May 6, 1945. The confusion in the occupied part of the Netherlands does not end. The Germans are still there and stay where they are. Doubts grow in the Land van Heusden and Altena. The Allies have not yet entered the occupied area. A power vacuum has emerged in the occupied Netherlands, with many rising tensions.
The lack of clarity started after the cease-fire and the surrender in Germany to General Montgomery, on 4 May. A day later, the occupier will be presented with additional provisions in Wageningen. But the Germans must first discuss it. The answer comes on May 6, 1945, in the late afternoon.
General Johannes Blaskowitz goes to Wageningen again on this day. He has a meeting with the Canadian General Foulkes in a room of the Agricultural Hospital. And there the German commander signs the additional capitulation agreement. The Netherlands is now really liberated, but especially on paper.
Dates
From this moment on it is a lot clearer what the German occupier will do to get life in the Netherlands back to normal. At least no more fighting.
The agreement is that the German troops must stay where they are now. Furthermore, the German command must give complete access to the numbers of soldiers and their weapons, where they are stationed and how much food they still have. The Germans also have to hand over cards where mine fields are located and they have to clean up those mines, clean up obstacles and make waterways passable.
The German police come under the care of the army. Moreover, the Allies want to have all the codes for German radio traffic. The Germans are also not allowed to demolish or move anything. They have to take care of animals themselves. This mainly concerns horses. Moreover, the Germans must listen to orders from the Allies and help with food aid.
During the discussions, Jan Borghouts (1910-1966) from Bergen op Zoom, alias ‘Peter Zuid’, is also a top man from the resistance. He is there for the Interior Forces (BS). But actually De Brabander is not a party in the consultation.
The agreement does not mention a word about the possible role of the BS. The armed groups of citizens and more former resistance people want to play a role in law enforcement. The Allies do not want to do it. They have no faith in the armed teams. Disappointed Borghout goes back to the headquarters. The power vacuum remains.
No hurry
Against the agreements between Allies and Germans in decide, the domestic armed forces (BS) decide to do something. That evening the commanders of the BS are ordered to take on individual Germans who misbehave. But they can only take action if the Allies are not there yet.
They also do not show themselves this whole day either. There is no Canadian or British liberator in Holland or the Land of Heusden and Altena. For example, the Princess Irene Brigade – as part of the Canadian army – is still stationed in and around Den Bosch. On 6 May they will be ordered to pack and go to Wageningen. There they get another day to make their equipment and equipment in order. On 8 May they can go to The Hague via Utrecht for a festive entry. The liberators don’t hurry.
This Sunday, May 6, 1945 is the traditional weekly rest day for a large part of the Netherlands. People visit the church, sometimes twice. They live missing and services in full gratitude, because the country is freed from years of oppression. Many don’t get anything from the vague political and military situation and the confusion. But that would soon happen.
The majority of Noord-Brabant was liberated in the fall of 1944. Except for the Land van Heusden and Altena. That only got the freedom back in May 1945. Every day you can read in this series about the events at the end of the Second World War in Europe.