The fallen resistance people in Limburg

Sjef Janssen
(Joseph Jean Elise)

Sjef Janssen was an office employee of a mine [1#1], a member of the Smits group and of the international resistance group and escape line Dutch-Paris [2], as were his uncle Joseph Lejeune and Jean Caubo
From August 1940, the organist of the Reformed Church in Heerlen, J.J.E. Janssen, received a copy of every issue of “Vrij Nederland” by post. It is not known from whom. Janssen owned a spirit duplicator with which he reproduced the magazine in a run of some hundred copies. He probably received photos of the royal family in the same way. These were reproduced by members of the Smit group, to which Janssen belonged and which was involved in the distribution of “Vrij Nederland” in South Limburg. In addition to the members of the Smit group, Janssen also involved his brother in faith in Maastricht A.H. van Mansum in the distribution at the end of 1940. Through betrayal, the Sipo succeeded in busting the Smit group on February 2, 1942.Sjef was also arrested [3]
Sjef was also arrested on February 2, 1942 and taken to Maastricht prison. On May 9, 1942 to the transit camp Amersfoort and on July 8 to Hamburg Neuengamme. Died on March 29, 1943 in Neuengamme concentration camp "of pneumonia" and was cremated. [1#3][4].
Joseph Jean Elise ( Sjef ) Janssen is listed in the Erelijst 1940-1945 (Honor Roll of the Dutch Parliament). [5]

Footnotes

1. Archief Oorlogsgravenstichting (@ Nationaal archief), Dossier Sjef Janssen • #1• #3
2. 1. Dutch-Paris
   2. Wikipedia • Nederlands • Deutsch • English • Français
3. Dr. F. Cammaert, Het Verborgen Front – Geschiedenis van de georganiseerde illegaliteit in de provincie Limburg tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog. Doctorale scriptie 1994, Groningen
   Hoofdst. 11, Illegale pers $II.1.1. Vrij Nederland: Limburg, p.1041
4. Digitaal Monument Neuengamme
5. Erelijst 1940-1945
6. Oorlogsgravenstichting.nl