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Hanxleden Houwert, van, Johan Coenraad Heriold Folmer

Date of birth:
April 8th, 1906 (Medemblik/North Holland, Netherlands)
Date of death:
January 7th, 1945 (Limmen/North Holland, Netherlands)
Buried on:
Dutch Honorary Cemetery Bloemendaal
Plot: 34. 
Nationality:
Dutch

Biography

Lived in Amsterdam, Stadionplein 29-I. Son of merchant in colonial goods Nicolaas Christiaan van Hanxleden Houwert (3 January 1876 Medemblik - 1 September 1946 Amsterdam) and Louisa van Silfhout (16 December 1884 Arnhem - 1976). Unmarried. Merchant in spices and colonial goods, since 1938 employed in the import and export company and wholesale business of his father, who was under his management from mid-1940. Dutch Reformed.
During the May days of 1940 he distinguished himself as sergeant of the 29th Infantry Regiment in battles near Achterberg. For his brave actions, he was posthumously awarded the Bronze Cross by Royal Decree no. 26 dated 12 November 1947. Member of the resistance under the pseudonyms Bleumer, Bolland and Jan Houwing. During the occupation, he helped Jews in hiding and later also students, workers and railway personnel. He also provided forged identity cards, as well as money, distribution documents and hiding places, thanks in part to his good contacts with the Persoonsbewijzencentrale (PBC) (Identity Card Centre). From 1942 onwards, he mapped out German defence objects for Section V of the General Headquarters of the Ordedienst (AKH-OD) (Ordedienst). Van Hanxleden Houwert contributed to the Binnenlandse Strijdkrachten (Internal Armed Forces) by supervising arms transports. He was arrested by the Feldgendarmerie together with his cousin Chris Houwert on 27 October 1944 in his shop at Prins Hendrikkade 145 in Amsterdam. During the transport he jumped on one of his attackers. His cousin made clever use of the ensuing consternation by making a run for it. He was executed by firing squad on Sunday 7 January at around 1 p.m. at Limmen, along with nine other Todeskandidaten (death candidates) from the detention centre on Weteringschans in Amsterdam. This was a reprisal for the resistance's attack 24 hours earlier on a German soldier, a conscript who worked at the Marine–Lazarett in Heiloo.
By Royal Decree no. 10 dated 2 December 1951, Van Hanxleden Houwert was awarded the Resistance Cross.
In Amsterdam, the Van Hanxleden Houwertstraat is named after the resistance fighter. His name also adorns the War Memorial in Castricum.

Initially buried in the dunes near Overveen in grave K. Reburied in Plot 34 of the War Cemetery in Bloemendaal.

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Dienstplichtig Sergeant
Unit:
29e Regiment Infanterie
Awarded on:
November 12th, 1947

Posthumously, Royal Decree no. 26
Bronzen Kruis (BK)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
October 2nd, 1952
Verzetskruis 1940-1945 (VKN)

Sources

  • Photo 1: Eerebegraafplaats Bloemendaal
  • Photo 2: Jeroen Koppes
  • - Schulten dr. C.M., "Zeg mij aan wie ik toebehoor", Het verzetskruis 1940-1945, Rijksinstituut voor Oorlogsdocumentatie, Amsterdam, 1993
    Peter H. Heere en Arnold Th. Vernooij, De Eerebegraafplaats te Bloemendaal, SDU Uitgevers, Den Haag, 2005; W.A. Brug, Hun naam leeft voort...! Oorlogsslachtoffers verleenden hun naam aan straten en gebouwen, Repro Holland BV, Alphen aan den Rijn, 1989; dr. C.M. Schulten, 'Zeg mij aan wien ik toebehoor'. Het verzetskruis 1940-1945, Rijksinstituut voor Oorlogsdocumentatie, Amsterdam 1993; Oorlogsgravenstichting; Erelijst van Gevallenen 1940-1945; site wiewaswie.nl/genver.nl&familysearch.org (waaronder overlijdensakten 13/1945 gemeente Limmen en 374/1945 gemeente Amsterdam); Stadsarchief Amsterdam. - Eerebegraafplaats Bloemendaal