1940-1945. The resistance in the dutch province of Limburg

War Criminals

In order to complete the picture of what happened in Dutch Limburg during World War II, we must also mention the war criminals. These existed in different kinds. But first we have to define who were or were not war criminals and why.

• What about the German soldiers, for example? After all, they were part of a criminal war machine. But until it is proven, that they were personally guilty of violations of the Geneva Convention, they are not considered criminals here. Most were simply conscripts. Clearly different is the case of Major Ulrich Matthaeas, mentioned below.
• The same applies to the police. The German police present here, as well as their Dutch colleagues, cooperated in the arrest of Jews, resistance fighters, etc. Some Dutch officers tried, nevertheless, to do something for those arrested, even with their help people managed to escape. Others did not know, if and what they could do, and thus unintentionally became accomplices. But we do not mean those here. We are talking about those, who actively committed the often unimaginable atrocities to their victims, arbitrary executions and the like. In fact, we are talking about the entire staff of the Sicherheitsdienst/Sicherheitspolizei in Maastricht. These were Germans and Dutch.
• And then, of course, the snitches and other accomplices, who were needed for that. Mostly they were Dutch. We mention here a traitor who, out of pure profit, was co-responsible for the arrest and death of many resistance fighters in Maastricht.
• As in any war, wrong things also happened on the other side. Looting by the Allies, for example, especially in Germany. And let’s not forget the acts of revenge after the liberation. Unfortunately, we have no name for the person who instigated the murder of the landwachter (nazi auxiliar cop) Funs Savelberg. So we call him the unknown war criminal.

The fallen resistance people in Limburg War Criminals – 10 pers.
(Zeguers-) Boere, Aldegonda Elisabeth Gonnie	∗ 1918-07-16 Maastricht † 2005-03-12 Veldwezelt (Belg. Limburg)	- War Criminals - NSB - Survivors - Maastricht - Gonnie Boere is listed here as an NSB member, but that is mainly to make her easier to find. For the same reason she is listed here under the name Zeguers-Boere, because she is often called that. …
Berendsen, Johan	∗ 1912-09-02 Avereest † 1947-05-02 Vught	- Police - NSB - War Criminals - Venlo - Photo from the criminal file in the National Archives: Johan Berendsen in early September 1944. Johan Berendsen was a Dutch war criminal known as “the terror of Venlo. [1]
Conrad, H.W. Hans	∗	- Police - Sipo/SD - NSDAP - War Criminals - Survivors - Cammaert wrote: Staff member of Sipo-Maastricht. Was feared and hated because of his hunting of Jews and people in hiding. He made many victims. [1] Hans Conrad was …
Couperus, Otto	∗ 1898-10-29 Hüls	- Police - NSB - War Criminals - Survivors - Venlo - Picture: beeldbankwo2.nl [1] Otto Couperus became a police inspector and, during the war, also an SS officer. He began his career in Rotterdam, at the notorious …
Holla, Gerardus Hubertus Gerrit	∗ 1906-07-18 Arcen en Velden	- NSB - War Criminals - Survivors - Roermond - Cammaert wrote about Gerrit Holla: Roermond, pub owner. Affiliated with N.S.B. and Landwacht. He was feared and hated because he made many victims among resistance people and … t-
Klonen, Cornelius Wilhelm	∗ 1919-02-12 Hoensbroek	- Police - Sipo/SD - NSDAP - War Criminals - Survivors - Er is op 24 november 1938 in Heerlen een huwelijk gesloten tussen Cornelis Willem Klonen en Else Irene Krissel. Echtscheiding ingeschreven na het vonnis van de arrondissementsrechtbank te …
Matthaeas, Ulrich	∗ 1911-07-11 Hannover † 1994-06-21	- German Front Soldiers - NSDAP - War Criminals - Survivors - Battalion commander and war criminal Ulrich Matthaeas after he was captured by the British Photo taken from Heimatbuch des Kreises Viersen 58 (2007), …
Nitsch, Richard Heinrich Georg Richard	∗ 1908-11-01 Todtgüslingen (Niede † 0000-00-00 Bad Bentheim ?	- Police - Sipo/SD - NSDAP - War Criminals - Survivors - Richard Nitsch was one of the notorious sadists of the SiPo in Maastricht [1], which was subordinate to the Reichssicherheitshauptamt (Reich Security Main Office) of Reinhard …
Schut, Cornelis Martinus Wilhelmus Willy	∗ 1901-11-28 Utrecht	- Police - Sipo/SD - NSB - War Criminals - Survivors - Picture: Before coming to Maastricht, Willy Schut was the chauffeur of Anton Mussert, the leader of the NSB. [1] Cammaert wrote: Employee of the
Strobel, Max	∗ 1912-07-15 Oelsnitz (Sachsen, D	- Police - Sipo/SD - NSDAP - War Criminals - Survivors - Max Strobel was the chief of the SiPo (Sicherheitspolizei) in Maastricht [1], also called SD (Sicherheitsdienst) or Sipo/SD. He was known as a fanatic and a great sadist, surpassed in this only by …