Heer
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Limburg 1940-1945,
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1940-1945. The resistance in the dutch province of Limburg

Heer

https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/259830188#map=15/50.8351/5.7462

There is a lot to tell about the occupation period in Heer. For each of the names listed below, it is again another story. In addition, there is the sad story of the resistance fighters from the area around Genk in Belgian Limburg. Twelve of them were shot by the Germans during their retreat between Heer and Cadier en Keer.

At that place stands the Belgian memorial. The information board says as follows:
On the eve of the liberation, 11 Belgian resistance fighters and one unknown resistance hero were executed here by the enemy. They were captured in the forests of Rotem in Belgium and killed in this grove behind Huize Sint Joseph on September 12, 1944, a few hours before the liberation. Two days later, their bodies were found hidden under a layer of marly limestone and branches.
Since 1945, this sad event has been commemorated every year on the 2nd Sunday in September. In 1948, four years after the shootings, the monument commemorating the resistance fighters was unveiled. We cherish their memory.
This collection of commemorative cards shows the mourning of the survivors. But also their pride. Because the resistance fighters died as heroes for their fatherland. “And to die for one’s fatherland is to make oneself immortal.”
 [1]

  1. wikimedia.org Cadier_en_Keer_Belgisch_monument_infobord
  2. https://www.4en5mei.nl/oorlogsmonumenten/zoeken/1746/cadier-en-keer-belgisch-monument
  3. https://www.belgischmonumentheer.nl/slachtoffers-van-de-fusillade.html
  4. Geheim Leger zone II/Limburg


Heer, Pro Patria-monument.
Charles Vos, 1949.


Liberated: 1944-09-13


Belgisch monument, Wikimedia
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The fallen resistance people in Limburg

Heer – 21 pers.

Beazar,
Gustaaf
“Modest”/ “Anatol”
∗ 1908-07-29
Aspelare (Ninove)
† 1944-09-12
Heer
- Belgium - Secret Army (B) - Heer - Initial resistance -

The northeast of Belgian Limburg was the territory of the B.N.B., a.k.a. ‘Secret Army, Zone II. Antwerpen - Limburg’. Although no exact figures are available, the number of members of this …

u-01-02
Bode, de
Nelly Adriana Jeannette
Nelly
∗ 1905-09-07
Heer
† 1944-01-16
Vught
- Unorganized resistance - Aid to Jews - Heer - Women in the resistance -

Nelly de Bode was born in Heer (today municipality of Maastricht). She lived in Rotterdam and worked at the G.A.B. (municipal employment office). She helped people in hiding. This came to …

u-01-02
Broek, van den
Cornelis /Cornelius
∗ 1907-07-21
Heer
† 1945-03-12
Rotterdam
- Knokploegen (K.P.) - Police - Heer -

Where was Cornelis van den Broek born? According to the OGS [1] in Heer, which was also adopted by maastrichtsegevelstenen.nl [2]. But in his personal file at the OGS it says …
u-01-02
Conen,
Willem
∗ 1919-03-12
Molenbeersel
† 1944-09-12
Heer
- Belgium - Secret Army (B) - Heer -

Willem Conen from Molenbeersel was one of the resisters of the Maaseik section of the Secret Army under the leadership of its section chief, gendarme
u-01-02
Debije,
Maria Josepha Hubertina Anna
Anna
∗ 1903-02-05
Schaesberg
† 1968-02-19
Arnhem
- Aid to People in Hiding L.O. - Ondergrondse pers - Aid to Jews - Women in the resistance - Survivors - Heer -

Anna Debije is the widow of Giel Duijkers. The couple did, as often happened, their resistance work together. But as always in such cases: Giel was …
u-01-02
Dirix,
Hubertus Gerardus
Sjir
∗ 1902-09-06
Heer
† 1945-05-23
Lund, dep. Malmöhus (S)
- Heer - Forced Labor -

Hubertus Gerardus (Sjir) Dirix was an earth worker, unmarried, arrested for desertion, was forced to work in Germany, but fled to Sweden, died May 23, 1945 in Lund from the …
wall: left, row 14-01
Driessens,
Pierre Henri Jean Mathieu
Pierre
∗ 1925-05-13
Genk (B)
† 1944-09-12
Heer
- Belgium - Secret Army (B) - Heer -

Lived in Maaseik (Belgium). Son of Hendrikus Mathijs Lambertus Driessens (workman) and Victoria Theresa Hendrickx. Unmarried. Miner. Roman Catholic. Member of the Belgian resistance …

u-01-02
Duijkers,
Guillaume
Giel
∗ 1896-12-07
Meerssen
† 1945-02-23
KZ Sachsenhausen, Oranienburg
- Aid to People in Hiding L.O. - Local contacts - Ondergrondse pers - Aid to Jews - Heer -

Giel Duijkers was a district official at PLEM (Provinciale Limburgse Electriciteits­maatschappij, Electricity Supply Company) [1#2]. He was married, was duikhoofd (diver’s chief,  …

wall: left, row 14-02
Eerdekens,
Mathieu Jozef
Jozef
∗ 1922-06-24
Gruitrode (B)
† 1944-09-12
Heer
- Belgium - Secret Army (B) - Heer -

Jozef Eerdekens was originally from Molenbeersel and lived in Gruitrode. He was group leader [1.1] in the Maaseik section of the Secret Army under the leadership of its section chief, gendarme
u-01-02
Herben,
Frits
∗ 1913-02-26
∗ ?
† 1944-10-03
† ?
- Aid to People in Hiding L.O. - Heer -

Frits C. A. Herben was a tailor, married, belonged to the LO of Heer-Maastricht and was killed by accident while supporting the Allies.
wall: left, row 14-03
Jaeken,
Pieter
∗ 1917-09-15
Neeroeteren
† 1944-09-12
Heer
- Belgium - Secret Army (B) - Heer -

Lived in Opoeteren (Belgium). Son of Jacob Jaeken and Maria Catharina Janssen. Unmarried. Farmhand. Member of the Belgian resistance organization Secret Army, sector of Maaseik.
u-01-02
Kuypers /Kuijpers,
Willy
Wim
∗ 1917-06-14
Heer
† 1944-03-20
Bourdon, dépt. Somme
- Engelandvaarders - Heer -

Willy or Wim Kuypers was an electrician. The correct spelling of his surname is Kuypers and not Kuijpers. [1] He fled to England via detours (Vichy part of France, Spain, Curaçao, New York) …

wall: left, row 14-04
Langers,
Guillaume J.
∗ 1923-03-29
Maaseik (B)
† 1944-09-12
Heer
- Belgium - Secret Army (B) - Heer -

Shot in the park of House St. Joseph in Heer.
u-01-02
Lenders,
Mathieu J.
∗ 1925-02-20
Maaseik (B)
† 1944-09-12
Heer
- Belgium - Secret Army (B) - Heer -

Lived in Maaseik. Son of miner Joseph Hubertus Lenders and Marguerite Rosalie Anne Wolfs. Unmarried. Butcher. Roman Catholic.
u-01-02
Leroy,
Alfons
∗ 1913-06-02
Massemen (B)
† 1944-09-12
Heer
- Belgium - Secret Army (B) - Heer -

Lived in Neeroeteren (Belgium). Son of Achiel August Leroy and Maria de Rocker. Married to Anna Ida Stegen. Professional soldier. Roman Catholic.
u-01-02
Oost-Europeaan,
?
∗ 0000-00-00
?
† 1944-09-12
Heer
- Belgium - - Heer - Secret Army (B) -

He is usually called the unknown Russian, but even that is not certain, in fact it is only known, that he was from Eastern Europe. He tried to escape and was shot while doing so. And why was he …

u-01-02
Ruyters,
Peter Leonard
Leo “Huub”
∗ 1892-10-10
Echt
† 1943-05-02
Wellerlooi (Bergen [L])
- Crisis Controle Dienst (CCD) - Civil Servants - Pilots’ helpers - Aid to escaped POW’s - April-Mei-stakingen, 1943 - Heer -

Leo Ruyters was deputy Chief Controller of the C.C.D. (The Centrale Controle Dienst, Central Control Service, 1934-1954, mainly supervised trade in scarce goods. [1]) Member of the …
wall: left, row 14-05
Speetjens,
Joannes Hubertus Matheus
Mathieu
∗ 1919-06-08
Margraten
† 1945-03-05
Mauthausen
- Aid to People in Hiding L.O. - Civil Servants - Aid to Jews - Margraten - Heer -

Mathieu Speetjens was originally a baker [1#22], later a company inspector at the government agency LCO (or Agricultural Crisis Organization) [1#1] and an aid worker to Jews. [2] …

wall: left, row 37-03
Teelen /Theelen,
Jacques
∗ 1924-10-14
Neeroeteren
† 1944-09-12
Heer
- Belgium - Secret Army (B) - Heer -


u-01-02
Wolfs,
Jean Martin August
Jean
∗ 1923-06-20
Maaseik
† 1944-09-12
Heer
- Belgium - Secret Army (B) - Heer -

The baker Jean Wolfs lived in Maaseik. Son of the miner Jules Leopold Henri Wolfs and Maria Hubertina Kelders. [2] His parents both had the same last name as
u-01-02
Wolfs,
Jules Leopold August
Jules
∗ 1923-04-29
Maaseik
† 1944-09-12
Heer
- Belgium - Secret Army (B) - Heer -

Jules Wolfs lived in Maaseik. Son of the workman Jean Herman François Wolfs and Juliana Gerardina Kelders. [2] His parents both had the same last name as
u-01-02