The fallen resistance people in Limburg

Edmundus Johannes Meulenberg (Eddy)

Oorlogsdoden Nijmegen

Eddy Meulenberg was a conscript sergeant at the time of the surrender of the Dutch Army in May 1940. He was a member of the Nijmegen Knokploeg (combat group), together with his friends Jules Moormann, George Muskens and Hens Hekking, among others. Since Eddy had to go back into war captivity in 1943 (see below), this combat group existed before that, so we count it as part of the early resistance.
In 1943, the Dutch soldiers had to return to captivity. Partly because the Germans needed manpower for their industry, where a large number of the men were missing. In the meantime, many Dutch soldiers had become involved in the resistance. Some went into hiding, others feared reprisals against their families and answered the call. Meulenberg, too, had to report at the Friesland barracks in Assen on June 10.

That same day they left with a transport of 520 men. They arrived at Stammlager XI-a Altengrabow two days later. [1] On June 12, 1943, he was registered in Stalag XI-a Altengrabow under POW number 107104. Several weeks followed in Altengrabow, during which the NCOs were pressured in all possible ways to work for the Germans. They were given very little and very poor food, were forced to drill and sport constantly, were housed in very poor conditions in drafty, cold stables, and received no mail or packages.
Under the Geneva Convention, NCOs were not required to do any work. The majority of Dutch NCOs therefore systematically refused to do the work they were ordered to do, despite the pressure that was put on them. Ed Meulenberg also refused.
By December 1943 at the latest, most of the Dutch NCOs were transferred from the main camp Stalag XI-a Altengrabow to the punishment camp Stalag XI-a/z Groß Lübars, located 3.56 km to the southwest. This penal camp had been established as a hospital camp for Russian prisoners of war after a TB epidemic had broken out among the Russians in the main camp. These Russians lived in deplorable conditions and received very little care.
Although conditions here were not much better than in the main camp, at least the Dutch now had the opportunity to receive mail and packages. With the contents of these packages, the German guards could be bribed so that all sorts of things could be organized, including additional and better food.
In Groß Lübars only one Dutch prisoner of war died. Among the Russians (about 1054), Poles (359) and Italians (235) the death rate was much higher.
As the Americans approached from the west and the Red Army from the east, the Germans surrendered on May 1, 1945. A short time later, the Dutch were transported on open trucks to an American reception camp in Hildesheim. The sick were airlifted to hospitals in France and Belgium. The others traveled by train to Eindhoven, where they arrived on May 9, 1945.
Rank at death: 2nd lieutenant general service Militair Gezag (military authority).
Source: Eric van der Most. [2]

He too returned sick to the Netherlands and died of this illness in Nijmegen on July 4, 1945. He is buried in the Vredehof cemetery in Nijmegen. [3]

Footnotes

1. Altengrabow Wikipedia EN
   Open Street Map
2. Eric van der Most, Personalkarte III, Nederlandse krijgsgevangenen in Duitsland 1943-1945 en hun Arbeitskommandos, Gouda 2018, uitgave in eigen beheer (Google books).
   https://krijgsgevangen.nl/ Johan van Hoppe & Eric van der Most
3. Begraafplaats Vredehof te Nijmegen, Erehof 37
4. Oorlogsgravenstichting.nl
5. https://www.oorlogsdodennijmegen.nl/persoon/meulenberg/ba9f0769-5eda-428b-a3df-73fd3a8a3175