Five Brothers and a War

1943 Summary

May 05

Harster, commander of SD, orders final phase of deportation of Dutch Jews. Over 3,000 students sent to Germany. Men between the ages of 18 and 35 ordered to report for work in Germany. KP Visser derails train in Twenthe.

May 06

May 11 May 12 May 13 May 16 May 19 May 20 May 26

North Africa cleared of Axis troops.

Episcopal letter protesting labor conscription read in all R.C. churches.

Germans order the Dutch to turn in all radios.

Protestant churches protest against labor conscription. Churches protest order to sterilize Jews married to non-Jews. Amsterdam's Jews ordered to register for deportation to Westerbork. Large-scale round-up of Jews in Amsterdam central district. Miss Kohlbrugge of the ”escape route” enlists help from Jean Weidner - he died in California in 1994 - who operated the escape route “Dutch Paris.” Attack on ex-minister Posthuma who as high agriculture official collaborated with Germans, killed in Ruurlo. Resistance groups raid distribution office in Langweer, Friesland, with most of the loot going to the L.O. Numerous raids follow as ranks of people in hiding have grown rapidly, and small-scale theft of rationing documents is no longer sufficient. Dutch resistance group Stijkel (33 members) executed in Berlin. Dutch Nazi leader Mussert sharply criticizes German SS conduct in public. Finance minister-in-exile van Lith de Jeude grants special money warrant for resistance group OD. Another large-scale sweep for Jews in Amsterdam districts South and East, 5,700 caught. Round-up of physicians, hundreds arrested. Generalkommissar Schmidt commits suicide. L.O. forms central distribution office, decides to seek help from independent crack teams for coordinated plan. Churchill assures peoples in occupied countries they will get help (before autumn).

May

Jun 03

Jun 04

Jun 05 Jun 12

Jun 20

history Jun 26

Jun

New Dutch intelligence group in London infiltrates occupied Holland. Hitler-associate Himmler meets Dutch Nazi-leader Mussert.

Jul 08 Jul 10 Jul 15 Jul 17 Jul 19 Jul 20

Allies land in Sicily

Rauter orders round-ups of men in rural areas. Americans bomb Amsterdam North, 157 killed.

First Allied air raid on Rome.

Germans arrest espionage group “Dienst Wim.” Hitler and Italian leader Mussolini meet. Arrest of the Delfzijl group of physician Oosterhuis which operated the Swedish escape route. Mussolini resigns, gets arrested. Start of massive air raids on Hamburg. The RAF bombs Amsterdam North again.

Jul 22

Jul 25

Five Brothers and a War

Page 448