Memorial Harmen Visser

The monument to Harmen Visser was established in memory of the sergeant who was shot here on April 16, 1945 by the SS.

Harmen Visser, born 1894 in Skarl near Stavoren, became involved in the resistance as a chief of police in Vollenhove. 'Uncle Willem' became a member of the vigilante Vollenhove-Sint Jansklooster and local commander of the Dutch Internal Forces. The Germans had blown up the bridges to the Kuinderpolder and Schoterzijl on 14 April 1945. When Kuinre was liberated by the Canadians, it turned out that Germans and Dutch SS men were still hiding near Slijkenburg. In consultation with the Canadians, it was decided to advance there. That happened on Monday morning, April 16. At the front was a Brengun carrier (light armored vehicle), followed by Commander Visser on a motorcycle, another Brengun carrier and a passenger car. When the column stopped, Visser hit the preceding vehicle with his front wheel. He fell, took cover on the east side of the Statendijk (Zeedijk), but climbed up the dike moments later. As he bent over his motorcycle, he was shot at and fatally wounded. The column departed immediately, emerging SS men gave the order to bury the remains in the berm along the dike. A day later, Visser's body was transferred to the bierhuisje in Kuinre. Harmen Visser was buried with great interest on Saturday 21 April in Vollenhove. On 20 December 1945 he was reburied in Oudemirdum. On the spot where Harmen Visser was killed, a white wooden cross has been placed, replaced in April 1992 by a granite cross. The monument has been adopted by the Alderman A. Heidaschool in Munnekeburen. On April 17, 1946, a year after the liberation of the Noordoostpolder, a tree was planted in Emmeloord on a square that later received the name Harmen Visserplein. In 2005 the square in front of the Mariakerk in Vollenhove was given the name Harmen Visserplein. Every year a commemoration takes place at the memorial on the Zeedijk between Schoterzijl and Slijkenburg.

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Source

• Text: Bert Deelman
• Photos: Cor Keuning (1, 5), Bert Deelman (2, 3, 4)
• Nationaal Comité 4 en 5 mei
• Historische vereniging Ijsselham
• Foto nummer 3 uit archief ds. J.P. Honnef