This is a true story from World War 2

HISTORY

After D - day in 1944 there was an over optimistic thought by many in German occupied counties that the war would soon be over.

After a breakthrough in the German defense lines a large part of France and Belgium were liberated. The general thought was that Holland would be next.

However that was not the case, the supply lines for the Allied forces became too long, since the entrance to the Antwerp harbor was still blocked. Both shores of the River Schelcht were still in the hands of the Germans. Moreover, the islands were difficult to approach. Water is still a mighty force.

Nevertheless,some Allied forces approached the Dutch border and rumors did the rest. German forces withdrew in a panic and were accompanied by their Dutch Nazi friends. The major problem then was the lack of transportation, most of the transportation was controled by the higher German forces and that was all the transportation around. So there was a hunt for transportation.

STORY

Moeke [Grandmother] and I [Grandfather] lived at the time in the heart of Rotterdam in the Rochussenstraat. This was a long row of four storey houses. Moeke and I lived on the 2nd floor of one of these houses, and we also had access to the 4th floor at our convenience. Up there we had a radio receiver which we had managed to save from the Germans. According to the rules this was a major crime, but we listened to it every day. After we had listened to it we would pass the news on to reliable Dutch citizens. The family on the 3rd floor was helping us do that. Of course we were very worried about " uninvited guests" or housecalls. After we had a meeting with the upstairs neighbors it was agreed that if we ever had to escape we would go up to the 4th floor and climb out onto the roof and go right onto the next house. Thank- goodness the houses were connected!

A few days later the alarm went off!!!!!!! The alarm was a loud banging on the door during curfew hours. That could only mean that there were German soldiers at the door and they wanted to come in!

Moeke and I were already in bed. We tried to look out the windows but they were beginning to shine their flashlights in the window. They were banging on the door with their guns, so we decided that I should try the escape route. So I climbed up to the 4th floor and climbed out the window. I walked out onto the roof, which was VERY hard to climb because it was a typical Dutch roof, and down to the next balcony. When I got to the next house,there was an open window. Thank Goodness! So I was able to climb in. The problem was that my feet could not touch the floor so I began to swing my body, trying to find a solid object. I finally found one and got down. Another problem was that there was no light so I could not see where I was going. After a while my eyes adjusted to the darkness and I could see where I was. I was in a small room with a bed and some furniture. I found a door but it was locked . Then I heard somebody come up the stairs and the sound of rattling tools!! So I knew it must be a good Dutchman. I knocked on the door and man opened it. I asked him what he was doing and he said that he was taking apart his bike, because the Germans were coming around and collecting the bikes. I told him that I would help him so we worked together.

Meanwhile Moeke was still at home and refused to open the door. Finally someone told them that we didn't have a bike and they left. Moeke then climbed out onto the roof and called my name a few times and I came. Then we both returned home.

Here's a little bit about what happened to our upstairs neighbors. Contrary to our agreement upon escape plan, our upstairs neighbor went to the left instead of to the right. He began across the balconies. Now you must understand that it was a law that each balcony had to have a bucket filled with sand and water so because it was dark sometimes he stepped in sand and sometimes he stepped in water and sometimes in both! Finally the street ended and he had to stop. By the time he got home he was tired and cold and wet.

Though this was a story of bravery it was also a time for a good laugh. Even though the worst part of the war was still to come.