IN TEN J&lS • PEI'ER N. TERMJ\./\T �_:3_ BUT THE BLOODIED RI\NKS OF THE RESISTANCE PROVED THI\T NO SflCRIFICE IS TOO GREAT IN THE BI\TTLE FOR FREEDOM i\ND DIGNITY UNDER GOD' s COJ\I.JMJ.\.NDMENT S • OVER 40 }'f..INISTERS OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCHES OF THE REF'ORMI\TION AND OVER 40 CI\.THOLIC PRIESTS PERISHED IN THE CONCENTRATION CAMPS • I\.ND IN THE NA.TIONA.L CEMEI'A.RY OF THE RESISTJ\NCE, IN THE DUNES BEI'WEEN Hl\.i\RLEM l\.ND THE SE/\ , 371 MEN (IND WOMEN , COMRI\DES ALL, FOUND THEIR 11\ST RESTDB PLI\.CE ON THE SPOT WHERE THEY WERE EXECUTED • I\ GRE!\.TER NUMBER WERE SHOT IN OTHER LOCI\.TIONS OR PERISHED I N THE CONCENTRI\.TION CI\.MPS. BY THE END OF 19li4 , THE A.CTIVE LIFESPJ\.N OF I\. RESISTJ\.NCE H'IGHTER WI\.S ESTIMATED i\T LESS THI\.N 4 MONTHS • LEI' :tvIE END BY RECITING 2 VERSES OF i\ POEM WHICH Ji\.N CAMPERT, fl. SENIOR i\.T THE UNIVERSITY OF flMSTERDi\M ' s MEDICAL SCHOOL, WROTE i\. YEl\.R BEFORE HE HIMSELF Wl\.S CAPTURED, TORrURED A.ND EXECUTED BEF'ORE I\ Nl\.ZIS~Ul\.D : OH BRIGHT /\.ND LOVELY Li\.ND F /\.REWELL Fi\.!WtlELL FREE DUNES /\.ND SHORE ! I VOW THAT FROM THE HOUR YOU FELL I THOUGHT OF EI\.SE NO MORE • WHI\.T CAN I\ LOYI\.L MAN AND TRUE l\.T SUCH I\. TIME ESSAY , BUT BID HIS WIFE I\.ND CHILD i\.DIEU /\.ND FIGHT THE USELESS FRflY ? MY T/\.SK WI\.S Hl\.RD , MY DUTY STERN IT BROUGHT ME TOIL fl.ND STRIFE BUT YEI' MY HEI\.Rr WOULD NEVER TURN BACK TO MY Ei\SY LIFE . FREEDOM WAS ONCE IN NETHERLAND BOTH HONORED AND MAINT l\.INED UNTIL THE SI\Vl\.GE' s SPOILER' s HI\.ND ITS DWELLING PLi\.CE PROFANED . VICI\.RIOUSLY WE I\.CCEPI' YOUR HONORABLE MENTION . MAY THE GRI\.CE AND THE INNER PEACE 017 THE GOD OF ABMHI\.M, ISI\.A.C A.ND JACOB BE WTTH US /\.LL IN THIS FREE Li\.ND , /\.ND KEEP US f\.T HIGH /I.LERI' I\.Gi\.INST I\.NOTHER HOLOCAUST EVER HAPPENING /I.GA.IN • FOR OUR UNITY CREI\TES STRENGTH . NATIONAL HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DI\.Y I\.PRIL 10, 1983 CONGREGATION I\.HI\.VI\.S ISRAEL PBI'ER N. TERMAAT �AT THIS MOMENT MY WIFE A.ND I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TO THE MEN I S CLUB OF CONGRffil\.TION /1.Hl\.Vl\.S ISM.EL 4 BOOKLEI' S, WHICH REPRESENT THE SEI\.RCH AMONG THE SURVIVORS OF THE JEWS IN THE NEI'HERLfl.NDS • LISrED IN THESE MOVING HUMI\.N DOCUMENTS A.RE THEIR LAST AND FIRST NII.MES , THEIR DA.TE l\.ND PLI\.CE OF BIRTH /IND THEIR I\.DDRESS BEFORE A.ND I\.FTER THE Wl\.R , IN THE HOPE TH/IT A. RELATIVE OR FRIEND MIGHT YET BE FOUND • THESE BOOKLETS WERE GIVEN TO US 2 YEA.RS A.GO BY MRS . HESTER KLIJNKRl\.MER , WHO WITH HER HUSBl\.ND fl.ND THEIR SON A.ND THEIR NIECE HA.D FOUND I\. SA.FE HIDING FLA.CE IN THE HOME OF OUR BROTHER A.ND SISTER CORNELIS BAREND AND DOROTHEA JOHANNA TERMMT • MRS.KLIJNKRl\.MER HAS SINCE PASSED AWI\.Y, SURVIVING HER HUSE/IND BY I\. FEW YEA.RS. MY WIFE AND I THOUGHT IT MOST APPROPRIATE THI\.T THESE MOVING REMINDERS OF THE HOLOCI\.UST SHOULD RECEIVE A. WORI'H{ PlACE OF YOUR CHOOSING . Nl\.TIONA.L HOLOCI\.UST REMEMBRI\.NCE Dl\.Y APRIL 10, 1983 CONGREGATION l\.HA.Vf\.S ISRAEL PETER N. TERN!f1.1\.T �0 AT THIS MOMENT MY WIFE AND I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TO THE -MEN'S CLUB OF CONGREGATION A.HAVAS ISRAEL 4 BOOKLETS, WHICH REPRESENT THE SEARCH AMOl'K} THE SURVIVORS OF THE JE,WS IN THE NETHERLANDS • LIS!ED IN THESE MOVIl'K} HUMAN DOCUMENTS ARE THEIR usr AND FIRS! NAMES, THEIR DATE AND PLACE OF BIRl'H AND THEIR ADDRESS BEFORE AND AFTER THE WAR, IN THE . HOPE THAT A RELATIVE OR FRIEND MIGHT YET BE FOUND • THESE BOOKLEr S WERE GIVEN TO US 2 YEARS AGO BY MRS.HES!ER KLIJNKRAMER, WHO WITH HER HUSBAND AND THEIR SON AND THEIR NIECE HAD FOUND A SAFE HIDING PIACE IN THE HOME OF OUR BROTHER AND SIS!ER CORNELIS BA.REND AND DOROTHEA. JOHANNA TERMMT • MRS.KLIJNKRAMER HAS SINCE PASSED AWAY, SURVIVIN'.z HER HUSBAND BY A FE.W YEARS • MY WIFE AND I THOtnHT IT MOS! APPROPRIATE THAT THESE MOVING REMINDERS OF THE HOI.OCAUsr SHOULD RECEIVE A WORl'H{ PIACE OF YOUR CHOOSING. NATIONAL HOLOCAUsr REMEMBRANCE DAY APRIL 10, 1983 CONGR&rATION A.HAVAS ISRAEL PETER N. TERMAAT G � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Adriana B. (Schuurman) Termaat, Peter N. Description An account of the resource Collection contains genealogical, personal, and family papers and photographs documenting the lives and interests of Adriana and Peter Termaat. The bulk of the materials are related to family history and genealogical research carried out by the Termaats, including research notes and materials about places in the Netherlands that were significant to the Termaat and Schuurman families, such as the city of Alkmaar. Other materials in the collection are related to the Termaats' experiences on the eve of and during the Second World War, especially the German occupation of the Netherlands and the Termaats' participation in organized resistance to the Nazis. Also included are materials that document the family's post-war life in the United States, including their public efforts to recognize, commemorate, and honor people and events significant to World War II. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1869 - 2012 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection, RHC-144</a> Subject The topic of the resource Netherlands Netherlands--History--German occupation, 1940-1945 World War, 1939-1945 World War, 1939-1945 -- Underground movements -- Netherlands Dutch Dutch Americans Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text Image Type The nature or genre of the resource application/pdf image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng nl Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144_Termaat_WRI_1983-04-10-Speech-Lubbers-and-Termaat-Ahavas-Isreal-346 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Pieter Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1983-04-10 Title A name given to the resource National Holocaust Remembrance Day address Description An account of the resource Address by Pieter N. Termaat, to the Congregation Ahavas Israel on National Holocaust Remembrance Day, April 10, 1983. Termaat's address is preceeded by a message from Dr. Jan H. Lubbers, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, also delivered by Termaat . Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Lubbers, Jan H. Subject The topic of the resource Holocaust Remembrance Day Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection (RHC-144)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/3d9628fe874e544f1e6f0158202d3843.pdf bfa88cd7910e0cf4b9901966f053c94e PDF Text Text I / REMEMBERANCE SERVICE II NATIONAL HOLOCAUST DAY" IN CONGREGATION AHAVAS ISRAEL, GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN on APRIL 10, 1983. "Rabbi Lewis, Rabbi Weingarten, Distinguished Guests, Friends: First of all I want to thank the Men's Club of the Congregation of Ahavas Israel for inviting our group of Dutch people, to be here with you on National Holocaust Day. I speak for all of us, when I say that we are very honored and deeply touched, that so long after the war, you Friends here in a country far away from where we helped our Jewish friends, asked us to share this with you. Personally I am deeply moved by your Cantor, remembering my fiancee Hein Sietsma and his friend, Albert van Meerveld, the leaders of my group, who gave their lives in Dachau and Oranienburg. Holocaust Day. A day, which for all of us brings painful memories, which maybe we rather would forget and block from our memories. But, how much it hurts, this may NEVER be forgotten and we,who lived during that time)HAVE to tell it, especially to the younger generation, so that it will never happen again, but on this my friend Pieter Termaat will speak. I want to say a few words on "Why we did it". Although our group only mtt each other recently in Washington, I know that we all helped for the same reason. Rabbi Si gal wrote recently his fine article in the Press on the Pasover_ ., and he wrote: 11 The call of theology is for ACTION. Then he mentioned some parts of the beautiful book of Isaiah, and also a verse from the New Testament book of John, which reads: 11 If you say you know Him and do not obey His commandments, you are a liar. 11 • That is s6 true and we have to keep this in mind, for many horrible things are done in the name of religion and Christianity. After all, we know that Hitler himself was a so~called Catholic. He surely did not obey God's commandments and therefore he had no right to use that Name. We were also taught the Old Testament: God's love for the people He chose from -2- �2) among all the nations on earth, His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. In Genesis God says to Abraham:" I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you will be cursed and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you". We as Christians take this, that we are blessed through the Jewish people. They gave us so much, as w~ believe : Jesus~and also through the Jewish people we have ~ God's pr-ecious Word, which was our only strength during that horrible time. Therefore, when the war broke out, and believing all this, we just HAD to help. We said we knew Him and wanted to obey His commandments, which are:"Love thy God and they neighbor as thyself . II __ When Hitler started his unspeakable cruelty and the Jews had to r-eport for an unknown fate, with just one little suitcase, we were shocked. We did not yet kn6w what would happen to them. Many believed that it would not be all that bad, but those among us who had their eyes open, recognized the terrible evil and danger of the Nazi teachings and among those were my friends Hein and Albert. They started right away with whatever they could do. Soon I found out how it is, when you need a hiding place and you cannot find one: Six months after the German invasion, the Gestapo came already to arrest Hein, who, thank God, was not home. He was warned, phoned my parents house to warn us, for most probably, the Gestapo would come there also for him, but, we had to find a place for Hein before the 11 p.m. curfew. I was born and raised in the Hague, we had so many wonderful Christian friends there, so~confidently I hopped on my bike and started around 6 p.m . I remember how after hours and hours of asking everywhere, without results, with tears streaming down my cheeks there on my bike, I prayed, that God would provide a place for Hein , and I made then and there a vow, that if I ever could help people in the same circumstances, I would do whatever I could. And ... as a young girl, I was quite disap- pointed in my Christi'an friends who showed such a weak faith. I found a place just before 11 p.m. -3- �3) A year later, when Hitler ordered the Jews to report for 11 relocation 11 , I remembered my vow. We found a place on a farm for a young Jewish friend of ours and two weeks later we had a list of 60 of his relatives and friends, and the list grew and grew, till far past hundred. I am sure that my friends here in a similar way became involved. For the Christians, helping with this work>the Psalms of David became so very precious:" The Lord is my Light and my Salvation, Whom shall I fear?" We had to remind ours~lves of this, for often we were scared! After thr~e years, we were betrayed, the Gestapo came to my parents house and they knisw that we knew about the monthly attaches on German offices, where every month thousands of ration cards and blank identifi~ation cards were stolen. They wanted us. It was very serio~s and the Gestapo kept on coming to my parents house every 2-3 weeks till the end of the war, but of course we never went home again! We had to take false names, false papers. We had our wedding l ic.ense and my wedding dress was hanging in the closet, but we could not get married for the Gestapo kept their eyes on our families . . My work was to take care of all our Jewish friends in a certain part of the country: bring them mail, rat.ion cards and, when an address was in danger, to find a new place and bring them there. I walked and biked from village to village and often felt like David, when King Saul was after him.David wrote many psalms during that time and they became so alive to me! Like Tevye, in,,Fiddler on the Roof: I often had conversations with God during my walks and reminded Him of His promises: How wf break all ours, but that He never can break His, for He is holy! A year later the Gestapo caught Hein first and 2 weeks later me for unrelated ) things. While they had me in their claws on my false name, they were still searching for me on my real name at home! -4- �I was terrible scared that they would find out whom I really was and that they fi/ nally had me. That would have been the end of me. And then I thought of the beautiful story in the book of Kings, where the prophet Elisha prayed, when the enemy army of the king of Aram came to arrest him: 11 God blind their eyes", and God DID. I prayed and said daily:" Lord, You are the same from eternity, please do for me now, what You did thousands of years ago for Elisha, blind their eyes", and God DID. I dreaded the hearing, which I knew would surely come and thought that I would be paralized with fear. In prison I had scraped in the bricks of the wall with my bobby pin the words of Jesus: 11 Lo, -I am with you, al ways 11 • And when I was ca 11 ed and brought before 7 clean, well-fed Gestapo officers behind a large table, playing with their revolvers to intimidate me, instead of being scared,a great calm came over me and I remembered the words of David's Psalm:" If God had not been on our side, says Israel, they would have swallowed us alive". I KNEW He was on our side and what could these men, who thought that they had my fate in their hands then really do? I knew I was in His Fatherhand! Although I am fluent in German, I also had said when they invadedJthat I never would speak Gennan, till they had left our country, and during all these months, everything they said to me had to be translated. For I shrugged my shoulders, looked stupid and said that I could not understand them. During the hearing, although there was an interpreter, I understood every word they said. When, among other questions, they asked my religion and I told them "Christian Reformed" one of them said:" Schon wieder einde von diesen!" He said it really with contempt and scorn, but it made me s6 I happy for then I knew that in this camp there had to be many who were faithful and obeyed the Master. A miracle happened. I was let out a few days before this whole camp was brought . to RavensbrUck, where many died. You know now why we did it, and also, that all of us would do it again. we HAD to -5- �5) Would I like to have missed this part of my life? Although very difficult, I would NOT have missed it, because I KNOW now from experience that God keeps all His promises. He has never promised His people an easy life, but He HAS promised, as to Isaiah: 11 I will take you by the hand'~ And he DID. Many people feel, when difficulties and problems come, that it is a kind of punishment and say: 11 What have I done to deserve this? 11 My life has not been easy, but I like to think of God ·'s dear friend Job. Satan said to God: 11 No wonder he serves You, he has everything he can wish for, but wait and see what happens if you take everything - I away from him 11 • God was so sure of Job, that He allowed Satan to go ahead. Job lost everything, his 10 children in one day, everything he had, even his health, and we know what Job · said: ,The Lord has given, the Lord had taken, blessed be the name of the Lord". I have spoken for us who survived, that we never regret it and knew, we did the right thing. What about those who, after much suffering gave their lives? My friend Albert smuggled some notes to his young wife and in his last one he wrote: 11 Remember Psalm 71, verse 3. Which reads: 11 Be Thou to me a Rock of refuge, a strong Fortress to save me, for Thou art my Rock and Fortress 11 • And Hein? I knew he would never regret what he did, but I received a little note, written in pencil on a piece of toiletpaper which we sometimes got in the camps from the Red Cross. He threw it from the train when he was brought to Germany. It was his farewell note to me and he wrote in it: 11 Be courageous. Even if we would not see each other again here on earth, we will NEVER regret what we did .... 11 And, when after the war the most difficult time came .. of waiting who would come back, and week after week the Red Cross notices came: Dries was killed, Bouwe was killed, Aryen was not coming back, Piet was dead, Gerk was killed, Driek would not be back, Jan was killed and also Hein and Albert would never come back .... I did not want to live anymore! Why had I come through? For what??? -6- �- .. • 6..) I felt, like I was falling into a deep, black bottomless pit, without end ... And then I heard a sermon s6 beautiful on what Moses said to the tribe of Asher before he climbed mount Nebo to die~ "The eternal God is your refuge and underneath are the EVERLASTING ARMS". These strong arms caught me. I want to end with another verse of a Psalm of David, that all of us survivors can say:" Praise the Lord o my soul, and forget not one of His benefits". Berendina R.H. Erlich 2610 Raymond Ave. S.E. Grand Rapids, Mich . 49507 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Adriana B. (Schuurman) Termaat, Peter N. Description An account of the resource Collection contains genealogical, personal, and family papers and photographs documenting the lives and interests of Adriana and Peter Termaat. The bulk of the materials are related to family history and genealogical research carried out by the Termaats, including research notes and materials about places in the Netherlands that were significant to the Termaat and Schuurman families, such as the city of Alkmaar. Other materials in the collection are related to the Termaats' experiences on the eve of and during the Second World War, especially the German occupation of the Netherlands and the Termaats' participation in organized resistance to the Nazis. Also included are materials that document the family's post-war life in the United States, including their public efforts to recognize, commemorate, and honor people and events significant to World War II. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1869 - 2012 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection, RHC-144</a> Subject The topic of the resource Netherlands Netherlands--History--German occupation, 1940-1945 World War, 1939-1945 World War, 1939-1945 -- Underground movements -- Netherlands Dutch Dutch Americans Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text Image Type The nature or genre of the resource application/pdf image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng nl Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144_Termaat_WRI_1983-04-10-Speech-Erlich-at-Ahvas-Isreaal-347 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Erlich, Berendina R. H. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1983-04-10 Title A name given to the resource Remembrance Service Address Description An account of the resource Address delivered by Berendina Erlich at the Remembrance Service on National Holocaust day in Congregation Ahavas Israel, Grand Rapids, Michigan on April 10, 1983 Subject The topic of the resource Holocaust Remembrance Day Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) Holocaust survivors Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection (RHC-144)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/96f39e641fad409cef4a63d71ada953e.pdf 4920150361bbc953954ea6b861db2664 PDF Text Text WITH I.ASTING FRIENDSHIP Your Majesty, Queen Beatrix: Your Royal Highness, Prince Claus: Dear Friends: This is an hour of praise and thanksgiving to God for two hundred years of unbroken friendship between two nations: The Netherlands, and the United States of America. In a world weary of wars, and rumors of wars, it might well be our prayer that all nations of the earth enjoy such enduring and friendly relationships as the one that has existed between Holland and America. It_pleases the Lord when two persons maintain an honorable relationship. It pleases Him equal ly when two nations do the same. But how is this possible? With all the differences between nations and races - How is this-possible? With respect to The Netherlands and the United States of America - again - How was this possible for 200 years? What were the factors that played a part in establishing and cementing our two centuries' old connection? There are, of course, no simple answers to these questions . There are historical reasons for such countrie s as ours being friendly. But I am-not an historian. Anq there are political considerations. But I am not a politician. And there are economi c and other factor s . Again, I am not qualified to analyze. I am a minister. A Daninee . So I ask and answer these questions as a dominee. What is this tie that binds u s? Or, to broaden the question, - What is it that brings, or can bring, peoples and nations together? There are several answers . I shall mention only three. · I mention three because every good Dutch daninee always has three points . One factor is trouble. A corrrnon peril. A conman enemy . I have in possession a little Dutch book entitled "De Weleerwaarde Heer," written by Ds . Voila - a pen name for a minister who served a church for many years in Amstelveen. In this little book, he describes h is first plane trip from Amsterdam to New York City . Never having flown before, he was apprehensive. I t didn't help either to discover that he was seated next to a lady whose appearance seemed to di scou rage any possibility of conversation. He'd already made a bad beginning with her by accidentally knocking her hat off with his attache case . But after a few hours, they did beg i n a ki nd of conversation; she in English with a mixture of Dutch, and he in Dutch, using as many English words cis h., could muster. Sanehow, they got along, until they drifted into the subject of education, the training of chiliren . She had strong opinions in one direction. His were equally strong in an opposite direction. And so their conversation died. They were too different. They really didn't like each other. my Then the plane developed engine trouble. The passengers were aware of it . Despite the voice on the intercom, jn various l anguages, seeking tn assure all aboard, all were very tense. Approaching a landing, there was talk of a crash. No one spoke . All had to bend forward with heads down . After what seemed like an etemi ty , they landed safely ., Only then did the minister and the lady discover that, through those tense moments, they had been holding each other's hand . ' �Page 2 Queen Beatrix Trouble, you see, bring, people together.. And nations too. Unlike the individuals i n the story, our two nations do not dislike each other " On the contrary. But we are different . We do not, and we have not, always seen things the same way. Nevertheless, during those times in whi.r.h we shared a camuon peril; during those times when we shared a colIIlilon threat our bonds were especially strong . We held each other's hand ., In the gospel of Joh~, chapter sixteen, verse thirty three, Jesus said to His disciples; "In the world you will have 'tribulation' . " We all know t hat they did - as do many of His disciples today as well. In the Gennan Bible, the word for "tri~ulation" is "angst ." That is a bigger word. "Angst" means dread, apprehension, anxiety , anguish, pressure . In the Dutch Bible, the word is "verdrukking," which is related to pressure . But elsewhere in the Dutch Bible, that same Greek word is translated "benaauwdeid." Now,. with apologie$ to those present who are not of Dutch descent, may I say that among those of us who are, not all of us can speak the Holland language . Indeed, few of Dutch de s cent retain an ability to speak Dutch . Th~ more's the pity. But there are some Dutch words we all know, because they are untr anslateable, like " geze llig" (cozy), "vie s" (not c lean), and a third is "benauwd . " There' s re~lly no word in Engli sh for "bennuwd ., " "Ang s tig," "angst" - pres~ed in. What I wi sh to say is that we live in a world today in which the re is "angs t" for all; "benaauwdeid" concerning the future. That is sanething that brings u s together . An atomic age . A connnon peril. But a conmon peril is not the only thing that can bring people and nations together . A common cause, or purpose , or goal, can do the same . A few months ago, at a Church Unity meeting, I had occas ion to tell the true story of two wanen in Rotterdam in the days of t he war. They had lived side by side for many years, in a r ow hou::.c, separated by just a wall . But in all those years they had never spoken to each other because the one was Roman Cat.J.iolic while the other was Refonned . And so they were worlds apart. But one day roneone was shot in front of thei r doors. Both saw it " Both rushed out . Together they gave shelter, and food, and h~a ling. The man survived. Together they engineered his escape wi t h the he lp of the underground . Their differences remained " At the same time, something had happened. A canmon cause had made them one. And so our nations too. The Netherlands and the United States arc not the same . We have our differences - like those ladies in Rotterdam . Yet, in our history together, common causes and conman goals, as well as common perils and common dangers , have knitted us, and cemented our relationshi p . I mention one more factor that brings people and nations together; not a common peril, or cause , - but a common Lor d " The Netherlands and the United States are traditionally Christian nati ons. The gospel of Jesus Christ has been proclaimed in both our countries , ctrurch towers and church steeples dot both our landscapes; not Dutch churches and American churches , but One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, wi lh one Lord, one faith, one baptismo He is the Lord of all; also Holl and and America , His words have been proclaimed, and heard, and believed, in Dutch and English , Listen to some of them: "Blessed are the peacemakers" - not just the peace l overs or the peace seekers, but the "peacemakers . " Ye a re the Salt of the earth . Ye are the light of the world. "In the world you ' �-- Quee n Beatrix Page 3 you will be 'benauwed' but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world." Now the unity that results from a common a]legiance to this Lord is like none other. There has been a falling away, in bot h our lands , especially in the latter half of this century, from this cormnon Lord and from His word . The signs are there in both our coun~ries " Thi s is not good! Dr . Carl He nry, i nternationally renowned theologian sai d recent ly, "The fote of the west turns on what we do with this book" (Bible). He is right! Therefore, I pray that in both our land s , God wi ll be honored, and Hi s Son believed and served; . that in the next century our u nity, together , will spring less and less from cormnon peril s (God grant it!), more and more frcm COOIIJlOn causes, §Uld most of a ll, from the f act that we honor a cOOIIIlon Lm-d. God bless the Netherlands. Its royal family and citizens . God bless the United States of America " Its pre sident and citizens . God bless both our naticns with lasting friendship , and freedom! Indeed, God bless all nations of the earth, and gi ve us peace! Jacob D. Eppinga, Pastor LaGrave Avenue Christian Refonned Church This meditatiqn was delivered at a service of Thanksgiving and Praise, in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Beatrix and His Royal Highnes s , Prince Claus , June 27, 1982 , in honor of 200 years of friendship between the Netherland s and the Uni t ed States of America. ' � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Adriana B. (Schuurman) Termaat, Peter N. Description An account of the resource Collection contains genealogical, personal, and family papers and photographs documenting the lives and interests of Adriana and Peter Termaat. The bulk of the materials are related to family history and genealogical research carried out by the Termaats, including research notes and materials about places in the Netherlands that were significant to the Termaat and Schuurman families, such as the city of Alkmaar. Other materials in the collection are related to the Termaats' experiences on the eve of and during the Second World War, especially the German occupation of the Netherlands and the Termaats' participation in organized resistance to the Nazis. Also included are materials that document the family's post-war life in the United States, including their public efforts to recognize, commemorate, and honor people and events significant to World War II. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1869 - 2012 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection, RHC-144</a> Subject The topic of the resource Netherlands Netherlands--History--German occupation, 1940-1945 World War, 1939-1945 World War, 1939-1945 -- Underground movements -- Netherlands Dutch Dutch Americans Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text Image Type The nature or genre of the resource application/pdf image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng nl Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144_Termaat_WRI_1982-06-27-Speech-Jacob-D-Eppinga Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Eppinga, Jacob D. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1982-06-27 Title A name given to the resource With Lasting Friendship Description An account of the resource Meditation delivered by Jacob D. Eppinga, Pastor of LaGrave Avenue Christian Church at the service of Thanksgiving and Praise, in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Beatrix and His Royal Highness, Prince Claus, June 27, 1982, in honor of 200 years of friendship between the Netherlands and the United States of America. Subject The topic of the resource United States Netherlands Netherlands--Kings and rulers Dutch Americans Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection (RHC-144)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/922021d7f24d6699301d44255af4e47f.pdf 9b572c40e47a383a0ce86dd448a1f684 PDF Text Text Yad Vashem Ik sta hier maar te staren in de vlam . En ik voel weer dat wild verdriet. wat in mij boven kwam . Ik sta hier als versteend en lees de namen van de kampen . Bergen-Belsen. Sachsenhausen. Auschwitz. Mauthausen. Ravensbrück'. Buchenwald . Ga zo maar voort. Er waren er zo velen . waarvan men nu nog steeds het schre iend bidden hoort. Dit is de plaats. waar stille tranen en gebeden naar boven stijgen om wat werd afgeleden . De vlam is het symbool voor hen . die in de kampen bleven. Wier namen boven in het levensboek staan opgeschreven . Ik kijk in de flakkerende vlam en 'k zie z'n lief gezi cht als in m'n dromen. En ik voel tranen langs m'n wangen stromen . Dan bid ik za c ht: Heer geef mij kracht. dat ik vergeven kan . Jerusalem . 18 sept . '68 Jeanne van der Gaag-de Pagter . � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Adriana B. (Schuurman) Termaat, Peter N. Description An account of the resource Collection contains genealogical, personal, and family papers and photographs documenting the lives and interests of Adriana and Peter Termaat. The bulk of the materials are related to family history and genealogical research carried out by the Termaats, including research notes and materials about places in the Netherlands that were significant to the Termaat and Schuurman families, such as the city of Alkmaar. Other materials in the collection are related to the Termaats' experiences on the eve of and during the Second World War, especially the German occupation of the Netherlands and the Termaats' participation in organized resistance to the Nazis. Also included are materials that document the family's post-war life in the United States, including their public efforts to recognize, commemorate, and honor people and events significant to World War II. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1869 - 2012 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection, RHC-144</a> Subject The topic of the resource Netherlands Netherlands--History--German occupation, 1940-1945 World War, 1939-1945 World War, 1939-1945 -- Underground movements -- Netherlands Dutch Dutch Americans Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text Image Type The nature or genre of the resource application/pdf image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng nl Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144_Termaat_WRI_1968-09-18-Yad-Vashem-Poem-by-van-der-Gaag-de-Pagter-397 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource van der Gaag-de Pagter, Jeanne Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1968-09-18 Title A name given to the resource Yad Vashem Description An account of the resource Poem about the Holocaust. In Dutch. Subject The topic of the resource Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) -- Europe Poetry Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection (RHC-144)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource nl Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/45fadecf557b8453f345f1505ac6b470.pdf 5281040f9566e3c009c3440deb888835 PDF Text Text srae o execu oners Washington Post Writers Group WASHINGTON -The world is weary. Vernon Walters says so. Walters is not merely U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. He presumed to speak in Geneva for the entire "international community." That grand assemblage was the "we" in this Walters' sentence: "We must tell them (Israel and her enemies) that we are tired of this conflict ... " Such fine impartiality between our ally and those bent on her destruction. U.S. policy is indeed that Israel should cooperate with the U.S.-PLO peace charade because the world is weary. U.S. officials scripted the rhetorical sanitization of Yasser Arafat. They did so on the assumption that a murderer will not lie. By reading the script, Arafat presumably (the State Department's presumption) repealed the PLO charter. It says Palestine is "indivisible" and vows "the elimination of Zionism in Palestine." The snowball of appeasement gathers momentum. The United Nations will henceforth refer to the PLO as "Palestine," and why .not? U.S. policy has been reversed. It now de facto accepts the PLO as "the sole legitimate representative" of Palestinians, thereby shredding the U.S. "commitment" to direct negotiations between Israel and Jordan. The administration says negotiation with the PLO does not involve recognition of a Palestinian state. But last week, Assistant Secretary of State Richard Murphy was asked: If the PLO really has recognized Israel's right to exist, does he now expect so-called "moderate" Arab states to do likewise? His answer was that most of them "accepted explicitly Resolution 242 years ago. What happened this past wee :was tha e O acceoted 242 and thereby (sic) Israel's right to exist." ''Thereby"? The U.S. pretense has been that the PLO must meet three distinct tests - renunciation of terrorism, acceptance of Israel's right to exist and acceptance of 242. Now Murphy says the third requirement incorporates the second. Regarding terrorism, Arafat has renounced it before, has consistently lied about it, and now has been given preemptive immunity from blame for future acts of it. That is the consequence of U.S. officials saying in chorus that Arafat cannot control the "extremists" and is himself a potential victim because of his moderation. In 1980 Ronald Reagan said, with uncontestable accuracy: "Israel and Jordan are the two Palestinian states envisioned and authorized by the United Nations." Reminded of that last week, Murphy said: "We do not consider Jordan the (sic) Palestinian state." "We"? The Foreign Service? Has anyone told the president that he has changed his mind? The inescapable logic of Murphy's language is U.S. support for a PLO state. So Rita Hauser, the Jews' Jesse Jackson said to have converted Arafat to peace in our time, had better catch up with Arafat's deputy, Abu Iyyad. He has not got the message. Recently he said in an Arabic language publication: "The establishment of a Palestinian state on part of the land of Pal·oe · a stage to a d the final goal -:-- the establishment of a state on all of Palestine." For months before the unveiling in Algiers of the latest PLO peace tactic, PLO spokesmen assured Arabic-speaking audiences that it would be only a tactic of war only a means of implementing the "Phased Policy" adopted in 1974. That "incremental" policy calls for shrinking Israel to indefensible borders as a precondition of ridding "indivisible" Palestine of "the Zionist entity." Abadallah alKhouran, a member of the PLO executive committee, told an Arabiclanguage publisher, "The proclamation of the Palestinian state is the first step toward obliterating the new Zionist-Fascist state." Ah, but the assumption of Western appeasers is that PLO officials are impeccably sincere when reading U.S. scripts and are insincere when contradicting them. The "appearance" of extremism is "really" the prudence of the moderates. So last week's New York Times Magazine contained this gem: "Nowadays, PLO officials will tell you privately, (Arafat's) uniform and gun are something of an affectation, a bit of symbolism meant to reassure the PLO hard-liners ... " The quantity of such private insights from unnamed "moderates" equals the quantity of Western gullibility. The lame-duck Reagan administration, which is not lame enough, is limping out of town, sending a dangerous signal to our watching enemies: The United States gets tired. You can wait us out. The whole wide world is tired Walters, the international scold, says so - so Israel is supposed to jeopardize her survival to satisfy the "international community." But as Golda Meir said, Jews are used to collective eulogies, but Israel will not die so that the world ·n ~eak ell of it. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Adriana B. (Schuurman) Termaat, Peter N. Description An account of the resource Collection contains genealogical, personal, and family papers and photographs documenting the lives and interests of Adriana and Peter Termaat. The bulk of the materials are related to family history and genealogical research carried out by the Termaats, including research notes and materials about places in the Netherlands that were significant to the Termaat and Schuurman families, such as the city of Alkmaar. Other materials in the collection are related to the Termaats' experiences on the eve of and during the Second World War, especially the German occupation of the Netherlands and the Termaats' participation in organized resistance to the Nazis. Also included are materials that document the family's post-war life in the United States, including their public efforts to recognize, commemorate, and honor people and events significant to World War II. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1869 - 2012 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection, RHC-144</a> Subject The topic of the resource Netherlands Netherlands--History--German occupation, 1940-1945 World War, 1939-1945 World War, 1939-1945 -- Underground movements -- Netherlands Dutch Dutch Americans Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text Image Type The nature or genre of the resource application/pdf image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng nl Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144_Termaat_NWS_Tired-US Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Will, George Title A name given to the resource Tired U.S. hands Israel to executioners Description An account of the resource Op Ed clipping about U.S. foreign policy relating to Israel. Subject The topic of the resource United States -- Foreign relations -- 20th century Arafat, Yasir, 1929-2004 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection (RHC-144)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/4f66fe886c3ab110a0c13fbb92d40232.pdf 8da68481c26f5ff6d6409c7631671580 PDF Text Text I REMEMBERING THOSE WHO RESCUED JEWS FROM NAZIS WILLIAM ARCHIE/Detroit Free Press Holocaust survivors Abraham Foxman and Gisele Feldman reminisce Monday at the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith in Southfield over photos of relatives who died at Auschwitz. Tonight Foxman and Jewish Foundation for Christian Rescuers supporters will mark the creation of a state chapter and honor two families: the Termaats of Grand Rapids and the Chorazyczewskis of Hamtramck. Story, Page lB. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Adriana B. (Schuurman) Termaat, Peter N. Description An account of the resource Collection contains genealogical, personal, and family papers and photographs documenting the lives and interests of Adriana and Peter Termaat. The bulk of the materials are related to family history and genealogical research carried out by the Termaats, including research notes and materials about places in the Netherlands that were significant to the Termaat and Schuurman families, such as the city of Alkmaar. Other materials in the collection are related to the Termaats' experiences on the eve of and during the Second World War, especially the German occupation of the Netherlands and the Termaats' participation in organized resistance to the Nazis. Also included are materials that document the family's post-war life in the United States, including their public efforts to recognize, commemorate, and honor people and events significant to World War II. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1869 - 2012 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection, RHC-144</a> Subject The topic of the resource Netherlands Netherlands--History--German occupation, 1940-1945 World War, 1939-1945 World War, 1939-1945 -- Underground movements -- Netherlands Dutch Dutch Americans Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text Image Type The nature or genre of the resource application/pdf image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng nl Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144_Termaat_NWS_Remembering-those-who-rescued-Jews-from-Nazis Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Archie, William Title A name given to the resource Remembering those who rescued Jews from Nazis Description An account of the resource Newspaper clipping of photograph of Abraham Foxman and Gisele Feldman for the Jewish Foundation for Christian Rescuers. Subject The topic of the resource World War, 1939-1945 -- Jews -- Rescue Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) -- Europe Jews -- United States Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection (RHC-144)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/fc0dec85ee9eebe599644238041d4199.pdf fb6d81980af0fcb11e05ab49b475ec15 PDF Text Text Reagan and Shultz have made a hero of Arafat By AM. Rosenthal New York Times News Service NEW YORK - It is just beginning. The pressure will now increase for Israel to risk its very existence. The purpose will be to force Israelis to agree to the creation of a new country that would have a deep political, religious and national drive to expand over the years into all of Israel. Few countries have been asked to do that - risk nationhood by carving out a piece of territory and handing it to an enemy without a fight. Czechoslovakia was pressured into doing that in 1938. To this day it has not regained its freedom. Not many nations return from the graveyard of surrender. The Reagan administration prepared the way for the pressure to come by its stunning turnaround on the Palestine Liberation Organization. Only a few weeks ago, Secretary of State George Shultz denounced Vasser Arafat as a terrorist not even fit to visit this country for a speech to the United Nations. Suddenly Shultz anointed the PLO as a negotiating partner, after 13 years of American refusal to do so, making Arafat a victorious international hero. The decision to legitimize Arafat came after he read aloud an American-prepared statement that differed little from what he had said before about recognizing Israel and denouncing terrorism. No further price was asked of Arafat. Like renouncing the death-to-Israel convenant, as Bush himself demanded in September. Or proving over a decent amount of time that he had actually given up terror- ism. Or, most important, acknowledging the right of a Jewish homeland to exist in the Middle East, not simply the fact that it was there. The frantic haste with which Shultz accepted the parroted words of Arafat and ordered PLO-U.S. negotiations to start was perhaps understandable. He did not have many weeks left to carve out a niche in history. He certainly did that; his name and Arafat's will now always be connected. Just as astonishing was the speed and gentleness with which leaders of American Jewish organizations announced that despite misgivings about what he was doing they trusted Shultz. Privately, the reason they give has little to do with trust of Shultz - which will not be of paramount importance after Jan. 20. It is that they assume President-elect Bush is delighted not to face the PLO decision himself, and they are in no huny to take him on. Let's clear away some of the camouflage thrown up around the decision. The State Department says Arafat fulfilled American conditions for dealing with him - recognition of Israel's existence and renouncing terrorism. But those conditions were intended to be essential for even considering a U.S.-PLO link and were meant to be tested - not a cooked-up maneuver for instant recognition. The PLO is already warning that its definition of terrorism will not coincide with Washington's or Israel's and says that is just too bad. More nonsense: Opposition to recognition of the PLO means opposition to peace talks between Israeli and Palestinian. Actually, Reagan and Shultz did two things likely to delay peace. They made the PLO the sole Palestinian representative, squeezing out Palestinians on the West Bank with whom Israelis might have dealt. And psychologically they have made the concept of another Palestinian state acceptable before talks even start. Until Arafat proclaimed the Palestinian state, the form of government of any territory given up by the Israelis was assumed to be one of the things that negotiations were supposed to be all about. Should there be another Palestinian state? Or should any territory given up by the Israelis be governed otherwise - perhaps by West Bank Palestinians as part of a union with Jordan, a largely Palestinian state itself? Will the men who run the PLO and have been fighting all their adult lives for the destruction of Israel be satisfied with a sliver of a state? Will Arafat be content to be mayor of Bethlehem? No speculation is needed. A Kuwaiti newspaper reported that after the American recognition, Abu Iyad, Arafat's deputy, said that establishment of a Palestinian state on part of Palestinian land would be a stage toward a Palestinian state on all of it. The only question at a "peace conference" now would be how much the PLO gets, how fast. Then, how long before Israel became a vulnerable sliver 10 years, 20? Israel will not commit suicide. It is reasonable to hope that the new president of the United States will decide that it is immoral for one country to suggest that any other nation do so. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Adriana B. (Schuurman) Termaat, Peter N. Description An account of the resource Collection contains genealogical, personal, and family papers and photographs documenting the lives and interests of Adriana and Peter Termaat. The bulk of the materials are related to family history and genealogical research carried out by the Termaats, including research notes and materials about places in the Netherlands that were significant to the Termaat and Schuurman families, such as the city of Alkmaar. Other materials in the collection are related to the Termaats' experiences on the eve of and during the Second World War, especially the German occupation of the Netherlands and the Termaats' participation in organized resistance to the Nazis. Also included are materials that document the family's post-war life in the United States, including their public efforts to recognize, commemorate, and honor people and events significant to World War II. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1869 - 2012 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection, RHC-144</a> Subject The topic of the resource Netherlands Netherlands--History--German occupation, 1940-1945 World War, 1939-1945 World War, 1939-1945 -- Underground movements -- Netherlands Dutch Dutch Americans Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text Image Type The nature or genre of the resource application/pdf image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng nl Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144_Termaat_NWS_Reagan-Shcultz-Arafat Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rosenthal, A.M. Title A name given to the resource Reagan and Shultz have made a hero of Arafat Description An account of the resource Newspaper clipping about U.S. denunciation of Yasir Arafat. Subject The topic of the resource United States -- Foreign relations -- 20th century Arafat, Yasir, 1929-2004 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection (RHC-144)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/db5a97e7aa806b3218feaa93f53ee72e.pdf 26a8b56f4f785f3b3a60f2459dce0b17 PDF Text Text ..,,.,. Jews honor WEST BLOOMFIELD (UPI) Metropolitan Detroit's Jewish community will honor a Christian couple from Grand Rapids on Tuesday. Peter and Adrienna Termaat will receive the Courage to Care Award for hiding Jews from Nazis in occupied Holland during World War II. At great risk to their own lives, the Termaats ferried Jews in and out of their Holland home and the homes of other resistance workers. Their courageous acts are credited with saving the lives of countless Jewish men, women and children. The Termaats, now in their 70s, say they were led by their religious belief to join the resistance immediately after the Nazis invaded Holland in 1940. The Termaats are hristians members the Reformed Church of America. If the Termaats had been caught, they would have been officially labeled as Jewish and killed as enemies of Adolf Hitler. The award ceremony is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center in West Bloomfield Township. Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League and the ceremony's keynote speaker, said the awards to the Termaats and others honor the victory. of good over evil. 'Today, living in a time where life is cheap and there is so much violence, we can celebrate life and goodness by honoring the people who showed such great courage in the face of evil," he said. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Adriana B. (Schuurman) Termaat, Peter N. Description An account of the resource Collection contains genealogical, personal, and family papers and photographs documenting the lives and interests of Adriana and Peter Termaat. The bulk of the materials are related to family history and genealogical research carried out by the Termaats, including research notes and materials about places in the Netherlands that were significant to the Termaat and Schuurman families, such as the city of Alkmaar. Other materials in the collection are related to the Termaats' experiences on the eve of and during the Second World War, especially the German occupation of the Netherlands and the Termaats' participation in organized resistance to the Nazis. Also included are materials that document the family's post-war life in the United States, including their public efforts to recognize, commemorate, and honor people and events significant to World War II. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1869 - 2012 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection, RHC-144</a> Subject The topic of the resource Netherlands Netherlands--History--German occupation, 1940-1945 World War, 1939-1945 World War, 1939-1945 -- Underground movements -- Netherlands Dutch Dutch Americans Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text Image Type The nature or genre of the resource application/pdf image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng nl Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144_Termaat_NWS_Jews-honor-Christians Title A name given to the resource Jews Honor Christians Description An account of the resource Newspaper clipping about Peter and Adrianna Termaat's Courage to Care Award from the Anti-Defamation League. Subject The topic of the resource Anti-Defamation League World War, 1939-1945 -- Jews -- Rescue Dutch Americans Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection (RHC-144)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/7eb69717110da31443195c6942f7a35a.pdf 9f99deba7a6bb25fde00c8328d7aabea PDF Text Text Devil's advocate of the charges-of Jean Moulin, arrested Klaus Barbie, a former SS officer, has this by the Gestapo in June 1943. Moulin was week gone on I rial in Lyons for crim es against humanity. I li s counsel is France's not tortured to death by Mr Barbie or his most controversial legal figure, Mr Jacmen, Mr Verges claims: he committed ques Verges. Mr Verges has made it clear, suicide because he had been betrayed by his Resistance comrades. (Naming these "ith the ma~imum of carefully orchestratcomrades has recently lost Mr Verges an ed pre-trial publicity, that he will treat the case as a political one. expensive legal action.) I 11 Le cas Verges•, Jacques Givet sugMr Verges was brought up on the gests some 1·easons why. He had met and colonial island of Reunion, the son of a sympathised with Mr Verges when the l:1tlcr was dei'cnding memb(!rs of the National Liberation Front (FLN), during the Algerian war. During those years, Mr Verges made his reputation. They have become an almost obsessive point of reference ,ince, and partly form his defence of Mr Barbie. Mr Barbie's alleged crimes, his counsel argues, differ little from those committed by the French army in Algeria. But while these have been amnestied, Mr 8arbie i, being tried under retrnacti, e legislation for actions I hat took place over 40 years ago. Mr Verges draws no parallel between the Algerian and French Resistance. Indeed, whatever the legal niceties responsible for the four-year pre-trial investigation, his defence will certainly involve an attack 011 the Resistance. This means, in particular, evoking the case-though it does not form part Pleading his case Frenchman who was an active communist, and of a Vietnamese mother. He claims that his hat red o f colonialism encouraged his sympathy for the FLN. Later it extended to the PLO and even to his defence of Middle-Eastern terrorists. The most recent was Georges Abdallah, sentenced to life imprisonment in February (as much to the French government's discomfort as that of his counsel). Mr Givet derides Mr Verges's portrait of himself as a da11111e de la terre, and dislikes his form of high-living Marxist militancy. More important, he denies the Algerian precedent for the Barbie trial: whatever atrocities the French may have committed in Algeria, he points out they were exceptions to a legal norm. The crimes of which Mr Barbie is accused, by contra5I. represented precisely that norm in a Nazi slate. Mr Givet does not deny Mr Verges's right lo defend either a Barbie or an Abdallah. But he sees him not as a lawyer pleading a brief, but as a partisan, a publicist for the variants of terrorism these men represent. Above all, he accuses Mr Verges of forgetting the victims, and in particular the Jews. It is Mr Barbie's alleged role in the deportation and death o f Jews that lies al the heart of the trial that is now under way in Lyons. *Published in France by Lieu commun, FFr79. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Adriana B. (Schuurman) Termaat, Peter N. Description An account of the resource Collection contains genealogical, personal, and family papers and photographs documenting the lives and interests of Adriana and Peter Termaat. The bulk of the materials are related to family history and genealogical research carried out by the Termaats, including research notes and materials about places in the Netherlands that were significant to the Termaat and Schuurman families, such as the city of Alkmaar. Other materials in the collection are related to the Termaats' experiences on the eve of and during the Second World War, especially the German occupation of the Netherlands and the Termaats' participation in organized resistance to the Nazis. Also included are materials that document the family's post-war life in the United States, including their public efforts to recognize, commemorate, and honor people and events significant to World War II. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1869 - 2012 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection, RHC-144</a> Subject The topic of the resource Netherlands Netherlands--History--German occupation, 1940-1945 World War, 1939-1945 World War, 1939-1945 -- Underground movements -- Netherlands Dutch Dutch Americans Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text Image Type The nature or genre of the resource application/pdf image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng nl Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144_Termaat_NWS_Devils-Advocate Title A name given to the resource Devil's Advocate Description An account of the resource Newspaper clipping about Jacques Vergès, legal counsel to former SS officer Klaus Barbie. Subject The topic of the resource War criminals -- Germany Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) -- Europe Vergès, Jacques Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection (RHC-144)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/88f9e413794ca2002c871442403e9a39.pdf 1f92052a6d960b566cf95e3586be8fd9 PDF Text Text -bravery and human kindness in risking their lives to save Jewish people in the Netherlands. It lli but one of several awards the Termaats have received over the years. "We except these awards with reservations and only in the name of I Celltiaued .... , ... 14 all the men and women who served in the re· sistance," Terrnaat said. Today the Termaa1s live a peaceful retirement. They insist that their lives arc not lives of bravery and valor, but lives of doing what had to be done. DAVID MANDU. For evt:ry person that was saved by the resistance and people likt! rher Termaa1s, 1housands of othc:rs - mos1ly Jt!ws - became vic1ims of the · Germans. In I 944, the 15-yearold Mandel and his Czt:choslovaldan family - his parc:nts, brothc:rs and sisters, grandparents, and aun1s, uncles and cousins was forced from its home by 1he Nazis and taken to Auschwilz, a nolorious concentra1ion camp. Mandc:I, his brother John, and facher Isaac were "chOOSt!n" by SS guards to work . Mandel, separated from his facher and bro1her, slavt:d umkr brulal corn.li1ions in a coal tnillt:. As bruial as 1he conditions wi:rc, the duly saved tht! lives of Mandel, and his fathc:r and brother. All other members of his family - immediate and extended - were gassed and cremated on the same day. In January, 1945 as the Rus.sian army closed in on the Nazis, thousands of prisoners wc:rt: forced lO march in the snow back coward Germany, as che Nazis auempced hide the: evidence of 1heir atroci1ies. Mandel escaped one night during che n~rch and managed to --- survive 1hc: cold and the pursuing SS men. Mandel managed to find his bro1hc:r and father, in poor health, but still alive. "Tm mt!rdy one of the fortunate fow who have served and are now able to carry on and remind tht! world of 1he gross injustices of lhe war," a !earful Mandel said. After recuperating, Mandel and tht! survivors of his family, came 10 the U.S. They seuled "•in Grand Rapids in the: late I 940's whert: Mandel began to work for William Klc:in, then a single! 1:!t:n's clo1hing store. He worked chert: m.my years, a11d now owns chi: business that has several Grand Rapids locations. Da\·id said his survival and his suixcss in this country is his own revenge again:.! those who pcrsecutell him and lus pcopk, though al timl!s 1he pain of his memories are still unbearable. Boch Mandel and tht! Termaacs havc: uScd their 1raumatic pasts to help peopk understand the horror of 1he Holocaust and to slop his1ory fro~ repealing tha1 horrible eve111. For tht! pas! three years chey have served as special gucs1 speakc:rs in a GVSU poli1ical sciencc: class 1i1lt:d .. Human Aggression and Cooperation ." The award ceremony was set also 10 note 1he Dec. 7 anniversary of tht! bombing of Pearl Habor. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Adriana B. (Schuurman) Termaat, Peter N. Description An account of the resource Collection contains genealogical, personal, and family papers and photographs documenting the lives and interests of Adriana and Peter Termaat. The bulk of the materials are related to family history and genealogical research carried out by the Termaats, including research notes and materials about places in the Netherlands that were significant to the Termaat and Schuurman families, such as the city of Alkmaar. Other materials in the collection are related to the Termaats' experiences on the eve of and during the Second World War, especially the German occupation of the Netherlands and the Termaats' participation in organized resistance to the Nazis. Also included are materials that document the family's post-war life in the United States, including their public efforts to recognize, commemorate, and honor people and events significant to World War II. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1869 - 2012 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection, RHC-144</a> Subject The topic of the resource Netherlands Netherlands--History--German occupation, 1940-1945 World War, 1939-1945 World War, 1939-1945 -- Underground movements -- Netherlands Dutch Dutch Americans Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text Image Type The nature or genre of the resource application/pdf image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng nl Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144_Termaat_NWS_David-Mandel Title A name given to the resource David Mandel Description An account of the resource Newspaper article about David Mandel, a Jewish man who escaped from a Nazi prison march, eventually settling in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Subject The topic of the resource World War, 1939-1945 -- Jews -- Rescue Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) -- Europe Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection (RHC-144)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/fdf75dc312df999a44c365432026c0c7.pdf 29f9437bb89e57fc6742f7120c011b40 PDF Text Text Op 66-/arige leeftijd verongelµkte dezer In het Amsrfkaanss Charlottss•vi/18 domin• Arie Bsstebreurtje, beter 'bllkMd a,,. captain Harry, die in de '10f• log als verzetsheld geschiedenis schreef. Met onwaarschijnlijke koelbloedighBid d8fld hij zijn werk en krtJB(J zijn prestatiBS de hoogste binnenen.buitenlandse onderschaidingen. ZJjn passis W>OI' de oer-Holla_':'dse . • ~ werd hem in ZJJn Amen....kaanse woonplaafS noodlottig. De man ...die in de oorlogsjaren nergens voor terugschrok 811 de dood herhaaldelijk in _ de ogen keek, rtlBd op een schaats- tochtje simpelweg in een wak en verdronk. Enkele vrienden halen herinneringen op aan _, bezeten avo,:,turier, -:_die 'zi;, /even eindigde als domlnBB. "DUITSf.RS TRAPTEN BIJNA OP ZIJN HAND: "°°' ~ r. · • ' DEN HAAG, : '', _z aterdag ~ ~~D crote vraag la alUJd aeweest: hoe -.. eeft Arie (mr. dr.) Be., stebre'1rtje dominee W~Df ~ de obrlopjaren heb ik ~ I .lrunnen Triest einde d VOOr e man d.18 aIle gevaren trotseerde 'em Jenm DPJ;lJm -"onv -~-~~hrnkke ~n eld die nergens voor de. Hij werd parachu- , rugdeinsde. Dan is tist en commando en {e oorloe afaelopeu en werd ingelijfd bij het tegt hij een bloeie~de bureau "Bijzondere .tdvocatenpraktijk op- Opdrachten". d j en aaat theologie In september 1944 ,j;uderen." werd hij toegevoegd : Drs. Gerard Pijnen- ·aan de befaamde Arne>.iira, secretaris-gene.:. rikaanse generaal Ca- ·i-aJ vaii Defensie, kan vin en met I de grote nog steeds niet hele- baas geclropt boven · l)Bal over uit en het Nijmegen. In die pe.al verder ook wel een riode heç ik he~ leren !f ·aadsel blijven, ·want ,oor het Lwe.ekeind" •erdronk Bestebreur.re tijdens een schaats• htje. · . Morgen wordt in de ~rk tegenover hotel ,ionshof (tussen Nij,1egen en Groesbeek) m halfvijf een herenkingsdienst gehou- ên., I t èlle/iik iets 1 ' èaen Duitsers n, 1 6 kennen als een onverschrokken en koelbloedig , man die zichzelf volledig wegcijferde en mflar één ding voor ogen had: de vijand eruit!" Daar, heeft mr.dr. Bestebreurtje overigens meer voor moeten deen dan zijn werk in het Nijmeegse. In april 1945 werd hij vanuit Engeland opnieuw gedropt, dit keer temidden van de Duit~rs bij het Drentse Hooghalen, met als opde bruggen, over het Oranjekanaal Jnd alleen dat ze 'niet, te beschermen. ;Gerard Pijnenburg: ~ij ha<.lieitelijk nie~ ·gen de Duitsers. HIJ dracht ArieBatebreu,tJe dacht na overziin wonderliik• reddingen werddoml- bos en nestelde ~eb, ondanks hevige pijnen, onder een bed van bladeren. Later bekende hij: ,,De Duit' h d sers, die met on en de omgeving afzochten, trapten bijna op mijn hand, maar ze h.-ehbPn !ne nfot gevon•• den". Na twee dagen bivakkeren onder de bladeren, sleepte hij zich op een nacht naar een paardestal ergens in een wei, leste een brandende dorst in een waterplasje en wachtte de ochtend af, waar plotseling boer Schutten met zijn zoons verscheen. Eén van hen, Jantinus, deze week: We hebben hem toen op een platte wagen gelegd en met stro bedekt en naar de boerderij gebracht waar hij in een kast werd opgeborgen. Enkele dagen later werden we bevrijd en kon Bestebreurtje worden afgehaald. " In Hooghalen heerst verslagenheid. De vrouw van Jantinus: Arie is nog diverse keren hier geweest en we hE;bbe~ altijd heel ·diepgaand gesproken. In die periode is hij diep over het levèn en de dood gaan nadenken en toen moet hij het besluit hebben genomen om dominee te worden. Na alle verschrikkingen van de oorlog wellicht, om te helpen de mensen van verder geweld af te Nederland thuisMet ziJ'n faVoor BeSte b reurtj e ' · werd h e t een fatale ll.lie woonde hiJ. hIJ 1 e t u1·tbreken van de sprong. Van wege de ·· harde wind kwam hiJ irlog in Zwitserland, verkeerd terecht en ,aar weeken uitvervalnaar brak zijn beep op VlJ "f . erika m _.den E 1 d Plaatsen. Op ban •ns hij naarzich nge ~ar als an oor-• en knieën zoch t h lJ b egsvrijwilliger · meld- schermi~.-.-~,~ ~~~-,~,~~-......~?.~~e..~.............................. ..........,. ............•,··········•·.:;,,.~.....· ............ .. . 11 • O' rden. 11 I �,' ,. ·Verzetsheld . . f·, J,BeStehreurtJ~e~ .schaatste in wak ·. 'en verdronk ' ' . Ds. Bestebreurtje in VS overleden Van on.ze ~kredactie ROJ IERDAM - Op 66-jartge lee!tjjd is in Charlottesville (Virginia) de uJt Nederland afkomstige Predikant ds. Arie D. Best.ebreurtje overleden. Ds.- Best.ebreurtje was Predikant van de Presbyteriaanse gemeente in Charlottesville toen hij vrijdag om het leven kwam, nadat hij al schaatsend in een wak was gereden en niet meer tJJdig uit het •water gehaald kon worden. Na een rechtenstudie in Berlijn en Zürich besloot Bestebreurtje na de oor {og theologie te gaan studeren t.n de Verenigde Sta- ten. Dere preéj kant is in Nederland beter bekfmd als 'captain Harry•, onder welke naam hij µi de tweede wereldoorlog als verbindingsoffic~er in ·het Nederlandseleger dr-el nam aan enkele luchtlanàingsoperaties, onder meerbij Nijmegen. Voor zijn verdienste kr-eeg _hij de militaire W1llemsorde. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Adriana B. (Schuurman) Termaat, Peter N. Description An account of the resource Collection contains genealogical, personal, and family papers and photographs documenting the lives and interests of Adriana and Peter Termaat. The bulk of the materials are related to family history and genealogical research carried out by the Termaats, including research notes and materials about places in the Netherlands that were significant to the Termaat and Schuurman families, such as the city of Alkmaar. Other materials in the collection are related to the Termaats' experiences on the eve of and during the Second World War, especially the German occupation of the Netherlands and the Termaats' participation in organized resistance to the Nazis. Also included are materials that document the family's post-war life in the United States, including their public efforts to recognize, commemorate, and honor people and events significant to World War II. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1869 - 2012 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection, RHC-144</a> Subject The topic of the resource Netherlands Netherlands--History--German occupation, 1940-1945 World War, 1939-1945 World War, 1939-1945 -- Underground movements -- Netherlands Dutch Dutch Americans Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text Image Type The nature or genre of the resource application/pdf image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng nl Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144_Termaat_NWS_Captain-Harry-chronicling-Dutch-Resistance Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Mensing, Martin Title A name given to the resource Triest einde voor de man die alle gevaren trotseerde Description An account of the resource Dutch newspaper article about Artie Bestebreurtje. In Dutch. Subject The topic of the resource Dutch World War, 1939-1945 -- Netherlands World War, 1939-1945--Occupied territories Netherlands--History--German occupation, 1940-1945 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection (RHC-144)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/99af03005702c20bab2ca4e1f0d75d41.pdf 9108d2e518246369990be46527c274be PDF Text Text ADL Foundation Honors Righteous Gentiles ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM Assistant Editor braham Kashdan was a 17-year-old Jew in Nazi-occupied Poland. Helen Chorazyczewski was a Catholic who lived next door. On an afternoon in 1942 Abraham knocked on Mrs. Chorazyczewski' s door and -begged for help. "They've 'killed my parents," he cried. "I have no one left. Will you be my family?" A It took Mrs. Chorazyczewski no time to make up her mind. Despite the fact that she was endangering her life, the life of her husband and the life of her teen-age son, Cezary, Mrs. Chorazyczewski let Abraham into her home. She would look after him for years, until Abraham escaped to join the partisans. Her decision to help her neighbor, Mrs. Chorazyc• zewski would later say, was nothing special. It was simp• ly "the Christian thing to do." Today, Mrs. Chorazyczewski lives in Hamtramck. Together with Peter and Adriana Tur· maat of Grand Rapids, who during the war opened their Dutch home to Jews and Allied pilots, Mrs. Chorazyczewski was honored this week with the "Courage to Care" award. Presented by the Anti. Defamation League's Jewish Foundation for Christian Rescuers, the award is given to Righteous Gentiles who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. Guest speaker Abraham Foxman, national director of the ADL, said the Righteous Gentiles had "rescued the conscience and reputation of mankind." They proved that "even in that hell called the Holocaust there was good; there was heroism; there was courage; there was love and compassion, and there was understanding." The Chorazyczewskis' and the Termaats' deeds show, Mr. Foxman said, "that if people have the courage to care, they can change the world." DETROtT JEWISH NEWS Peter Termaat was born in 1914 in Holland. At 18, he joined an anti-Nazi group. He met his future wife, Adriana, in 1936 and mar• ried her three years later. The day the Nazis invaded the Netherlands, the Ter• maats opened their home to a family of six refugees. Later, both Jews and Allied pilots, shot down by the Nazis, would find shelter in their house. Throughout the war, the Termaats stole ration cards to feed refugees and helped Jews out of the country. Once while helping a German-Jewish couple escape via train, the Termaats found themselves riding in the same compartment with a Nazi officer. The Termaats, along with their four children, settled in 1952 in Grand Rapids. After receiving his award, Mr. Termaat told those in the audience they must continually warn of the dangers of totalitarianism. He addressed audience members as "brothers and sisters" Continued on Page 22 JUM O7 199~ \ �... J EWW DETROIT" "Ew1sH Nis . . I.. 1cOCAL: N . ·JIii Q.,_ 1991 . Righteous Gentiles Continu~ from Page 1 "- · 1 ·~ and said that when he mar- j • ried, the minister recited the • 146th Psalm: "Happy is the man who has the God of Jacob for his help." Mrs. Chorazyczewski, supported by her son Cezary, was in tears when the son of Abraham Kashdan, the teen-ager whose life she saved, approached her during j the award presentation. : Photos of Mr . . Kashdan l_. covered a poster in the hall •1.<where the program was held. t, , Several pictures showed Mr. !: · Kashdan as a child with his I'. . parents and grandparents. Another photo, hand colored, 1.. showed him as a young man 1; . who closely resembled actor !! Gary Cooper. · · Near the Kashdan poster Abraham Foxman::~ .,.\ .-· was a different pl acard, . I Righieous Gentiles '. 'rescued the. showing those Jews who did j·,~ conscience and reputation_of.! not find a Mrs. Chorazyc- 11 mankind.i'" ~.b€t'.!;~::,J 11' zewski, an Adriana or Peterl ~ o:> ',i(,Jfmif1'.4°' ·os ed ·,o 1 t' 'Thrmaat. Men, women and ~ r "My father used to . say, children lay broken and !'' 'Everything. in excess is no .bludgeoned in ~ mass Nazi . good,'.'.'. Mr.I Foxman ' said. grave. · · · - · j 1 "It was too' much love that For the AOL's Mr. Fox-!~ ledtothattragedyl,;wb-,dtf.• man, this week's ceremony;' Joseph and Hele~ F o ~ was more than: just another · t r ied . to maintain contact speaking engagement. ~e,,: l. :witl?, the.nanny, sending her too, was saved by a gentile 1 ; letter s . and packages from during the Holocaust. When the United States, but she ;, .never responded. In 1958, · It was simply "the ' ~ the correspondence . was no · Christian thing to · I · ' longer accepted, and t~e do" ! . f~ ly assumed the w,o~ • · • died. .. · •• : ·7°,, ::.• ·:,•"i . · - 0 1. never had the oppor: the Nazis invaded · t unity to thank or acknowlLithuania, Mr. Foxman's edge her,'·.'~ Mr. Foxm an said. D -;,; . father, Joseph, and mother, Helen, were ordered to the Vilna Ghetto. Their son, Abraham, was 2. ·I "My parents made a deci~ sion they could never ex: ; · plain," he said. "They decid- • · ed to leave me with my · nanny." I -, Mr. Foxman said he doesn't think his parents ever imagined the war would last for so long, or could conceive the curious set of circumstances that would follow his placement with the nanny. · I l 7 • · .Both Mr . Foxman's parents survived the war · and came looking for their · son in 1945, when J oseph was liberated from a concentration camp in Estonia. But the nanny was not about to. give Abraham up. "He belongs to me," she said. · The Foxmans were forced to go to court to regain: custody of their son -a vie-: tory that was short -lived. After being reunited with his parents in Poland, Abraham was kidnapped by his. -.._Jlanny. Later, his parents:. managed to get their son: " back and immigrated to the: United States. I ' � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Adriana B. (Schuurman) Termaat, Peter N. Description An account of the resource Collection contains genealogical, personal, and family papers and photographs documenting the lives and interests of Adriana and Peter Termaat. The bulk of the materials are related to family history and genealogical research carried out by the Termaats, including research notes and materials about places in the Netherlands that were significant to the Termaat and Schuurman families, such as the city of Alkmaar. Other materials in the collection are related to the Termaats' experiences on the eve of and during the Second World War, especially the German occupation of the Netherlands and the Termaats' participation in organized resistance to the Nazis. Also included are materials that document the family's post-war life in the United States, including their public efforts to recognize, commemorate, and honor people and events significant to World War II. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1869 - 2012 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection, RHC-144</a> Subject The topic of the resource Netherlands Netherlands--History--German occupation, 1940-1945 World War, 1939-1945 World War, 1939-1945 -- Underground movements -- Netherlands Dutch Dutch Americans Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text Image Type The nature or genre of the resource application/pdf image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng nl Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144_Termaat_NWS_1991-06-07-Detroit-Jewish-News-Righteous-Gentiles Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Applebaum, Elizabeth Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1991-06-07 Title A name given to the resource ADL Foundation honors Righteous Gentiles Description An account of the resource Newspaper article photocopy from the Detroit Jewish News about the Yad Vashem Righteous Gentiles award. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource The Detroit Jewish News Subject The topic of the resource World War, 1939-1945 -- Jews -- Rescue Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) -- Europe Righteous Gentiles in the Holocaust Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection (RHC-144)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/3255ae73c042cf43d6c626677e22353f.pdf 6c207a3b2a858194625dcd450c5c65f1 PDF Text Text Tuesday, June 4, 1991 • Hidden children lreak their silence They thank those who kept Nazis away BY DAVID CRUMM Free Press Religion Writer When Gisele Feldman pulls out the photos from World War II, she no longer is a retired French teacher living safely in Farmington Hills. Suddenly, she is a scared little Jewish girl, desperately trying to hide from the Nazis. At age 8 in France, Feldman was separated from her parents and admitted to a children's clinic by a ~ - ...•-kind-hearted doctor. The doctor treated her for several years for · .:. rickets and passed her off to au. thorities as a Catholic. That was half a century ago, but as she told the bittersweet story on Monday in the Southfield offices of the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith (ADL), she broke down in tears. "I told myself I would not cry • about this. I didn't wantto cry," said Feldman, 60. Abraham Foxman, who also was hidden as a child during the war and now is the ADL's national director, hugged Feldman as she wept. Moments later, as Feldman returned to looking at photos of seven of her relatives who died in the gas chambers of Auschwitz, the emotion rushed in again. "It's fine," Foxman murmured, holding Feldman's hands. "It's all right." Foxman understands the intense hold the Holocaust still has on Jewish children who were hidden and survived the war. Last week in New York, Foxman and Feldman participated in the First International Gathering of Children Hidden During World War II. "As hidden children, it took us a long while to break our silence about our experiences," Foxman said. The famous story of Anne Frank, who was concealed in an , attic, may not have been as common as the Jewish children hidden by Christian rescuers who adopted them and changed their identities. At age 2, Foxman was saved from the Nazis by a nanny who baptized him a Catholic and claimed to be his mother. After the war, his real parents had to wage a traumatic legal battle to reclaim him. Many of the Christians who rescued fleeing Jewish families also have remained silent, largely because they did not consider their actions heroic. "You tell these people they're heroes and they say, 'We're not heroes; we didn't do anything,' " Foxman said. "These people are common folks who didn't debate whether to help, didn't discuss it, didn't rationalize it. They saw human beings in need and they risked their lives to help." Under Foxman's leadership, the ADL launched the Jewish Foundation for Christian Rescuers in 1988. Tonight at the Jewish Community Center in West Bloomfield Township, Foxman and others will ~lebrate the creation of a Michigan chapter and honor two Michigan families of rescuers: the Termaats and the Chorazyczewskis. Peter and Adrienna Termaat, now in their 70s, were a young couple in the Netherlands with a 13day-old son when Germany invaded their country. They helped countless Jewish men, women and children escape the Nazis. They now live in Grand Rapids. Helen and lgnacy Chorazyczewski concealed a Jewish teenager in their barn in Poland and also enlisted their oldest son, Ce1.ary, in caring for the boy. After nearly 18 months, they helped the boy escape. lgnacy Chorazyczewski has died, but his wife, who is 85, lives in Hamtramck. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Adriana B. (Schuurman) Termaat, Peter N. Description An account of the resource Collection contains genealogical, personal, and family papers and photographs documenting the lives and interests of Adriana and Peter Termaat. The bulk of the materials are related to family history and genealogical research carried out by the Termaats, including research notes and materials about places in the Netherlands that were significant to the Termaat and Schuurman families, such as the city of Alkmaar. Other materials in the collection are related to the Termaats' experiences on the eve of and during the Second World War, especially the German occupation of the Netherlands and the Termaats' participation in organized resistance to the Nazis. Also included are materials that document the family's post-war life in the United States, including their public efforts to recognize, commemorate, and honor people and events significant to World War II. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1869 - 2012 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection, RHC-144</a> Subject The topic of the resource Netherlands Netherlands--History--German occupation, 1940-1945 World War, 1939-1945 World War, 1939-1945 -- Underground movements -- Netherlands Dutch Dutch Americans Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text Image Type The nature or genre of the resource application/pdf image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng nl Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144_Termaat_NWS_1991-06-04-Hidden-children-break-their-silence Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Crumm, David Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1991-06-04 Title A name given to the resource Hidden children break their silence Description An account of the resource Newspaper article about hidden children during World War II, and honoring those who rescued and assisted them. Subject The topic of the resource Dutch Americans World War, 1939-1945 -- Jews -- Rescue Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) -- Europe Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection (RHC-144)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/81a9c6d05960b29d21bc0e1f47f5b73b.pdf 2f3deb232c425fdb674996854d317579 PDF Text Text The Detroit News -- Monday Section B . , ' . OBITUARIES 3E .. : MORE LOCAL NEWS 3E JUNE 3, 1991 Jews to honor.couple. who risked allto save.their lives ~ helped people the Nazis hunted in .Ho~lan~. ~r THE DETROIT NEWS If the Nazis had caught Peter and Adrienna Termaat hiding Jews during World War II, the young Chris- awardabecausesomanyothen1dkho tian couple officially would have been much more," said Termaat, 77, wh.o labeled as Jewish and killed as ene- with his wife will receive the Courage· mies of Adolf Hitler. to Care Award at 7:30 p.m. in the It was a risk the Termaats dared Jewish Community Center, West ' Bloomfield Township. to tak e on f81'th · "B ut then you rea . 1·1ze th·1s gives ' . .'. rhey ferried Jews m and out of .. you a chance to publicize what haptheir Holland home and the homes of pened," Termaat said. "It gives us a ot~er members .of the underground chance to tell people that if they r~s1stance. Their eff~rts saved the really live their faith, they should hves of co~ntless JeWish men, wom- never say no to a situation like (the en ai:td children. · · · one we faced)." On Tuesday evening, Metro De- , In addition, lgnacy, Helen and troit's Jewish community will honor Cezary Chorazyczewski, who also the Termaats, who now live in Grand rescued Jews, will be honored. The Rapids, and other rescuers who Chorazyczewskis now live in Michibrought moments of light and hope gan. to one of history's darkest periods. The awards also honor the victory "At first, you are loath to accep~ of good over evil, said Abraham \, 1 .,, •-+M ......, 11 . ~t ....1.~.S~:~~~ ¼·l ~G Hi t ....•....,,._ ..._•_.!" :.:., • ' •: ' • \ ! ,•• ' ,' i ( . . ' ... Have~: Peter Termaat and wife, :Adrienna:· :.,:_:,: Br Kate Desmet t ' , · ., " . ,, . · ••' ··· . Foxman, national director:·or '. the Anti-Defamation Leaguer --Who will be the ceremony's keynote speaker. Foxman survived the Holocaust as a child because his Catholic nanny hid him for four years in Poland. . ·· "For years, HoIocaust survivors have borne witness to the magnitude of evil that man· is capable of," Foxman said. · "It is very important for that to be recorded and documented. But the . . message ·of hidden children like my~ self is not one of death and hate and .. evil, but one of life and love. Each :', one of us can tell about one or two or • three people who rejected· evil :and risked their lives to save another , . ..,::,:;} RODGER D. GARRISON/ Auociated Preu • :\1 ,,:~'. I •' I ~ ' ' ', · Peter and Adrlenlia Termaat &Jived .Jews during the war. In DePlease see Holocaust , 2B / trolt-~ ••'on Tuesday, .the'y'll be honored by•a grateful community. • • • .. ., ., ,' I , . -~ , • . • ~ ~ �Holocaust: Jews will honor couple who saved Jna:q.y lives From page 1B human being. . · "It's a testimony to human decency." ·. The Termaats, members of the Reformed Church of America, said their religious roots spurred their heroic acts. ."It was not that we thought a long time about what we should do," Termaat said. "We _just acted on what we saw happening. Here we'd lived in a country where freedom of religion and civil liberties had always been allowed and all of a sudden they were being violated. ' "The Nazis were interfering with Jews at the university and where Jews were living. That had never happened in Holland before." The Termaats, whose first baby was born only 13 days before the Germans marched into Holland in 1940, immediately became active in the underground. By day, Termaat was an accountant. At night, he was active in setting up safe houses for Jews and downed Allied pilots, while his wife cared for Jews who regularly appeared and disappeared from their home with doctored passports and identification papers. One day, as Termaat strode to work in the town of Alkmaar, north of Amsterdam, his minister called out to him. "He told me that a school principal in another town was hiding a young Jewish couple but he couldn't do it any longer," Termaat said. "He asked if I would be willing to help out." ·, . . So Termaat and a local carpenter traveled by train on a dangerous journey to pick up the frightened • couple, who had been engaged to · marry when they fled Germany. "They were amazed to see us and to see that we were willing to take them with us (back to Alkmaar)." But when they-got off the train on their return, the Gestapo stopped the rescuers, who were carrying bags of apples. "The Gestapo knew we did not have apple trees in northern Holland and he wanted to know where we'd gotten them from," Termaat said. "So we just told him they were from friends of ours. "I admired the presence of mind of the Jewish couple. When they saw us get stopped, they just kept walking past us as if they didn't know who we were. The Gestapo eventually let us go and we got the couple into a safe house. They survived the war, got married and saw peace come to the land." . Foxman said society must salute such heroics. · "The majority of people (during the war) were either apathetic, fearful or participated in the Nazi persecution," he said. "Today, living in a time where life is cheap and there is so much violence, we can celebrate life and goodness by honoring the people who showed such great courage in the face of evil.". · � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Adriana B. (Schuurman) Termaat, Peter N. Description An account of the resource Collection contains genealogical, personal, and family papers and photographs documenting the lives and interests of Adriana and Peter Termaat. The bulk of the materials are related to family history and genealogical research carried out by the Termaats, including research notes and materials about places in the Netherlands that were significant to the Termaat and Schuurman families, such as the city of Alkmaar. Other materials in the collection are related to the Termaats' experiences on the eve of and during the Second World War, especially the German occupation of the Netherlands and the Termaats' participation in organized resistance to the Nazis. Also included are materials that document the family's post-war life in the United States, including their public efforts to recognize, commemorate, and honor people and events significant to World War II. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1869 - 2012 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection, RHC-144</a> Subject The topic of the resource Netherlands Netherlands--History--German occupation, 1940-1945 World War, 1939-1945 World War, 1939-1945 -- Underground movements -- Netherlands Dutch Dutch Americans Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text Image Type The nature or genre of the resource application/pdf image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng nl Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144_Termaat_NWS_1991-06-03-Detroit-News-Courage-to-Care-Award Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource DeSmet, Kate Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1991-06-03 Title A name given to the resource Jews to honor couple who risked all to save their lives Description An account of the resource Newspaper article about Pieter and Adriana Termaat's receipt of the Courage to Care Award at the Jewish Community Center in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource The Detroit News Subject The topic of the resource Dutch Americans World War, 1939-1945 -- Jews -- Rescue Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection (RHC-144)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/9cb8e4d32b43676ea32d4ea1a4390418.pdf 845b19ea4de7822c385ad3169fa2c8b1 PDF Text Text . . ·: , ..· ' ·.. .. ,,•· . •: ~ -- ADL Creates~·Group · >·-•· .· To Support.-~es_c uers .·. Th_e Michigan Office of the: · · tional director of the AntiAnti-Defamation League has Defamation League, and the created a Michigan Chapter _ : presentation •. of ADL's of the Jewish Foundation For. · ·· Courage 'To . Care awards to Christian : Rescuers. Linda· Peter N. and Adrienna B/TorSoberman, president of the maat; and to Ignacy, Helen , Michigan board of the ADL, . and Cezary Chorazyczewski, · i appointed Fran Gross who saved Jews from the (Linden) chair of the new Nazis during the Holocaust. group, which will hold a kick- . · The Jewish Foundation for : off event 6 p.m. June 4 at the Christian Rescuers provides Holocaust Memorial Center. monthly grants to over 700 A private viewing of the needy rescuers in 13 memorial center will be countries. followed by a talk by For ticket information, call Abraham H. Foxman, nathe ADL office, 355-3730. DETROIT JEWISH NEWS . ..,·.. ·MAY 3 11991 . � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Adriana B. (Schuurman) Termaat, Peter N. Description An account of the resource Collection contains genealogical, personal, and family papers and photographs documenting the lives and interests of Adriana and Peter Termaat. The bulk of the materials are related to family history and genealogical research carried out by the Termaats, including research notes and materials about places in the Netherlands that were significant to the Termaat and Schuurman families, such as the city of Alkmaar. Other materials in the collection are related to the Termaats' experiences on the eve of and during the Second World War, especially the German occupation of the Netherlands and the Termaats' participation in organized resistance to the Nazis. Also included are materials that document the family's post-war life in the United States, including their public efforts to recognize, commemorate, and honor people and events significant to World War II. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1869 - 2012 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection, RHC-144</a> Subject The topic of the resource Netherlands Netherlands--History--German occupation, 1940-1945 World War, 1939-1945 World War, 1939-1945 -- Underground movements -- Netherlands Dutch Dutch Americans Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text Image Type The nature or genre of the resource application/pdf image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng nl Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144_Termaat_NWS_1991-05-31-ADL-Create-Support-Group Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Detroit Jewish News Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1991-05-31 Title A name given to the resource ADL Creates Group to Support Rescuers Description An account of the resource Photocopy of newspaper clipping about Anti-Defamation League support group for Christian rescuers. Subject The topic of the resource Anti-Defamation League World War, 1939-1945 -- Jews -- Rescue Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection (RHC-144)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/1306ce9c53219e8c08612e4f19d88861.pdf 0c92c5df40d33df3e4bc3f0728e345ea PDF Text Text He reinemhers his 58 Marines It was surreal, slow motion: just like the movies. The Rev. Robert Bedingfield had just come into a clearing of the jungle with his outfit of Marines. (His Marines. He had come to think of them that way.) And then: Contact! Three North Vietnamese machine gunners plugging a way - tat-tat-tat, tat-tattat - a company of 44 Americans pinned to the ground with bullets whizzing over their heads. Suddenly, Bedingfield realizes, the lieutenant commander is down with blood pumping from his chest. This is the guy in charge. And just as suddenly, Bedingfield is in charge, barking orders, sending a man around behind to take out the machine gunners threatening his Marines. Bedingfield is telling me this calmly, voice steady, 22 years removed from the scene, sitting in his office· at Central Reformed Church. He is a pastor there now. I am asking about Memorial Day. I'm listening intently, knowing the background, wondering how it all worksout in the erui. 'llljj.is a -man, I know, who does not believe there can be a moral war. He had preached that when he was senior Protestant chaplain at the Naval Academy in Annapolis. Vietnam, he thinks, is as unjust as they get. Nevertheless, he volunteered to go there. And then, back to the picture of him carrying this wounded lieutenant commander on his shoulder, watching a North Vietnamese grenade spin on the ground a few yards in front of him. Grenade exploded across his flak jacket It explodes across Bedingfield's flak jacket, wounding him. He puts the lieutenant on a stretcher rotating upward toward a helicopter, the bullets pinging off the bottom of the metal beast. Soon the machine gunners are gone. So is the man Bedingfield sent to take them out. He is dead. The lieutenant survived. Fifty-seven others from his outfit also die during the chaplain's two-year stint in Southeast Asia. "Most of those 58 died with me present," he says. "I was rabbi, priest, minister. After a while the smell of the warm blood gets in your nostrils in a way that's almost haunting." Haunting: He means it literally. He went back to Vietnam this January, along with a group of some 20 Calvin College students and Charles Strikwerda, also a Vietnam vet, of the college's political science department. They traveled through a better part of the country, watching and learning and finding out that for the Vietnamese, the war is over. At one point, Bedingfield met a man named Nuygen Huoung. A professor now, speaking perfect English, Huoung had served in the North Vietnamese army. The two men found out they had been wounded at the same place, one day apart, on opposite sides of the enemy dividing line. "That was the beginning of the exorcising of the demons," Bedingfield said. In the Oliver Stone movie, "Platoon," the enemy, the North Vietnamese, never have faces, Bedingfield said. It is only after they are dead that you can make t their human.featur.esr The enemy was speaking in English Now, finally, _here was a face: the enemy, speaking in "beautifully clipped" Oxford English. They began to talk. Bedingfield got a sense for the absolute poverty of the North Vietnamese. They were fighting the war with a different sense of urgency than America had. For them, it was survival. "We could bring in all the technology in the world and we still couldn't win," Bedingfield said. The cost was tremendous. More than 2,300 Americans unaccounted for; more than 200,000 Vietnamese. Losses? More than 58,000 Americans; some 1.7 million North Vietnamese. And still, for Bedingfield and many other Americans, the nagging question: Why were we there? Back to Memorial Day: "Memorial Day calls me as a Christian to the , primary loyalty of asking who is Lord," Bedingfield said. "If Jesus is Lord, I have to be courageous enough to stand tall on those things in life that are worth dying for." . Yes, I asked, but how did you make sense of all this? How did all of this square with being the minister of a message of love and peace? It didn't, really, Bedingfield said. But if this war was going to happen - and it clearly was - somebody had to be there with that message. That is why every Memorial Day, it's mostly the 58 Marines - his Marines - that Bedingfield remembers. "I have a sense that God stands with these 58 I knew with outstretched, loving arms and says clearly, 'It was pretty awful, wasn't it?' " Bedingfield said. "And then he welcomes them home." � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Adriana B. (Schuurman) Termaat, Peter N. Description An account of the resource Collection contains genealogical, personal, and family papers and photographs documenting the lives and interests of Adriana and Peter Termaat. The bulk of the materials are related to family history and genealogical research carried out by the Termaats, including research notes and materials about places in the Netherlands that were significant to the Termaat and Schuurman families, such as the city of Alkmaar. Other materials in the collection are related to the Termaats' experiences on the eve of and during the Second World War, especially the German occupation of the Netherlands and the Termaats' participation in organized resistance to the Nazis. Also included are materials that document the family's post-war life in the United States, including their public efforts to recognize, commemorate, and honor people and events significant to World War II. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1869 - 2012 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection, RHC-144</a> Subject The topic of the resource Netherlands Netherlands--History--German occupation, 1940-1945 World War, 1939-1945 World War, 1939-1945 -- Underground movements -- Netherlands Dutch Dutch Americans Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text Image Type The nature or genre of the resource application/pdf image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng nl Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144_Termaat_NWS_1990-05-26-Marines Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Golder, Ed Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1990-05-26 Title A name given to the resource He remembers his 58 Marines Description An account of the resource Newspaper clipping about Rev. Robert Bedingfield, a Protestant chaplain at the Naval Academy in Annapolis during the Vietnam War. Subject The topic of the resource Military chaplains -- United States -- History -- 20th century Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection (RHC-144)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/2e5101e86365d5933f60085593535348.pdf 1d23f6f8560e61c6c2c53f7e766e371b PDF Text Text 86 SATURDAY MAY 19 1990 0 THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS There are thousands of 'righteous Gentiles' By Peter Steinfels The New York Times PRINCETON, N.Y. - Do people like Marion Pritchard hold a vital clue to the moral education of future generations? In 1942, Marion Pritchard was a Dutch student of social work who was horrified to see Nazis loading the residents of a Jewish children's home into a truck for deportation. She was soon finding hiding places for Jews, obtaining false identity papers, food, clothing, ration cards and medical care. One day a Dutch Nazi policeman surprised her as she was releasing several children from a hiding place beneath the floorboards of a country house 20 miles east of Amsterdam. "I had a small revolver that a friend had given me, but I had never planned to use it," she said. "I felt I had no choice. "I would do it again, under the same circumstances, but it still bothers me." She killed the Nazi. A cooperative undertaker disposed of the body. It is not easy to imagine a lethal weapon in Pritchard's hands. Last week Pritchard, a slender, whitehaired Vermonter, read aloud a paper at a conference on "Moral Courage During the Holocaust and in a Post-Holocaust World." Only once did she falter, overcome by recollections. "You never know when these things will get to you," she said. About 8,000 people like Marion Pritchard, a psychoanalyst, have been recognized and honored by Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem. The Enclyclopedia of the Holocaust says there may have been 20,000 such "Righteous Gentiles." Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis, who has tirelessly campaigned since 1962 for identifying and honoring rescuers of the Holocaust era, says that there may be 50,000 - or even 500,000. Many rescuers' names were unknown to the Jews they aided. Many names were lost to memory because, ultimately, neither rescuers nor beneficiaries survived - or if they did survive, they wanted only to put the horror of those years behind them. But by even the most generous estimate, only one out of 400 Europeans at that time was a rescuer; by more sober estimates, they were fewer than one out of 4,000. Sadly, rescuers are honored because they were so few, not so many. But honors are not enough. Some rescuers are elderly and in need. Four years ago the Jewish Foundation for Christian Rescuers was established, and it is riow a project of the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith. The foundation gives monthly grants to hundreds of people in 13 countries around the world and recruits volunteers to provide non-financial assistance. The foundation is also dedicated to learning from the rescuers and trying to incorporate those people's val,ues into the moral education of the next generation. That was why the foundation sponsored last week's conference at Princeton University. Learning from the rescuers' example can be difficult. For two decades, social scientists have interviewed rescuers in a search for patterns of personality, motivation or belief that might explain why they people acted as so many others did not. Scholars have highlighted the role of strong parental models and close family attachments, firm religious and ideological convictions, personal traits like adventurousness, the experience of being socially marginal, and friendships with Jews. Goodness, like evil, is a mystery that escapes ready explanation. Rescuers display an extraordinary range of personalities and motivations. There were those without strong parental identification, those who drifted passively and gradually into aiding Jews - there were even those who shared the prejudices of anti-Semitic backgrounds. . Some acted out of empathy with the victims, some out of enmity for the Nazis. Some acted to emulate their parents, or to serve God, or to sav~ their self-respect, or simply because they were asked to act: In the most unpromising soil, human decency took root. Scholars of the subject say that the variety of human motivations is not a reason to abandon the effort to understand the rescuers or to hand their values down to the young. But after learning of the contrasting currents directing the rescuers, the seekers have turned back to what the psychologist Perry London, a pioneering researcher in the area, called "some simple lessons and imperatives for moral education that are all the more important for their lack of novelty." ' The goal is to make compassion and courage habitual, the methods ancient: example, inspiration, instruction. The researchers and educators stressed the importance of instilling what Pearl and Samuel Oliner, who wrote "The Altruistic Personality" have termed "the habits of care." For the rescuers, decency was ordinary. For them, said Philip P. I Hallie, whose book, "Lest Innocent Blood Be Shed," told how a French Protestant village saved thousands of Jews, decency was "like breathing in and breathing out." London admitted that these simple lessons are also exceedingly complex. "Everyone in principle is for compassion and for courage," he said. But encouraging compassion and courage may not always be comfortable; he said it may require "education in participation and responsibility, but it may also require education in deviance and defiance of power and authority." Young people get a moral education in families and churches, on playgrounds and in front of television sets. But moral education in public schools was particularly on the mind of the conference's organizers. The conference ,at Princeton offered at least a partial suggestionthat the stories of the rescuers be told in classrooms. "Goodness is as teachable as is evil," Rabbi Schulweis said. ~----~-~~-~----------L_. ~--~ � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Adriana B. (Schuurman) Termaat, Peter N. Description An account of the resource Collection contains genealogical, personal, and family papers and photographs documenting the lives and interests of Adriana and Peter Termaat. The bulk of the materials are related to family history and genealogical research carried out by the Termaats, including research notes and materials about places in the Netherlands that were significant to the Termaat and Schuurman families, such as the city of Alkmaar. Other materials in the collection are related to the Termaats' experiences on the eve of and during the Second World War, especially the German occupation of the Netherlands and the Termaats' participation in organized resistance to the Nazis. Also included are materials that document the family's post-war life in the United States, including their public efforts to recognize, commemorate, and honor people and events significant to World War II. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1869 - 2012 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection, RHC-144</a> Subject The topic of the resource Netherlands Netherlands--History--German occupation, 1940-1945 World War, 1939-1945 World War, 1939-1945 -- Underground movements -- Netherlands Dutch Dutch Americans Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text Image Type The nature or genre of the resource application/pdf image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng nl Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144_Termaat_NWS_1990-05-19-righteous-Gentiles Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Steinfels, Peter Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1990-05-19 Title A name given to the resource There are thousands of 'righteous Gentiles' Description An account of the resource Grand Rapids Press newspaper clipping, article about the Yad Vashem honoring of "righteous Gentiles." Subject The topic of the resource Righteous Gentiles in the Holocaust World War, 1939-1945 -- Jews -- Rescue Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection (RHC-144)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives