Wiel van der Randen. May 8 1945

Wiel van der Manden registered this reports a day after the shooting.
This articel was published at May 8 1947, in the “Katholieke Illustratie” as part of his report of May 7 1945

 

Verslag Wiel van der Randen

May 8 1945   Liberation day

Monday had ended in blood and deep mourning, Tuesday morning, brought the Amsterdammers at least the satisfaction of the retreat of the Germans, who had occupied the Groote Club for four years and as a devilish award from a hatred stay, opened their fatal fire at the defenceless civilians.
Their own barbed wire barricade were still intact, but the Domestic Armed Forces , armed with rifles, guarded the way through. The Canadians stood at the Dam with their carriers and machine-guns, they had to observe the retreat of the Germans, at 11:00am. It was quiet around the Groote Club. The mood amongst the crowd was mat, it was obvious, after the killing of yesterday. Suddenly three à four shots sounded; the few people at the square, with the fear of the last day, make a run for it, the Canadians fled behind their carriers, but it was false alarm: a guy from the Domestic Armed Forces arrested a National Socialist and it was his way to announce it. An official from the local government tidied up the German barricades, grinned, the carriers drove nearby the Groote Club and aimed their guns on the entrance, heavy trucks were stand by.
Journalist and reporters held their apparatus ready, because Canadian officers entered the building, every minute the Germans could come outside. The retreat took place via the Paleisstraat and Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal, the police had shut off the route. Like innocent lambs the Germans came outside and climd into the trucks. They were unarmed, but were allowed to take their luggage. The men look around frank, some of them smoked a cigarette, talked with their mates or acted amused. A postman, a loyal official, delivered the last post by one the Germans at the truck, but demanded for this service a reward: cigarettes. The German was willing but the crowd makes a stand against this reach of ‘Liebesgabe’. The parade was finally on the move, it was opened and closed by the Canadians, and I had to think of that sad day, almost 5 years ago, of that glorious parade from those arrogant men, their polished uniforms and fearsome arms. The rolls were changed, a dreary parade drove slowly between the crowd, with their grey faces and empty eyes, who endured the misery, they jeered at their hatred occupiers and their defeat.

W. v.d. Randen

Source: Katholieke Illustratie, May 8 1947

His report of May 7 1945

 

Editorial:

Wiel describes the arrest of Kriegsmarine soldiers from the Groote Club dated May 8 1945. We discovered that happened early in the morning of May 9 1945

Afvoeren van de Kriegsmarine eenheid uit de Grote Club, 9 Mei 1945

Collaboratie Tweede Wereldoorlog. Het kaalscheren en insmeren met teer[pek] van …
At May 8, Wiel made also pictures of girlfriends of the Germans who got a haircut. Those womens where called “Moffenhoeren.”

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