My mother's (Dutch) parents were located in Wervershoof then, surviving the "hongerwinter" or Dutch famine, though it seems they were right in/near the crux of the German blockades. They apparently fared better than those in the cut-off cities, but directly witnessed intense cold, extreme fuel shortages, strict Nazi blockades (and violence), and urban "hunger trekkers" (hongertochten) desperately seeking food from local farmers. They were nearly shot a number of times and my grandpa spoke of them hiding from the SS at various times. They were quite scarred from that (we believe they both had C-PTSD and one later severe OCD and mild hoarding behaviour). They later "forbid" my (Catholic) mother from marrying my (Protestant) father, having no idea that his father indirectly or directly supported their liberation (I'm researching all this before sharing with family, who has no idea). Neither side has awareness of each other's war experience, and my parents met organically in Ontario where they were both raised and attended the same high school!
Here's the letter (I only have images, still trying to determine who has if and if it has been donated to a museum yet--It should be):
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And the transcription (please let me know if you spot errors):
"Germany, April 25th (1945).
Dear Sis how are you keeping? I thought I would drop you a few lines now as I have a few minutes to spare. I guess I have been neglecting my correspondence lately but we have been on the jump pretty well, and have not had much time to write.
I was in one of those German's concentration camps yesterday and it sure opened my eyes. I thought I had seen everything pretty well, but I soon saw I was mistaken. I went into one hut and it was lined with beds with patients in them, or I guess corpses you would say. They all weighted about 25 lbs each. They could not speak as they were too far gone but they could move their eyes. They were the only big thing about them.
I tell you sis it was shocking, one girl had her hands nearly cut off. A lot of them were still able to get around under their own power. One told us there was 20,000 killed there in one year. It gives you an idea of what kind of people we are up against.
We attended a funeral service for four Dutch children at another place, the youngest was a couple of months and the oldest was nine years. The SS soldiers shot them for spite, just opened on them with a machine gun when they were playing in a group. Their father sank his boat rather than brave our planes when he had to work for the Germans, they were going to hang him but thought the shooting of the children was a better way to punish him.
Well sis I don't think it will last much longer now and a lot of the criminals will get their due as they sure deserve it. I have received the first lot of cigarettes or did I mention that in my last letter? Thank you for your trouble. I will sign off now, hoping this finds you all in the best of health. I remain your loving brother,
(Robert) Orr Kyle."
With the help of Temujin (a number of years ago on the old forum) I was able to request his service record and am slowly annotating to try to piece together his journey together for family.
Edited to make some corrections, apologies, I have MS, my brain has holes (young) now, lol.
