The fallen resistance people in Limburg

Willy Putman
(Willem Joseph Alouis)

Oorlogsgravenstichting

Willy Putman was a cook. He was arrested on August 20, 1944 and transferred from here to Amersfoort and from there to Germany because he refused to work for the Germans.
He had already been in Germany once before, but had fled back to the Netherlands and was arrested again a few months later, with the above-mentioned result. [1#6]
Where he then went into hiding is not mentioned. According to those who compiled the list of killed resistance fighters for the memorial in Valkenburg, this escape was apparently a reason to include him as well. Therefore, until we know more, he is counted here as part of the unorganized resistance, see above.
After his arrest, he was transferred to Meppen-Versen via Amersfoort: Between August 26, 1944 and September 8, 1944, Wilhelmus Josephus Alouisius Putman was imprisoned in the Amersfoort concentration camp. [2]
He ended up in the Versen concentration camp between Meppen and Klazienaveen in the Dutch province of Drenthe. This was a satellite camp of the Neuengamme system. In the period from November 16, 1944 to March 25, 1945, 1800-3000 prisoners had to work there on the construction of defensive fortifications (Friesenwall project). [3]
His mortal remains may lie in a mass grave in the camp cemetery in Versen (now the memorial Kriegsgräberstätte Versen). [4]
Consequently, a group of French experts were unable to locate them. [1#9]
According to vriendenkringneuengamme.nl/, he died during an evacuation transport from Versen to the Neuengamme main camp. [5]
These transports took place all over Germany towards the end of the war, fleeing from the advancing Allied armies. Often even on foot. Their aim was to kill the weak prisoners (i.e. almost all of them) on the way through exhaustion, and to distribute them as widely as possible in order to cover up the crimes of the SS. This is why these transports are also referred to as death marches, even if they were carried out by rail. [6]
It was probably also intended to take Willy - if he had survived - on board the cargo ships Thielbek or Athen or the huge cruise liner Cap Arcona, which were anchored in the Bay of Lübeck. Thousands of Neungamme prisoners were taken there. Most of them did not survive the provoked catastrophe of May 3, 1945. [7]
In any case, it is not correct that he is buried on the Dutch Field of Honor in Osnabrück, as is stated on the master card of his file in the OGS archive, as he is not mentioned there. [1#1][8]
He is not forgotten in his home town of Maastricht either. Perhaps there will be a stumbling stone for him there one day. [9]

Footnotes

1. Archief Oorlogsgravenstichting (@ Nationaal archief),
   Dossier Willy Putman • #1 • #6 • #9
2. oorlogsbronnen.nl, tijdlijn Wilhelmus Putman
3. Meppen-Versen, kz-gedenkstaette-neuengamme.de • Deutsch • English • Français
4. • oorlogsgravenstichting.nl Lagerfriedhof Versen
   • gedenkstaette-esterwegen.de Kriegsgräberstätte Versen
   • OpenStreetMap Kriegsgräberstätte Versen
5. monument.vriendenkringneuengamme.nl Wilhelmus Josephus A. Putman
6. Todesmärsche, Wikipedia • Nederlands • Deutsch • English • Français • Español
7. 3-5-1945 Lübecker Bucht, Cap Arcona, Thielbek & Athen
   1. KZ-Gedenkstätte Neuengamme: • Untergang der KZ-Häftlingsschiffe • Sinking of prisoner ships • Naufrage des bateaux de détenus
   2. Wikipedia • Nederlands • Deutsch • English • Français • Português
8. oorlogsgravenstichting.nl Nederlands Ereveld Osnabrück
9. 1. Mestreech online.nl
   2. maastrichtsegevelstenen.nl
10. Oorlogsgravenstichting.nl