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Limburg 1940-1945,
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Guus Laeven from Houthem was during the war deputy head of the population department of the municipality of Valkenburg-Houthem. [1]
Towards the end of the war, with the help of Hein Cremers, he made sure that the entire register of the registry office of Valkenburg-Houthem disappeared when the German occupiers came up with the idea of using all male inhabitants between the ages of 16 and 60 to dig trenches. On August 31, 1944, at 1 p.m., the battlegroup KP South Limburg appeared in front of a side door of the town hall, Laeven let them in, helped them pack the loot into sacks. This was taken to the KP headquarters in Ulestraten. Laeven was doused with chloroform and feigned unconsciousness. [1]
A more detailed account of this event can be found on this website.
The SiPo Maastricht was satisfied with his explanation of what had happened. The K.P. people had taken all the personal cards, fifty identity cards, fifty control stamps, and fifty fee stamps. They burned the population register at K.P. headquarters in Ulestraten. [2]
It was just as well, because a few days later, on Mad Tuesday [3], September 5, 1944, retreating German troops were quartered in Ulestraten. But that is another story, see Two Resistance Men Shot on the Cauberg.
Guus Laeven survived the war and lived from January 1, 1957 until his death in the Banda House in Houthem, which he had bought two years before. [4]
On May 28, 1971, he celebrated his ruby jubilee (40 years) as a civil servant. [5]
He and his wife Florentine Dols are buried in the cemetery of Houthem, grave number: 883986, cemetery number: 2711. [6]
Footnotes