The fallen resistance people in Limburg

Wiel Grooten
(Wilhelmus)

Het Grote Gebod – L.O.

In Wiel Grooten’s file at the OGS (War Graves Foundation) it says that he was a machine fitter and was arrested by the Gestapo in Aachen. [1]
But before that, he resisted in two organizations: the LO and the self-named Außenministerium, which is the German word for foreign ministry.
The municipal secretary of Mechelen, H. Botterweck, was in danger of getting into trouble for cheating. The brothers Joep (pronounce Youp) and Wiel (pronounce Will) Grooten broke into the town hall during the night of Saturday to Sunday, April 15-16, 1944. Failing to open the steel cabinets, they finally set fire to destroy all evidence. [2 p.695]
On the website of the National Monument Kamp Vught, there is a section with biographies under the title Vermoord in Vught (Killed in Vught). Among them is that of Wiel Grooten. In it we read:
Wiel was a machine fitter and member of the LO in Bocholtz, he was also part of the Auβenministerium. This is a group of resistance fighters who try to bring as many people as possible who were employed in Germany back to the Netherlands. … Wiel’s job is to pick up the returning workers at the Aachen train station and bring them across the border. … There he is discovered at the station by the German authorities and must then report to the SD in Maastricht to testify. Wiel assumes all responsibility during the interrogations, and does not give out any information they did not already have anyway. Two of his comrades are subsequently released. [3]
Cammaert mentions a J. Grooten in the following quote. This was Joep, Wiel’s brother.
In July the Staatspolizei (State Police) in Aachen reported that, based on statements by some students arrested at the German-Dutch border, they had tracked down members of the resistance group Außenministerium. It concerned Coenen, J. Grooten and J. Stitzinger. [2 p.696]
Presumably on September 5, 1944 (Dolle Dinsdag or Mad Tuesday [4]) executed in concentration camp Vught.
See also wo2slachtoffers.nl. [5]
Wilhelmus ( Wiel ) Grooten is listed in the Erelijst 1940-1945 (Honor Roll of the Dutch Parliament). [8]

Vught • Fusilladeplaats • Former execution site • Ancien site d’exécution


Footnotes

1. Archief Oorlogsgravenstichting (@ Nationaal archief), Dossier Wiel Grooten, #3
2. Cammaert, Alfred Paul Marie, Het Verborgen Front 6b, De Landelijke Organisatie voor hulp aan onderduikers
3. nmkampvught.nl, biogr. Grooten, Wilhelmus
4. Wikipedia Dolle Dinsdag • Nederlands • Deutsch • English • Français • Español
5. wo2slachtoffers.nl Wiel Grooten
6. Wittem, verzetsmonument op de Eyserlinde
7. erelijst.nl
8. Oorlogsgravenstichting.nl
9. https://www.nmkampvught.nl/biografieen/grooten-wilhelmus/