Memorial Katerveer near IJssel bridge

This location was the scene of the execution of seven civilians, 1 Belgian S.A.S. paratrooper (The First Belgian Parachute Squadron Special Air Service) and 1 Belgian SS deserter by the German occupier on April 10, 1945. These people were transported here from the remand prison in Zwolle.

The text on the memorial:

Gefusilleerden
op 10 april 1945
nabij IJsselbrug
(Katerveer)

S.J. Baarsma Dalfsen
A. Fros s-Gravenhage
A. Geerts Olst
R.A. Holvoet België
A. Nijboer Kampen
Ph.W. Pander Wassenaar
E.J.J. aan het Rot Zwolle
F. Wierda Leeuwarden

Backgrounds
* S.J Baarsma from Dalfsen, teacher, deputy commander B.S.
* A. Fros from Loosduinen, bookkeeper/bakery manager, signals officer O.D.
* A. Geerts from Olst, police sergeant, resistance member.
* R. (Raymond) A. Holvoet from Kortrijk, Belgium, SAS para and radio operator via England.
* A. Nijboer, from Kampen, resistance member.
* Ph. W. Pander from Wassenaar, director meubelfabriek and reserves captain, resistance member, operations leader B.S. in Friesland.
* E.J.J. aan het Rot from Zwolle, resistance member of ‘de Groene’ from Zwolle.
* F. Wierda uit Leeuwarden, professional soldier, resistance member, aide-de-camp of Ph. W. Pander.

Not on the memorial:
* F. Beke from Gent, Belgium, member of the Belgian SS who after the liberation of Belgium was transferred to the SD in Steenwijk. Deserter who fled and hid two times, before being arrested. He was sentenced in absentia to 5 years in Belgium for this, but this conviction was annulled in 1962. After that, he was a "PUNSELF CITIZEN!".
* Survivor J.J. Lamarche from Belgium; knew how to escape by lowering himself into the water of the river IJssel just before the firing squad. Lamarche resided in The Netherlands since 1917 as a Belgian refuge from the First World War. Lamarche forged an iron monument in 1946 with the text: TER HERINNERING AAN MIJN VRIENDEN, GEFUSILLEERD 10 APRIL 1945.

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Source

• Text: Erwin Manche, Wolter Noordman
• Photos: Dick de Bruijne (1, 2), Raymond Holvoet (neef/naamgenoot van) (3, 4, 5)
• 'De vijftien Executies ', Wolter Noordman