Five Brothers and a War

The Razzia at Putten

One of the most infamous of the Razzias occurred right after Operation Market Garden. The Allies were moving through southern Holland beginning mid-September, 1944, having landed in Normandy in early June. With the French beach-head established, irresistible force was being moved onto the European continent. The Nazis were retreating back to Germany on all fronts. The war was gaining momentum for the Allies, and the Germans became more desperate to somehow turn the tide. Their measures became as desperate as their attitudes. The razzia occurred in the town of Putten, between Hilversum and Apeldoorn. On the night of September 30/October 1, 1944, a car carrying two German officers and two corporals was ambushed by members of the Dutch Resistance. One of the German officers was killed, the other captured and then released, and the two corporals escaped. The commanding officer of the Wehrmacht in Holland, General Friedrich Christiansen, upon hearing the news said, “ Das ganze Nest muss angesteckt werden und die ganze Bande an die Wand gestellt! " ("Put them all against the wall and burn the place down!") The following night, German forces got vengeance when they threw a ring around the town, then went in and separated the townsfolk into three groups: women, children and men. The women, children and old men were released, and the others were shipped off to concentration camps. Of the 602 men subjected to forced labor, all but 48 died before the end of the war. Even among those who did survive the horrible conditions, five more died after they were released. The Germans wanted the Dutch to know that their reprisals would be extremely harsh, and in no way weighted or restricted.

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Five Brothers and a War

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