Julienne Elisabeth Kretzschmar *1925
Astrid Biesheuvel, daugther in law:
‘January 13, I was visiting my mother in law. Meanwhile 91 years old, slightly demented, and trying to train her memory. The past is closer then the present. We talk a lot about early days and yesterday by change about the Dam.
She said: ‘I was there it was awful’. She told about the sound of gun shots, the screaming of people and the panic. With this story in my head I went home and I have been reading until late about May 7 1945. The next morning, January 14, the newspaper De Telegraaf published an article about that day in question. What a beautiful story and this makes it clear again that the victims and witnesses shouldn’t be forgotten.’
Astrid wrote down the testimony of her mother in law, Mrs. Biesheuvel-Kretzschmar:
‘I was with my mother on the way to my father (Emiel Kretzschmar). My father played the piano in restaurant J.C. van Laar in the Kalverstraat, a distinguished place. At a certain moment my mother and I walked to the corner of the Kalverstraat/Paleisstraat to look at the celebrating people. Everybody was dancing and celebrating. Suddenly everybody stood still because German trucks drove over the Dam, and the we heard a gun shot.
A German was shot down somewhere near the Palace, I believe at the corner of the Paleisstraat. I don’t remember exactly, but suddenly they started to shoot from the balcony of the Grote Club, above our heads. First my mother and I stood against the wall and later we walked back via the facades back to the restaurant, to my father. They closed the door and everybody had to go to the first floor in the back. How long we sat there I don’t know but it was already dusky when we appear.’[…]
This is her story. After this I showed her the pictures and shots.She said ‘Goh’ and was silent.
January 2017
Julie at the Dam square, September 4, 1942
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