Cornelis Adrianus (Kees) Burger 1932-2016
Very interesting to read this all. My father was also wounded during the shooting and this has influenced his further life. He lived in the Indische Buurt at the Ambonplein.
He died March 4 of this year and during the farewell, I told about it, to those who were present, a small piece:
A great part of my fathers childhood was defined by the war. He was always very interested and read his whole life about the war, knew a lot about it and always looked war movies or documentary about the war.
At the end of the war, 1945, he got hit, by accident, in his lower leg, by the shooting at the Dam, that has been very defining for his life. He told this story a few weeks ago during his illness, to Krijn and me, I asked for it because I never know how it exactly had gone with that leg. Nobody spoke about it.
Photo: Ad Windig, Stadsarchief Amsterdam. First aid during the shooting.
After the shooting they tried to save his leg in the hospital. His lower leg was a mess, no calf just bone. By means of skin transplantation from his upper leg they could heal it, but the situation remains critical.
He laid on a hail with Canadian soldiers, for whom a special unknown medicine was delivered, penicillin, it wasn’t used here. It was specially made for the Canadians, only for the wounded Canadians in the hospital. His rescue was that the Canadian next to him died. He got the dose penicillin that was meant for the pilot.
After 17 weeks in the hospital he went home, but the doctors stayed pessimistic about his leg, an amputation was inevitable.
He was only 13 years old……
A childhood like we know from our children, playing soccer, swimming, playing with friends, my father never had, because he had to take care and his leg was protected with a leather cap also for strengthening.
Also later with us and on holidays, my father always wore long trousers and couldn’t join us with swimming or other activities.
We didn’t know better, but realize us now, how it must have restricted his life and his personality. Why he was always careful, pessimistic and could never enjoy life.
He would have found it very interesting to read about your Foundation.
Jacqueline Burger
May 2016
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