Cycling route Death Valley De Peel - Burgomaster murder (Lock 13) (#13)

Burgomaster murder (Lock 13)

On the night of August 14 to 15, 1944, mayors Willem Wijnen (Asten) and Piet Smulders (Someren) were lifted from their beds by a Sonderkommando of the Germanic SS. The mayors had previously refused to appoint 'volunteers' in their municipalities for the Arbeitseinsatz in Germany or for the construction of the Atlantic Wall on the coast.
"That serves no Dutch interest," they had agreed with their colleagues in the Geldrop mayoral circle. First, the Germans arrested the two mayors to lead teams of forced laborers from Asten and Someren to erect posts in Zeeland. Back at their post they thought they were safe. When the underground executed several Landwacht in Gemert, Willen Wijnen and Piet Smulders were again arrested as part of the Akie Silbertanne, kidnapped and cowardly murdered on the quiet Kanaaldijk Zuid in Someren. The third kidnapping victim, Frans Eijshouts from Someren, survived the attack. Based on his testimony, the perpetrators were tried after the war.
The other reluctant mayors were also arrested and died in concentration camps after horrific hardships.
Near the murder location, along the Someren-Eind - Sluis XIII cycle path, there is a monument that commemorates the Silbertanne murders.

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Source

• Text: TracesOfWar
• Photos: Martin Damen