Was there peanut butter during World War II? Or: going into hiding, how do you do that? Children want to know everything about the lives of their peers during the war years. About what they experienced and what can still be seen of it, Saskia van den Brand (32) wrote the book ‘Roosendaal children in wartime.’ “I think it’s important to tell children what happened in their own environment.”
“They often know something about Amsterdam or other major cities,” says Saskia. “But there was also a lot going on here. When children realize that, history comes alive for them. You see that it really touches them,” she explains.
Seven events in and around Roosendaal serve as the basis for the stories in the book. About rationed food, embezzlement, going into hiding and stumbling stones. The children’s book author interviewed eyewitnesses and relatives, including Jacqueline Heck-van Haperen (77). Her father Janus van Haperen was a member of the resistance who was fully active in the Roosendaal area.
“Her father helped people to stay out of the hands of the occupier, risking his own life.”
Jacqueline is a guest at primary school De Blokwei in Roosendaal for the lesson program that has been made with the book. The students listen attentively when she talks about her father, who risked his own life as a member of the LO (the National Organization for Help to People in Hide) and helped people to stay out of the hands of the occupying forces.
When Jacqueline explains that the Vrouwenhof playground originated from her father’s resistance work, history suddenly becomes very tangible. Janus thought that the children should be able to play again after the harsh years. “Through his contacts in the resistance, he knew an address in Sint Willebrord where he could buy the wooden playground equipment,” says Jacqueline.
“I want to know even more about secret codes and how they hid people.”
That her story makes an impression can be noticed in the classroom. “I think it’s great that she tells all this. Now I feel like reading the book because I want to know even more about secret codes and how they used to hide people,” says Layla. “I think it’s special that it all happened so close because I didn’t really know much about it,” adds Natasza.
Saskia van den Brand herself grew up in Roosendaal. She had been walking around with the idea for the book for a long time. Thanks to the support of a local social cultural fund, all children in groups 7 and 8 in Roosendaal receive a free copy.
Saskia: “I think it is important that history is not lost. I have noticed that eyewitnesses also like to tell about what they experienced and what it was like. And no, peanut butter was not available during the war years.”
