All the fallen resistance people in Limburg

Jozef Saive

Photo: detail of the monument dedicated to Jeu Saive on the Belgian border in the Vijlenerbos or Schimperbos. (Wikimedia)

Jozef (nickname Jeu, pronounce Yö) Saive [1] is described by some sources as a resistance fighter, but his name is not on the wall of the memorial chapel on the Cauberg because he was too young to join the resistance during the occupation (20 when he died). But shortly after the liberation of South Limburg he died fighting against National Socialism as a member of the OD (Grenswachtcompagnie Maastricht II, platoon Gulpen) and therefore he is also on this list.
He served on the Dutch-Belgian border near Wolfhaag, south of Vaals, and was just talking to his girlfriend during a patrol when he noticed a group of suspicious people. They were members of the "Werwolf" terrorist group [2] who were on their way on order of Himmler to assassinate the first post-war Mayor of Aachen, Franz Oppenhoff [3], who had been appointed by the Allies. Jeu ran after them while his girlfriend went to get help. He was shot in an exchange of fire and died shortly thereafter.
The Werwolf commando had been dropped out of a captured American B-17 (Flying Fortress) aircraft over the Belgian border area. Why there? The region had been liberated in September 1944. German infiltrants were more likely to be expected from the east. The werewolves apparently used the old smuggling route along the B-NL border on their way to Aachen via the 3 borders point. When Dutch customs officers came, the smugglers ued to switch to the Belgian side and vice versa. Behind the 3 borders point in Germany begins the Aachen Forest, which stretches south along the whole of Aachen and from which Oppenhoff’s house was easily accessible. A few days later, on March 25, 1945, he was murdered.
See the Open Street Map link below: memorial for Jozef Saive on the B-NL border in the Schimper Bush. [4]
He is buried in the Catholic cemetery in Vijlen [5#4]. He is also commemorated by a plaque in the church. [5#7]

Footnotes

1. Biografie (nl): Kapellen en Kruisen Nr. 83, juni 2019
   Biography (en): Memorial for Jeu Saive, tracesofwar.com
2. Werwolf Wikipedia • Nederlands • Deutsch • English • Français • Português
3. Franz Oppenhoff, Wikipedia • Nederlands • Deutsch • English • Franz Oppenhoff, Français
4. Open Street Map
5. Archief Oorlogsgravenstichting, Dossier Jozef Saive • #4 • #7
6. Oorlogsgravenstichting.nl