My family and the Dutch Resistance

Despite the speakers for the meeting being cancelled we ended up having a thoroughly interesting and informative talk from two visiting Rotarian’s from Wigan.

Alan and Aukje Clegg, who were staying at the hotel popped their head in to say hello, and hearing that we had no speakers volunteered to give an impromptu insight into her families involvement in the Dutch Resistance towards the end of the 2nd World War.

Alan introduced himself as a retired pilot in the RAF, before becoming a school master, Magistrate and author. His wife Aukje told us that she was born in 1944 towards the end of WW2 in Frisia in the occupied north of Holland.

Alan met Aukje’s parents and it was during these early meetings that her dad revealed his involvement with the resistance.

Aukje explained that her parents owned a timber factory, and were active members in the church. During the occupation the minister asked for help and although the occupation was difficult, the catalyst for them deciding to help was how the local Jews were being treated. Her dad initially started a resistance group to stop the transportation of the Jews to the death camps.

He hid them in his house and in his factory. He produced fake ID’s, food coupons and used local girls who pretended to be pregnant to smuggle these documents through German checks. 

He also helped allied pilots who had been shot down.

He spied on the Germans so he could pass on important information to the allies about troop movements.

A collaborator informed the Gestapo about what he was doing, but fortunately the family got wind of this and managed to escape in a boat before the house was raided. They found nothing, but it was too dangerous to return, so after living on the boat for some months they found an empty house and moved in. They stayed in the house for five months before they were liberated. 

During this time they continued to harbour fugitives, and worked with local farmers to help feed those in need. This was done not only in the local area but also in Amsterdam where the population were so hungry they were eating tulip bulbs.

Alan shared photos taken throughout this time, and one particular photo showing the wider family and a Jewish girl Dons, who had integrated into the family after her dad escaped and mum was taken to Auschwitz. 

After the war Dons dad found her and she went back to stay with him, but she never forgot Aukje and her family. They finally met up three years ago for the first time since the end of the war.

After retirement Alan has written three books on what he had learned about Aukje’s family experience.

They can be found on kindle at https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Alan-Clegg/author/B008MMF8BY?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true