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Els Peusens
(Els)
∗ 10-06-1923 † 14-12-2005 (82)
- Aid to People in Hiding L.O. - Couriers of the Resistance - Valkenburg - - Survivors - Women in the resistance -
- tracesofwar.nl Verzetsherdenkingskruis
- dedokwerker.nl wo2 onderscheiding aanvragen
- More in our story Resistance in Valkenburg
The photo on the right was sent to us by relatives.
Els Peusens was a sister of Gerardine Peusens. They both worked in education.
Pierre Schunck wrote in his notes on the Valkenburg resistance: Wielke Cremers and the Peusens sisters acted as couriers. [3]
In the Valkenburg subdistrict of the L.O. there were only female couriers. They were less conspicuous and were not considered capable of resistance by the occupiers. For more details about the couriers of the resistance, click on the link.
From the notification by the family on the occasion of the death of her sister, it appears, that during the war she became seriously and long-term ill. Then, of course, the other couriers took over her work.
We quote below the notification on the occasion of the death of Els herself as a whole. It was sent to us by a family member.
She added the following:
I know about Els that she went to deliver messages in the dark, on a bicycle without lights. Els certainly did a lot during the war.
Els also told that she went to the home economics school in Voerendaal, where she worked as a teacher, with secret messages hidden in the children’s notebooks, which she had to deliver.
She also had contacts with American servicemen and corresponded with them for years. All died. The last one died before Els died.
Much later Els went from the school in Voerendaal to the MAVO on the Hunneweg in Maastricht. There she was a teacher of commercial register, among other things.
After that sober enumeration, the family member becomes emotional.
It hurt both Gerardine and Els all their lives that they were the only ones who did not receive recognition from the Netherlands or Belgium for their role in the war. They had Belgian nationality so they were not recognized and did work for numerous Dutch people.
Perhaps that is the reason why there is little or no mention of that in the notifications of their death, see below.
The distressing thing is, that there would have been a possibility of recognition. The Verzetsherdenkingskruis (Resistance Remembrance Cross) was instituted precisely to meet this need. Anyone who could prove, to have been an active member of the resistance, was entitled to it. It was also awarded to people who were not Dutch nationals. It could also be awarded posthumously. [1]
But it had to be applied for by the candidates themselves, or as often happened in practice, by relatives, by way of surprise. So those who did not know such a thing existed did not get it. And the National Resistance Remembrance Cross Committee was disbanded.
And now? There are many, who did not know it existed, there are many surviving relatives, who would still like to have an acknowledgement from the side of the Dutch state for the fact, that their family member fought for our freedom at the risk of his own life.
Go to our page on the Verzetsherdenkingskruis (Resistance Remembrance Cross) to see, if there is still a chance for the relatives of these “forgotten” resistance fighters, to still get recognition. See also [2]
But at least they have our recognition.
Do you know more? Write us!
Here follows most of the family’s notification of her death:
Despite her 82 years of age, we will remember Els Peusens as an energetic person, young in spirit. She was small in stature, but big in heart. There was much that was close to her heart: her enthusiasm during her working life in education, the youth, who were involved in that; the cultural life; the Burgundian lifestyle; the travels and vacations, and especially being with her family. Of all this she visibly and intensely enjoyed.
For her hobbies, she always made time. She loved walking, bowling, yoga and puzzles. They were fixed patterns of life. She had a particular fondness for playing bridge. In all these pursuits she had strong assets with her kindness and cheerfulness.
Her close involvement in the community was manifested, among other things, in her resistance work, which is known only to a few; her pastoral care for others, for which nothing was ever too much for her; her dedication to cultural heritage, to which her membership in and involvement with the Martin Stevens Fund bear witness. She never wanted to hear of a thank you. That graced her modesty.
Through the years Els always remained in the midst of life. She was a contemporary. She closely followed modern developments. The only thing that worried her was the future.
She did not let this item go unmentioned, especially in relation to her sister Gerardine, with whom she shared her joys and sorrows for the last 20 years.
The spirited earthly life of Els Peusens has now come to an end. May she now find peace on her way to her final destination.
Footnotes