After securing the city, I'll go back now and go into more depth to what we saw and found in each of the areas of atrocities mentioned above.
As was stated, at the prisoner of war camp, there were about 22,000 men and women imprisoned and about 30 to 35 of these were "Dutch" young men. Because we were housed just across the road from this prison, I was able to spend the better part of three days with these men and got to know them quite well.
They related to me what life was like in the workers' prison camp. They related that when they first arrived here about four years earlier, they were very poorly fed by the Germans. Their workday on farms was from sun up to sun down, and they received two "meals" a day. These meals were mostly watery soup, (often watery potato soup) of one kind or another. They were always hungry, and even famished.
The people of Nordhausen would come out evenings and other times when they were in camp, and, as families on the other side of the fence, would hold picnics and taunt the prisoners with bits and scraps of food but would never give them even a bite.
One young man's name was Jan Vis, a Boer [farmer], and he related to us one evening that the first thing he was going to do when he got back to the Netherlands was "to kill his brother-in-law". When asked why, he said, "because my brother-in-law informed the Germans where I was hiding." Whether that ever happened, I wouldn't be able to verify.
During the three days I was with these 30-35 boys, I heard tales related of personal atrocities committed by the Germans on them.
The boys were able to commandeer an auto in the time that I was with them. Eight to ten of them came pushing this auto into the compound one evening. Their intent was to drive this back to the Netherlands, but not one of them could drive.
So, I was drafted to teach them. First, we had to get some gas. We eventually did from our own supply. Then I drove them around a few times, and I suggested that the one I considered the most apt pupil give it a try. After many false starts and stops, he finally did manage to get the hang of it to some extent. Anyway, in my last few hours with them, they loaded up their meager belongings and with another jerry [German] can of gas, they loaded nine people into the little German Ford (smaller than a Volkswagen) and headed back to Holland.
They eventually made it because when I arrived home back in the states, I had three letters awaiting me from them from Holland. (See letters in back.) This visit with the 30-35 Dutch fellows turned out to be a gratifying interlude for me in the "war" on Germany, at least more so than the relating I'll do about the final two episodes at Nordhausen.
Here is one of the letters John L. DeGroot received from a Dutch prisoner when the war had ended.
Good John,
Now that I am healthy and well and in my own house, I can no longer neglect to write and ask how you are doing. Are you healthy? and are you still a soldier or have you been demobilized? I hope for you the last.
I think of you often, and meeting with an American soldier that speaks Dutch, I will not lightly forget. What a blessing that the war with Japan ended and Netherlands-India also freed from Japan. Now at least in our land and in India, work can begin to rebuild.
Because in Holland the Germans robbed us of many things, there is a shortage.
We are well taken care of, and not just a little bit by America, and all that was possible was done to help. Our food we get is sufficient, but shoes and clothing are in very short supply. It is not available to get coffee or tea, only on the Black Market, and the prices are so abnormally high that we cannot pay.
But we are in good spirit and hope the following year with be better. I hope also that your parents, brothers and sisters are healthy.
Hope to hear from you and wish you good luck in the future.
I remain with hearty greeting your friend.
P.S. I would like to hear from you how your brother is who was wounded. I hope very Good.
Cor DeHaas
Mobspad22
Nieuwendam
Amsterdam (Noord Holland)
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