The fallen resistance people in Limburg
pers.Valkenburg 1940-1945

Gerrit van der Gronden
(Gerrit Jan)

Oorlogsgravenstichting

On November 6, 1897, at the age of almost two years, he moved with his parents and siblings from Dordrecht to Vlissingen, his mother’s birthplace, see civil registry card Vlissingen [1]. On 29 May 1906 to Vaals, on 19 June 1917 to Houthem (from 1941 on municipality of Valkenburg-Houthem) [2].
Driver and mechanic at the GGD (municipal medical service) of Maastricht, married. As a driver, he also disseminated banned writings. He helped people to flee and provided medical care when needed. All this in collaboration with his brother Abraham Cornelis van der Gronden. [3]
He took care of Jewish people in hiding, was arrested on Jan, 13th 1942. [7]
Cammaert wrote in chapter 10 [4]: “in his garage on the Heugemer Weg in Maastricht he made copies of De Vonk, the Limburg edition of De Waarheid.” … “member of the Municipal Air Protection Service.” “ … Arrested “on january 13th, 1942” … “He died on December 5th 1942 in the Neuengamme concentration camp.” (near Hamburg), aged 47. His brother Abraham Cornelis van der Gronden participated in the sub-district of Valkenburg of the LO.
Gerrit Jan ( Gerrit ) van der Gronden is listed in the Erelijst 1940-1945 (Honor Roll of the Dutch Parliament).  [5]

Footnotes

1. Burgerlijke Stand Vlissingen
2. Archief Oorlogsgravenstichting (@ Nationaal archief), Dossier Gerrit van der Gronden #2
3. ARCH00347.148 Image 31-34
4. Dr. Fred Cammaert, Het Verborgen Front – Geschiedenis van de georganiseerde illegaliteit in de provincie Limburg tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog, Groningen 1994,
   10 De C.P.N. en de illegaliteit, 465 KB
5. Erelijst 1940-1945
6. Oorlogsgravenstichting.nl
7. https://monument.vriendenkringneuengamme.nl/person/401623/gerrit-jan-van-der-gronden
8. More in our story Resistance in Valkenburg