Trekvlietplein
Artist/Designer: various
Revealed on: 2012
At the gate that provides access to the Municipal Yard of the City Management Department at Trekvlietplein, you will find four memorials. These memorials were brought together at this location in 2012. They consist of three plaques that are attached to the wall and one column. These four monuments commemorate a total of 34 municipal officials from The Hague who did not survive the Second World War. They worked for the Municipal Parks Department, the Municipal Energy Company, the Municipal Gas Company and the Municipal Cleaning Service; predecessors of the current City Management Department, the Hague Environmental Services and Eneco. The deceased officials had a Jewish background, were Jehovah’s Witnesses, were in the resistance, were forced to work as laborers, or were victims of bombings or failed launches of V2 rockets. The monuments were made in the first years after the war, and were previously located at the various municipal services.
The leftmost plaque is dedicated to Cornelis Geers (1910-1945), employee of the Municipal Parks Department. The plaque was hung shortly after the war at the office of the department at Gaslaan 161. When the municipal department moved to Huygenspark 31, the plaque moved along. The plaque then hung at the Greenery Department at Marie Heinenweg in Zuiderpark. In 2012, the plaque was hung at Trekvlietplein.
The middle plaque is dedicated to the employees of the Municipal Electricity Company. The plaque was unveiled on 7 December 1947 in the vestibule of the GEB on De Constant Rebecqueplein. The bronze plaque was created by fundraising among the employees of the energy company. The memorial was designed by sculptor Gra Rueb. In 1996, the plaque moved to Leeghwaterplein, and in 2002 it was hung in the hall of the office on Loosduinseweg. In 2012, it was attached to the wall at Trekvlietplein.
De derde plaquette is opgedragen aan de medewerkers van het Gemeentelijke Gasbedrijf. De plaquette herdenkt 17 medewerkers. Dit monument werd op 3 mei 1946, een jaar na de bevrijding, onthuld door toenmalige wethouders dr. Bas van Tempel en mr. G van den Oever.
The memorial column commemorates the seven deceased employees of the Municipal Cleaning Service. The monument was unveiled on 1 July 1946, as the opening for the festivities in honour of the 75th anniversary of the service. The column was made by J. H. C. van der Hoeven. Originally, the names of the victims were carved into the column. Nowadays, they are on a plaque that is attached to the column.
Trekvlietplein Victims
Municipal Parks Service
Cornelis Geers (16 December 1910, Boskoop – 19 April 1945, Buchenwald (Germany))
Worked at the Municipal Park Service as a gardener
Member of the resistance group Ordedienst. Ended up in the Buchenwald concentration camp via several prisons and camps. Died of serious illness a week after the liberation of the Buchenwald camp.
Municipal Electricity Company
Arnoldus Gabriël Broekhuizen (6 March 1888, Leiden – 30 March 1945 Neuengamme (Germany))
Worked at the Municipal Electricity Company as a technical supervisor B
Active in the resistance. Arrested three times during the war. After the last arrest ended up in camp Neuengamme. Died of dysentery.
Willem Hendrik (Wim) Hertly (2 January 1891, Engwierum – 29 July 1943, Leusden)
Employed at the Municipal Electricity Company as administrative officer C (chief officer)
Active in the resistance at the Order Service. Arrested and found guilty by the Wehrmacht court martial for espionage, sabotage and possession of weapons. On April 27, 1943, together with 20 other members of the OD, sentenced to death. On July 29, 1943, Hertly was shot near Camp Amersfoort.
Levij Barend (Louis) van Hoorn (6 January 1893, The Hague – 21 January 1943, Auschwitz (Poland))
Employed at the Municipal Electricity Company as an assistant fitter
Relieved of his position on November 26, 1940, then definitively dismissed on March 1, 1941. This happened to all Jewish civil servants by order of the Germans.
Died on January 21, 1943 in the Auschwitz extermination camp.
Cornelis (Kees) Jue (11 November 1904, The Hague – 8 March 1945, The Hague)
Employed at the Municipal Electricity Company as a supervisor 1st class
Active in the resistance at the Hague Home Forces. Arrested for these activities and imprisoned in the Oranjehotel in Scheveningen. As a result of a reprisal measure for the failed attack on the high SS officer Rauter in the night of 6 to 7 March 1945, executed on 8 March on the Waalsdorpervlakte.
Albertus Johannes Kamstra (31 March 1904, The Hague – 21 February 1945, ‘s- Heerenberg)
Worked at the Municipal Electricity Company as a meter reader (inspector B)
Active in the resistance. Arrested during the big raid on November 21, 1944. Shot as a forced laborer during an escape attempt. Died of his injuries.
Johannes Cornelis Kok (30 March 1898, The Hague – 23 March 1945, The Hague)
Employed at the Municipal Electricity Company as a 1st class technical officer
Victim of a V2 rocket that was launched incorrectly.
Jacob Levie Montezinos (27 March 1911, Amsterdam – 13 March 1945, Sobibor (Poland))
Employed as an accountant at the Municipal Electricity Company
Relieved of his position by order of the German occupier on November 26, 1940 and then dismissed on March 1, 1941.
Killed in Sobibor on March 13, 1943.
Albert Willem van der Rest (28 September 1897, Rotterdam – 3 March 1945, The Hague)
Working at the Municipal Electricity Company as a technical supervisor
Albert van der Rest died on March 3, 1945 during the Bezuidenhout bombardment.
Simon Staal (20 juni 1910, Londen – 23 oktober 1942, Mauthausen (Oostenrijk))
Employed at the Municipal Electricity Company as an administrative officer A
On November 21, 1940, by order of the German occupier, he was relieved of his function as an official. He was then dismissed on March 1, 1941.
Died in the Mauthausen penal camp in Austria.
Municipal Gas Company
Isaac Abraham de Beer (21 March 1888, The Hague – 26 February 1943, Auschwitz)
Employed at the Municipal Gas Company as an administrative officer B
Relieved of his position at the Municipal Gas Company on 26 November 1940 by order of the German occupier. Permanently dismissed on 1 March 1941.
Perished in the Auschwitz extermination camp.
Jan Bronmeijer (23 mei 1926, Soerabaja – 8 maart 1945, Den Haag)
Employed at the Municipal Gas Company as an apprentice machinist
Active in the resistance with the Home Forces. On March 8, 1945, executed on the Waalsdorpervlakte as a reprisal for the failed attack on the high SS officer Rauter.
Gerardus (Gerrit) Dekker (5 juni 1906, Amsterdam – 26 maart 1945, Kahla (Duitsland))
Worked at the Municipal Gas Company as a gas stoker
Arrested during the big raid on November 21, 1944. Died as a forced laborer in the German city of Kahla, probably as a result of dysentery.
Jacob (Jaap) van Dien (14 december 1909, Loosduinen – 3 mei 1945, Neustadt (Duitsland))
Werkzaam bij het Gemeentelijke Gasbedrijf als metaalbewerker/bankwerker
Jehova’s Getuige. Op 8 september 1942 gearresteerd en overgebracht naar kamp Neuengamme. Tijdens transport van Neuengamme naar ander kamp omgekomen door bombardementen uitgevoerd door de Britse luchtmacht.
Jacob van Driel (13 November 1908, The Hague – 22 February 1945 Eichenberg (Germany))
Worked at the Municipal Gas Company as a carpenter
Arrested during the major raid of November 21, 1944. Died as a forced laborer in the German city of Kahla, probably as a result of dysentery.
Martinus Dijkhuizen (16 September 1910, Scheveningen – 17 April 1945, Kahla (Germany))
Worked at the Municipal Gas Company as a laborer
Arrested during a major raid on November 21, 1944. Died as a forced laborer in the German city of Kahla as a result of tuberculosis.
Aaron Fresco (December 27, 1875, The Hague – February 26, 1943, Auschwitz)
*Only once is the name A. Fresco on the monument, but there are two victims with this name.
Employed at the Municipal Gas Company as a 1st class writer
Relieved of his function on 26 November 1940. After that, he received an honourable discharge because he was almost reaching retirement age.
Killed on 26 February 1943 in the Auschwitz extermination camp.
Abraham Fresco(23 oktober 1883, Den Haag – 22 oktober 1942, Auschwitz)
Employed at the Municipal Gas Company as a machinist
Relieved of his position by order of the German occupier on November 26, 1940, then dismissed on March 1, 1941.
Killed in Auschwitz on October 22, 1942.
Franciscus Hubertus van Grondelle(2 mei 1912, Amsterdam – 18 februari 1945, Ohrbeck (Duitsland))
Worked as a messenger at the Municipal Gas Company
Arrested during the major raid in Rotterdam on November 10, 1944. Died as a forced laborer in the German penal camp Ohrbeck as a result of serious injuries sustained as a result of abuse by the camp executioner.
Louis Joël (15 February 1920, The Hague – 9 July 1943, Sobibor)
Employed at the Municipal Gas Company as a 2nd class writer
Relieved of his position on 26 November 1940 and then discharged on 1 March 1941.
Killed in Sobibor on 9 July 1943.
Leendert Cornelis Land Surveyor< wpml_nbsp >(October 8, 1923, Voorburg – March 22, 1945, Berlin-Schönefeld (Germany))Leendert Cornelis Landmeter(8 oktober 1923, Voorburg – 22 maart 1945, Berlijn-Schönefeld (Duitsland))
Worked at the Municipal Gas Company as an electrician
Arrested during a raid and put to work in Berlin-Schönefeld at an aircraft factory.
Killed on 22 March 1945 by a bombing raid on the factory.
Samuel Moses(14 december 1890, Den Haag – 19 oktober 1942, Auschwitz)
Employed at the Municipal Gas Company as a 1st class writer
Relieved of his position at the gas company on 26 November 1940. Permanent dismissal followed on 1 March 1941.
Killed on 19 October 1942 in the Auschwitz extermination camp.
Cornelis van den Oever(30 september 1897, Alblasserdam – 26 juli 1944, Toul (Frankrijk)
Employed at the Municipal Gas Company as a supervisor
Active in the resistance. Arrested for these activities. Ended up at the camp on the Channel Island of Alderney via several camps. Died during evacuation and transport of prisoners after the invasion of the Allies. Statement from the SS reads that he was shot during an attempted escape. Witness statements say that he was shot in reprisal for a prisoner uprising in one of the train carriages.
Arie Cornelis Oors (26 January 1911, The Hague – 2 March 1945, Millingen (Germany)
Employed at the Municipal Gas Company as a temporary bench worker
Arrested during the raid of November 21, 1944. Died as a forced laborer in Camp Rees during a fire.
Rudolf (Rudi) Ruys (June 27, 1911, Surabaya – March 6, 1945, Cologne (Germany)
Employed at the Municipal Gas Company as a temporary crisis officer
Arrested during the raid on November 21, 1944. Put to work in several places in Germany. Due to general weakness, ended up in the Gremberger-Wald hospital near the city of Cologne.
Subsequently executed by the retreating German troops in the Gremberger Wald. The body was found on April 10, 1945. The exact date of death is unknown, but March 6, 1945 was filled in on the death certificate.
Alexander van Tijn (31 July 1884, Puttershoek – 14 January 1943, Auschwitz)
Employed at the Municipal Gas Company as an administrative officer C
Relieved of his position at the gas company on 26 November 1940 and then dismissed on 1 March 1942.
Murdered in Auschwitz on 14 January 1943.
Maarten van der Zwan (22 January 1912, The Hague – 8 February 1945, Leeden, Landkreis Tecklenburg (Germany))
Employed at the Municipal Gas Company as a cleaner-engine room
Arrested and put to work as a forced laborer in Tecklenburg-Leeden near Osnabrück.
Killed during the bombing of Leeden in the night of 7 to 8 February 1945.
Municipal Cleaning Service
Frederik Johan Marie Hanjoel (13 April 1914, Surabaya – 22 March 1945, Hamburg)
Employed at the Municipal Cleaning Service as a 2nd class writer
Arrested during a major raid on 21 November 1944 and put to work as a forced labourer at the port of Hamburg. Died in a bombing of the port.
Wilhelmus Paulus Johannes Kettenis (23 February 1904, The Hague – 9 June 1942, Friedrichshafen, Landkreis Tettnang (Germany))
Employed as a temporary worker at the Municipal Cleaning Service
Conscripted as a forced laborer in 1942. Died of illness in Friedrichshafen.
Wilhelmus (Willem) Marie Rotteveel (5 April 1901, The Hague – 13 January 1945, Leiden)
Employed at the Municipal Cleaning Service as an office worker and also secretary at the music corps of the service ‘Cleaning Harmony Connected by Music’
Shot dead during a raid in Leiden on 13 January 1945.
Eduard Cornelis Schwencke (April 15, 1896, The Hague – August 6, 1942, Natzweiler (France)
Employed at the Municipal Cleaning Service as a civil servant
Member of the resistance group Oranjewacht. Died in the Natzweiler concentration camp. The official explanation for his death is heart failure, unofficial explanations say that Schwencke was shot during an escape attempt.
Willem Meindert van der Wal (9 September 1888, Schagen – 18 March 1945, Voorburg)
Worked at the Municipal Cleaning Service as a crisis officer
Died from serious injuries as a result of the Bezuidenhout bombardment on March 3, 1945. He died on March 18 in the hospital of Voorburg.
Heinrich George Wessel (December 31, 1881, Wassenaar – March 3, 1945, The Hague)
Retired civil servant of the Municipal Cleaning Service
Died from serious injuries sustained during the Bezuidenhout bombardment on March 3, 1945. He died in hospital the same day.
Gerrit Pieter Zieren (8 October 1893, Delft – 9 November 1944, Niederroden, Landkreis Drieburg (Germany))
Worked at the Municipal Cleaning Service as a street sweeper
Active in the resistance at the illegal newspaper Op Wacht. Voor God-Nederland-Oranje. Died from dysentery and serious abuse in the Rollwald penal camp.
Sources:
Glaudemans, Corien. Four memorials at Trekvlietplein: The Hague municipal officials of the Municipal Cleaning Service, the Municipal Parks Service, the Municipal Gas Company and the Municipal Electricity Company who died in the Second World War. The Hague: Publisher De Nieuwe Haagsche, 2014.
The Remembrance
A commemoration is held annually on May 4 from 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM at the monuments on Trekvlietplein.