the Dutch officers in Colditz
Dutch text in original spelling
VERKLARING OP EEREWOORD
Hierdoor verzeker ik op eerewoord, dat ik gedurende dezen oorlog althans zoolang Nederland zich met het Duitsche Rijk in oorlogstoestand bevindt, aan geen enkel front noch direct, noch indirect zal deelnemen aan den strijd tegen Duitschland. Ik zal geen handeling begaan of verzuim plegen, waardoor het Duitsche Rijk schade, van welken aard ook, zou kunnen lijden. |
translation
DECLARATION OF HONOUR
By this I ensure on word of honour that during this war, at least as long as the Netherlands is in state of war with the German Empire, I shall not take part in the battle against Germany, neither direct, nor indirect. I shall not commit any action or neglicence through which the German Empire will suffer any damage, no matter how. |
The Dutch group in Colditz consisted of 69 officers. Most of them were KNIL officers [KNIL = Koninklijk Nederlands Indisch Leger, Royal Dutch Indies Army] who had refused to sign the Erewoordverklaring [Declaration of Honour] and therefore were taken prisoner of war. After staying in some other camps, the Dutch officers arrived in Colditz on 24 July 1941.
The German guards thought they had a group of model prisoners at last: the Dutch discipline was spotless and they were always well dressed. During the roll calls the Dutch stood stock-still; later they constructed two dummies which were used to replace escaped officers... The Germans were very surprised about this correct behaviour but it was only to throw dust in their eyes. It worked: the percentage of escaped officers was comparatively the highest of all nationalities. This success is mainly the result of the good work done by the Dutch Escape Officer, Machiel ("Vandy") van den Heuvel.
In May 1943 the Germans decided that Colditz should no longer remain an international camp. Eventually only the English remain and they should stay in Colditz until the liberation on 16 April 1945.
On 8 June 1943 the Dutch group left Colditz and were transferred to Stanislau in Poland (now Ivano-Frankovsk in the Ukraine) where they arrived on 11 June. They remain there until January 1944, the next camp was Neubrandenburg (north of Berlin) which was liberated at the end of April 1945.
Explanation of the abbreviations in the column regiment: KL = Koninklijke Landmacht (Royal Netherlands Army), KM = Koninklijke Marine (Royal Netherlands Navy), KMA = Koninklijke Militaire Academie (Royal Netherlands Military Academy), KNIL = Koninklijk Nederlands Indisch Leger (Royal Netherlands Indies Army).
POW# | name | reg. | rank | arrived Colditz | left Colditz | rem. |
2936 | H.E.C. van Ameijden van Duijm (Henk) | KNIL | infantry lieutenant | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2965 | B. Andringa (Bouwe) | KNIL | artillery lieutenant | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2933 | H.C. Bajetto (Henk) | KNIL | infantry lieutenant | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
459 | D.W. Baron van Lynden (Diedric) | KM | sub-lieutenant | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2941 | J.J.L. Baron van Lynden (Jaap) | KL | cavalry lieutenant | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2942 | T. Beets (Ted) | KNIL | infantry lieutenant | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2954 | A.P. Berlijn (Piet) | KNIL | infantry captain | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2920 | F.J. Bijvoet (Frederik) | KNIL | artillery captain | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2937 | W.K. Boogh (Willem) | KNIL | infantry captain | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2915 | M. Braun (Martijn) | KNIL | infantry lieutenant | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2934 | F.M.F. Claassen (Frans) | KNIL | infantry lieutenant | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2918 | J.H. Daams (Joop) | KNIL | cavalry captain | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2924 | G.W.T. Dames (Gerrit) | KNIL | infantry lieutenant | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2238 | H.G. Donkers (Herman) | KNIL | lieutenant | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2170 | D.J. van Doorninck Azn. (Damiaen) | KM | lieutenant | 24 July 1941 | 8 Sep. 1942 (escaped) | |
2912 | C.L.J.F. Douw van der Krap (Charles) | KM | sub-lieutenant | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2927 | O.L. Drijber (Oscar) | KMA | cadet (third-year) | 24 July 1941 | 20 Sep. 1941 (escaped) | |
2956 | A.C.L. Dufour (Dolf) | KNIL | infantry captain | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2958 | J.A.J. Elders (Johannes) | KNIL | engineer captain | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2917 | L.R. van der Elst (Lou) | KNIL | infantry captain | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2908 | E. Engles (Eduard) | KNIL | general staff major | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2237 | J.S.M. Eras | KL | captain | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2921 | G. Feith (Gerrit) | KM | paymaster's department officer | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
? | G.IJ.C. Fraser (George) | KM | lieutenant | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2950 | C. Giebel (Cornelis) | KNIL | general staff major | 24 July 1941 | 20 Sep. 1941 (escaped) | |
2946 | F.V. Geerligs (Frits) | KMA | cadet (second-year) | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2967 | W.G.T. Grijzen (Bill) | KMA | cadet (third-year) | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2945 | J.H. Hageman (Aak) | KMA | cadet (second-year) | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2944 | L. de Hartog (Leo) | KMA | cadet (third-year) | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2909 | M. van den Heuvel (Machiel) | KNIL | infantry captain | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2913 | L.E. Hinrichs (Lus) | KNIL | infantry lieutenant | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2919 | N. Hogerland (Nico) | KL | infantry captain | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2962 | M.C. van der Hoog | KL | artillery captain | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2963 | D.C. van Hutten (Dick) | KNIL | artillery lieutenant | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2961 | F.E. Kruimink (Frits) | KM | sub-lieutenant | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2948 | W. de Lange (Willem) | KM | stoker | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2931 | D.R.A. van Langen (Dirk) | KNIL | general staff major | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2922 | E.H. Larive (Hans) | KM | sub-lieutenant | 24 July 1941 | 15 aug 1941 (escaped) | |
2969 | A.G.L. Ligtermoet (Ary) | KMA | cadet (second-year) | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2947 | C. Linck (Charley) | KMA | cadet sergeant 1e jaars | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2928 | O. van Lingen (Otto) | KMA | cadet (third-year) | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2952 | K.J. Luchsinger (Karel) | KNIL | infantry captain | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2926 | A.P.T. Luteijn (Tony) | KMA | cadet (third-year) | 24 July 1941 | 5 Jan. 1942 (escaped) | |
2911 | F.H. ter Meulen (Frits) | KNIL | captain general staff | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2930 | J.J. Mojet (Johannes Jacobus) | KNIL | captain general staff | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2951 | J.P. Moquette (Jean) | KNIL | infantry captain | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2939 | G.A. van Nimwegen (Gijsbertus) | KNIL | infantry captain | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2964 | A.L. Nouwens (Adri) | KNIL | infantry captain | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
460 | Otten | KNIL | sergeant | 24 July 1941 | June/July 1943 (to Königstein) | |
2932 | A.J.A. Pereira (Antoine) | KNIL | infantry captain | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2914 | E. Pesch (Eddy) | KNIL | infantry captain | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
1634 | H.O. Romswinckel (Hans) | KM | marine captain | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2171 | W. Romswinckel (Wim) | KNIL | infantry captain | 16 March 1942 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
458 | T. Rooseboom | KL | lieutenant-colonel | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2239 | J.D. Schepers | KL | captain | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2966 | F.J. van der Schraaf (Frans) | KMA | cadet (third-year) | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2968 | H.R. von Seydlitz Kurzbach (Hans) | KMA | cadet (second-year) | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2916 | J.G. Smit (John) | KNIL | infantry lieutenant | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2925 | W. Spiering (Gijs) | KNIL | infantry lieutenant | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2960 | E. Steenhouwer (Evert) | KNIL | cavalry captain | 24 July 1941 | 28 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2940 | F. Steinmetz (Francis) | KM | sub-lieutenant | 24 July 1941 | 15 Aug. 1941 (escaped) | |
1633 | W.F. van der Valk Bouwman (Willem) | KM | sub-lieutenant | 12 Feb. 1942 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2935 | H.J. Veenendaal (Herman) | KNIL | infantry captain | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2957 | L.T.W. de Vries (Lolke) | KNIL | artillery captain | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
? | G.W.J. van Walraven (Gerard) | KNIL | engineer captain | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
1632 | R.W. Welling (René) | KL | corporal military police | 20 Oct. 1941 | June/July 1943 (to Königstein) | |
461 | S.H.L. Westra (Schelte) | KNIL | lieutenant | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2955 | T. Willer (Thomas) | KNIL | infantry captain | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) | |
2943 | C.J. Witjens (Hans) | KMA | cadet (third-year) | 24 July 1941 | 8 June 1943 (to Stanislau) |