1.4

Easter Sunday:  An extraordinarily  beautiful and solemn High Mass.

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The thought of the Resurrection reaches in the deepest depth of heart and spirit and makes us grateful and also full of hope. In Huize Elastiek the day passed in a wonderful simple and cordial way.  A wave of warm reassurance, in short, an atmosphere of content happiness emits from the protector of the family and the home. But also the material interest was provided for in an excellent way. We enjoy the delicious dishes, prepared by Tante Jo in a secret way in the kitchen. As our first course we taste an eel soup that caresses our tongues (report as possible: 11) and a, among others, tender spinach. In the evening an enjoyable gathering with the Pastor, Tante Trees and Oom Pieter, embellished by worthy drinks, a fragant cigar and apple fritters, still dripping from their oil bath encounter.

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We thank you Tante Jo and Oom Jan, from the bottom of our hearts, that we, at this time and in these sad circumstances, could enjoy such a beautiful feast-day in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility.

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2.4

The war news becomes more upbeat.

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Enschede liberated;  Montgomery in Münster and facing Onasbrück. The Americans are at Fulda, Kassel, and Würzburg, the whole Ruhr area has been cut off by the joining of the 9th and 1st American armies by Lippstadt.  Ashaffenburg erupts in flames, the Russians fight in Wiener-Neustadt, and are 4 kilometers from Bratislava, the stronghold Glogau has fallen. Heavy bombardments every day.  Germany finds itself in the stage of committing suicide. The drama nears its end.

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3.4

Oom Jan and Oom Faessen surrender their trousers to their female family-members.

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They will make skirts out of these. That is good. Otherwise, the women would wear the pants.  Miss Agatha will perform the metamorphosis tomorrow.

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4.4

The Faessen occupation has lasted 7 months today.

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We certainly hope, that this new month will finally bring the liberation.

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5.4

Jos starts school for the first time.

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Jaap celebrates his birthday. The birthday chair, decorated with green and orange garlands, is put into function. We celebrate in the evening with birthday coffee with sugar, cookies, and a delicious apple-pie in the presence of Curate Drost and “Her Majesty the Queen Maria Stuart,“ introduced by Netty van der Donk and Fietje, who, as his pupils, presented this birthday gift.

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Russia ends its neutrality pact with Japan. The Japanese cabinet resigns. A former Admiral at the age of 78 (!) is to undertake the forming of a new cabinet. Oom Faessen sees his chances increase–even if it is only in Japan.

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7.4

The bill for the overnight stay of Willy at the police station in Hoorn on March 17th has arrived.

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10 guilders or 5 days in jail ! The fine will have to be paid by April 30th. Oom Jan does not want to pay. Perhaps we will be liberated by that day!

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8.4

English paratroopers in the vicinity of Zwolle and in the province of Groningen.

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9.4

14:33: the BIG CLEANING begins.

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The choreographer and conductor of the ballet and orchester is Tante Jo: active co-workers Nel and Willy. In the kitchen Tante Faessen and Fietje.

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Zutphen has been liberated after 6 long days of fighting. Essen, with the Krupp factories, has been captured.

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10.4

Oom Faessen loses his bet with little Fons.

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His bet was, that Bovenkarspel would have been liberated, no later than April 10.  In place of liberation....Fons receives a book of fairy tales.

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11.4

The big cleaning and the Allies are making good progress.

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Nel and Willy have reached the attic. The Allied Powers capture Hannover. They are within 90 kilometers of Hamburg. There is heavy fighting in Holland, particular in the vicinity of Deventer. Later on we hear, that Deventer has been liberated.

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The 1st Canadian Army has crossed the IJssel. The general attack on the middle part of the Netherlands has been launched.  Further particulars are not known. Vienna has been captured by the Russian troops. In total, 132,000 prisoners of war.

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12.4

The waterworks cease.

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Great issues suddenly come forward. The main thing: the spring cleaning goes on now with sluice water. Water for meals from neighbor de Vries.  A rain barrel arrives and awaits for the rain.

The American troops have crossed the river Elbe at one location.  Weimar surrenders.

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13.4

President Roosevelt †.

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He passed away suddenly, the result of a cerebral hemorrhage. A tragic fate. He had to go before his 

tremendous task was completed. Rightly so, he, as did Moses, had seen in the distance the promised land, the glorious victory. His creative mind cannot, unfortunately, put his stamp on future peace negotiations. It is a deep tragedy, not only for this noble man and great statesman Roosevelt, but in particular for the people of his time and mankind as a whole. The Dutch people lost a very dear friend.

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Oom Jan receives the sad news that the fishing boat of skipper Mantel, which had 32 bales of potatoes on board, had been confiscated by the Germans. Oom Jan, always thinking of others and without saying anything,  had intended that one of the bags of potatoes was to be delivered to Tante Agnes Nolte. It was one of the last chances to deliver provisions to friends in Amsterdam.

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14.4

The lack of water imposes radical restrictions in the household.

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Plates, forks, knives, cups, and saucers are missing at the breakfast table, for the sole reason that there will be fewer dishes to wash.  But the good quality of the sandwiches is the same. And that is the main point. We would not want to swap with the people in Amsterdam. It is so much better to have sandwiches without forks and knives, than knives and forks without sandwiches. The “new table setting“ was accepted  with a humorous note by all the table partners. Only Jaap’s indignation is roused, he picks up his sandwiches and retreats to his intellectual world on the second floor. We will be served pea soup tonight for supper. We are very curious indeed how this will be accomplished––without spoon and soup bowl maybe sipping from the hollow of our hand?  What an exciting time!

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15.4

The faucet provides some water again.

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We are using the “old“ dinner  dishes again. We enjoy coffee with Opa and Oma and  admire their fruit trees in bloom. This afternoon Oom Jan and Tante Jo rock on the waves in the little boat, finally alone by themselves, the first time since the beginning of the year.

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Zwolle and Arnhem liberated. Fighting in Groningen and Apeldoorn. 

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Dortmund and van Papen are captured.

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16.4

Visit by two German soldiers to our garden.

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Jan is extremely upset about this. The victim of his national instincts: a window, in the door of the Schlichting’s room. Groningen and Leeuwarden liberated.

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Machine gunfire in the sky!  Two English fighter planes.

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Coal merchant Sietses of Enkhuizen is transporting some kraut baggage accompanied by German guard troops with his horse and cart.  This experienced carter had scarely spotted the fighter planes before he unhitched his horse and looked for cover for it. The German guards threaten to kill him, if he does not ride further.  But Sietses stays calm and unwavering. The choice is not too difficult for him. A few seconds later one fighter plane shoots up the horse-cart. Two Germans dead and baggage demolished. Sietses and his horse unharmed.

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17.4

A black day!  The inundation threatens.

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The rumor that the Wieringermeer will be inundated is confirmed.  The gloomy message reaches us late morning that tomorrow afternoon the dikes of the IJselmeer and also here in de Streek will be cut through.  That means a tremendous disaster.  The soil had been tilled with zeal and difficulty for the prospect of a new harvest as salvation from the famine.  The spring weather was beautiful. The indications for a rich harvest are very favorable. Hunger and poverty announce the liberation. Senseless, hateful destruction without a single strategic purpose: the farewell message of the krauts. We are hoping that the Canadians may prevent the disaster by parachuting during the night.  There will be fighting, but hopefully a great disaster may be avoided.

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Nature has no idea what is happening. She dresses herself in her finest attire. The vast reaching flower carpets sparkle in the most beautiful colors. We see in the rows of flowers the colors crimson, pink, dark red, yellow, gold, purple, blue, white and orange, everything reflecting in a silvery light of a radiant sun in a cloudless azure vault of heaven. It seems as of the earth has chosen her prettiest attire as her death garments.

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Swarms of excited, fast talking people, similar to swarms of buzzing bees, are on the street. The wives gather their husbands from their farmlands. Further cultivation of the soil  seems aimless and senseless. Before long everything will be inundated. It seems that a better use for the manpower is the moving of furniture and household belongings to the attic, in order to prevent their valuables falling  prey to the water.

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Then comes the town-crier:  The inundation has been postponed. An almost perceptible relief hangs over the depressed people. There is now at least a flicker of hope that a great mishap may be prevented. Every day, without this happening, means a gain.

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Oom Jan and Tante Jo visit, in the evening hours, their own flower bulb company in Venhuizen.  Will this be a farewell visit? We hope, wish, and pray, that this will not be the case. They bring tulips back to the house.

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We receive the first news of the Wieringermeer.  The water has risen 1 meter. 2 wagons, with evacuating farm families, ride through Bovenkarspel on their way to Enkhuizen.

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18.4

The water in the Wieringermeer has risen from 2 to 4 meters.

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It happened so fast in the different locations that the cattle could not be saved. Broekerhaven has sent out its rescue boats to the Wieringermeer. The provinces of Groningen and Friesland have been liberated. Fighting in Leipzig.

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19.4

The big flag-pole has been mounted on Huize Elastiek, another step toward the liberation.

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This job, which was carried out by 2 laborers with tall ladders, is raising a heightened optimism among the population.

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Next comes the quartering of 60 German soldiers, who came via the IJsselmeer from Sneek to Bovenkarspel.  As they stated, they request “quarters“ for several months. Oom Jan shows them several buildings. They pass by the rectory of the Catholic church, to which they take a liking.  But Oom Jan averts the charge. In the end they agree to occupy the parish hall of the Catholic church. This innocent expedition, looking for housing, with Oom Jan surrounded by Germans, got the population wondering and was the cause of the rumor: “The mayor has been arrested!“

The news about the inundation in the Wieringermeer is becoming gloomier by the day.  The water has risen to a height of 5 meters in some spots. There are two big holes in the dike. The whole polder, the pride of the Netherlands, is flooded.

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20.4

Birthday of the Führer (his last?)

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Nürenberg, city of the “Partei-sage,” surrenders to the American troops as a birthday present for the Führer. Leipzig is captured. The Russians capture a few suburbs of Berlin.

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The garrison at Bovenkarspel is the Green Police. The “Commandant” arrives during our noon-time dinner and requests to see Oom Jan with a demand for a few cleaning ladies.  Oom Jan refuses. Anna de Boer, who is the driving force and co-worker here at home during the big spring and fall cleaning, offers a solution. She suggests that the domestic cleaning-crew consisting of 5 maids, whereby Tante Jo as a proficient cleaning-lady is included, is made available.  With great hoorahs, Tante Jo is congratulated for such a well deserved compliment out of the mouth of an expert. 

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22.4

French troops capture Stuttgart and Freiburg i(m). Br(eisgau). 

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The Russians are fighting in the suburbs of Berlin.  Dessau is also captured.

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23.4

The Russians are fighting in the streets of Berlin.

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In the not yet liberated Netherlands is the situation stationery for some days now. The Canadians stand at the inunudation region near Amersfoort. Patrol activity along the Grebbe Line. The first was disinfected with sluice water and chlorine tablets.

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24.4

In late afternoon the telephone message arrives that from Thursday, the 26th, onward between 8 to 12 o’clock, there will be water.

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That begets naturally exuberant exultation. The Russians have a third of Berlin in their hands. In the evening news arrives through the ether that the Allies have decided to lighten the famine by dropping food packets from planes over the area occupied by the Germans in the Netherlands.

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25.4

Today, in San Francisco, was the opening of the arranged conference of the 45 Powers.

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Her task is to form  an organization to establish world  peace . A kind of new League of Nations.  Molotof and Eden have arrived as representatives of their countries. Poland has no representation.

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27.4

7:45: end of the BIG CLEANING!

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The kitchen got the last turn. More or less immediately after eating a hearty hutspot, that produced renewed energy and passion, Nel and Willy began to polish the linoleum floor in the porch on their knees. Hence: heavy traffic from the attic to the WC at night. Outbursts of insides, again a joint performance of Nel and Willy in inseparable union. I have seen many tokens of friendship; for instance a joint carrying of the niceties and hardships of life.  But joint vomiting seems to me the climax of true friendship, a sort of bond of true fidelity.

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But we also have to report about another, not less important clean-up: In Upper Italy.  The Italian freedom fighters are revolting. They capture Milan, Turin, and Genoa, and while attempting an escape to Switzerland–Mussolini, Paolini, and Farinacei also captured!

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The American troops seized Regensburg and passed the Austrian border. The first meeting between the Allies and the Russians took place by Torgau on the Elbe.  Hitler is still “defending“ Berlin!

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28.4

Himmler, through the Vice-President of the Red Cross, Count Bernadotte in Stockholm, has offered  the unconditional capitulation to America and England with the message that Hitler is dying, as a result of a cerebral hemorrhage.

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Both powers did not accept the offer, because it had not also been offered to Russia.

 

Ausgsburg has been captured by the Americans.  4/5 of Germany is now occupied, 2/3 of Berlin is in the hands of the Russians.

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29.4

The first food parcels have been dropped  by plane for the cities of The Hague, Rotterdam and Leiden.

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The Americans penetrate München.  A new cabinet has been formed in Austria.

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The stove is ill. It suffers from clogging, since its purification cure performed by Jan. No wonder: it had to swallow two big logs. They stuck, undigested, in its gut. It could not function. it only wished to produce smoke, which it did continuously.  Oom Jan, as the stove doctor, is approached for advice. With a trick and a rope, he pulls out the cause of the illness.

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Mussolini with 12 prominent fascists and his girlfriend executed in Milan.

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30.4

A new spacious coat-rack has arrived in accord with the expansion power of Huize Elastiek.

The partial capitulation of the German Army goes on.  München, Oberammergau etc. have been captured. In Italy, the British capture Venice and as do the Yugoslaves Triest. The Americans open the gates of the notorious concentration camp Dachau and they liberate 32.000 political prisoners. Thus the Allies liberate even the old Germany. The radio news is full of the description of the horrible and appalling conditions in the concentration camps that have been liberated up to now.  An ardor of holy indignation has gripped the foreign countries and especially the military liberators and almost makes the ending of the war into a true crusade. Every hour on the hour we receive rumors about a universal capitulation of the Germans. Huize Elastiek is often the “center“ from which to furnish information as objectively as possible.