Wittem

Father B.J. Baars, the head of the Wittem subdistrict of the LO, was the victim of an infiltration in the military hospital in his monastery by a German sergeant, a certain Lambertz from Aachen, who stated that he wanted to desert because he was such a good Christian. At first he was possibly even sincere about it. This infiltration was followed, on July 21, 1944, by a wave of arrests that would soon be called the “Strike of Wittem”: P. Horbach, H.J.D. Hamers, J.M.W. Bisschoff, Father Baars, J.H. van Houtem, Ortmans, the brothers E.A.H.M. and J.M.H. Merckelbach, the man in hiding G. Pirovano, the vicars P.H.H. Houben and L.M.H. Penders and two uninvolved inhabitants of Vaals. The vicars Wermeling and Franck as well as A. Noppeney escaped. J. Merckelbach and the two residents of Vaals were released after a few days. The others were transported from Maastricht to Vught on August 1 and five days later to Sachsenhausen, from where they were distributed among several camps. Only three of the ten prisoners survived the camps. The others died in Germany: H.J.D. Hamers (Oranienburg, 29-12-1944), J.M.W. Bisschoff (Buchenwald, 23-4-1945). B.J. Baars (Bergen-Belsen, 27-4-1945), J.H. van Houtem (Lübeck, 28-5-1945), L.M.H. Penders (Bergen-Belsen, 24-4-1945), P.H.H. Houben (Ludwigslust, 19-5-1945) and E.A.H.M. Merckelbach (Neuengamme, 15-1-1945).

• More: see Cammaert VIb, pp. 697-699)
• A detailed description on the occasion of the unveiling of a commemorative plaque on July 21, 2015 near the Arnold Janssen Monastery between Wahlwiller and Mechelen.
• See also Rosalie Sprooten: Bericht aan Hare Majesteit, p. 134: Verraad of infiltratie?
• tracesofwar.com Plaque Slap of Wittem

Wittem – 5 pers.