Extracts from a Report dated April 26, 1947 from the Police Sergeant with the Foreign Section of the Municipal Police in Tilburg addressed to the Police Commissioner in Tilburg, Tilburg Regional Archive
(Translation by Daniel van Alderwerelt, July 2010)
The undersigned Mattheus Johannes Constantinus van Roosmalen, Police Sergeant with the Foreign Section of your administration, has the honor to report to you as follows.
In connection with a letter no. 3061 dated April 8, 1947 from the Secretary of the City of Tilburg to which was attached a letter no. 59 dated March 25, 1947 from the acting French Consul in Rotterdam with attachment, requesting information concerning the individuals named in the attachment with respect to help having been provided by them to French prisoners of war who had escaped from Germany during the years 1940-1945, I can now provide the result of my research.
BRASZ, Bertram Henry, of Dutch nationality, born 28 January 1920 in Enschede, residing at Plantaanstraat 32 in Tilburg, has during the period 1943 – 1945 given shelter in his house to about 80 French prisoners of war who had escaped from Germany. These prisoners of war were delivered to his house by an underground organization in Enschede of which C. Brasz, his brother in law, was a member. They would remain with him from half an hour to a week before they would be taken to Belgium. They were mostly delivered to his house but in many instances B.H. Brasz himself also picked them up at the railway station in Tilburg. The Marechaussee group Hilvarenbeek would mostly come to his house to pick them up for the trip to Belgium but in a few instances he would take them to Hilvarenbeek or Baarle-Nassau himself.
It was in August 1943 that he received the first prisoners of war. During 1943 the Germans searched his home once but as at that moment there were no prisoners of war at his house, there were no further consequences from that search.
In many instances he provided the Frenchmen with clothing and shoes, while one Frenchman left on his bicycle which of course was never returned to him.
He was not a member of an organization which provided help to French prisoners of war and worked exclusively through the underground organization in Enschede.
Considering the large number of French prisoners of war that were helped by him, he showed great personal courage and was always exposed to constant danger.
HORNMAN, Petrus Alouisius Maria, of Dutch nationality, born June 21, 1920 in Tilburg, teacher, residing first at 18 Telephoonstraat, Tilburg and after May 1, 1947 in Krommenie at 25 Heiligerweg, behaved meritoriously in connection with help for French prisoners of war escaped from Germany.
He picked up several prisoners of war from different addresses in Tilburg and took them across the border where he handed them over to the White Brigade in Belgium.
He cooperated with the ladies Pirottin and Mr. Linhorst in Tilburg. They provided the Frenchmen with falsified Belgian Identity Cards which were created at the Pirottin residence.
He was not a member of an organization which provided help to French prisoners of war but did this in the course of his underground activities.
He was not arrested or deported.
Through his help to French citizens he has shown great initiative and was exposed to dangers.
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VAN DER HEIJDEN, Josephus Cornelis, of Dutch nationality, born March 20, 1887 at Goirle, when alive a cigar maker residing at B27 Diessenseweg, Hilvarenbeek, in 1942 started providing help to French prisoners of war escaped from Germany and pilots.
He picked up his first French prisoner of war from a certain van Dal who operated a café in Esbeek. During 1942-1945 he helped many French citizens in crossing the Belgian border and many times also had them at his house where he provided them with clothing and shoes. The Marechaussees from Hilvarenbeek would also deliver Frenchmen to his house and later pick them up again.
J.C. van der Heijden was stopped by the Germans in Baarle-Nassau on January 13, 1944 when he was on his way back from Belgium where he had delivered a number of Frenchmen. Because of his suspected activities in helping French prisoners of war he was arrested and taken to camp Haren. In August 1944 he was moved to camp Vught and after that to camp Oranienburg followed by a move to camp Bergen-Belsen in February 1945 where he died about March 15, 1945. His death has not yet been officially confirmed.
During the time that he providing help to French prisoners of war escaped from Germany and pilots, the Germans searched his house a number of times.
In the course of providing help to French citizens he was assisted by his son,
VAN DER HEIJDEN, Marcel, born January 8, 1915 at Hoogstraten, teacher, residing at B27 Diessenseweg, Hilvarenbeek, was arrested in January 1944 at the school in Hilvarenbeek by the S.D. agent P. Gerrits from Tilburg and a German individual just at the moment that he wanted to hand his brother Eugene van der Heijden a note saying that three French prisoners of war needed to be picked up and to be taken elsewhere. Marcel van der Heijden was then taken to camp Haren, North Brabant, and in August 1944 to camp Vught, Oranienburg, and Neue-Gamme and finally to Bremen where, according to information received, he became ill and apparently died.
Up to now no further information about him has been received.
VAN DER HEIJDEN, Gustaaf, born February 11, 1923 at Hilvarenbeek, student, residing at B27 Diessenseweg, Hilvarenbeek, also played a major role in the activities concerning help to French prisoners of war and because of that was arrested at his parents’ house in January 1944.
Just as his brother Marcel, he was in a number of camps and finally ended up at a camp at Hannau where he presumably died in April 1945.
Up to now no further information about him has been received.
They were not members of an organization providing help to French prisoners of war escaped from Germany or French pilots but acted on their own initiative and in cooperation with the Hilvarenbeek group of the Marechaussee.
It is not possible to say how many French citizens that they helped but it was certainly very large number.
In the course of their activities they showed great courage and prior to their arrests they were constantly exposed to danger.
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DE LEPPER, Alouisius Gerardus, of Dutch nationality, born November 29, 1893 at Tilburg, clerk at the Police Court, residing at 2 Potgieterstraat, Tilburg, in November 1943 moved a prisoner of war escaped from Germany from the C. Homberg residence at 71 Korvelseweg, Tilburg to his own residence as a German search of the De Lepper residence was expected.
During the period 1940-45 he dealt with eight French prisoners of war escaped from Germany which stayed at his house from one day to 6 weeks. The prisoners of war were delivered to his house and subsequently left for further transport.
One of the Frenchmen was a Marcel Mathias, residing at Lignerolles (Orne) Dep. Lorne (Subertre).
He was not a member of an organization providing help to French prisoners of war escaped from Germany and he was never arrested or deported.
As he was part of the underground section Tilburg he was exposed to danger in his activities.
VAN BOMMEL, Petrus Hendrikus Adrianus, of Dutch nationality, born January 16, 1907 at Tilburg, employee of the Gas Plant at Tilburg, residing at 41 Grobbendockstraat, Tilburg, collected some 15 French prisoners of war escaped from Germany and pilots from ‘s-Hertogenbosch and Eindhoven and moved them via Hilvarenbeek and Baarle-Nassau to Belgium where he turned them over to members of the White Brigade.
One night he hid a group of 15 French prisoners of war escaped from Germany at the Gas Plant where he was employed and took them to Belgium early the next morning.
He provided help to these French citizens during the period from early 1942 to October 1944 and provided them with clothing and shoes and money which he received from Pater Rambertus of the Capucijnen Order in Tilburg.
One night on his way back from Belgium where he had taken French prisoners of war, he was stopped and arrested by the Ordnungs Polizei in Tilburg. He remained a prisoner for three days during which time he was beaten by the Germans. He was released after three days as there was no proof of any activity relating to escaped French prisoners of war. At the time of his arrest he had a pistol which he managed to throw away.
He did not have any French prisoners of war escaped from Germany at his house as that was not possible considering the make up of his family.
He was not a member etc. etc.
He showed personal courage during his mentioned activities.
DE KANTER, Lambertus Adrianus Theodorus, of Dutch nationality, born January 10, 1910, manufacturer, residing at 11 Drossaerd van Bergnagiesstraat in Tilburg, in 1943 met three French prisoners of war escaped from Germany who were temporarily staying at the residence of Jos. C. van der Heijden in Hilvarenbeek. He there conversed with them and arranged that they would be provided with clothing and shoes.
Towards the end of 1943 he met a French pilot escaped from Germany when he arrived by train at Tilburg and took him on a bicycle to Hilvarenbeek.
Many times he provided clothing and shoes to French prisoners of war escaped from Germany.
He was not a member of an organization dealing with French prisoners of war but undertook these tasks within the scope of other underground activities.
He was not arrested or deported and was not exposed to great dangers.
Homberg, Cornelis Antonius Henricus Dionisius Josephus Maria, of Dutch nationality, born October 9, 1910, picture frame manufacturer, residing in Tilburg at 71 Korvelseweg, during the period 1940-1945 was very active in providing help to French prisoners of war escaped from Germany.
He helped more than 200 French prisoners of war who usually arrived at Tilburg at 12.10pm by train from Lichtenvoorde where a certain Meijer had put them on that train. They were then taken to the residence of Homberg where they were provided with clothing, shoes, food and money after which they would be put on the 4.00pm bus to the border. It did happen that sometimes they had to remain at his residence but that was never longer than a week.
Clothing and shoes were arranged by a certain Pater Wiegers, residence unknown.
In his work concerning help for French prisoners of war escaped from Germany, he received considerable help and support from Nico Hoogers, administrator, residing at Goirle in the Monastery of the Paters of the Holy Family, and also from Cornelis Bouman, controller of the bus company B.B.A. in Tilburg, residing in Tilburg at 161 Elzenstraat, who transported the Frenchmen by bus and who alert them when the road was not safe. In January 1944 he quickly had to find a safe home for three French prisoners of war who were temporarily staying at his house because the Germans were searching for him. They were looking for him in connectiion with other underground work he was doing and finally arrested him and transported him to a camp in Germany. This arrest was not in connection with his efforts to provide help to French prisoners of war escaped from Germany.
He was not a member of an organization providing help to French prisoners of war but worked only closely with a certain Mr. Meijer in Lichtenvoorde who would send him a telegram saying “Frames have been shipped” and signed Jean when he had put French prisoners of war on the train to Tilburg.
The financial help that he provided to the Frenchmen amounted to about F.3000 because every Frenchman was given from 200 to 300 francs upon their departure from Tilburg. In providing all this help to the French he exhibited considerable personal courage and frequently exposed himself to definite dangers.
A list showing the names of the French whom he helped numbered 101 to 235 is hereby submitted. We have to mention however that it is impossible to reconstruct the names of individuals 1 to 100 because the notebook in which these names were listed was taken away by the Germans during a search of Homberg’s house.
PIROTTIN, Louise Clemence Augustine, of Belgian nationality, born January 31, 1887 at Encival, and
PIROTTIN, Blanche Ernestine Lambertine, of Belgian nationality, born December 23, 1890 at Verviers, both residing in Tilburg at 22 Armhoefstraat, both have been of considerable help in connection with French prisoners of war escaped from Germany during the years 1940-1945.
They had a total of 12 French prisoners of war at their house, sometimes for just one day but also stretching at times to a month while providing them with clothing and meals. The French were fetched from or delivered by them to the trains and in this they had a great deal of help from Mr. Hornman and Mr. Linthorst.
At their home they filled in falsified Belgian Identity Cards and added photographs to them. These, as well as falsified membership card from the National Socialistic Organization in Belgium were given to the French prisoners of war to make the journey through Belgium easier. Also in these efforts Mr. Hornman and Mr. Linthorst played a major role.
They were not members of an organization providing help to French prisoners of war escaped from Germany but regularly worked closely with Mr. Hornman and Mr. Linthorst.
They were not arrested or deported but showed personal courage and great activity in this regard.
FRANKEN, Johannes Isidorus Franciscus, of Dutch nationality, born August 25, 1923, manufacturer, residing in Tilburg at 36 Wilhelminapark, was involved in providing help to French prisoners of war escaped from Germany.
During the period October 1943 to October 1944 he helped about twelve French prisoners of war and saw to it that they could stay at his parents house or with the family de Cock residing at 15a Gasthuisstraat.
His mother, Agnes Theresia Franken – de Keyser, born January 4, 1897 in Tilburg, provided a great deal of help to the Frenchmen with food and lodging.
In addition, he was involved in the collection of clothing specifically for the French. The clothing was shipped by him to Kapelaan Nous associated with the Martinus church in Venlo. (This individual was executed).
He was not a member of an organization providing help to French prisoners of war escaped from Germany and he was never arrested or deported.
His work did not expose him to extreme dangers.
This report was written by me based on truthful information.
Tilburg, April 26, 1947.
The Police Sergeant.
WWII Netherlands Escape Lines 