Dutch War Grave H Martinus Churchyard Vijlen

Jos Saive's grave is located in the cemetery in Vijlen.

Saive was shot by members of Unternehmen Werwolf, a national socialist organization established by Himmler in 1944 to carry out attacks behind enemy lines. One of those attacks was on the mayor of Aachen, Franz Oppenhoff, who was appointed by the allies.

The planned assassination attempt on Oppenhoff was named Unternehmen Karneval. On March 20, a B-17 bomber seized from the Americans took off from German territory. That day, young Jeu Saive was on guard at the Wolfhaag border post at Vaals. During his checkout between 5 and 6 o'clock he would meet his girlfriend Tiny. Just as he was talking to her, Jeu saw a number of Germans walking. He asked his girlfriend for help and went after the Germans himself. Shots followed, in which Jeu was hit in his knee, groin and right side of the chest. A few hours later Jeu Saive died of his injuries at the border office.

Jos Saive was buried on Saturday 24 March (the funeral advertisement says Saturday 25 March) with military honor in the Catholic cemetery in Vijlen. In the following weeks, the high mass in the parish church of Vijlen was dedicated several times for the soulfulness of Jos Saive. Various groups ordered the high mass for Saive, such as the youth of Berg and Melleschet, study friends, Air Protection and the "Wachtvrienden". Both his parents were later buried in the grave. The original burial monument has been replaced by a modern granite tombstone. A small granite text plate on the original hard stone base mentions its name: "J. Saive * 23-4-1924 † 20-3-1945 ".

On the location Saive was shot, a small memorial was erected. It is maintained by locals.

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Source

• Text: René ten Dam - 'Monument voor Jeu Saive' in: Kapellen en Kruisen (nr. 83 juni 2019)
• Photos: Bureau Funeralia / René ten Dam