JOS GEMMEKE, SPHINX.
Transcriptie HS9/572/4.
TRACE
and 666A Date: 10th November 1944
CARD
SURNAME Gemmeke.
FULL CHRISTIAN NAMES Brunita Josepha.
DATE & PLACE OF BIRTH 3-6-1922, Amsterdam.
NATIONALITY Dutch.
NATIONALTY AT BIRTH
PRIVATE ADDRESS
PERMANENT ADDRESS
NATIONAL REGISTRATION NUMBER
BRIEF PARTICULARS OF PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT No profession.
PARTICULARS OF RE;ATIVES NOW IN ENEMY OCCUPIED OR CONTROLLED COUNTRIES
NAME RELATIONSSHIP PRESENT ADDRESS
Franciscus Josephus Father Amalia v. Solmsstraat 119, The Hague
Antonius GEMMEKE
Eugenie Mathilde GEMMEKE Mother -do-
Maria Pauline KIMMAN-GEMMEKE Sister Prinsenweg 88, Wassenaar
APPLICANT FOR EMPLOYMENT AS A prospective agent.
S.O.E. Nothing to add to the information in her L.R.C. Interrogation Reports, copies of which were forwarded to you.
M.I. 5 Your correspondence NGM/KV/2037 and 2069 refers.
29 Nov 1944
12a Copy for S.O.E.
SECRET R.V.P.S. 7-11-1944
No. N.L. 1698Y 5592
GEMMEKE, Brunita Josepha
@ GUERSEN, Jeanne
Nationality: Dutch.
Born: 3-6-1922, Amsterdam.
Occupation: None.
SECOND REPORT
1. The following points were taken up today with Miss GEMMEKE:-
I. Her organisation contacts
II. Crossing of the River Waal and
III The manner in which she obtained documents by Hauptmann (redacted), Police Chief of The Hague.
Point I.
2. Right up to May 1942 Miss GEMMEKE had no connection with any underground organisation. The man who actually made the connection is a certain (redacted) whose real name is (redacted). He is about 27 or 28 years of age, fair, but somewhat on the dark side, and normally resides at 2 (redacted) in The Hague.
Cor van Paaschen, Vredespaleis, Carnegieplein 2.
3. Miss GEMMEKE, as a matter of fact, (redacted), who was one of the principal figures connected with the clandestine newspaper 'Je Maintiendrai'.
4. In this connection she mentioned that her fiancé was also in touch with a man known as (redacted). he is identical with a certain (redacted). He is described as a native of Amsterdam, aged about 32/33, dark type, medium size. He lives with a family (redacted) but is usually contacted at the firm (redacted) who are well known manufacturers of ready made clothes in Amsterdam, with offices at Nieuwerzijds Voorburgwal. DE BAK can also be contacted at the Amsterdam Stock Exchange, where he is well known. A member of the (redacted) firm came through the L.R.C. and has given information regarding (redacted). He also describes him as a member of the 'Je Maintiendrai' Organisation.
Adriaan de Back
5. Other contacts of Miss GEMMEKE were the two brothers BRAND. Both of them were arrested in July 1943 by the Germans as they had been discovered to be active members of the organisation referred to in this report. These two men would have been executed had it not been for their liberation by patriots who got them out of goal, together with 16 other Dutch patriots, in July of this year.
Overval op de gevangenis in Rotterdam.
6. Other people mentioned by Miss GEMMEKE as members of this organisation are given under Paragraph 4 in the first report. In this connection we have a trace on the man called OBMA who is described as an accountant, aged about 50 and a native of Groningen. Miss GEMMEKE's friend may be identical with this person but he was assassinated in 1941 according to information which reached us which would point to the fact that he is, in fact not identical.
Mogelijk betreft het hier een medewerker van de illegale communistische krant 'Het Noorderlicht'.
7. It is a coincidence that Miss GEMMEKE's contact was also killed, but her later version is that OBMA was shot by the Germans. Therefore, the connection between OBMA known in our records and Miss GEMMEKE's would not seem to be established. Evidently we are dealing here with two different persons who were both executed in Holland. In any case, the OBMA which is known to Miss GEMMEKE was a man whose acquaintance she made after May 1942, The N.S.B member OBMA in our records died in December 1941.
8. These people were all connected with the 'Je Maintiendrai' Organisation. Through them she made the acquaintance of members of the Netherlands Union. In this connection she mentioned WURTHRICH (See Paragraph 5, first report). Supplementary information regarding this man was obtained today. He was known in the Netherlands Union under the alias of WOUTERS and WILDMAN. He is a native of Utrecht and resided there in the Nightingalestreet, No.7. He is a middle aged man of about 45 or 50, married and was arrested by the Germans on 15-8-1944.
9. We then come to the two brothers VLOT, Cornelis is a man of about 40 years of age and lives in Zeist. Although she was not sure Miss GEMMEKE believes that he is a man in legal profession. He is interested in the business of his brother Tom. They are manufacturers of bricks and they have an office in the Malibaan in Bunnik. Tom is slightly younger, about 38, married and has several small children.
Cornelis Vlot (Koudekerke, 29 november 1906 - Haarlem, 26 oktober 1944) was een Nederlandse verzetsstrijder tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog. Hij was betrokken bij de Nederlandse Unie en bij de verzetskrant Je Maintiendrai. Hij werd in augustus 1944 gearresteerd en enkele maanden later gefusilleerd.
Cornelis Vlot was bedrijfseconoom van beroep en voorzitter van het Nederlands Jongeren Verbond. Ook was hij gewestelijk commissaris van de Nederlandse Unie in de provincie Utrecht. Hij raakte betrokken bij de illegaliteit nadat de Nederlandse Unie in december 1941 op last van de bezetter werd ontbonden. Om de contacten tussen de leden van de nu verboden Unie in stand te houden, begon Vlot in mei 1942 samen met J.E.W. Wüthrich voor die leden een landelijk informatieblad, het Bulletin genaamd. Dit ging in februari 1943 op in Je Maintiendrai, een ander illegaal blad.
In augustus 1944 ontdekte de Sicherheitspolizei in Utrecht het hoofdkwartier van Je Maintiendrai, hetgeen ertoe leidde dat Vlot werd gearresteerd.
Op 26 oktober 1944 werd hij samen met negen anderen vanuit het Amsterdamse Huis van Bewaring aan de Weteringschans, waar allen werden vastgehouden, per vrachtwagen naar Haarlem overgebracht en aan de voet van de Sint-Bavokathedraal doodgeschoten. Deze executies waren onderdeel van een Duitse represaillemaatregel voor de dood van de politieman Fake Krist, die de dag ervoor door het Haarlemse verzet was geliquideerd.
Vlot werd gecremeerd in het Crematorium Velsen op de begraafplaats Westerveld. Zijn as werd verstrooid.
Bij Koninklijk Besluit No. 17 van 7 mei 1946 werd Vlot postuum het Verzetskruis 1940-1945 toegekend,
Vlot is tevens onderscheiden met het Verzetsherdenkingskruis.
Vlots naam wordt vermeld op een oorlogsmonument in het plantsoen aan de Westergracht in Haarlem, naast de Sint-Bavokathedraal. Dit gedenkteken, Treurende vrouw, werd onthuld in 1949.
10. A member of the same organisation is (redacted). This man has been identified and was mentioned to us by (redacted) as an active member of the 'Je Maintiendrai' Organisation. Miss GEMMEKE described him as an ex-student who has studied law, aged about 26. He now resides in The Hague, Louise de Colignyplein or Colignystraat. He is a young man of medium height, dark.
11. The fourth person mentioned in the Netherlands Union is OREMUS, but about him Miss GEMMEKE could give no further particulars.
De redactie van het voormalig B.C. Nieuws bleef grotendeels hetzelfde na de fusie met Bulletin. De redactie van
Je Maintiendrai bestond onder andere uit Cock van Paaschen, een student Economie uit Den Haag en A. de Bak.
De voornaam van De Bak is onbekend. Wel van hem bekend is dat hij werkzaam was bij de Vereniging voor de
Effectenhandel in Amsterdam.57 Na de fusie in mei bleven beide personen werken op de redactie. Deze redactie
bestond verder uit Mr. C. Vlot uit Zeist en J.E.W. Wüthrich en K. Viehoff uit Utrecht. De eerste journalist die
wordt benoemd is F.J.M. Oremus, deze man was tevens ook hoofdredacteur van het dagblad Het Centrum.
Source: Bachelor Scriptie 2014 Lizanne Gille.
POINT No. II
12. Miss GEMMEKE was employed in the organisation as a courier. She was to get in touch with HQ in Eindhoven. She carried a number of letters and she was accompanied on her journey from Amsterdam by a woman (see Paragraph 10, first report) whose name is (redacted). This woman is about 28 years of age. She is single, fairly short but on the stout side, very dark brown eyes, curly hair and a rather tanned complexion. This woman's parents live in 's Hertogenbosch.
Jeanne Marie (Puck) Fermont.
13. As described in the 1st Report the two women covered the distance on bicycles. As the Germans were requisitioning all bicycles it was necessary for them to obtain a certificate. One of these was found among her property and the origin of this certificate will be dealt with later in this report.
14. Her itinerary was as follows. Leaving The Hague she cycled to Voorburg. There she took the main road leading to Gouda. Just before she reached Soetemeer on this road she was given a lift by a German who was travelling in a German Wehrmacht car, as described under Paragraph 11, first report. She got out of this car at Gouda with her friend and bicycles and then cycled on to Stolwijk and from there on to Bergsambacht.
15. She then cycled on to Ammerstol, which lies on the North bank of the River Lech (Lek). There was no difficulty in getting across this river by means of a ferry - no papers were asked for and there was no German control. On the other side of the river she reached Groot Ammers. She then made her way in the direction of Goudriaan, bypassed this place and from there to Giessen-Nieuwkerk, finally reaching Schelluiden. Here she remained overnight on account of the curfew and she states that the family STOUTJESDIJK is well known in this little town as Mr. STOUTJESDIJK is head master of the municipal school there. These people were known to her friend FERMONT.
16. The difficulty here was the crossing of the River Waal, which was closely guarded by German posts. The information contained in the first Report was confirmed and Miss GEMMEKE explained that after her futile attempt to get a permit from the Burgomaster of Gorkum (which is shown on our maps under the name of Gorinchem) she obtained permission to cross this river through the intervention of a Feldwebel who went to see his chief.
17. The later came down to the ferry and after talking to Miss GEMMEKE and her friend, instructed the ferry man to take her across the river. It will, of course, be asked on what authority this man allowed the two ladies to cross the river and here we come to the next point.
POINT No. III
18. Under items 3 and 4, Documents, are listed two certificates. It was on the strength of these two papers that the German official allowed Miss GEMMEKE to use this ferry. These certificates are obtained in the following manner.
19. Miss GEMMEKE had a friend whose name is ZWOLSMAN. This man was known to her people and he introduced her to Dr. HOELE (See Paragraph 21, first Report). Hauptmann (redacted) was a patient of this doctor, who is a nerve specialist, a middle aged man, very tall and stout, clean shaven.
Dr. Eduardus (Ed) Quirinus Hubertus Maria Hoelen, Amsterdam 28 februari 1896, Den Haag 17 mei 1962
Hij was in de jaren dertig zenuwarts in dienst van de St. Jacobsstichting. Hij richtte in 1935 de St. Ursulakliniek op waar hij directeur van werd. Hij was de arts van Zwolsman en gaf hem regelmatig morfine-injecties en lijkt daarmee controle over Zwolsman te hebben gekregen.
Hij werd in 1942 commissaris in het door Zwolsman opgerichte bedrijf Sprietlaeck, dat voorheen ABEX heette en later omgedoopt werd in Nassaulaan, de straat waarin Hoelen woonde. Hij nam actief deel in de handel in Joods onroerend goed.
Hij onderhield nauwe contacten met de top van de KVP zoals Deckers, Romme en Beel.
Hij had tijdens de oorlog goede relaties met de Sicherheitsdienst, in het bijzonder met het Sonderkommando Frank van de Duitse contraspionage. Hij staat daarbij op goede voet met Friedrich Frank, Jan Haakman en Zwolsman.
Hij bemiddelde voor zijn buurman Sebastiaan van der Mark, een voormalige commissaris van politie in Arnhem die wegens criminele praktijken een flinke gevangenisstraf had uitgezeten, dat die een vervroegd politiepensioen kreeg vanwege zijn geestesgesteldheid. Daarna regelde hij voor hem een baan bij een Nederlandse bunkerbouwer in het Duitse Kassel, waar Zwolsman ook actief was geweest.
Hij verklaarde rijke relatie van hem psychisch ziek om zo de Arbeitseinsatz te ontlopen, maar als het om minder welgestelde personen ging voegde hij die toe dat ze zich niet moesten aanstellen en als een flinke kerel naar Duitsland moesten gaan.
Hij hield in de gesloten afdeling van de Ursulakliniek Alsem gevangen, omdat die ruzie had met Zwolsman over door Hillesheim verborgen rijkdommen; Zwolsman dacht dat Alsem daar meer over wist.
Hij regelde voor Zwolsman met Van der Mark de aankoop van bouwmaterialen en -machines van de bunkerbouwer Adrianus de Vetten met de afspraak dat hij die na de oorlog terug zou krijgen; het was de bedoeling om naoorlogse inbeslagname te voorkomen. Maar na de oorlog behielden Hoelen en Zwolsman de spullen, terwijl daar niet eens voor betaald was.
Hij kwam aan het eind van de oorlog regelmatig bij de Geheime Dienst Nederland (GDN) in het Vredespaleis op bezoek. De GDN stond via Zwolsman onder controle van de Duitse contraspionage. Hoelen zelf was kind aan huis bij de Duitse contraspionage die in de vlakbij gelegen Willemsparkflat zetelde.
Er werden grote hoeveelheden door de Nederlandse regering gedropte wapens met vrachtauto’s van de Sicherheitsdienst aangevoerd naar de terreinen van de Ursulakliniek en daar opgeslagen voor naoorlogs gebruik. De wapens werden bewaakt door leden van het Sonderkommando Frank.
Hij stemde er mee in dat Just van Hasselt in de Ursulakliniek gevangen werd gehouden en door een van de medewerkers werd vermoord. Na de oorlog werd de broer van de vermoorde in de Ursulakliniek gevangengehouden.
Hij verborg na de oorlog diverse bunkerbouwers, de Duitse oorlogsmisdadiger Siegfried Schuster die een belangrijke rol had gespeeld bij het veroorzaken van de hongersnood, de V-Mann en zwarthandelaar Jimmy den Held en later de corrupte burgemeester Visser van Den Haag om aan gerechtelijke vervolging te ontkomen. De bunkerbouwer Marinus ’s-Gravendijk stond als dank voor zijn opname zijn auto, een Buick, af. Een psychisch patiënt mag niet in een inrichting gearresteerd worden. Hoelen rekende extreem hoge verpleegtarieven aan deze gasten.
Hoelen werd op 1 juli 1945 gearresteerd, maar zijn vriend en zakenrelatie Zwolsman liet hem op 4 juli alweer vrij. Het onderzoeksdossier nr. 113207 over Hoelen voor de Bijzondere Rechtspleging verdween spoorloos. Waarschijnlijk is het door corrupte vriendjes (Bijv. Zwolsman) bij de politie of het Bureau Nationale Veiligheid verwijderd, omdat ze daarmee zelf in een kwaad daglicht kwamen te staan. Het kan ook zijn dat een neef van hem die op het Bureau Nationale Veiligheid werkte en toegang tot de strafdossiers had, het verwijderd heeft.
Hoelen had een machtspositie binnen de KVP. Dat blijkt uit het feit dat zijn vrouw zomaar KVP-minister Kolfschoten kon bellen en toen ze te horen kreeg dat die in bespreking was, kon ze zijn secretaresse de opdracht laten doorgeven dat Kolfschoten bij haar langs moest komen. De secretaresse was goed geïnstrueerd, want ze zei zonder ruggenspraak dat hij onmiddellijk na de bespreking langs zou komen.
De van kunstroof in Polen beschuldigde Pieter Menten liet zich vanwege psychische problemen in de Ursulakliniek opnemen. Daardoor kon hij niet gevangen worden gezet, maar kreeg wel huisarrest opgelegd. Maar hij verliet ’s-nachts stiekem de kliniek om een getuige te bewerken. Dit kwam de politie ter ore en kwam hem arresteren. Dit werd aan Hoelen gemeld en die kwam schreeuwend, scheldend en tierend tussenbeide. In de consternatie die ontstond kon Menten door een raampje ontvluchten. De politieman schoot hem in de rug. Menten liet zich in het geheim in ziekenhuis Westeinde behandelen en keerde in het geheim terug naar de Ursulakliniek, daar verwittigde Hoelen zijn advocaat het katholieke Tweede Kamerlid Rad Kortenhorst, die hem van de meeste beschuldigingen wist vrij te pleiten.
In de jaren vijftig ontstonden er geruchten dat men koningin Juliana onder toezicht van Hoelen wilde laten opsluiten. Tijdens een kabinetsformatie bezocht hij de formateur Romme, een persoonlijk vriend uit de studententijd. Het zou de bedoeling zijn dat hij of minister van Volksgezondheid zou worden of een advies zou opstellen over wat te doen met een staatshoofd met psychische problemen.
20. Dr. HOELE then informed (redacted) about Miss GEMMEKE and told him that she also was a patient of his. The doctor then explained to this German official that Miss GEMMEKE fiancé was living in 's Hertogenbosch and asked him whether he could see his way to give her a permit to travel from The Hague to 's Hertogenbosch. There quest was granted. Thereupon the German official (redacted) made out a certificate to cover this journey and a second one in which he requested all those concerned not to requisition the bicycle which Miss GEMMEKE was using for this purpose. These documents are among her property. They are genuine, stamped and dated. Photographs of these documents are appended.
Waarschijnlijk gaat het hier om Zimmermann.
21. The rest of the journey was not difficult as once she crossed the river Waal she cycled to Woudrichem, following the main road to Neer Andle. From there they continued to Veenwijk, finally reaching Heusden, which is South of the Bergsche Maas. There she crossed this river and there was apparently no check up; no Germans were seen in the vicinity.
22. From Heusden she went to Elshout and from there to Vught via Cronvirt (Cromvoirt). The British troops had not entered the town of Vught yet but were very near to it when she arrived there and it was there that she decided to wait as it was only a matter of days before the town would be occupied by the British.
23. She stayed in Vught with a certain Mr. HOLLA. The address is forgotten but she says he is a well known person in the city, being a man of the legal profession. The address has been given to her by her friend, (redacted).
Cor van Paaschen had samen met Tobias Biallosterski in april 1994 Holla bezocht, Holla was de spin in het web van het verzet in Brabant. Hij was bekend bij SOE en bij SIS.
24. In Vught she got in touch with the O.D. Organisation and the rest of the story is explained in the 1st Report and need no further comment.
25. The only point which now needs further amplification is her contact with with the British side of the organisation. This, she said, was established through the man (redacted) who had been parachuted over and was accompanied by a wireless transmitter with whom Miss GEMMEKE's fiancé (redacted), became very friendly. (redacted) then went back to England and in this manner her name had been brought to the notice of our people over here.
Dit is SOE/BBO agent Tobias Biallosterski, missie Draughts en zijn marconist Jan Steman.
26. After she had acquitted herself of her mission, that is to say reached HQ at Prince Bernhard in Brussels, she was taken on by our own people and sent over to this country for the purpose of taking up training courses. As far as I understand Miss GEMMEKE will be returning to Holland.
27. With regard to the conclusion reached in the 1st Report these can only be confirmed, the more so as we now have been able to identify a number of contacts mentioned by this brave young woman.
28. In spite of the fact that there is an obvious security risk involved in her case as she is returning to Holland, after due consideration of all the elements the recommendation as set forth in the 1st Report is maintained, in my opinion this woman should be released with the least possible delay.
JMS/8-11-1955 P. Van Dyck.
SOE TRAINING.
33 OB 25
Name: GEMMEKE, Brunita Josepha.
P.T.C. 10-11-1944 (Mi-5 and C only)
MI-5 advised 29-11-1944: Our only information is contained in her L.R.C. Interrogation Reports.
Born: 3-6-1922, Amsterdam.
Nationality: Dutch
Occupation:
Pte. Add:
Relatives:
Remarks N: Not employed - it has been decided not to send women agents to the field at this stage.
Landed: 1-11-1944.
OSA signed.
SD signed.
STS-31 FINISHING REPORT 17-2-1945.
This student is well above average intelligence. She is quick, clear thinking and has plenty of practical common sense., combined with good imagination and initiative. She appear honest and reliable, takes her work seriously and although she has a good appreciation of the difficulties of her intended mission, she is in no way deterred by them.
This student is one of the most outstanding students we have had here and in spite of long experience of this type of work in a difficult country, this did not prevent her from being courteous, attentive and hardworking throughout the course, in which she showed considerable interest.
CODES.
She has a thorough knowledge of all systems and the details of her conventions, but should be given an opportunity for further practice before using them operationally.
STS-51 Parachute Training Report 4-3-1945.
A student with a very matter of fact outlook on the whole business, who, at no time during the course, showed the slightest signs of nervousness. In ground training she proved a willing and hard worker who achieved average results. On her first aircraft descent she deliberately landed on het seat with rather painful results. She then declared taht owing to rather weak ankles she had not attempted a landing, making initial contact with her feet.
After one day's treatment she was pronounced fit to continue the course and there after made two more descents. her exits were very good, air drill non existent and landings average.
THREE DESCENTS SECOND CLASS
REMARKS
A very good type in every way except physically. Quiet and efficient and with plenty of nerve. The only drawback is that she is of rather heavy build with weak ankles, which she is apt consciously or consciously to try to protect on landing with the resultant back injury.
..dated: Proceeded overseas.
?-6-1945 Arrived in the UK from Eindhoven.
Telegram.
SRL NO D 2333 2334 PRIORITY NIL SECTION HOLLAND
TO NORTHAW VIA DIRECT
PREFIX NIL 17 FEB 1945 ORIG NO 579
WDS 200
PLEASE ARRANGE TO HAVE JOSEPHINE GEMMEKE RPT GEMMEKE CALLED FORWARD IMMEDIATELY STOP PROPOSED THAT JOSEPHINE STAYS IN BRUSSELS IN ORDER TO INTERVIEW CERTAIN DUTCHMEN WHOM SHE KNOWS AND WHO CAN SUPPLY HER WITH IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTS STOP JOSEPHINE MUST RETURN TO UK BY MARCH FIRST STOP TRAVEL IN FANY UNIFORM AND WILL HAVE FANY IDENTITY CARD STOP PLEASE CONTACT FOLLOWING DUTCHMEN AND WARN THEM TO BE AVAILABLE TO TRAVEL TO BRUSSELS ON ARRIVAL JOSEPHINE STOP
ONE (redacted) {Mr. Bolhuis, Willemstraat 26, Eindhoven} STOP (redacted) {E.J.A. ten Hengel, Ringbaan Oost 145, Tilburg} TO WARN AND BRING WITH HIM MR DE KORT RPT DE KORT WHOSE ADDRESS UNKNOWN HERE STOP COMDR JOHNS AGREES THIS PROPOSITION AND EMPHASISES FOR SECURITY REASONS THAT JOSEPHINE MUST NOT RPT NOT BE ALLOWED TO WANDER IN LIBERATED HOLLAND STOP (redacted) {Bolhuis} SHOULD BRING ALL ENEMY DOCUMENTS AND RELEVENT INFORMATION KNOWN TO HIM REGARDING PAPERS FOR WORKERS RECRUITED IN HOLLAND FOR LABOUR IN GERMANY STOP DE KORT TO BRIEF JOSEPHINE FULLY ON WORKING OF ARBEITSAMT RPT ARBEITSAMT
THI 171623
TP AT 171707 DGB AS
L13 W2 AND RPT AND
RLSE T AT 171709 DGB AR KK
N PD
Jos Gemmeke is dus al in Engeland, maar moet terugkeren naar Brussel om een aantal mensen te ondervragen. Deze moeten in Brussel aanwezig zijn wanneer Jos arriveert. Deze mensen moeten een zekere heer De Kort meenemen die informatie kan verschaffen over de arbeitseinsatz in Duitsland. Dit heeft alles te maken met de missie die Jos later wanneer zij gedropt is moeten uitvoeren: Operatie Bonzo.
Dit telegram is bestemd voor NORTHAW, de alias van Prins Bernhard.
Is dit de heer De Kort waarvan sprake is in het telegram aan Northaw?
Willebrordus Leonardus Petrus Martinus (Wim) de Kort (Tilburg, 4 juni 1909 - Villeneuve-de-Berg (Frankrijk), 2 mei 1993) was een Nederlands politicus. Van 19 september 1961 tot 7 december 1963 was hij in de Tweede Kamer fractievoorzitter van de Katholieke Volkspartij (KVP). Van 1 november 1960 tot 1 juli 1974 was hij burgemeester van de Noord-Brabantse gemeente Nieuw-Ginneken.
De Kort bezat drie academische titels, alle in Leuven behaald, twee magna cum laude en de derde cum laude. Hij promoveerde in Leuven in de sociale wetenschappen, waar hij ook wijsbegeerte studeerde. Zijn maatschappelijke carrière begon hij als volontair bij "Banque de la Campine" in Turnhout. Van 1930 tot 1933 was hij boekhouder bij de Tilburgse N.V. Metaaldraadlampenfabriek "Volt". Van januari 1938 tot 1 mei 1941 fungeerde hij als sociaal en juridisch adviseur van de Nederlandse Rooms-Katholieke Politiebond "Sint Michael". Hij was directeur van het Gewestelijk Arbeidsbureau in Tilburg van 1 mei 1941 tot 1945, maar in 1944 dook hij onder.
TRACE
and 666A Date: 10th November 1944
CARD
SURNAME Gemmeke.
FULL CHRISTIAN NAMES Brunita Josepha.
DATE & PLACE OF BIRTH 3-6-1922, Amsterdam.
NATIONALITY Dutch.
NATIONALTY AT BIRTH
PRIVATE ADDRESS
PERMANENT ADDRESS
NATIONAL REGISTRATION NUMBER
BRIEF PARTICULARS OF PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT No profession.
PARTICULARS OF RE;ATIVES NOW IN ENEMY OCCUPIED OR CONTROLLED COUNTRIES
NAME RELATIONSSHIP PRESENT ADDRESS
Franciscus Josephus Father Amalia v. Solmsstraat 119, The Hague
Antonius GEMMEKE
Eugenie Mathilde GEMMEKE Mother -do-
Maria Pauline KIMMAN-GEMMEKE Sister Prinsenweg 88, Wassenaar
APPLICANT FOR EMPLOYMENT AS A prospective agent.
S.O.E. Nothing to add to the information in her L.R.C. Interrogation Reports, copies of which were forwarded to you.
M.I. 5 Your correspondence NGM/KV/2037 and 2069 refers.
29 Nov 1944
12a Copy for S.O.E.
SECRET R.V.P.S. 7-11-1944
No. N.L. 1698Y 5592
GEMMEKE, Brunita Josepha
@ GUERSEN, Jeanne
Nationality: Dutch.
Born: 3-6-1922, Amsterdam.
Occupation: None.
SECOND REPORT
1. The following points were taken up today with Miss GEMMEKE:-
I. Her organisation contacts
II. Crossing of the River Waal and
III The manner in which she obtained documents by Hauptmann (redacted), Police Chief of The Hague.
Point I.
2. Right up to May 1942 Miss GEMMEKE had no connection with any underground organisation. The man who actually made the connection is a certain (redacted) whose real name is (redacted). He is about 27 or 28 years of age, fair, but somewhat on the dark side, and normally resides at 2 (redacted) in The Hague.
Cor van Paaschen, Vredespaleis, Carnegieplein 2.
3. Miss GEMMEKE, as a matter of fact, (redacted), who was one of the principal figures connected with the clandestine newspaper 'Je Maintiendrai'.
4. In this connection she mentioned that her fiancé was also in touch with a man known as (redacted). he is identical with a certain (redacted). He is described as a native of Amsterdam, aged about 32/33, dark type, medium size. He lives with a family (redacted) but is usually contacted at the firm (redacted) who are well known manufacturers of ready made clothes in Amsterdam, with offices at Nieuwerzijds Voorburgwal. DE BAK can also be contacted at the Amsterdam Stock Exchange, where he is well known. A member of the (redacted) firm came through the L.R.C. and has given information regarding (redacted). He also describes him as a member of the 'Je Maintiendrai' Organisation.
Adriaan de Back
5. Other contacts of Miss GEMMEKE were the two brothers BRAND. Both of them were arrested in July 1943 by the Germans as they had been discovered to be active members of the organisation referred to in this report. These two men would have been executed had it not been for their liberation by patriots who got them out of goal, together with 16 other Dutch patriots, in July of this year.
Overval op de gevangenis in Rotterdam.
6. Other people mentioned by Miss GEMMEKE as members of this organisation are given under Paragraph 4 in the first report. In this connection we have a trace on the man called OBMA who is described as an accountant, aged about 50 and a native of Groningen. Miss GEMMEKE's friend may be identical with this person but he was assassinated in 1941 according to information which reached us which would point to the fact that he is, in fact not identical.
Mogelijk betreft het hier een medewerker van de illegale communistische krant 'Het Noorderlicht'.
7. It is a coincidence that Miss GEMMEKE's contact was also killed, but her later version is that OBMA was shot by the Germans. Therefore, the connection between OBMA known in our records and Miss GEMMEKE's would not seem to be established. Evidently we are dealing here with two different persons who were both executed in Holland. In any case, the OBMA which is known to Miss GEMMEKE was a man whose acquaintance she made after May 1942, The N.S.B member OBMA in our records died in December 1941.
8. These people were all connected with the 'Je Maintiendrai' Organisation. Through them she made the acquaintance of members of the Netherlands Union. In this connection she mentioned WURTHRICH (See Paragraph 5, first report). Supplementary information regarding this man was obtained today. He was known in the Netherlands Union under the alias of WOUTERS and WILDMAN. He is a native of Utrecht and resided there in the Nightingalestreet, No.7. He is a middle aged man of about 45 or 50, married and was arrested by the Germans on 15-8-1944.
9. We then come to the two brothers VLOT, Cornelis is a man of about 40 years of age and lives in Zeist. Although she was not sure Miss GEMMEKE believes that he is a man in legal profession. He is interested in the business of his brother Tom. They are manufacturers of bricks and they have an office in the Malibaan in Bunnik. Tom is slightly younger, about 38, married and has several small children.
Cornelis Vlot (Koudekerke, 29 november 1906 - Haarlem, 26 oktober 1944) was een Nederlandse verzetsstrijder tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog. Hij was betrokken bij de Nederlandse Unie en bij de verzetskrant Je Maintiendrai. Hij werd in augustus 1944 gearresteerd en enkele maanden later gefusilleerd.
Cornelis Vlot was bedrijfseconoom van beroep en voorzitter van het Nederlands Jongeren Verbond. Ook was hij gewestelijk commissaris van de Nederlandse Unie in de provincie Utrecht. Hij raakte betrokken bij de illegaliteit nadat de Nederlandse Unie in december 1941 op last van de bezetter werd ontbonden. Om de contacten tussen de leden van de nu verboden Unie in stand te houden, begon Vlot in mei 1942 samen met J.E.W. Wüthrich voor die leden een landelijk informatieblad, het Bulletin genaamd. Dit ging in februari 1943 op in Je Maintiendrai, een ander illegaal blad.
In augustus 1944 ontdekte de Sicherheitspolizei in Utrecht het hoofdkwartier van Je Maintiendrai, hetgeen ertoe leidde dat Vlot werd gearresteerd.
Op 26 oktober 1944 werd hij samen met negen anderen vanuit het Amsterdamse Huis van Bewaring aan de Weteringschans, waar allen werden vastgehouden, per vrachtwagen naar Haarlem overgebracht en aan de voet van de Sint-Bavokathedraal doodgeschoten. Deze executies waren onderdeel van een Duitse represaillemaatregel voor de dood van de politieman Fake Krist, die de dag ervoor door het Haarlemse verzet was geliquideerd.
Vlot werd gecremeerd in het Crematorium Velsen op de begraafplaats Westerveld. Zijn as werd verstrooid.
Bij Koninklijk Besluit No. 17 van 7 mei 1946 werd Vlot postuum het Verzetskruis 1940-1945 toegekend,
Vlot is tevens onderscheiden met het Verzetsherdenkingskruis.
Vlots naam wordt vermeld op een oorlogsmonument in het plantsoen aan de Westergracht in Haarlem, naast de Sint-Bavokathedraal. Dit gedenkteken, Treurende vrouw, werd onthuld in 1949.
10. A member of the same organisation is (redacted). This man has been identified and was mentioned to us by (redacted) as an active member of the 'Je Maintiendrai' Organisation. Miss GEMMEKE described him as an ex-student who has studied law, aged about 26. He now resides in The Hague, Louise de Colignyplein or Colignystraat. He is a young man of medium height, dark.
11. The fourth person mentioned in the Netherlands Union is OREMUS, but about him Miss GEMMEKE could give no further particulars.
De redactie van het voormalig B.C. Nieuws bleef grotendeels hetzelfde na de fusie met Bulletin. De redactie van
Je Maintiendrai bestond onder andere uit Cock van Paaschen, een student Economie uit Den Haag en A. de Bak.
De voornaam van De Bak is onbekend. Wel van hem bekend is dat hij werkzaam was bij de Vereniging voor de
Effectenhandel in Amsterdam.57 Na de fusie in mei bleven beide personen werken op de redactie. Deze redactie
bestond verder uit Mr. C. Vlot uit Zeist en J.E.W. Wüthrich en K. Viehoff uit Utrecht. De eerste journalist die
wordt benoemd is F.J.M. Oremus, deze man was tevens ook hoofdredacteur van het dagblad Het Centrum.
Source: Bachelor Scriptie 2014 Lizanne Gille.
POINT No. II
12. Miss GEMMEKE was employed in the organisation as a courier. She was to get in touch with HQ in Eindhoven. She carried a number of letters and she was accompanied on her journey from Amsterdam by a woman (see Paragraph 10, first report) whose name is (redacted). This woman is about 28 years of age. She is single, fairly short but on the stout side, very dark brown eyes, curly hair and a rather tanned complexion. This woman's parents live in 's Hertogenbosch.
Jeanne Marie (Puck) Fermont.
13. As described in the 1st Report the two women covered the distance on bicycles. As the Germans were requisitioning all bicycles it was necessary for them to obtain a certificate. One of these was found among her property and the origin of this certificate will be dealt with later in this report.
14. Her itinerary was as follows. Leaving The Hague she cycled to Voorburg. There she took the main road leading to Gouda. Just before she reached Soetemeer on this road she was given a lift by a German who was travelling in a German Wehrmacht car, as described under Paragraph 11, first report. She got out of this car at Gouda with her friend and bicycles and then cycled on to Stolwijk and from there on to Bergsambacht.
15. She then cycled on to Ammerstol, which lies on the North bank of the River Lech (Lek). There was no difficulty in getting across this river by means of a ferry - no papers were asked for and there was no German control. On the other side of the river she reached Groot Ammers. She then made her way in the direction of Goudriaan, bypassed this place and from there to Giessen-Nieuwkerk, finally reaching Schelluiden. Here she remained overnight on account of the curfew and she states that the family STOUTJESDIJK is well known in this little town as Mr. STOUTJESDIJK is head master of the municipal school there. These people were known to her friend FERMONT.
16. The difficulty here was the crossing of the River Waal, which was closely guarded by German posts. The information contained in the first Report was confirmed and Miss GEMMEKE explained that after her futile attempt to get a permit from the Burgomaster of Gorkum (which is shown on our maps under the name of Gorinchem) she obtained permission to cross this river through the intervention of a Feldwebel who went to see his chief.
17. The later came down to the ferry and after talking to Miss GEMMEKE and her friend, instructed the ferry man to take her across the river. It will, of course, be asked on what authority this man allowed the two ladies to cross the river and here we come to the next point.
POINT No. III
18. Under items 3 and 4, Documents, are listed two certificates. It was on the strength of these two papers that the German official allowed Miss GEMMEKE to use this ferry. These certificates are obtained in the following manner.
19. Miss GEMMEKE had a friend whose name is ZWOLSMAN. This man was known to her people and he introduced her to Dr. HOELE (See Paragraph 21, first Report). Hauptmann (redacted) was a patient of this doctor, who is a nerve specialist, a middle aged man, very tall and stout, clean shaven.
Dr. Eduardus (Ed) Quirinus Hubertus Maria Hoelen, Amsterdam 28 februari 1896, Den Haag 17 mei 1962
Hij was in de jaren dertig zenuwarts in dienst van de St. Jacobsstichting. Hij richtte in 1935 de St. Ursulakliniek op waar hij directeur van werd. Hij was de arts van Zwolsman en gaf hem regelmatig morfine-injecties en lijkt daarmee controle over Zwolsman te hebben gekregen.
Hij werd in 1942 commissaris in het door Zwolsman opgerichte bedrijf Sprietlaeck, dat voorheen ABEX heette en later omgedoopt werd in Nassaulaan, de straat waarin Hoelen woonde. Hij nam actief deel in de handel in Joods onroerend goed.
Hij onderhield nauwe contacten met de top van de KVP zoals Deckers, Romme en Beel.
Hij had tijdens de oorlog goede relaties met de Sicherheitsdienst, in het bijzonder met het Sonderkommando Frank van de Duitse contraspionage. Hij staat daarbij op goede voet met Friedrich Frank, Jan Haakman en Zwolsman.
Hij bemiddelde voor zijn buurman Sebastiaan van der Mark, een voormalige commissaris van politie in Arnhem die wegens criminele praktijken een flinke gevangenisstraf had uitgezeten, dat die een vervroegd politiepensioen kreeg vanwege zijn geestesgesteldheid. Daarna regelde hij voor hem een baan bij een Nederlandse bunkerbouwer in het Duitse Kassel, waar Zwolsman ook actief was geweest.
Hij verklaarde rijke relatie van hem psychisch ziek om zo de Arbeitseinsatz te ontlopen, maar als het om minder welgestelde personen ging voegde hij die toe dat ze zich niet moesten aanstellen en als een flinke kerel naar Duitsland moesten gaan.
Hij hield in de gesloten afdeling van de Ursulakliniek Alsem gevangen, omdat die ruzie had met Zwolsman over door Hillesheim verborgen rijkdommen; Zwolsman dacht dat Alsem daar meer over wist.
Hij regelde voor Zwolsman met Van der Mark de aankoop van bouwmaterialen en -machines van de bunkerbouwer Adrianus de Vetten met de afspraak dat hij die na de oorlog terug zou krijgen; het was de bedoeling om naoorlogse inbeslagname te voorkomen. Maar na de oorlog behielden Hoelen en Zwolsman de spullen, terwijl daar niet eens voor betaald was.
Hij kwam aan het eind van de oorlog regelmatig bij de Geheime Dienst Nederland (GDN) in het Vredespaleis op bezoek. De GDN stond via Zwolsman onder controle van de Duitse contraspionage. Hoelen zelf was kind aan huis bij de Duitse contraspionage die in de vlakbij gelegen Willemsparkflat zetelde.
Er werden grote hoeveelheden door de Nederlandse regering gedropte wapens met vrachtauto’s van de Sicherheitsdienst aangevoerd naar de terreinen van de Ursulakliniek en daar opgeslagen voor naoorlogs gebruik. De wapens werden bewaakt door leden van het Sonderkommando Frank.
Hij stemde er mee in dat Just van Hasselt in de Ursulakliniek gevangen werd gehouden en door een van de medewerkers werd vermoord. Na de oorlog werd de broer van de vermoorde in de Ursulakliniek gevangengehouden.
Hij verborg na de oorlog diverse bunkerbouwers, de Duitse oorlogsmisdadiger Siegfried Schuster die een belangrijke rol had gespeeld bij het veroorzaken van de hongersnood, de V-Mann en zwarthandelaar Jimmy den Held en later de corrupte burgemeester Visser van Den Haag om aan gerechtelijke vervolging te ontkomen. De bunkerbouwer Marinus ’s-Gravendijk stond als dank voor zijn opname zijn auto, een Buick, af. Een psychisch patiënt mag niet in een inrichting gearresteerd worden. Hoelen rekende extreem hoge verpleegtarieven aan deze gasten.
Hoelen werd op 1 juli 1945 gearresteerd, maar zijn vriend en zakenrelatie Zwolsman liet hem op 4 juli alweer vrij. Het onderzoeksdossier nr. 113207 over Hoelen voor de Bijzondere Rechtspleging verdween spoorloos. Waarschijnlijk is het door corrupte vriendjes (Bijv. Zwolsman) bij de politie of het Bureau Nationale Veiligheid verwijderd, omdat ze daarmee zelf in een kwaad daglicht kwamen te staan. Het kan ook zijn dat een neef van hem die op het Bureau Nationale Veiligheid werkte en toegang tot de strafdossiers had, het verwijderd heeft.
Hoelen had een machtspositie binnen de KVP. Dat blijkt uit het feit dat zijn vrouw zomaar KVP-minister Kolfschoten kon bellen en toen ze te horen kreeg dat die in bespreking was, kon ze zijn secretaresse de opdracht laten doorgeven dat Kolfschoten bij haar langs moest komen. De secretaresse was goed geïnstrueerd, want ze zei zonder ruggenspraak dat hij onmiddellijk na de bespreking langs zou komen.
De van kunstroof in Polen beschuldigde Pieter Menten liet zich vanwege psychische problemen in de Ursulakliniek opnemen. Daardoor kon hij niet gevangen worden gezet, maar kreeg wel huisarrest opgelegd. Maar hij verliet ’s-nachts stiekem de kliniek om een getuige te bewerken. Dit kwam de politie ter ore en kwam hem arresteren. Dit werd aan Hoelen gemeld en die kwam schreeuwend, scheldend en tierend tussenbeide. In de consternatie die ontstond kon Menten door een raampje ontvluchten. De politieman schoot hem in de rug. Menten liet zich in het geheim in ziekenhuis Westeinde behandelen en keerde in het geheim terug naar de Ursulakliniek, daar verwittigde Hoelen zijn advocaat het katholieke Tweede Kamerlid Rad Kortenhorst, die hem van de meeste beschuldigingen wist vrij te pleiten.
In de jaren vijftig ontstonden er geruchten dat men koningin Juliana onder toezicht van Hoelen wilde laten opsluiten. Tijdens een kabinetsformatie bezocht hij de formateur Romme, een persoonlijk vriend uit de studententijd. Het zou de bedoeling zijn dat hij of minister van Volksgezondheid zou worden of een advies zou opstellen over wat te doen met een staatshoofd met psychische problemen.
20. Dr. HOELE then informed (redacted) about Miss GEMMEKE and told him that she also was a patient of his. The doctor then explained to this German official that Miss GEMMEKE fiancé was living in 's Hertogenbosch and asked him whether he could see his way to give her a permit to travel from The Hague to 's Hertogenbosch. There quest was granted. Thereupon the German official (redacted) made out a certificate to cover this journey and a second one in which he requested all those concerned not to requisition the bicycle which Miss GEMMEKE was using for this purpose. These documents are among her property. They are genuine, stamped and dated. Photographs of these documents are appended.
Waarschijnlijk gaat het hier om Zimmermann.
21. The rest of the journey was not difficult as once she crossed the river Waal she cycled to Woudrichem, following the main road to Neer Andle. From there they continued to Veenwijk, finally reaching Heusden, which is South of the Bergsche Maas. There she crossed this river and there was apparently no check up; no Germans were seen in the vicinity.
22. From Heusden she went to Elshout and from there to Vught via Cronvirt (Cromvoirt). The British troops had not entered the town of Vught yet but were very near to it when she arrived there and it was there that she decided to wait as it was only a matter of days before the town would be occupied by the British.
23. She stayed in Vught with a certain Mr. HOLLA. The address is forgotten but she says he is a well known person in the city, being a man of the legal profession. The address has been given to her by her friend, (redacted).
Cor van Paaschen had samen met Tobias Biallosterski in april 1994 Holla bezocht, Holla was de spin in het web van het verzet in Brabant. Hij was bekend bij SOE en bij SIS.
24. In Vught she got in touch with the O.D. Organisation and the rest of the story is explained in the 1st Report and need no further comment.
25. The only point which now needs further amplification is her contact with with the British side of the organisation. This, she said, was established through the man (redacted) who had been parachuted over and was accompanied by a wireless transmitter with whom Miss GEMMEKE's fiancé (redacted), became very friendly. (redacted) then went back to England and in this manner her name had been brought to the notice of our people over here.
Dit is SOE/BBO agent Tobias Biallosterski, missie Draughts en zijn marconist Jan Steman.
26. After she had acquitted herself of her mission, that is to say reached HQ at Prince Bernhard in Brussels, she was taken on by our own people and sent over to this country for the purpose of taking up training courses. As far as I understand Miss GEMMEKE will be returning to Holland.
27. With regard to the conclusion reached in the 1st Report these can only be confirmed, the more so as we now have been able to identify a number of contacts mentioned by this brave young woman.
28. In spite of the fact that there is an obvious security risk involved in her case as she is returning to Holland, after due consideration of all the elements the recommendation as set forth in the 1st Report is maintained, in my opinion this woman should be released with the least possible delay.
JMS/8-11-1955 P. Van Dyck.
SOE TRAINING.
33 OB 25
Name: GEMMEKE, Brunita Josepha.
P.T.C. 10-11-1944 (Mi-5 and C only)
MI-5 advised 29-11-1944: Our only information is contained in her L.R.C. Interrogation Reports.
Born: 3-6-1922, Amsterdam.
Nationality: Dutch
Occupation:
Pte. Add:
Relatives:
Remarks N: Not employed - it has been decided not to send women agents to the field at this stage.
Landed: 1-11-1944.
OSA signed.
SD signed.
STS-31 FINISHING REPORT 17-2-1945.
This student is well above average intelligence. She is quick, clear thinking and has plenty of practical common sense., combined with good imagination and initiative. She appear honest and reliable, takes her work seriously and although she has a good appreciation of the difficulties of her intended mission, she is in no way deterred by them.
This student is one of the most outstanding students we have had here and in spite of long experience of this type of work in a difficult country, this did not prevent her from being courteous, attentive and hardworking throughout the course, in which she showed considerable interest.
CODES.
She has a thorough knowledge of all systems and the details of her conventions, but should be given an opportunity for further practice before using them operationally.
STS-51 Parachute Training Report 4-3-1945.
A student with a very matter of fact outlook on the whole business, who, at no time during the course, showed the slightest signs of nervousness. In ground training she proved a willing and hard worker who achieved average results. On her first aircraft descent she deliberately landed on het seat with rather painful results. She then declared taht owing to rather weak ankles she had not attempted a landing, making initial contact with her feet.
After one day's treatment she was pronounced fit to continue the course and there after made two more descents. her exits were very good, air drill non existent and landings average.
THREE DESCENTS SECOND CLASS
REMARKS
A very good type in every way except physically. Quiet and efficient and with plenty of nerve. The only drawback is that she is of rather heavy build with weak ankles, which she is apt consciously or consciously to try to protect on landing with the resultant back injury.
..dated: Proceeded overseas.
?-6-1945 Arrived in the UK from Eindhoven.
Telegram.
SRL NO D 2333 2334 PRIORITY NIL SECTION HOLLAND
TO NORTHAW VIA DIRECT
PREFIX NIL 17 FEB 1945 ORIG NO 579
WDS 200
PLEASE ARRANGE TO HAVE JOSEPHINE GEMMEKE RPT GEMMEKE CALLED FORWARD IMMEDIATELY STOP PROPOSED THAT JOSEPHINE STAYS IN BRUSSELS IN ORDER TO INTERVIEW CERTAIN DUTCHMEN WHOM SHE KNOWS AND WHO CAN SUPPLY HER WITH IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTS STOP JOSEPHINE MUST RETURN TO UK BY MARCH FIRST STOP TRAVEL IN FANY UNIFORM AND WILL HAVE FANY IDENTITY CARD STOP PLEASE CONTACT FOLLOWING DUTCHMEN AND WARN THEM TO BE AVAILABLE TO TRAVEL TO BRUSSELS ON ARRIVAL JOSEPHINE STOP
ONE (redacted) {Mr. Bolhuis, Willemstraat 26, Eindhoven} STOP (redacted) {E.J.A. ten Hengel, Ringbaan Oost 145, Tilburg} TO WARN AND BRING WITH HIM MR DE KORT RPT DE KORT WHOSE ADDRESS UNKNOWN HERE STOP COMDR JOHNS AGREES THIS PROPOSITION AND EMPHASISES FOR SECURITY REASONS THAT JOSEPHINE MUST NOT RPT NOT BE ALLOWED TO WANDER IN LIBERATED HOLLAND STOP (redacted) {Bolhuis} SHOULD BRING ALL ENEMY DOCUMENTS AND RELEVENT INFORMATION KNOWN TO HIM REGARDING PAPERS FOR WORKERS RECRUITED IN HOLLAND FOR LABOUR IN GERMANY STOP DE KORT TO BRIEF JOSEPHINE FULLY ON WORKING OF ARBEITSAMT RPT ARBEITSAMT
THI 171623
TP AT 171707 DGB AS
L13 W2 AND RPT AND
RLSE T AT 171709 DGB AR KK
N PD
Jos Gemmeke is dus al in Engeland, maar moet terugkeren naar Brussel om een aantal mensen te ondervragen. Deze moeten in Brussel aanwezig zijn wanneer Jos arriveert. Deze mensen moeten een zekere heer De Kort meenemen die informatie kan verschaffen over de arbeitseinsatz in Duitsland. Dit heeft alles te maken met de missie die Jos later wanneer zij gedropt is moeten uitvoeren: Operatie Bonzo.
Dit telegram is bestemd voor NORTHAW, de alias van Prins Bernhard.
Is dit de heer De Kort waarvan sprake is in het telegram aan Northaw?
Willebrordus Leonardus Petrus Martinus (Wim) de Kort (Tilburg, 4 juni 1909 - Villeneuve-de-Berg (Frankrijk), 2 mei 1993) was een Nederlands politicus. Van 19 september 1961 tot 7 december 1963 was hij in de Tweede Kamer fractievoorzitter van de Katholieke Volkspartij (KVP). Van 1 november 1960 tot 1 juli 1974 was hij burgemeester van de Noord-Brabantse gemeente Nieuw-Ginneken.
De Kort bezat drie academische titels, alle in Leuven behaald, twee magna cum laude en de derde cum laude. Hij promoveerde in Leuven in de sociale wetenschappen, waar hij ook wijsbegeerte studeerde. Zijn maatschappelijke carrière begon hij als volontair bij "Banque de la Campine" in Turnhout. Van 1930 tot 1933 was hij boekhouder bij de Tilburgse N.V. Metaaldraadlampenfabriek "Volt". Van januari 1938 tot 1 mei 1941 fungeerde hij als sociaal en juridisch adviseur van de Nederlandse Rooms-Katholieke Politiebond "Sint Michael". Hij was directeur van het Gewestelijk Arbeidsbureau in Tilburg van 1 mei 1941 tot 1945, maar in 1944 dook hij onder.
OPERATION CACKLE.
1. Information
a. Your area of operation is The Hague, but you may be sent to Germany on tour.
b. Insufficient information is in our possession regarding the whereabouts and numbers of Dutch Workers in Germany.
c. DRAUGHTS-2 has been requested to investigate the possibility of contacting Dutch Workers in Germany. As a result
of this an agent (KIEWIET) is prepared to use his business position to visit Germany and if necessary take you as
secretary.
d. W/T sets for infiltration into Germany were dropped unsuccessfully. Two more will be dropped with you. But no
operator will be available from this country for some time.
2. Mission.
a.
The Object of your Mission is to obtain all the information possible which will help us to gain contact with Dutch workers in Germany and organise these into disciplined bodies who can
1.
Act on instructions from Supreme Allied Headquarters or on orders given by the Allied Forces in the zone of Military Operations concerned.
2.
Receive assistance during the probable administrative chaos following on a German collapse.
b.
Your Mission will fall into two parts dependent upon your visit to Germany. If you yourself do not go to Germany you will brief fully the agent referred to above on the second part of your mission.
3. Part 1.
a. In the event of your remaining in Holland you will endeavour to obtain the following detailed information on Dutch
Workers. the fact that an agent will be going to Germany does not mean that you should rely on the information he
can bring back. We require this information urgently and time may not permit us to await the agent's return. You will
therefore obtain as much of it as possible in Holland. If you go to Germany you should still endeavour to obtain as
much information as time will allow before your departure.
b.
I. Disposition and numbers in Germany. the situation of their camps and the industries in which they are engaged.
II. The condition under which they live, particularly the amount of control exercised. Are they permitted to live in
private lodgings? Can they leave their camps? Can they visit the cinema or buy goods in the shops?
III. Safe addresses in Germany to which Dutch agents from this country can be sent and from which they can contact
workers.
IV. The possibility of infiltrating agents with WT sets into Germany from Holland preferably by legal methods, e.g.
through the Labour Office. This will involve consideration of the methods of recruiting a) Volunteers, b) Conscripts,
the documents and authorities required for the journey, the system of transport to Germany, luggage controls at
the frontier and prior to despatch and feasibility of arranging officially for agents to be sent to selected areas in
Germany. It should be borne in mind that agents for work in Germany will of necessity be above the average
intelligence and therefore may be assigned by the enemy to positions of relative responsibility. This may affect their
mode of life, their freedom of movement and theur ability to live in lodgings.
V. The possibilities of infiltrating agents into Germany through existing smuggling organisations or escape channels
already in use by Dutch workers in Germany
VI. The possibilities that former Trades Unions will have organised lines of communication to workers in Germany
VII. The opportunities offered for communication with Dutch workers in Germany via the Underground Press in Holland
and in Germany if these have linked up.
VIII. The conditions under which Dutch Reichsbahn employees work. Do they work on trains to Holland, and if so, to
what controls are they subjected? Are they in touch with Workers' Camps in Germany and can they move freely
when off duty?
IX. The existence of Canal traffic between North Holland and Germany. If this still exists, can it be used for our
purposes?
X. The effect of the refugee flow from the Rhineland and from the East on control of movement. Can workers as a result
obtain employment without papers or Arbeitsbuch by claiming to have fled from occupied areas?
XI. The possibility of communicating with Sweden from Germany.
4. Part II. Mission to Germany.
a. You will brief KIEWIET on the following lines:
1. You will explain the object of his mission as in para.2A above and stress the humanitarian aspect.
2. You will brief him on the information required as set out in para.3B above.
b. No operator for the WT sets destined for Germany can be made available from here at present. It should be stressed
that at this stage the collection of information is more important than the introduction of a WT set. A WT set should
not be taken unless you are both satisfied that the official standing of KIEWIET will carry sufficient authority to make
a search of his car unlikely. It is more important to take an MCR than a transmitter.
c. When in Germany you should concentrate on contacting Dutch Workers in the general area of HAMBURG-BREMEN-
HANOVER-KASSEL. It is not necessary to bother about BERLIN of the RUHRGEBIET. The exact areas in which you will
work are left to your discretion. A general guide as to the type of organisation required is given in Appendix A.
d. It is important that your visit to Germany should not last too long. You should aim at completing your tour within
three weeks.
5. In addition to the information required as given in para 3B above, you should if possible seek to answer the
questionnaires at Appendix B.
6.
a For security reasons it is of the greatest importance that your mission should be conducted independently of the
Resistance Movements in your area.
b. You will take with you the signals plans for the two operators to be trained by Draughts-2 and you will be fully
briefed in this respect.
c. You should have impressed upon all agents despatched that because of the danger of reprisals they will on
NO ACCOUNT contact either:
1. Prisoners of War.
2. Political Deportees.
3. Workmen under guard by day or by night nor must they enter into relations with the German Resistance Movements
which must only have communications with this country owing to the danger of penetration.
Method.
7.
a. You will leave subject to weather on or after 9 March 1945.
b. You will be dropped to a reception committee. The exact point of descent will be given to you separately.
c. The course of action to be followed by you after arrival is left to your discretion and that of the reception
committee.
d. You will use the Dutch papers brought by you from Holland.
e. Action to be taken if you are overrun by the Allies. See Appendix C.
f. Action to be taken if cut off in Germany by an Allied advance into Holland. See Appendix C.
Communication.
8.
a. You will communicate with us through Draughts-2.
b. You will deliver the WT sets, crystals and plans for the two operators to be trained through Draughts-2. You will be
separately briefed in this respect. To be sent Pa...
c. Codes. You will be provided with the codes for yourself, KIEWIETand the two operators. You will be specially briefed
in this respect.
d. Innocent letters. If cut off in Germany you will communicate with us by innocent letter or postcard. The address to
which you will write and the signature you will use are given in Appendix E.
e. BBC messages. If cut off in Germany you will receive instructions from us via the BBC transmissions. You will be
specially briefed in this respect.
Administration.
9.
a. Name of Operation. Your operational name is CACKLE, and it is the only name by which you will be known at the
despatch station. This name must never be used in the field.
b. Field Name. Your code name in the filed will be ….SPHINX.... This will be the name used in our signals.
c. Equipment and Funds.
1. Jumping equipment. You will be seen by an equipment officer and will choose your own equipment.
2. Total Funds provided.
a. Operational Funds: Fl.100.000,-
b. Expenses: Fl. 5000,-
Total Fl. 105.000,-
c. III The Operational Funds of FL.100.000,- is the amount requested by KIEWIET in order to open credits for work in
Germany. You will ensure that this sum is used for the purpose of the Mission set out in paras. 2 and 3 above, and
at Appendix A. It is not to be used for the purpose of organising propaganda or sabotage in Germany.
APPENDIX A
The Organisation of Dutch Workers in Germany.
General situation.
Although little information is available concerning the Exact whereabouts of Dutch Workers in Germany, the site of their camps, etc. We do know that apart from the large concentrations in the RHINE-RUHR and LEIPZIG-BERLIN areas there are also large numbers around the centres of HAMBURG-BREMEN-HANOVER-KASSEL-BRUNSWICK-MAGDEBURG and DESSAU.
The increasing Allied pressure on Germany is known to be affecting the internal administration of the Reich, with the result that normal travel by rail or road is extremely difficult and mail is seriously delayed. This situation will certainly deteriorate in the future.
It is important that Dutch Workers should be in a position to receive instructions from the Allies so that they can organise their own safety and not impede the advance of the Allies by their uncoordinated actions.
Outline Plan.
With a view to coordinating the actions of Foreign Workers, it is hoped that we can organise cells in some of the main centres referred to above. To do this we require to know the names of reliable Dutch workers in these areas and addresses through which they can be contacted. We also require to know safe addresses to which agents from this country or from Holland can be sent. Once these are known it is planned to sent in WT operators and organisers preferably by legal means through the Arbeitsamt or clandestinely by infiltration over the Dutch-German frontier. The actual method used will depend upon the results obtained by your investigations.
If conditions are judged favourable we shall drop WT operators and organisers directly into Germany with instructions to contact the addresses given by you.
Because of the Allied gains in the East and in the West it is considered that we should concentrate on the area along the axis HAMBURG-HANOVER-KASSEL. this has the advantage of lying near the N.B. Dutch frontier and across two of the main railways linking the West to the EAST over:
1. HANOVER-BRUNSWICK-MAGDEBURG-DESSAU.
2. KASSEL-ERFURT-WEIMAR-CHEMNITZ.
along which lines Dutch Workers are known to be employed. It also lies across the main network of the EMS-WESER, WESER-ELBE canal and river system where Dutch barges can be expected to operate.
The organisation should be one where our organisers are employed in the position permitting considerable freedom of movement and contact with other Dutch Workers. Such positions would be held by Engineer Inspectors, Railwaymen and Canal men. It should also be in a position to use the opportunities offered by rail and water traffic for the purpose of receiving and distributing MRC's and passing messages both internally and externally to any centres organised by us in N.E. Holland.
The expected phasing of activities might be:
Phase 1: Arrange safe addresses and begin organisation of cells.
Phase 2: Send organisers and WT to Holland from UK.
Send organisers and WT from Holland to Germany to addresses provided during phase 1.
Phase 3: Send organisers and WT to Germany direct from UK to centres organised during phase 2.
Distribute MCR's.
Phase 4. Liberation of Holland. Organisation in Germany works back to UK independently of Holland.
Phase 5. Instructions issued over WT and BBC by Allied Headquarters.
During the preparation stages organisers in Germany should discourage activities such as sabotage which would be likely to lead to rigid control and reprisals resulting in the breakdown of their organisation. Unless instructed otherwise by Allied Headquarters the organisation should remain passive.
Consideration should be given to the possibility that the remaining barges in Holland will be withdrawn into Germany in the event of evacuation. This may provide a means of infiltrating sets and agents in larger numbers than would otherwise be the case.
APPENDIX B.
Additional information required.
If opportunities occur you should endeavour to obtain the following information and documents. It must be stressed however, that this should only be done if the opportunity offers, but should not be allowed to interfere with the fulfillment of your mission
Example of travel permit of the new type issued by the Reichbahnverkehsamt.
Obtain supplies of new type of Reisemarken and Lebensmittelmarken in use from 19 feb. Obtain blank Seefahrtsbücher of the latest issue.
General Intelligence.
Precise knowledge of emergency measures to be taken in areas visited by you in case of penetration of Allied troops to that area.
Ant reliable information on the organisation of Nazi underground resistance after the cessation of hostilities, e.g. the type of cover now being adopted by future Nazi underground workers.
First class information on the intensity of controls on trains, on highways, in harbours, in streets, hotels, and restaurants. Quote specific places and routes if possible, also type of police responsible of the controls. How far is the 75 km maximum of rail travel being enforced. Any experience in the obtaining of permits for greater distances. The efficiency of the Blockwaltersystem and Party intelligence organisation in general in areas visited by you. For what purpose is the Volkssturm being used, apart from cooperating with fighting troops.
AIR RAID DAMAGE.
ANY RECENT INFORMATION: GVING DATE OF RAID, LOCATION, EXTENT OF DAMAGE, ESTIMATED TIME OF REPAIR, EFFECT ON OUTPUT ANY SIGNS OF EVACUATION OR DISPERSAL.
PARTICULARLY ABOUT: RHENANIA OSSAC, AT HAMBURG, WILHELMSBURG, GRASBROOK.
DEUTSCHE PETROLEUM A.G. WILHELMSBURG.
DEUTSCHE VACUUM OEL A.G. WEDEL SCHULAU
EBANO ASPHALTWERKE A.G. HAMBURG
FACTORIES.
GIVE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: NATURE OF PRODUCT, NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES, SHIFTS AND HOURS WORKED, SOURCE OF RAW MATERIALS, OUTPUT, DESTINATION OF PRODUCT.
BLOEHM & VOSS AT OSTHALLE, WEZENDORF FINKENWERDER.
POSSIBLE AIRCRAFT WORKS AT LASBECK.
NORDDEUTSCHE AFFINERIE , PEUTE.
ZINNWERKE WILHELMSBURG GMBH.
VEREINIGTE DEUTSCHE METALLWERKE AG (VDM) AT ALTONA BALKENFELD & GROSS BORSTAL.
HARBUGER GUMMIWAHRENFABRIK PHOENIX
SUBMARINES.
STATE WHAT WORK IS CARRIED OUT, IN BUILDING, REPAIR OR ASSEMBLY OF SUBMARINES AT:
DEUTSCHE WERFT, FINKENWERDER
HOWALDTWERKE, VULCANHAVEN.
NORDERWERFT.
STULCKEN UND SOHN.
REPORT ANY LARGE SCALE MOVEMENT FROM DENMARK VIA HAMBURG WITH IDENTIFICATIONS.
INFORMATION ON MAIN ORDNANCE DEPOT AT HAMBURG-GLINDE
INFORMATION ON BRANCH ORDNANCE DEPOT AT OSDORF.
INFORMATION ON BRANCH ORDNANCE DEPOT AT ALTONA (GIVE EXACT LOCATION).
IS THERE AN UNDERGROUND P.O.L. DEPOT AT HARBURG?
1. Information
a. Your area of operation is The Hague, but you may be sent to Germany on tour.
b. Insufficient information is in our possession regarding the whereabouts and numbers of Dutch Workers in Germany.
c. DRAUGHTS-2 has been requested to investigate the possibility of contacting Dutch Workers in Germany. As a result
of this an agent (KIEWIET) is prepared to use his business position to visit Germany and if necessary take you as
secretary.
d. W/T sets for infiltration into Germany were dropped unsuccessfully. Two more will be dropped with you. But no
operator will be available from this country for some time.
2. Mission.
a.
The Object of your Mission is to obtain all the information possible which will help us to gain contact with Dutch workers in Germany and organise these into disciplined bodies who can
1.
Act on instructions from Supreme Allied Headquarters or on orders given by the Allied Forces in the zone of Military Operations concerned.
2.
Receive assistance during the probable administrative chaos following on a German collapse.
b.
Your Mission will fall into two parts dependent upon your visit to Germany. If you yourself do not go to Germany you will brief fully the agent referred to above on the second part of your mission.
3. Part 1.
a. In the event of your remaining in Holland you will endeavour to obtain the following detailed information on Dutch
Workers. the fact that an agent will be going to Germany does not mean that you should rely on the information he
can bring back. We require this information urgently and time may not permit us to await the agent's return. You will
therefore obtain as much of it as possible in Holland. If you go to Germany you should still endeavour to obtain as
much information as time will allow before your departure.
b.
I. Disposition and numbers in Germany. the situation of their camps and the industries in which they are engaged.
II. The condition under which they live, particularly the amount of control exercised. Are they permitted to live in
private lodgings? Can they leave their camps? Can they visit the cinema or buy goods in the shops?
III. Safe addresses in Germany to which Dutch agents from this country can be sent and from which they can contact
workers.
IV. The possibility of infiltrating agents with WT sets into Germany from Holland preferably by legal methods, e.g.
through the Labour Office. This will involve consideration of the methods of recruiting a) Volunteers, b) Conscripts,
the documents and authorities required for the journey, the system of transport to Germany, luggage controls at
the frontier and prior to despatch and feasibility of arranging officially for agents to be sent to selected areas in
Germany. It should be borne in mind that agents for work in Germany will of necessity be above the average
intelligence and therefore may be assigned by the enemy to positions of relative responsibility. This may affect their
mode of life, their freedom of movement and theur ability to live in lodgings.
V. The possibilities of infiltrating agents into Germany through existing smuggling organisations or escape channels
already in use by Dutch workers in Germany
VI. The possibilities that former Trades Unions will have organised lines of communication to workers in Germany
VII. The opportunities offered for communication with Dutch workers in Germany via the Underground Press in Holland
and in Germany if these have linked up.
VIII. The conditions under which Dutch Reichsbahn employees work. Do they work on trains to Holland, and if so, to
what controls are they subjected? Are they in touch with Workers' Camps in Germany and can they move freely
when off duty?
IX. The existence of Canal traffic between North Holland and Germany. If this still exists, can it be used for our
purposes?
X. The effect of the refugee flow from the Rhineland and from the East on control of movement. Can workers as a result
obtain employment without papers or Arbeitsbuch by claiming to have fled from occupied areas?
XI. The possibility of communicating with Sweden from Germany.
4. Part II. Mission to Germany.
a. You will brief KIEWIET on the following lines:
1. You will explain the object of his mission as in para.2A above and stress the humanitarian aspect.
2. You will brief him on the information required as set out in para.3B above.
b. No operator for the WT sets destined for Germany can be made available from here at present. It should be stressed
that at this stage the collection of information is more important than the introduction of a WT set. A WT set should
not be taken unless you are both satisfied that the official standing of KIEWIET will carry sufficient authority to make
a search of his car unlikely. It is more important to take an MCR than a transmitter.
c. When in Germany you should concentrate on contacting Dutch Workers in the general area of HAMBURG-BREMEN-
HANOVER-KASSEL. It is not necessary to bother about BERLIN of the RUHRGEBIET. The exact areas in which you will
work are left to your discretion. A general guide as to the type of organisation required is given in Appendix A.
d. It is important that your visit to Germany should not last too long. You should aim at completing your tour within
three weeks.
5. In addition to the information required as given in para 3B above, you should if possible seek to answer the
questionnaires at Appendix B.
6.
a For security reasons it is of the greatest importance that your mission should be conducted independently of the
Resistance Movements in your area.
b. You will take with you the signals plans for the two operators to be trained by Draughts-2 and you will be fully
briefed in this respect.
c. You should have impressed upon all agents despatched that because of the danger of reprisals they will on
NO ACCOUNT contact either:
1. Prisoners of War.
2. Political Deportees.
3. Workmen under guard by day or by night nor must they enter into relations with the German Resistance Movements
which must only have communications with this country owing to the danger of penetration.
Method.
7.
a. You will leave subject to weather on or after 9 March 1945.
b. You will be dropped to a reception committee. The exact point of descent will be given to you separately.
c. The course of action to be followed by you after arrival is left to your discretion and that of the reception
committee.
d. You will use the Dutch papers brought by you from Holland.
e. Action to be taken if you are overrun by the Allies. See Appendix C.
f. Action to be taken if cut off in Germany by an Allied advance into Holland. See Appendix C.
Communication.
8.
a. You will communicate with us through Draughts-2.
separately briefed in this respect
c. Codes. You will be provided with the codes for yourself, KIEWIET
in this respect.
d. Innocent letters. If cut off in Germany you will communicate with us by innocent letter or postcard. The address to
which you will write and the signature you will use are given in Appendix E.
e. BBC messages. If cut off in Germany you will receive instructions from us via the BBC transmissions. You will be
specially briefed in this respect.
Administration.
9.
a. Name of Operation. Your operational name is CACKLE, and it is the only name by which you will be known at the
despatch station. This name must never be used in the field.
b. Field Name. Your code name in the filed will be ….SPHINX.... This will be the name used in our signals.
c. Equipment and Funds.
1. Jumping equipment. You will be seen by an equipment officer and will choose your own equipment.
2. Total Funds provided.
a. Operational Funds: Fl.100.000,-
b. Expenses: Fl. 5000,-
Total Fl. 105.000,-
c. III The Operational Funds of FL.100.000,- is the amount requested by KIEWIET in order to open credits for work in
Germany. You will ensure that this sum is used for the purpose of the Mission set out in paras. 2 and 3 above, and
at Appendix A. It is not to be used for the purpose of organising propaganda or sabotage in Germany.
APPENDIX A
The Organisation of Dutch Workers in Germany.
General situation.
Although little information is available concerning the Exact whereabouts of Dutch Workers in Germany, the site of their camps, etc. We do know that apart from the large concentrations in the RHINE-RUHR and LEIPZIG-BERLIN areas there are also large numbers around the centres of HAMBURG-BREMEN-HANOVER-KASSEL-BRUNSWICK-MAGDEBURG and DESSAU.
The increasing Allied pressure on Germany is known to be affecting the internal administration of the Reich, with the result that normal travel by rail or road is extremely difficult and mail is seriously delayed. This situation will certainly deteriorate in the future.
It is important that Dutch Workers should be in a position to receive instructions from the Allies so that they can organise their own safety and not impede the advance of the Allies by their uncoordinated actions.
Outline Plan.
With a view to coordinating the actions of Foreign Workers, it is hoped that we can organise cells in some of the main centres referred to above. To do this we require to know the names of reliable Dutch workers in these areas and addresses through which they can be contacted. We also require to know safe addresses to which agents from this country or from Holland can be sent. Once these are known it is planned to sent in WT operators and organisers preferably by legal means through the Arbeitsamt or clandestinely by infiltration over the Dutch-German frontier. The actual method used will depend upon the results obtained by your investigations.
If conditions are judged favourable we shall drop WT operators and organisers directly into Germany with instructions to contact the addresses given by you.
Because of the Allied gains in the East and in the West it is considered that we should concentrate on the area along the axis HAMBURG-HANOVER-KASSEL. this has the advantage of lying near the N.B. Dutch frontier and across two of the main railways linking the West to the EAST over:
1. HANOVER-BRUNSWICK-MAGDEBURG-DESSAU.
2. KASSEL-ERFURT-WEIMAR-CHEMNITZ.
along which lines Dutch Workers are known to be employed. It also lies across the main network of the EMS-WESER, WESER-ELBE canal and river system where Dutch barges can be expected to operate.
The organisation should be one where our organisers are employed in the position permitting considerable freedom of movement and contact with other Dutch Workers. Such positions would be held by Engineer Inspectors, Railwaymen and Canal men. It should also be in a position to use the opportunities offered by rail and water traffic for the purpose of receiving and distributing MRC's and passing messages both internally and externally to any centres organised by us in N.E. Holland.
The expected phasing of activities might be:
Phase 1: Arrange safe addresses and begin organisation of cells.
Phase 2: Send organisers and WT to Holland from UK.
Send organisers and WT from Holland to Germany to addresses provided during phase 1.
Phase 3: Send organisers and WT to Germany direct from UK to centres organised during phase 2.
Distribute MCR's.
Phase 4. Liberation of Holland. Organisation in Germany works back to UK independently of Holland.
Phase 5. Instructions issued over WT and BBC by Allied Headquarters.
During the preparation stages organisers in Germany should discourage activities such as sabotage which would be likely to lead to rigid control and reprisals resulting in the breakdown of their organisation. Unless instructed otherwise by Allied Headquarters the organisation should remain passive.
Consideration should be given to the possibility that the remaining barges in Holland will be withdrawn into Germany in the event of evacuation. This may provide a means of infiltrating sets and agents in larger numbers than would otherwise be the case.
APPENDIX B.
Additional information required.
If opportunities occur you should endeavour to obtain the following information and documents. It must be stressed however, that this should only be done if the opportunity offers, but should not be allowed to interfere with the fulfillment of your mission
Example of travel permit of the new type issued by the Reichbahnverkehsamt.
Obtain supplies of new type of Reisemarken and Lebensmittelmarken in use from 19 feb. Obtain blank Seefahrtsbücher of the latest issue.
General Intelligence.
Precise knowledge of emergency measures to be taken in areas visited by you in case of penetration of Allied troops to that area.
Ant reliable information on the organisation of Nazi underground resistance after the cessation of hostilities, e.g. the type of cover now being adopted by future Nazi underground workers.
First class information on the intensity of controls on trains, on highways, in harbours, in streets, hotels, and restaurants. Quote specific places and routes if possible, also type of police responsible of the controls. How far is the 75 km maximum of rail travel being enforced. Any experience in the obtaining of permits for greater distances. The efficiency of the Blockwaltersystem and Party intelligence organisation in general in areas visited by you. For what purpose is the Volkssturm being used, apart from cooperating with fighting troops.
AIR RAID DAMAGE.
ANY RECENT INFORMATION: GVING DATE OF RAID, LOCATION, EXTENT OF DAMAGE, ESTIMATED TIME OF REPAIR, EFFECT ON OUTPUT ANY SIGNS OF EVACUATION OR DISPERSAL.
PARTICULARLY ABOUT: RHENANIA OSSAC, AT HAMBURG, WILHELMSBURG, GRASBROOK.
DEUTSCHE PETROLEUM A.G. WILHELMSBURG.
DEUTSCHE VACUUM OEL A.G. WEDEL SCHULAU
EBANO ASPHALTWERKE A.G. HAMBURG
FACTORIES.
GIVE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: NATURE OF PRODUCT, NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES, SHIFTS AND HOURS WORKED, SOURCE OF RAW MATERIALS, OUTPUT, DESTINATION OF PRODUCT.
BLOEHM & VOSS AT OSTHALLE, WEZENDORF FINKENWERDER.
POSSIBLE AIRCRAFT WORKS AT LASBECK.
NORDDEUTSCHE AFFINERIE , PEUTE.
ZINNWERKE WILHELMSBURG GMBH.
VEREINIGTE DEUTSCHE METALLWERKE AG (VDM) AT ALTONA BALKENFELD & GROSS BORSTAL.
HARBUGER GUMMIWAHRENFABRIK PHOENIX
SUBMARINES.
STATE WHAT WORK IS CARRIED OUT, IN BUILDING, REPAIR OR ASSEMBLY OF SUBMARINES AT:
DEUTSCHE WERFT, FINKENWERDER
HOWALDTWERKE, VULCANHAVEN.
NORDERWERFT.
STULCKEN UND SOHN.
REPORT ANY LARGE SCALE MOVEMENT FROM DENMARK VIA HAMBURG WITH IDENTIFICATIONS.
INFORMATION ON MAIN ORDNANCE DEPOT AT HAMBURG-GLINDE
INFORMATION ON BRANCH ORDNANCE DEPOT AT OSDORF.
INFORMATION ON BRANCH ORDNANCE DEPOT AT ALTONA (GIVE EXACT LOCATION).
IS THERE AN UNDERGROUND P.O.L. DEPOT AT HARBURG?
APPENDIX C.
Operation CACKLE
In the event of your being overrun by an Allied advance and falling into the hands of the military authorities, you will act as follows:
If picked up by a British unit you will ask to see the Intelligence Officer. When you have been taken to him, you will ask to be taken to the nearest Special Force Headquarters.
At Special Headquarters, you will say that you are called Josephine, and that you wish to communicate with London HQ for whom you have been working.
S.F.HQ will then refer you to us and we shall put a test question which will be: "With whom did you jump in England?"
To which you will reply: "I jumped with De Jonghe".
If you are picked up by an American or other Allied unit, you will ask to see the Intelligence Officer of that unit. You will ask the Intelligence Officer to be taken to the S.F. HQ nearest to your area and which will be in the British military zone, where you will act as indicated in para.1 above.
APPENDIX D.
Action to taken if cut off in Germany by an Allied advance into Holland.
You should write to the address shown at Appendix E to inform us of your whereabouts. The address shown by you on your postcard or letter should be a safe address to which we can send an agent to contact you.
You will continue to work in Germany, organising Dutch workers as instructed in paras 2, 3 and 4 above.
We shall also endeavour to send you instructions over the BBC. You have been provided with a cypher for this purpose. Messages will be sent over the BBC every Tuesday and Friday following the liberation of The Hague.
Messages will broadcast by the BBC at the following times daily. If you fail to pick up the first broadcast you should listen at the other times on that day, when the message will be repeated.
Time (Greenwich Mean Time). Wavelength.
07:30 - 07:45 41m 49m
17:30 - 17:45 41m 49m
20:30 - 20:45 49m
01:45 - 02:15 49m
You will recognise the messages intended for you by the use of the indicator group which you have been given.
The German phonetic alphabet will be used and is as under:
PHONETIC ALPHABET.
Operation CACKLE
In the event of your being overrun by an Allied advance and falling into the hands of the military authorities, you will act as follows:
If picked up by a British unit you will ask to see the Intelligence Officer. When you have been taken to him, you will ask to be taken to the nearest Special Force Headquarters.
At Special Headquarters, you will say that you are called Josephine, and that you wish to communicate with London HQ for whom you have been working.
S.F.HQ will then refer you to us and we shall put a test question which will be: "With whom did you jump in England?"
To which you will reply: "I jumped with De Jonghe".
If you are picked up by an American or other Allied unit, you will ask to see the Intelligence Officer of that unit. You will ask the Intelligence Officer to be taken to the S.F. HQ nearest to your area and which will be in the British military zone, where you will act as indicated in para.1 above.
APPENDIX D.
Action to taken if cut off in Germany by an Allied advance into Holland.
You should write to the address shown at Appendix E to inform us of your whereabouts. The address shown by you on your postcard or letter should be a safe address to which we can send an agent to contact you.
You will continue to work in Germany, organising Dutch workers as instructed in paras 2, 3 and 4 above.
We shall also endeavour to send you instructions over the BBC. You have been provided with a cypher for this purpose. Messages will be sent over the BBC every Tuesday and Friday following the liberation of The Hague.
Messages will broadcast by the BBC at the following times daily. If you fail to pick up the first broadcast you should listen at the other times on that day, when the message will be repeated.
Time (Greenwich Mean Time). Wavelength.
07:30 - 07:45 41m 49m
17:30 - 17:45 41m 49m
20:30 - 20:45 49m
01:45 - 02:15 49m
You will recognise the messages intended for you by the use of the indicator group which you have been given.
The German phonetic alphabet will be used and is as under:
PHONETIC ALPHABET.
| ENGLISH | GERMAN | ENGLISH | GERMAN | ||
| A | Able | Anton | N | Nan | Nordpol |
| B | Baker | Berta | O | Oboe | Otto |
| C | Charlie | Caesar | P | Peter | Paula |
| D | Dog | Dora | Q | Queen | Quelle |
| E | Easy | Emil | R | Roger | Richard |
| F | Fox | Friedrich | S | Sugar | Siegfried |
| G | George | Gustav | T | Tare | Theodor |
| H | How | Heinrich | U | Uncle | Ulrich |
| I | Item | Ida | V | Victor | Victor |
| J | Jig | Julius | W | William | Wilhelm |
| K | King | Konrad | X | X-Ray | Xantippe |
| L | Love | Ludwig | Y | Yoke | Ypsilon |
| M | Mike | Martha | Z | Zebra | Zeppelin |
Real Name: B.J. GEMMEKE Interrogated by: Capt. J. Doneux
Operational Name: JOS (ELS VAN DALEN) Date: 13-6-1945
Worked with: (redacted) 'Je Maintiendrai' Code no: D/17 (a)
OPERATIONAL DATES.
Underground Press from early 1942 to 23rd October 1944.
Arrived in England last November 1944.
Left England for Holland 10th March 1945 and worked until liberation.
MISSION. (Up to 23rd October 1944).
Courier and distributor of clandestine newspaper - 'Je Maintiendrai'.
SITUATION IN AREA.
During 1941 and 1942 the attitude of the public was apathic - they were not particularly dangerous nor very helpful. Little active support could be expected from them as they had not yet become 'resistance minded'.
ORGANISATION.
Source was on friendly terms with (redacted) and suspected him of being engaged on some kind of clandestine activity. Late 1941 he approached her with a view to working with him as courier and distributor of the clandestine newspaper 'Je Maintiendrai' (redacted) took over from the man who orginally started the newspaper. This paper was originally called 'BC Nieuws' (Burgerlijk Contact Nieuws). 'Je Maintiendrai', originally, was produced in typescript, then duplicated and was started by a small circle of three or four (redacted) SCHAEPMAN, BRAND and (redacted). This was started in southern Holland, The Hague, Utrecht and Amsterdam, but eventually distribution was made over the whole country.
DISTRIBUTION.
Source was the Chief Distributor and her area covered Southern Holland. Her headquarters were near The Hague- Amalia van Solmsstraat 119. Source distributed the newspapers to a principal contact in each large town. This she did by train, taking the parcels and handing them over. She did these journeys alone. No cover story was possible owing to the incriminating nature of the material, but she took what security precautions she could i.e. putting the bundle away from her in the train; when leaving the station walked near a German in uniform, etc, etc. On one occasion a German saw that she had a heavy trunk and offered to carry it for her. Distribution was sometimes made weekly but they aimed at a fortnightly distribution and later when the paper was printed they maintained this distribution.
RECRUITS.
The chief contacts in each large town were recruited by personal recommendation and careful investigation. A complete stranger was never recruited. The chief contacts recruited their assistants in this way and the system worked very satisfactorily. List of security rules were printed and given to recruits, (i.e. Against following; distributing papers immediately on receiving them; leaving the house free of incriminating papers, etc) Mostly recruits found these rules rather tiresome. Source never worked under her real name. She used the name ELS VAN DALEN and occasionally JOS in Zwolle, Amsterdam and Utrecht. Another name she used occasionally was NEL VAN DEN BERG. She knew her chief contacts' real names, but the chief contacts' recruits did not know their real names, nor where they lived, etc. This arrangement worked very satisfactorily.
In 1943 the editorial staff changed and more came into it. Northern Holland was given to another man so far as the distribution was concerned. There were about 24 clandestine newspapers and the organisation in which source worked co-ordinated with most of them.
OTHER MEANS OF COMMUNICATION WITH HEADS OF TOWNS.
POST.
Normal language was used but the subject was changed. In communication to the head contact the real address was not used. A live boite-aux-lettres was used and the contact sent a cut-out for the letter. Source's organisation had a man working in the central Post Office at The Hague. Post was not normally censored, but precautions were taken to ascertain id censorship had taken place.
TELEPHONE.
Always normal conversation. Time conventions were used for all meetings
CONTACTS WITH ENGLAND.
Up to the 1st April 1944 Source's organisation worked alone and then they contacted a man BIALLOSTERSKI (Real Name) DE BRUIN (Operational Name). This man had been working on another clandestine paper and went to England in 1943, returning to Holland in April 1944. De BRUIN brought a WT operator back with him STEMAN (Real Name), STEEG (Operational Name). he was a Dutchman who came back from England. They did not know him previously.
De BRUIN's mission was to make contact with the whole illegal press. The WT sets were stolen and DE BRUIN had to return to England as he had no other means of contacting England to obtain other wireless sets. The WT sets had been hidden near a farm but when DE BRUIN returned for them he found the packing only. DE BRUIN returned to England, leaving the operator in Holland and in August 1944 sets were dropped but DE BRUIN remained in England, having passed on his mission to (redacted). Cor van Paaschen.
( DE BRUIN was sometimes known as HANS - see STEMAN's report. D/15).
Source's organisation made contact with another man three days after DE BRUIN had gone. He was an operator, JACQUES DE ST GUDE, but he could not use the sets which had been sent.
Dit was Herman Leus (St. Jude) van Bureau Inlichtingen, hij was zijn crystallen kwijtgeraakt, maar beschikte nog wel over zijn set. Jan Steman kon met zijn crystallen en de set van Herman Leus contact maken met Engeland. Leus moest zich echter verplaatsen en nam zijn set mee, hierdoor kon Steman geen contact met Engeland meer krijgen.
Duplicating was given up in about July 1943 when they obtained the use of a printing machine. The printing was done at this printer's mostly on Saturday afternoons and Sundays at a normal printing works. The security rules did not allow source to visit the printer and pass-words, papers cut through etc were arranged for the cut-outs's security.
Methods of distribution were changed periodically but the papers were mainly carried in parcels on the railway. Sometimes they were sent unattended but they were able to recruit certain railway personnel at the stations who knew the papers would be coming through and they arranged that they were not subjects to search. Addresses on the parcels were never the correct ones - in fact they were completely fictitious addresses. Railway officials were approached through introduction, strangers were never used. Source always investigated any new recruits. Discipline was good in the organisation.
C.E. MEASURES.
Generally speaking the local police were not good. Some of them were really dangerous. The SD and Gestapo were particular active from 1943 but prior to that things were comparatively easy. They found it expedient to replace as many people as possible every six months and this was not easy so that where possible they tried to let the members choose their own replacements.
By May 1944 - after DE BRUIN's visit - they were working in full co-operation with all clandestine newspapers. Source sometimes helped (redacted) but by this time had given up distribution.
The first man sent from England to organise the underground press was BRUTUS (Johan Grün) in 1943. He was in hiding with a man who was in contact with the SD. BRUTUS had contact with DE BAK of 'Je Maintiendrai' but JOS never had direct contact with BRUTUS as she did not like his contacts and did not entirely trust him. BRUTUS brought the directive from England as to how the Dutch people were to behave before and during liberation. BRUTUS had received the following instruction from England to contact the secret newspapers. He was to contact a JANNIE REBEL (secretaresse van Hans Warendorf die zich in London bevond) who would put him in touch with a man called JOOP (Stallinga, Parool) who would act as liaison between himself and the underground press. JOOP was arrested (see BRUTUS REPORT) REBEL then wanted source to meet two men who had taken over from JOOP (DOOVE and TERHEYDEN) (Real Names). BRUTUS at first refused , but later arranged to see them but was arrested on his way to the meeting. BRUTUS had also contacted a representative of 'Je Maintiendrai' called HANS (DE BRUIN) at Amsterdam.
Wie was deze HANS? Tobias Biallosterski werd op dat moment opgeleid door SOE in Engeland.
Was dit misschien Adriaan De Back, of Anton Bangma?
Source did not hear of any penetration during the time she was working with (redacted). Their organisation was well set up.
ARRESTS.
The first arrest was in July 1943. BRAND - one of the original members of the small circle who started 'Je Maintiendrai'. he was a very talkative person and source never like him. He was warned that his house was going te be searched. They suspected this because a clergyman with whom BRAND had been very friendly had been arrested. The clergyman had often been to BRAND's house. BRAND was instructed to get every ounce of incriminating material out of his house - he had there far too much - propaganda material, identity cards, papers from Jews, etc. The man who went to warn BRAND did not have the time to wait and se that these instructions were carried out as the air raid warning had gone and this delayed him searching the house. However, BRAND promised to clear the house and then telephone his father and the man who had been sent to warn BRAND would later telephone his father to ascertain that this had been done and was assured that this was so. At 2 o'clock however, the SD came and all the material was still in the house. They found addresses, papers, etc. They also found a little book full of contact's addresses. BRAND's arrest was due to absolute carelessness on his part as he had received good warning.
Kan dit Gerardus Hendrikus Brand zijn? Geboren 18-08-1923 Berkel en Roderijs, geëxecuteerd 13-12-1944 te Velp.
After this arrest all addresses had to be changed as the SD had the real addresses. Previous arrangements had been made for safety signals and in cases of urgency it had been arranged to use the telephone with phrase conventions. By this means they were able to warn a lot of the people and they in turn had warned other people - the snowball system - but not everybody could be reached and there were 18 arrests. As nobody but (redacted) knew source's real name and address she was all right. BRAND had (redacted)'s photograph and his house was searched but they found nothing.
After the arrests it was necessary to change the whole organisation and they worked in the South (BRABANT) from July 1943 to February 1944 and then returned to UTRECHT and afterwards to THE HAGUE. They found it more difficult working from the South owing to the longer lines of communication. Source lived in GELDROP near EINDHOVEN. None of those arrested knew anything about the printing. The printing was done in THE HAGUE and only the printer knew where and the works were able to continue. The distribution was changed. In BRABANT all time conventions, etc were changed but the set up was the same.
FURTHER ARRESTS. August 15th, 1944.
These took place in UTRECHT at the office of 'Je Maintiendrai'. In Source's opinion this office was used too much and was known by the SD. It was used as a live letter box and too many people knew the address.
Two SD men went to the address and kept everyone who had to go there, 15 were caught. Source did not rceve warning until two days after the arrest. A safety signal had been arranged - curtains- but this was either not done, or not observed. Source had a lucky escape on this occasion. She was to have taken some photographs from England for the paper to UTRECHT and she had arranged to go on Wednesday evening. It was a lucky coincidence that she had no time to go and sent a courier who was captured. This man was a very old friend of source and he knew her real name and address. She therefore had to change everything again. After 1943 source never returned to her own home address although it was on her identity card. The man arrested gave nothing away of importance as they had previously arranged what he should tell in the event of arrest and he gave her false name ELS VAN DALEN.
For the arrest of the WT operator see STEMAN's report (D/15).
IDENTITY CARDS.
Source's organisation had contacts in all Departments, in The Hague, AMSTERDAM, etc and were able to produce ration cards, food cards permits, etc. In every province they had contacts with these people and had cards made legally where they were required to be done.
WT.
Steman, the WT operator from England, arrived with convention for himself only. (redacted) had conventions from ….
they each used their own conventions. Personal messages were sent on the WT Operator's conventions and all other messages regarding work etc, were sent on (redacted)'s conventions. The Operator was in The Hague and normally Source was the cut-out between the WT Operator and (redacted). There were many houses for transmission - mostly in the country. he had two people as protection team. He was arrested while Source was in England. This Operator was twive DF-ed. DF-ing (Direction Finding) was very strong during the last year. The Operator never carried the sets himself although Source had on occasions carried the sets alone. the set was not camouflaged. It would not have passed a control and the only cover possible would be to say she did not know what she was carrying. Sometime Source encoded and decoded messages for (redacted), using his conventions. The Operator did not keep copies of his messages but Source did. They were 'in clear' and were hidden in the Palace of Peace building. They had friends there and in any case the Germans never used this building.
Pigeons were promised but never sent.
(redacted) had Innocent Letter conventions and used them to write to Sweden. Source did not know if they were satisfactory but they were used.
Up to the time of coming to England, Source knew of two men exfiltrated through the lines. They took microphotographs which source has had sewn in their shoulder pads. Source knew that at least one was successful.
(For JOS's mission from England see separate report.)
Operational Name: JOS (ELS VAN DALEN) Date: 13-6-1945
Worked with: (redacted) 'Je Maintiendrai' Code no: D/17 (a)
OPERATIONAL DATES.
Underground Press from early 1942 to 23rd October 1944.
Arrived in England last November 1944.
Left England for Holland 10th March 1945 and worked until liberation.
MISSION. (Up to 23rd October 1944).
Courier and distributor of clandestine newspaper - 'Je Maintiendrai'.
SITUATION IN AREA.
During 1941 and 1942 the attitude of the public was apathic - they were not particularly dangerous nor very helpful. Little active support could be expected from them as they had not yet become 'resistance minded'.
ORGANISATION.
Source was on friendly terms with (redacted) and suspected him of being engaged on some kind of clandestine activity. Late 1941 he approached her with a view to working with him as courier and distributor of the clandestine newspaper 'Je Maintiendrai' (redacted) took over from the man who orginally started the newspaper. This paper was originally called 'BC Nieuws' (Burgerlijk Contact Nieuws). 'Je Maintiendrai', originally, was produced in typescript, then duplicated and was started by a small circle of three or four (redacted) SCHAEPMAN, BRAND and (redacted). This was started in southern Holland, The Hague, Utrecht and Amsterdam, but eventually distribution was made over the whole country.
DISTRIBUTION.
Source was the Chief Distributor and her area covered Southern Holland. Her headquarters were near The Hague- Amalia van Solmsstraat 119. Source distributed the newspapers to a principal contact in each large town. This she did by train, taking the parcels and handing them over. She did these journeys alone. No cover story was possible owing to the incriminating nature of the material, but she took what security precautions she could i.e. putting the bundle away from her in the train; when leaving the station walked near a German in uniform, etc, etc. On one occasion a German saw that she had a heavy trunk and offered to carry it for her. Distribution was sometimes made weekly but they aimed at a fortnightly distribution and later when the paper was printed they maintained this distribution.
RECRUITS.
The chief contacts in each large town were recruited by personal recommendation and careful investigation. A complete stranger was never recruited. The chief contacts recruited their assistants in this way and the system worked very satisfactorily. List of security rules were printed and given to recruits, (i.e. Against following; distributing papers immediately on receiving them; leaving the house free of incriminating papers, etc) Mostly recruits found these rules rather tiresome. Source never worked under her real name. She used the name ELS VAN DALEN and occasionally JOS in Zwolle, Amsterdam and Utrecht. Another name she used occasionally was NEL VAN DEN BERG. She knew her chief contacts' real names, but the chief contacts' recruits did not know their real names, nor where they lived, etc. This arrangement worked very satisfactorily.
In 1943 the editorial staff changed and more came into it. Northern Holland was given to another man so far as the distribution was concerned. There were about 24 clandestine newspapers and the organisation in which source worked co-ordinated with most of them.
OTHER MEANS OF COMMUNICATION WITH HEADS OF TOWNS.
POST.
Normal language was used but the subject was changed. In communication to the head contact the real address was not used. A live boite-aux-lettres was used and the contact sent a cut-out for the letter. Source's organisation had a man working in the central Post Office at The Hague. Post was not normally censored, but precautions were taken to ascertain id censorship had taken place.
TELEPHONE.
Always normal conversation. Time conventions were used for all meetings
CONTACTS WITH ENGLAND.
Up to the 1st April 1944 Source's organisation worked alone and then they contacted a man BIALLOSTERSKI (Real Name) DE BRUIN (Operational Name). This man had been working on another clandestine paper and went to England in 1943, returning to Holland in April 1944. De BRUIN brought a WT operator back with him STEMAN (Real Name), STEEG (Operational Name). he was a Dutchman who came back from England. They did not know him previously.
De BRUIN's mission was to make contact with the whole illegal press. The WT sets were stolen and DE BRUIN had to return to England as he had no other means of contacting England to obtain other wireless sets. The WT sets had been hidden near a farm but when DE BRUIN returned for them he found the packing only. DE BRUIN returned to England, leaving the operator in Holland and in August 1944 sets were dropped but DE BRUIN remained in England, having passed on his mission to (redacted). Cor van Paaschen.
( DE BRUIN was sometimes known as HANS - see STEMAN's report. D/15).
Source's organisation made contact with another man three days after DE BRUIN had gone. He was an operator, JACQUES DE ST GUDE, but he could not use the sets which had been sent.
Dit was Herman Leus (St. Jude) van Bureau Inlichtingen, hij was zijn crystallen kwijtgeraakt, maar beschikte nog wel over zijn set. Jan Steman kon met zijn crystallen en de set van Herman Leus contact maken met Engeland. Leus moest zich echter verplaatsen en nam zijn set mee, hierdoor kon Steman geen contact met Engeland meer krijgen.
Duplicating was given up in about July 1943 when they obtained the use of a printing machine. The printing was done at this printer's mostly on Saturday afternoons and Sundays at a normal printing works. The security rules did not allow source to visit the printer and pass-words, papers cut through etc were arranged for the cut-outs's security.
Methods of distribution were changed periodically but the papers were mainly carried in parcels on the railway. Sometimes they were sent unattended but they were able to recruit certain railway personnel at the stations who knew the papers would be coming through and they arranged that they were not subjects to search. Addresses on the parcels were never the correct ones - in fact they were completely fictitious addresses. Railway officials were approached through introduction, strangers were never used. Source always investigated any new recruits. Discipline was good in the organisation.
C.E. MEASURES.
Generally speaking the local police were not good. Some of them were really dangerous. The SD and Gestapo were particular active from 1943 but prior to that things were comparatively easy. They found it expedient to replace as many people as possible every six months and this was not easy so that where possible they tried to let the members choose their own replacements.
By May 1944 - after DE BRUIN's visit - they were working in full co-operation with all clandestine newspapers. Source sometimes helped (redacted) but by this time had given up distribution.
The first man sent from England to organise the underground press was BRUTUS (Johan Grün) in 1943. He was in hiding with a man who was in contact with the SD. BRUTUS had contact with DE BAK of 'Je Maintiendrai' but JOS never had direct contact with BRUTUS as she did not like his contacts and did not entirely trust him. BRUTUS brought the directive from England as to how the Dutch people were to behave before and during liberation. BRUTUS had received the following instruction from England to contact the secret newspapers. He was to contact a JANNIE REBEL (secretaresse van Hans Warendorf die zich in London bevond) who would put him in touch with a man called JOOP (Stallinga, Parool) who would act as liaison between himself and the underground press. JOOP was arrested (see BRUTUS REPORT) REBEL then wanted source to meet two men who had taken over from JOOP (DOOVE and TERHEYDEN) (Real Names). BRUTUS at first refused , but later arranged to see them but was arrested on his way to the meeting. BRUTUS had also contacted a representative of 'Je Maintiendrai' called HANS (DE BRUIN) at Amsterdam.
Wie was deze HANS? Tobias Biallosterski werd op dat moment opgeleid door SOE in Engeland.
Was dit misschien Adriaan De Back, of Anton Bangma?
Source did not hear of any penetration during the time she was working with (redacted). Their organisation was well set up.
ARRESTS.
The first arrest was in July 1943. BRAND - one of the original members of the small circle who started 'Je Maintiendrai'. he was a very talkative person and source never like him. He was warned that his house was going te be searched. They suspected this because a clergyman with whom BRAND had been very friendly had been arrested. The clergyman had often been to BRAND's house. BRAND was instructed to get every ounce of incriminating material out of his house - he had there far too much - propaganda material, identity cards, papers from Jews, etc. The man who went to warn BRAND did not have the time to wait and se that these instructions were carried out as the air raid warning had gone and this delayed him searching the house. However, BRAND promised to clear the house and then telephone his father and the man who had been sent to warn BRAND would later telephone his father to ascertain that this had been done and was assured that this was so. At 2 o'clock however, the SD came and all the material was still in the house. They found addresses, papers, etc. They also found a little book full of contact's addresses. BRAND's arrest was due to absolute carelessness on his part as he had received good warning.
Kan dit Gerardus Hendrikus Brand zijn? Geboren 18-08-1923 Berkel en Roderijs, geëxecuteerd 13-12-1944 te Velp.
After this arrest all addresses had to be changed as the SD had the real addresses. Previous arrangements had been made for safety signals and in cases of urgency it had been arranged to use the telephone with phrase conventions. By this means they were able to warn a lot of the people and they in turn had warned other people - the snowball system - but not everybody could be reached and there were 18 arrests. As nobody but (redacted) knew source's real name and address she was all right. BRAND had (redacted)'s photograph and his house was searched but they found nothing.
After the arrests it was necessary to change the whole organisation and they worked in the South (BRABANT) from July 1943 to February 1944 and then returned to UTRECHT and afterwards to THE HAGUE. They found it more difficult working from the South owing to the longer lines of communication. Source lived in GELDROP near EINDHOVEN. None of those arrested knew anything about the printing. The printing was done in THE HAGUE and only the printer knew where and the works were able to continue. The distribution was changed. In BRABANT all time conventions, etc were changed but the set up was the same.
FURTHER ARRESTS. August 15th, 1944.
These took place in UTRECHT at the office of 'Je Maintiendrai'. In Source's opinion this office was used too much and was known by the SD. It was used as a live letter box and too many people knew the address.
Two SD men went to the address and kept everyone who had to go there, 15 were caught. Source did not rceve warning until two days after the arrest. A safety signal had been arranged - curtains- but this was either not done, or not observed. Source had a lucky escape on this occasion. She was to have taken some photographs from England for the paper to UTRECHT and she had arranged to go on Wednesday evening. It was a lucky coincidence that she had no time to go and sent a courier who was captured. This man was a very old friend of source and he knew her real name and address. She therefore had to change everything again. After 1943 source never returned to her own home address although it was on her identity card. The man arrested gave nothing away of importance as they had previously arranged what he should tell in the event of arrest and he gave her false name ELS VAN DALEN.
For the arrest of the WT operator see STEMAN's report (D/15).
IDENTITY CARDS.
Source's organisation had contacts in all Departments, in The Hague, AMSTERDAM, etc and were able to produce ration cards, food cards permits, etc. In every province they had contacts with these people and had cards made legally where they were required to be done.
WT.
Steman, the WT operator from England, arrived with convention for himself only. (redacted) had conventions from ….
they each used their own conventions. Personal messages were sent on the WT Operator's conventions and all other messages regarding work etc, were sent on (redacted)'s conventions. The Operator was in The Hague and normally Source was the cut-out between the WT Operator and (redacted). There were many houses for transmission - mostly in the country. he had two people as protection team. He was arrested while Source was in England. This Operator was twive DF-ed. DF-ing (Direction Finding) was very strong during the last year. The Operator never carried the sets himself although Source had on occasions carried the sets alone. the set was not camouflaged. It would not have passed a control and the only cover possible would be to say she did not know what she was carrying. Sometime Source encoded and decoded messages for (redacted), using his conventions. The Operator did not keep copies of his messages but Source did. They were 'in clear' and were hidden in the Palace of Peace building. They had friends there and in any case the Germans never used this building.
Pigeons were promised but never sent.
(redacted) had Innocent Letter conventions and used them to write to Sweden. Source did not know if they were satisfactory but they were used.
Up to the time of coming to England, Source knew of two men exfiltrated through the lines. They took microphotographs which source has had sewn in their shoulder pads. Source knew that at least one was successful.
(For JOS's mission from England see separate report.)
De prefixen van Jos waren dus 184 voor inkomende berichten en 905 voor uitgaande berichten.
SRL A8710 PRIORIY B SECTION HOLLAND
TO DRAUGHTS 2 VIA NIGHT ELAN B/C NO28
PREFIX NIL DATE 28 MAR 45 THI 281615Z
131 FOR SPHINX STOP HAS KIEWIET RPT KIEWIET LEFT FOR GERMANY STOP
11 WDS
TP AT 181636 NM
KKK
Dit telegram is via Pieter de Vos in Amsterdam naar Jos in Den Haag gestuurd.
TO DRAUGHTS 2 VIA NIGHT ELAN B/C NO28
PREFIX NIL DATE 28 MAR 45 THI 281615Z
131 FOR SPHINX STOP HAS KIEWIET RPT KIEWIET LEFT FOR GERMANY STOP
11 WDS
TP AT 181636 NM
KKK
Dit telegram is via Pieter de Vos in Amsterdam naar Jos in Den Haag gestuurd.
SRL NO A4930/80 FROM CACKLE VIA VALIDATE
TOR 1221 44 PREFIX 184 LOTP B5232
ADD CK 1 PRESENT 2 PRESENT SPL CK PRESENT
GR 72 WDS 78
5 GGG VIFE OF NINE GGG
TRAFFIC VERY DIFFICULT IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO SEND YOU DETAILS STOP
AFTER EXTENSIVE DISCUSSIONS AND CONSIDERING CIRCUMSTANCES
GERMAN PLAN IMPOSSIBLE AT MOMENT STOP MOST OF INFORMATION AND
REPORTS ARE FROM LAST YEAR TRY TO DO WHAT IS POSSIBLE STOP
KIEWIET DID NOT LEFT FOR GERMANY STOP AM NOW HELPING PIESEO (Pieter) BECAUSE HE IS VERY BUSY DO YOU AGREE STOP HOME TOTALLY DESTROYED NEW ADDRESS RIDDERLAAN VIER WASSENAAR STOP MY TWO THREE AND FOUR
TP AT 130247 PW AS
K
R CC
RLSE AT 130248 PW AS
Dit is vreemd, wie heeft dit telegram voor Jos verzonden? Validate? Jan Steman was net vrijgelaten maar mocht nog niet zenden.
Waarschijnlijk is dit bericht op 13 April 1945 verzonden.
TOR 1221 44 PREFIX 184 LOTP B5232
ADD CK 1 PRESENT 2 PRESENT SPL CK PRESENT
GR 72 WDS 78
5 GGG VIFE OF NINE GGG
TRAFFIC VERY DIFFICULT IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO SEND YOU DETAILS STOP
AFTER EXTENSIVE DISCUSSIONS AND CONSIDERING CIRCUMSTANCES
GERMAN PLAN IMPOSSIBLE AT MOMENT STOP MOST OF INFORMATION AND
REPORTS ARE FROM LAST YEAR TRY TO DO WHAT IS POSSIBLE STOP
KIEWIET DID NOT LEFT FOR GERMANY STOP AM NOW HELPING PIESEO (Pieter) BECAUSE HE IS VERY BUSY DO YOU AGREE STOP HOME TOTALLY DESTROYED NEW ADDRESS RIDDERLAAN VIER WASSENAAR STOP MY TWO THREE AND FOUR
TP AT 130247 PW AS
K
R CC
RLSE AT 130248 PW AS
Dit is vreemd, wie heeft dit telegram voor Jos verzonden? Validate? Jan Steman was net vrijgelaten maar mocht nog niet zenden.
Waarschijnlijk is dit bericht op 13 April 1945 verzonden.
R
SERIAL NO A971-973 PRIORITY QTC
FROM WATERMARK THI 141052Z
TO UPPERMOST VARICOSE VALIDATE
WDS 52
RLB634 STOP 141200 STOP DRAUGHTS 2 REPORTS 13 APRIL HIS WT
OP BEZIQUE RELEASED STOP BEZIQUE HAS BEEEXXXXXXX BEEN TOLD
NOT RPT NOT TO TRANSMIT AFTER INITIAL CONTACT EXPECTED 14 APR
STOP AIR OPS NIGHT 13/14 APR CUBBING 1 2 A/C AND 30 CANS 1
MILE WEST LAGEBROEK EASY 09 141200B
TP AT 141202GMT DMS AS
KK
BBBBBBBKKK
R DFS+
RLSE 1205GMT DMS
Jan Steman mag niet zenden voordat er eerst op 14 April contact gemaakt is.
Verder wordt aangegeven dat er in de nacht van 13 op 14 April een dropping ten behoeve van CUBBING (Maarten Cieremans) plaats zal vinden op DZ 'Easy' 1 mijn ten westen van Lagebroek.
SERIAL NO A971-973 PRIORITY QTC
FROM WATERMARK THI 141052Z
TO UPPERMOST VARICOSE VALIDATE
WDS 52
RLB634 STOP 141200 STOP DRAUGHTS 2 REPORTS 13 APRIL HIS WT
OP BEZIQUE RELEASED STOP BEZIQUE HAS BEEEXXXXXXX BEEN TOLD
NOT RPT NOT TO TRANSMIT AFTER INITIAL CONTACT EXPECTED 14 APR
STOP AIR OPS NIGHT 13/14 APR CUBBING 1 2 A/C AND 30 CANS 1
MILE WEST LAGEBROEK EASY 09 141200B
TP AT 141202GMT DMS AS
KK
BBBBBBBKKK
R DFS+
RLSE 1205GMT DMS
Jan Steman mag niet zenden voordat er eerst op 14 April contact gemaakt is.
Verder wordt aangegeven dat er in de nacht van 13 op 14 April een dropping ten behoeve van CUBBING (Maarten Cieremans) plaats zal vinden op DZ 'Easy' 1 mijn ten westen van Lagebroek.
Extracts from Dutch Workers Report.
Area Gronau-Dorsten, April 1945.
- In conclusion - People in general are convinced of a German defeat, also their Party leaders. Some are prepared to die for the Führer, other s are worried over their future. Everyone is convinced that the Mark will have no purchasing power, and therefore you can do little with money. Apart from that Dutch Guilders are welcome and preferred to their own Marks. But one can do a lot with certain articles which they consider they will not be able to obtain in any way after the collapse. Much preferred are: wristwatches, good fountain pens, leather briefcases, wallets, etc.
-X gave an acceptable summing-up of the German mentality. The farmers are in general strongly anti-party, trustworthy and helpful. the relationship of Wehrmacht to Party is bad, and is growing steadily worse. Wehrmacht officers never salute the Party officials who are the commandants of the camps. Also in places the majority of the townsfolk are anti-Party, but are slow to express themselves. In public places such as cafés Dutchmen are badly treated. Privately they are well received and can here, just as with farmers, find certain 'meal addresses'.
The guard over the Gronau camp is sharp and escape scarcely possible. But whenever one sees a chance of reaching a farmer, then one has a chance of getting away. Some farmers will smuggle across the frontier at a cost of Fl.75,-. In the neighbourhood of Dorsten many of the prisoners had 'meal addresses' with the farmers where they could get a good meal on certain days.
The best time to escape from the camp is at twilight. One should go to a reliable farmer. This farmer then obtains information and direct his protégée to another farmer.
Area Kassel, August 1944.
News from the English Radio spread rapidly. This was the case in all camps where Foreigners were employed. In our camp we listened regularly and passed the news on to trustworthy men and through them it spread through the camp. In general the English broadcasts reached the workers well, not always in detail, but certainly the headlines. Also many Germans passed on the news.
On account of my position (administrative post in A.M. Vetten at Kassel). I had a great deal of liberty of movement in Germany. I had an Aufenthaltsgenehmigung for the whole Reich, a Dauervisum for crossing the frontier as well as various 'laisser passer' for different occasions. When, later after the invasion the workers' leave was cancelled and general travel forbidden, I was able to travel but had to ask for permission and every time additional conditions were stipulated. Always I had to have in addition to the official papers, two other authorities, e.g. Chamber of Commerce, Arbeitsamt, Police, D.A.F. In spite of the fact that I had all necessary papers, I was several times taken off the train for a search by Gestapo officials. Also the frontier control has been tightened up recently. At the frontier everybody had to step off the train with all their bagage both on the outward and inward journey. Although the control of the majority of the travellers is superficial, it is very strict over arbitrarily chosen groups.
It was the intention (among our group) to unite all the Dutchmen around Kassel under one leadership and the question naturally arose as to how far this could be done. There are in Kassel about 5000 Dutchmen, who are all concentrated in camps in and around Kassel. the camp of our firm lies in Oberzwehren, 5 km outside Kassel. I no longer know the exact situation of the two other camps, since these have all been frequently shifted as a result of bomb damage. the factories at which these workers were employed were principally Henschel and Spinfaser A.G. All these factories were destroyed and decentralised among surrounding villages.
- and now return to the question, can one do anything for the workers in the event of a German collapse- In my view, nothing. Only somebody who is well established in Germany such as I was at the time with my great freedom of movement. If anything could be done I would willingly do it, but as things are at present, I have no idea of the chances, since I myself would not have any chance at all, owing to the activities of X, who is highly suspect. A 100% trustworthy, and I'm sure prepared to work for us, is (redacted) If one could get in touch with them, something might be organised, but the dropping of agents by parachute is, in my opinion, very dangerous and useless.
REPORT FROM SPHINX. APRIL
The mission was discussed between us as follows;
The mission and the journey have been discussed by the two V.M.s and myself and they counselled against its execution in the strongest possible terms as it is now too late and as at the present moment no real basis for action can any longer be found.
I have obtained information about transport in Germany. The trains function exclusively for military purposes and from many accounts, if you cannot prove the military necessity for your journey you are turned out of the train and shot.
Instead I have made contact with three men whose experience is limited but whose stories agree. Between three and four weeks ago they came from centres of F.W.'s at Dortmund, Remsburg and Lübeck. I am conbining their stories into one report.
There are no influential Dutch camp leaders. Those who are recognised by the Germans as foremen are self-seeking collaborationists. Reliable people with forceful characters were never elected since the notes are tampered with. Above all they, the workers, are selfish and apathetic and they have become more so owing to filthy conditions, for they cannot wash and have scarcely any opportunities for personal hygiene. Since Septer conditions have grown much worse. The apathy met with in face of this makes it especially difficult to create a joint sphere of action. They sabotage by working slowly, but more because this comes naturally to the Dutchmen than out of any consideration of principles. There is a lack any evident desire for unity aggravated by a lack of leaders because the said leaders have merely a desire for camp leadership. Mutual trust is non-existent. Of course here and there are friendships, but unless this is widespread it can lead to nothing. The guarding of the camp is done by the older men and by the V.S. not rough but very strict. Walking in the camp is hardly possible and only in exceptional cases was attention paid to the spiritual welfare of the inmates. Around the boundaries of the larger foreigner's camps opinion was influenced against them by posters stating that one must not communicate with them. In two instances it was announced that the foreigners were partisans. This hardly interests the average F.W. (Foreign Worker?) provided that he gets his five slices of bread and butter (?) per day and his half to three quarter of a liter soup, also fresh straw if his own gets too wet. Generally one does not think too much; conversations of any significance are not held except of a purely material nature. Everyone is solely concerned with getting away as quickly and as safely as possible to Holland, good, providing it is way. There is no determination to act in unison. In the political sphere or in survey of political opinion everything was felt to be very corrupt without evoking any such desire as to "throttle the Germans".
My question whether there was a possibility of exercising some kind of influence on these people for a short time, other than helping them to escape, was hesitatingly answered. The concentrations varied from four to forty thousand foreigners with sometimes larger, sometimes smaller contingents of Dutch in whom, the normal reactions did not or no longer prevail.
What should be taken into account when examining the execution of the envisaged plan is the fact that F.W.s are brought more and more out of the anticipated area of the battle and according to what I have been told, there are many large concentrations in Hamburg, Bremen and Lübeck. Whether in this case a similar difficult attempt should once more be made, seems to me to be very questionable. Having discussed this with Dr. N.H. we beg to advise you not to put the plan into execution.
Area Gronau-Dorsten, April 1945.
- In conclusion - People in general are convinced of a German defeat, also their Party leaders. Some are prepared to die for the Führer, other s are worried over their future. Everyone is convinced that the Mark will have no purchasing power, and therefore you can do little with money. Apart from that Dutch Guilders are welcome and preferred to their own Marks. But one can do a lot with certain articles which they consider they will not be able to obtain in any way after the collapse. Much preferred are: wristwatches, good fountain pens, leather briefcases, wallets, etc.
-X gave an acceptable summing-up of the German mentality. The farmers are in general strongly anti-party, trustworthy and helpful. the relationship of Wehrmacht to Party is bad, and is growing steadily worse. Wehrmacht officers never salute the Party officials who are the commandants of the camps. Also in places the majority of the townsfolk are anti-Party, but are slow to express themselves. In public places such as cafés Dutchmen are badly treated. Privately they are well received and can here, just as with farmers, find certain 'meal addresses'.
The guard over the Gronau camp is sharp and escape scarcely possible. But whenever one sees a chance of reaching a farmer, then one has a chance of getting away. Some farmers will smuggle across the frontier at a cost of Fl.75,-. In the neighbourhood of Dorsten many of the prisoners had 'meal addresses' with the farmers where they could get a good meal on certain days.
The best time to escape from the camp is at twilight. One should go to a reliable farmer. This farmer then obtains information and direct his protégée to another farmer.
Area Kassel, August 1944.
News from the English Radio spread rapidly. This was the case in all camps where Foreigners were employed. In our camp we listened regularly and passed the news on to trustworthy men and through them it spread through the camp. In general the English broadcasts reached the workers well, not always in detail, but certainly the headlines. Also many Germans passed on the news.
On account of my position (administrative post in A.M. Vetten at Kassel). I had a great deal of liberty of movement in Germany. I had an Aufenthaltsgenehmigung for the whole Reich, a Dauervisum for crossing the frontier as well as various 'laisser passer' for different occasions. When, later after the invasion the workers' leave was cancelled and general travel forbidden, I was able to travel but had to ask for permission and every time additional conditions were stipulated. Always I had to have in addition to the official papers, two other authorities, e.g. Chamber of Commerce, Arbeitsamt, Police, D.A.F. In spite of the fact that I had all necessary papers, I was several times taken off the train for a search by Gestapo officials. Also the frontier control has been tightened up recently. At the frontier everybody had to step off the train with all their bagage both on the outward and inward journey. Although the control of the majority of the travellers is superficial, it is very strict over arbitrarily chosen groups.
It was the intention (among our group) to unite all the Dutchmen around Kassel under one leadership and the question naturally arose as to how far this could be done. There are in Kassel about 5000 Dutchmen, who are all concentrated in camps in and around Kassel. the camp of our firm lies in Oberzwehren, 5 km outside Kassel. I no longer know the exact situation of the two other camps, since these have all been frequently shifted as a result of bomb damage. the factories at which these workers were employed were principally Henschel and Spinfaser A.G. All these factories were destroyed and decentralised among surrounding villages.
- and now return to the question, can one do anything for the workers in the event of a German collapse- In my view, nothing. Only somebody who is well established in Germany such as I was at the time with my great freedom of movement. If anything could be done I would willingly do it, but as things are at present, I have no idea of the chances, since I myself would not have any chance at all, owing to the activities of X, who is highly suspect. A 100% trustworthy, and I'm sure prepared to work for us, is (redacted) If one could get in touch with them, something might be organised, but the dropping of agents by parachute is, in my opinion, very dangerous and useless.
REPORT FROM SPHINX. APRIL
The mission was discussed between us as follows;
The mission and the journey have been discussed by the two V.M.s and myself and they counselled against its execution in the strongest possible terms as it is now too late and as at the present moment no real basis for action can any longer be found.
I have obtained information about transport in Germany. The trains function exclusively for military purposes and from many accounts, if you cannot prove the military necessity for your journey you are turned out of the train and shot.
Instead I have made contact with three men whose experience is limited but whose stories agree. Between three and four weeks ago they came from centres of F.W.'s at Dortmund, Remsburg and Lübeck. I am conbining their stories into one report.
There are no influential Dutch camp leaders. Those who are recognised by the Germans as foremen are self-seeking collaborationists. Reliable people with forceful characters were never elected since the notes are tampered with. Above all they, the workers, are selfish and apathetic and they have become more so owing to filthy conditions, for they cannot wash and have scarcely any opportunities for personal hygiene. Since Septer conditions have grown much worse. The apathy met with in face of this makes it especially difficult to create a joint sphere of action. They sabotage by working slowly, but more because this comes naturally to the Dutchmen than out of any consideration of principles. There is a lack any evident desire for unity aggravated by a lack of leaders because the said leaders have merely a desire for camp leadership. Mutual trust is non-existent. Of course here and there are friendships, but unless this is widespread it can lead to nothing. The guarding of the camp is done by the older men and by the V.S. not rough but very strict. Walking in the camp is hardly possible and only in exceptional cases was attention paid to the spiritual welfare of the inmates. Around the boundaries of the larger foreigner's camps opinion was influenced against them by posters stating that one must not communicate with them. In two instances it was announced that the foreigners were partisans. This hardly interests the average F.W. (Foreign Worker?) provided that he gets his five slices of bread and butter (?) per day and his half to three quarter of a liter soup, also fresh straw if his own gets too wet. Generally one does not think too much; conversations of any significance are not held except of a purely material nature. Everyone is solely concerned with getting away as quickly and as safely as possible to Holland, good, providing it is way. There is no determination to act in unison. In the political sphere or in survey of political opinion everything was felt to be very corrupt without evoking any such desire as to "throttle the Germans".
My question whether there was a possibility of exercising some kind of influence on these people for a short time, other than helping them to escape, was hesitatingly answered. The concentrations varied from four to forty thousand foreigners with sometimes larger, sometimes smaller contingents of Dutch in whom, the normal reactions did not or no longer prevail.
What should be taken into account when examining the execution of the envisaged plan is the fact that F.W.s are brought more and more out of the anticipated area of the battle and according to what I have been told, there are many large concentrations in Hamburg, Bremen and Lübeck. Whether in this case a similar difficult attempt should once more be made, seems to me to be very questionable. Having discussed this with Dr. N.H. we beg to advise you not to put the plan into execution.
w.mugge@home.nl
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