The fallen resistance people in Limburg
pers.Valkenburg 1940-1945

Giel Berix
(Jan Willem)

Wikipedia NL

Since september 10, 1933, Giel Berix was a kapelaan (in the Netherlands a term for Roman Catholic auxiliary parish priests, vicars. In Belgium they are also called Onderpastoor) at St. Pancratius Church in Heerlen. [4]
Giel is a regional call name still very common at that time, standing for Willem or Gulielmus (see his In Memoriam card [4]). As a resister, he was known only by this nickname.
Like so many others, he began his resistance individually and early in the occupation, helping people in need. Then he founded during the first days of September 1943 the L.O.-district Heerlen [1] with others. Became district leader after rector had withdrawn for health reasons. See also the special page on this website.
Jan Willem ( Giel ) Berix is listed in the Erelijst 1940-1945 (Honor Roll of the Dutch Parliament). [3]

Footnotes

1. Dr. F. Cammaert, Het Verborgen Front – Geschiedenis van de georganiseerde illegaliteit in de provincie Limburg tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog. Doctorale scriptie 1994, Groningen
   6. De Landelijke Organisatie voor hulp aan onderduikers • VIII.5.1. Algemene geschiedenis van het district en het rayon Heerlen
2. Meers, monument voor kapelaan J.W. Berix, Kap. Berixstraat, 6171 GK, Meers (Stein)
3. Erelijst 1940-1945
4. Oorlogsgravenstichting.nl
5. More in our story Resistance in Valkenburg
6. Wikipedia NL: Jan Willem Berix