Victims


 

Popke Sjoerd Bakker – Popke
Leeuwarden December 15 1912 – Amsterdam May 7 1945
Popke, married, two children, was active in the resistance group of Henk van Randwijk (Vrij Nederland). When the shooting started at 03:00pm, Popke was at the Dam. He had no chance to seek cover, behind the barrel organ or a lamp post, and was shot in the head. Popke Bakker died in the Binnengasthuis, was buried at Zorgvlied, now at field of honour at Loenen.

 

 

 


Wilhelmus Petrus Bakker – Willem
Amsterdam August 21 1900 – Amsterdam May 7 1945
bakkerwp-wwwWillem owned a pub at the Nieuwendijk. Several witnesses stated that he had been shot at the Dam.
According to the death certificate he died on May 8 as a consequence of a belly shot. Willem Bakker was married to Trijntje Kint. They had no children.

 

 

 


Johannes Bobeldijk – Joop 
Amsterdam January 9 1901 – Amsterdam May 7 1945
bobeldijkwwwIn his post as Domestic Armed Forces group commander Johannes was shot by the Rokin, where he was in action together with his brother. Johannes, 44 years old and father of two children, was hit by several bullets and died later that afternoon. He is buried at the field of honor at Loenen.

 

 

 

 


Geertruida Boelen – Truus 
Amsterdam August 19 1929 – Amsterdam May 7 1945
Geertruida-BoelenwwwHer father had warned her not to go to the centre, because the Germans were still armed. Geertruida was only 15 years old when she was shot at the Dam at 03:00pm. At night her parents and her brother were told of her death and they went searching for her. She was found in the Zuiderkerk and placed on a bier at her home. Following her death the lives of her parents and brother have never been the same.

 

 

 


Elisabeth de Boer – Bep
Amsterdam October 26 1928 – Amsterdam May 7 1945
Elisabeth-de-BoerwwwTogether with her niece, Truus, Elisabeth had gone to the Dam. When the shooting started they searched for shelter behind a flat cart. In Truus’s memory, Liesje died on her way to the hospital, but according to the declaration of dead, she died the next day at 20:15pm, ‘as a consequence of a belly shot’. The police report speaks of 14 bowel perforations and in the death certificate it was stated that she died at 22:00pm. She was the youngest of six children, and only 16 years old when she was buried Monday, May 14 1945, at the Nieuwe Ooster.

 

 


Willem van den Boogaard – Wim
Amsterdam December 12 1914 – Amsterdam May 7 1945
willem-van-den-boogaardwwwWillem was hit by bullets when, with other members of the Domestic Armed Forces, he was looking for shelter behind a lamp post in front of the Palace. He came from a family of butchers and lived in the Sint Luciensteeg in the ‘Hammenhuis’. His wife was unable to talk about it with her two children. Willem was 30 years and was buried at Zorgvlied with military honours.

 

 

 


Fredericus Joseph Budde – Herman
Hengelo March 13 1916 – Amsterdam May 7 1945
budde-wwwAs a convict Herman Budde worked in a German engineering works, from which he fled and went into hiding. At last Holland was liberated. On the morning of May 7 1945 he said to his wife: ‘Darling, we’re starting a whole new life’. The family went into the city to welcome the liberators.

 

 

 

 


Willem Cieraad – Willem
Zwolle June 30 1896 – Amsterdam May 7 1945
cieraad“Passed away by a fatal accident”, was in the family announcement of the death of Willem Cieraad. He was shot in front of the portal of the Nieuwe Kerk on May 7 and later that day he was placed on a bier in the church, where his wife identified him. Because of an inaccuracy in the death certificate the date of his death was May 8.
Willem and his wife had 7 sons, when he died only six.

 

 


Gerardus Bernardus Cornelisse – Gerrie
Amsterdam May 25 1936 – Amsterdam May 7 1945
cieraadGerrie was the youngest victim. He was only 8 years old. He was a reserved boy, never in the foreground. His parents could not leave their bakery, but, with his six-year-older brother Jan, he went to the Dam on May 7, where the Canadians were expected to arrive. They lost each other in the crowd. Gerrie was shot at 03:00PM that afternoon.

 

 

 


Petrus Antonius Joseph van Dam – Petrus
Gouda September 17 1877 – Amsterdam May 7 1945
Petrus-van-DamwwwPetrus van Dam was married and had 8 children, when he died on May 7 at 03:00PM as a consequence of bullet wounds. Photographer Wiel van der Randen registered his body. It lay next to the ice-cream cart on the corner of the Eggertstraat/Dam. Petrus was placed on a bier in the Zuiderkerk and buried in Diemen.

 

 

 


Pieter Hendrik Diekmeijer – Henk
Muiden December 18 1898 – Amsterdam May 7 1945
diekmeijerThe family of Pieter Hendrik lived in Nieuwer-Amstel. He worked at the Post Office, behind the Dam. On May 7 he went to the market with his son (12 years old). His wife and the little boy aged 2 remained at home. When the shooting started and panic broke out, they lost each other. Because of the tragic incident the son has had a lot of mental problems, with the consequence of a tragic life. Pieter Hendrik Diekmeijer was 46 years old and was buried at Zorgvlied.

 

 

 


Frans Johannes Feller – Frans
Belfeld February 2 1927 – Amsterdam May 7 1945
Paspoort-FJ-Feller2wwwIn spite of warnings that it was too dangerous, Frans Feller went to the Dam. “Bullet wounds, bowel perforations, belly wounds” are mentioned in the death certificate. He died early that night on May 7 and was buried at the cemetery in Barbara. He was only 18 years, official registered as sailsman, but according his family he worked as furnisher at his fathers factory.

 

 

 


Everdina Johanna Buddingh-van der Flier – Dien
Amsterdam September 18 1927 – Amsterdam May 7 1945
E.J.-vd-FlierwwwDien van der Flier was only 27 years old and married one year when she was shot in the knee. In the hospital the more badly injured people received priority, and she was sent home. Her condition worsened and she was operated on, but did not survive. Her husband was left with a little girl of seven months.

 

 

 


Hendrina Louise Koper-Frank – Hendrina
Amsterdam April 22 1915 – Amsterdam May 7 1945
HL-FrankwwwIn the night of May 7 Hendrina Louise Frank died as a consequence of complicated bullet wounds, which she got during the shooting at the Dam. She was married and had a daughter who was with her when the tragedy occurred. Hendrina is buried in the family grave at the Public Cemetery in Zandvoort. It is marked as a war grave.

 

 

 


Jan Goede – Jan
Landsmeer June 2 1876 – Amsterdam May 7 1945
Jan_Simonszoon_GoedewwwJan Goede went on his bike from Landsmeer to Amsterdam to see the entry of the Allied Forces, but got shot at the Dam. His son Klaas had to identify his father in the Zuiderkerk, where he was placed on a bier. Jan Goede is buried in Landsmeer. He was 68 years old and left a wife and seven children.

 

 

 


Maria Nella Jager-van Hooff – Mies
Gestel July 1 1916 – Amsterdam May 7 1945
portret, bron Aggi van LieshoutwwwMaria Nella (Mies) was fatally wounded by bullets that afternoon of May 7 at the Dam. She was married and had a one-year-old daughter. Maria Nella van Hooff was 28 years old.

 

 

 


Petrus Hendricus Antonius Hutjes – Han
Den Haag November 26 1925 – Amsterdam May 7 1945
hutjeswwwOnly child, Han Hutjes, and his father and mother fled the Battle of Arnhem and moved in with relatives. When the shooting started Han saved the life of a 5-year-old boy by throwing himself on him. He was fatally wounded, 19 years old.

 

 

 

 


Elisabeth Wieland-Lacourt – Elisabeth
Amsterdam April 18 1902 – Amsterdam May 7 1945
Elisabeth-lacourtwwwTogether with her neighbour Elisabeth went to the Dam. When she didn’t come home the children went looking for her and found her in the Zuiderkerk, where she was identified by her children. It seems that she was killed instantly by a bullet. She is buried at the Oosterbegraafplaats. Elisabeth Wieland-Lacourt was married and the mother of three children.

 

 

 


Willem de Leeuw – Wim
Amsterdam May 24 1931 – Amsterdam May 7 1945
wim-de-leeuw-voor-001Family De Leeuw gathered together to go to the Dam to celebrate the liberation. The 14-year-old Wim didn’t want to go, but was persuaded to come along. At the Dam Wim was walking in front of his mother when she saw that his back had turned red, hit by bullets, and he died. His mother suffered from guilt and eventually died of grief

 

 

 


Hilligje Mastenbroek – Hilligje
Amsterdam September 7 1924 – Amsterdam May 7 1945
Hilligje-MastenbroekAccording to Hilligje’s younger brother, “when the shooting started she probably fled in the direction of Peek & Cloppenburg and was most likely pushed through a window”. She was found in the Zuiderkerk. “Around her neck was a beautiful wreath of flowers, draped to cover up her neck wound”. The death certificate states “bullet wound” as the cause of death. Hilligje lived in Landsmeer and was 20 years old.

 

 

 


Antje Quant-Moeke – Antje
portret Antje copyAmbt-Ommen Jube 21 1902 – Amsterdam May 7 1945
Antje Quant-Moeke, 42 years old and mother of two children, was with her neighbour at the Dam. Right after the first shots they ran to the Nieuwendijk. Near the top of the Beurspassage she was hit in the neck. They brought her on a carrier cycle to the Binnengasthuis and she died on the cycle, or on the way to hospital.

 

 

 


Johannes Jan Ooms – Hans
002-wwwHarlingen May 11 1928 – Amsterdam May 7 1945
Johannes Jan (Hans) Ooms was named after his father and was with his mother at the Dam to sing with the Salvation Army. He was killed by a bullet in the heart. On May 10 Hans was buried by the Salvation Army – he would have been 17 years old the next day.

 

 

 


Rika Overdijk – Rita
Amsterdam November 23 1932 – Amsterdam May 7 1945
rita-overdijkwwwRita was only 12 years old, when she died at 03:00pm from gunshot wounds. She was an only child and lived with her parents in the Barentzstraat. Her fellow pupils in those days remember her as a beautiful girl with blonde curls.

 

 

 

 


Johannes Wilhelmus Saelman – Jan
Amsterdam August 22 1881 – Amsterdam May 7 1945
jw-saelmanwwwJohannes Wilhelmus Saelman was born and bred in Amsterdam; he was 63 years old when he was killed. He married three times and had one child, a daughter, from his first marriage. She emigrated in 1928 to California, where she heard about the death of her father.

 

 

 

 


Willem Theodorus Schermacher – Willem
Amsterdam October 11 1879 – Amsterdam May 7 1945
schermacherwwwWillem Schermacher was killed while buying a pack of cigarettes. He died at the age 65 from bullet wounds. He was buried on May 11 at the Nieuwe Ooster. Willem was married and father.

 

 

 

 



Hendrik Karel Smit – Henk
Amsterdam April 4 1871 – Amsterdam May 18 1945
Henk was passing by, when hit by several bullets. He was hit by several bullets. Much to the amazement of the doctors in the Binnengasthuis he lived another ten days.
 

 

 


Aaltje Scheffer-Smorenberg – Aaltje
Grootebroek August 16 1917 – Amsterdam May 7 1945
hooff vanThe parents of Aaltje came from Alkmaar but lived for 35 years above their barber’s shop at the Kadijksplein in Amsterdam. Aaltje also worked in the shop. At 03:00PM she was fatally wounded. Aaltje was married for two years and had no children. She was 27 years old.

 

 

 


Jurrianus Lambertus Stad – Janus
Amsterdam November 14 1918 – Amsterdam May 7 1945
JL-Stad-portretwwwNeighbour Jopie was with Janus at the Dam when the rumour flew round: ‘they are not coming’. They stood in the middle of the square when the shooting began from the Grote Club and everybody ran in the direction of the Nieuwendijk and Damrak. People fell over each other. Janus protected her??Jopie?? but they lost each other in the tumult. In the evening Jopie visited him in the Binnengasthuis where he lay with several bullet wounds, and he passed away at 11:30pm. Janus Stadt was 26 years old.

 

 

 


Johannes Willem Straatmijer – Johannes
Amsterdam April 30 1901 – Amsterdam May 7 1945
StraatmijerJohannes Willem Straatmijer was a flower merchant (stand in Lindengracht) and it is possible that he worked on May 7 at the Dam. He was there with his father when the shooting started and he was hit.
He died 03:15pm. Johannes was married, had a son, and was 44 years old.

 

 

 


Arnoldus Petrus Stroop – Nol
Oosterhout March 16 1905 – Amsterdam May 7 1945
foto-ontvangenNol went with his wife and 5½-year-old son to the Dam square, where he put his son on his shoulders. The square was filled with a crowd of people, partying, waiting for the Canadians to come. About 14.45 hours, his wife and son went home. Nol remained. He died at 16.00 hours, aged 40. He was found later at the Zuiderkerk (church) and is buried at St. Barbara cemetery.

 

 

 


Sophia Frederika Mathilda Vermeulen-de Vries – Sophia
Amsterdam November 21 1892 – Amsterdam May 9 1945
Paspoort-SFM-de-Vries-1892-19452Sophia Frederika Mathilda was married and the mother of two children. At the Dam she was with her grandson, whom she protected with her body. Sophia died, 52 years of age, on May 9 1945 at 23.15 hours as a consequence of gunshot wounds and pulmonary embolism, plus a complicated fracture of the right femur.

 

 

 



Hendrikus Willemsen – Henk
Amsterdam May 30 1908 – Amsterdam May 7 1945
Hendrikus-Willemsen-corrHenk married in 1931 and had two children. He went to the Dam, hand-in-hand with his 13-year-old daughter. She witnessed the shooting of her father. Henk died at 22.30 hours in the Binnengasthuis (hospital) from the gunshot wounds to his belly, and was buried on May 14 at the Nieuwe Ooster cemetery. Henk was 36 years old

 

 

 


Our Foundation is continually trying to contact relatives of victims. If you are a relative, or know anything about the circumstances of this event, please send an email to dam07051945@gmail.com

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