One day, while I was in
Barsingerhorn, German SS troops arrived at our house in Bussum. They
rang the doorbell early in the morning, demanding to speak to Father. He was suspected of taking in money from the Resistance, though this was not
the case. He was ordered to come with them.
Father asked if he could dress first. Permission was granted. When he didn't come back downstairs, they were infuriated to find him shaving!
Meanwhile, the soldiers turned the house upside down. Luckily they didn't find the secret drawer in Father’s desk where he had hidden an old revolver and a box of bullets. He had inherited them from his father many years before and had never bothered to get a permit. If the SS had discovered them, they would almost certainly have had Father shot that same week.
Father asked if he could dress first. Permission was granted. When he didn't come back downstairs, they were infuriated to find him shaving!
Meanwhile, the soldiers turned the house upside down. Luckily they didn't find the secret drawer in Father’s desk where he had hidden an old revolver and a box of bullets. He had inherited them from his father many years before and had never bothered to get a permit. If the SS had discovered them, they would almost certainly have had Father shot that same week.
When the SS were satisfied there was no money
in the house, the soldiers took Father to a villa in Hilversum that was being used as SS Headquarters. From there they drove him to Scheveningen by car.
On arrival in The Hague, they got completely lost because of the recent total destruction of the Bezuidenhout neighbourhood. The Allies had recently mistakenly bombed the area, instead of the Haagse Bos, a large wooded area from where the Germans would launch V2 rockets aimed at London.
Father showed his captors the way after they told him they wanted to take him to the prison in Scheveningen.
On arrival, the officer in charge stepped out of the car and entered the building, leaving the driver and a soldier to guard Father.
Eventually the officer returned and ordered the driver to return to Hilversum, back to the villa they had left in the morning. After a long wait, Father was summoned into a room. Behind a candlelit table – there was no electricity anymore – he faced a row of SS officers. After a long interrogation, Father was told he could return home. They gave him an Ausweis authorising him to be out after curfew and turned him out on the street.
Long after midnight he arrived back home in Bussum, having walked all the way home. Mother had been worried sick all day. But knowing Father, I suspect his outing had given him quite a kick.
On arrival in The Hague, they got completely lost because of the recent total destruction of the Bezuidenhout neighbourhood. The Allies had recently mistakenly bombed the area, instead of the Haagse Bos, a large wooded area from where the Germans would launch V2 rockets aimed at London.
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| German V2 rocket on mobile launch installation. Source: http://www.bb45.nl/en/the-bombardment |
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| The devastation of the Bezuidenhout neighbourhood in The Hague. The Allies mistakenly bombed this area on March 3, 1945, rather than the Haagse Bos, 1.2km away. Source: http://www.bb45.nl/en/the-bombardment |
Excerpt from Algemeen Handelsblad, March 14, 1945
Father showed his captors the way after they told him they wanted to take him to the prison in Scheveningen.
On arrival, the officer in charge stepped out of the car and entered the building, leaving the driver and a soldier to guard Father.
Eventually the officer returned and ordered the driver to return to Hilversum, back to the villa they had left in the morning. After a long wait, Father was summoned into a room. Behind a candlelit table – there was no electricity anymore – he faced a row of SS officers. After a long interrogation, Father was told he could return home. They gave him an Ausweis authorising him to be out after curfew and turned him out on the street.
Long after midnight he arrived back home in Bussum, having walked all the way home. Mother had been worried sick all day. But knowing Father, I suspect his outing had given him quite a kick.
After the war ended, Father was asked
if he would testify in defense of the officer who had taken him to Scheveningen, on
the grounds that he had secured Father’s release.
Father agreed, but mentioned that the incident occurred just before the collapse of the Occupation and the officer must have been aware of the impending fall of the Third Reich. Father was never actually required to testify.
Father agreed, but mentioned that the incident occurred just before the collapse of the Occupation and the officer must have been aware of the impending fall of the Third Reich. Father was never actually required to testify.
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