Discover the story of Mrs. Bouwman-Wouterse and her memories of Hellevoetsluis during wartime.
Wil Bouwman-Wouterse grew up in Hellevoetsluis, at a time when the town was still small and everyone knew each other. She was born in 1924 in Molenstraat, a lively street where neighbors helped one another and children played together in the street. Her father was chairman of the Orange Association, which meant there was always something happening on public holidays. The street was decorated with flags and lanterns, and for the children it felt like a big celebration. These are memories she still looks back on with a smile.
With the outbreak of the Second World War, life in Hellevoetsluis changed drastically. Wil was 16 years old at the time. Due to its strategic location, Hellevoetsluis came under German occupation. Large parts of the town were demolished and residents were forced to leave their homes. In daily life, the war was constantly present. When aircraft flew overhead, anti-aircraft guns would open fire. That sound left a deep impression on the inhabitants. “You would crawl under something or look for a safe place,” Wil recalls. It was a sound that immediately brought tension, because no one knew what would happen next.
In and around the town, more and more bunkers and defensive structures appeared as part of the German coastal defenses. For many residents, these constructions remained mysterious. “You couldn’t show that,” she said. “If you were too curious, you would be arrested.” Still, these concrete structures became part of the new landscape in which residents had to continue their daily lives. Sometimes the war also led to strange situations. German soldiers, for example, came to shop in the store where Wil worked at the time. She greeted them politely, as if it were an ordinary day. For residents, this often felt uncomfortable: daily life went on, while war, fear, and uncertainty were everywhere.
After the war, Hellevoetsluis was left heavily damaged. Much of the old town had disappeared, and only about 700 people were still living there. Nevertheless, the town slowly recovered. For Wil, it always remained her town: a place of memories of her childhood, a war, and a community that, despite everything, continued to exist.
Discover the story of Mrs. Nel Kap and her memories of Rockanje during wartime.
Nel Poldervaart-Kap grew up in Rockanje in a family of market gardeners. Life on the farm revolved around hard work. The family started with a small piece of land and one cow, but the business gradually expanded. Nel helped on the land from a young age. She assisted with thinning grapes, cared for the animals, and did all kinds of chores on the farm. “You just worked along. That was normal,” she later said. In the village, everyone knew each other and people were there for one another. It was a simple but close-knit community.
When the Second World War broke out, life in Rockanje changed. Vegetables were grown on the farm, but much of it had to be registered and handed over to the German occupiers. Still, Nel’s family always tried to keep something aside for themselves and for others in need. Sometimes a pig was secretly slaughtered or butter was made without the Germans knowing. Nel had an important task: “I had to keep watch,” she recalled. “If someone came, we could quickly hide everything.”
During the war, Nel unexpectedly came into contact with the resistance. In a house where she worked, an English pilot turned out to be in hiding. Resistance members also gathered there. Without fully realizing how dangerous it was, Nel sometimes delivered messages. Later she learned that the people who had hidden the pilot were arrested and executed. That news left a lasting and deep impression on her.
Despite the tension, everyday life continued as much as possible. In 1942, when Nel herself was 16 years old, she met her future husband during a dance evening. In a time full of uncertainty, a relationship still developed. They continued to see each other throughout the difficult war years.
Disclaimer & source attribution: These stories were provided by participating locations and volunteers of Bunkerdag and are based on personal memories of those involved. They are subjective and may differ from historical facts or be experienced differently by others. No rights can be derived from this content.