Five Brothers and a War

1944 Summary

Nov 20

Amsterdam closes Vondelpark for visitors after people cut most trees for fuel in starving households. Prins Bernhard establishes headquarters at Breda.

Nov 21 Nov 26

Wehrmacht begins extensive manhunt in The Hague.

Allies bomb SD-headquarters in Amsterdam (Euterpestraat), and of Wehrmacht in Hilversum.

Nov 28

Germans kill KP-Frank (leader LKP, J.A. van Bijnen) near Apeldoorn.

Nov

Dutch churches petition Seyß-Inquart to refrain from any action contrary to basic humanitarian principles. Seyß-Inquart appoints Dutch Nazi as head of Red Cross. Seyß-Inquart permits Dutch Food Distribution to organize transports by river barges to starving towns. Communists in Greece try to obtain power, gun battles in Athens. Blerick taken by Allies, territory west of Meuse cleared of enemy. Germans cut Rhine dikes, inundate Betuwe. Further reduction of per capita food allotments in Western Holland. First shipload of potatoes (by April 130,000 tonnes) crosses IJsselmeer to Amsterdam.

Dec 01

Dec 03

Dec 04

Dec 05 Dec 06 Dec 08

Deportation of all males caught in Venlo and Roermond. IJssel crossings closed to males between 16 and 40 years of age.

KP raids Leeuwarden jail, frees 51 resistance workers in extremely professional operation (later subject of movie).

Seyß-Inquart allows churches to help with food distribution.

Dec 10 Dec 14

Use of electricity forbidden in both North and South Holland. Germans announce mobilization of all able-bodied males for forced labor. Montgomery to manage food supply to Western Holland after liberation day. Von Rundstedt launches German counter-attack in the Ardennes, leads to Battle of the Bulge. German unit penetrates North Brabant at Hedel, surrenders after costly clash. KP-man De Rooy signals imminent attack on North Brabant by troops concentrated near Dussen. Heavy artillery fire denies Germans opportunity of crossing. Germans order all age-eligible males in North and South Holland, and Utrecht to report for labor conscription. London counsels Dutchmen on to refrain from requesting workers from the pool created by the German labor conscription order. Dutch Nazi leader Mussert fires van Geelkerken and Rost van Tonningen from deputy leadership posts. Thousands of starving women and children as well as elderly from the cities trek through rural areas in search of food. Interdenominational bureau (IBK) starts evacuation of undernourished children to families in eastern part of Holland where food is less scarce. Allies launch counter-campaign in Ardennes.

history Dec 16

Dec 22

Dec 24

Dec 27

Dec 28

Dec 30

December

Five Brothers and a War

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