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

Heerlen

Giel Berix,
Districtschef LO
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St. Josefziekenhuis Heerlen

Karel van Berckel
Chef de clinique
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The Heerlen district of the L.O. consisted of eight rayons (sub-districts):

1. rayon Heerlen
2. Hoensbroek
3. Kerkrade
4. Ubach over Worms
5. Brunssum
6. Geleen
7. Klimmen
8. Valkenburg

Source: Dr. Fred Cammaert, Het Verborgen Front, chapt. VIb $VIII: De L.O.-districten

Heerlen was the seat of the LO district of the same name. St. Joseph Hospital, under the direction of Chef de Clinique Karel van Berckel, played a prominent role as headquarters. The first district chief was Vicar Giel Berix. The fire chief Charles Bongaerts was “of course“ often found there.
The City Heerlen was an example of how resistance groups worked well together. They did not get along well at first, if they knew each other at all, because of the strong social compartmentalization (called pillarization) in those days. They came from very different backgrounds:

• The mostly conservative ex-soldiers like Smit and Bongaerts, who resisted out of national considerations. They were active early on, but were also discovered relatively early by the occupiers.
• The Catholics, who had organized themselves in the LO and the KP ( commando group). From 1943, they were by far the largest resistance organization in the mining district, but also in Limburg in general. The most important district leader of the LO of Heerlen was Giel Berix, vicar at the Pancratius Church, Heerlen’s main church.
• The Reformed, such as rev. Pontier and Jaap Musch, who were especially active in the rescue of Jews and especially Jewish children.
• The Communists, a cohesive group, many of them miners, who increasingly collaborated with other groups such as the LO. In proportion to the number of their members, the resistance group with the most fatalities.
• The Social Democrats had no resistance group of their own, with the exception of the RVV, which was quite insignificant in Limburg. Worked, among others, in the team of Father Beatus.

One of the greatest networkers who succeeded in getting all these conflicting groups to work together was the Franciscan Gerard van Beckhoven, better known as Father Beatus. He and his circle of people from all these groups formed the cement of this collaboration.
An important place for all these activities was the St. Josef hospital, also known as Putgraaf Hospital, where the chirurgian and hospital director Karel van Berckel and the nuns were in charge.

Liberated: 1944-09-17