Henricus Johannes van de Burgt

This memorial page is dedicated to Henricus Johannes van de Burgt, one of more than 725 war victims connected to the municipality of Deurne documented by Stichting Oorlogsslachtoffers. The municipality of Deurne and the surrounding villages of Liessel, Vlierden, Helenaveen, Neerkant and Zeilberg were liberated in the autumn of 1944 during heavy fighting. Victims fell on all sides: Allied soldiers from countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and New Zealand, and German soldiers.

But the archive covers more than just the combat victims on Deurne soil. Residents of Deurne who lost their lives elsewhere are also commemorated: civilians who were murdered in concentration camps, forced labourers who died in Germany, people who were executed or succumbed to the effects of persecution and oppression. In addition, residents of Deurne who entered German military service and were killed elsewhere are also included.

Stichting Oorlogsslachtoffers has been documenting the story of all these people since 1995, without distinction of nationality, side or background. The goal is to give every person a name and a face, and to keep their memory alive.

Additional information

Son of Leonardus van de Burgt and Everdina Clara van de Burgt-Crooijmans.

An American patrol from the 7th Armoured Division encountered a group of SS men near the Kuunders farm. This patrol included members of the Internal Armed Forces (including Henricus Johannes van de Burgt) and of the Belgian ‘White Brigade’ (including Jozef Antoon Nikolaas Winkels, François Baetens and Juliën Magel). Jozef Antoon Nikolaas Winkels was killed on the spot, and whilst the rest of the American patrol withdrew to fetch reinforcements, Henricus Johannes van de Burgt, François Baetens and Juliën Magel remained behind and were captured by the Germans. Following interrogation by the SD, or Sicherheitsdienst, the three were executed a few days later at the former airfield in Venlo, Fliegerhorst Venlo. All this took place on the orders of SD SS-Hauptscharführer Max R. Ströbel and was carried out by SD SS-Hauptscharführer Richard Heinrich Georg Nitsch, H. Conrad and K.P. Fiebig.

In July 1946, SD SS-Hauptscharführer Richard Heinrich Georg Nitsch – who had by then been arrested – indicated the spot where Henricus Johannes van de Burgt, François Baetens and Juliën Magel were said to have been executed; unfortunately, however, their remains were not recovered. However, the remains of Gerhardus Wilhelmus Johannes Hekman and Hans Roosjen were found at another location indicated by Nitsch; they had been executed just over a month after Henricus Johannes van de Burgt and, like him, by SD SS-Hauptscharführer Richard Heinrich Georg Nitsch.

Joint memorial card

Official Report – Venlo Municipal Police, 13 July 1946

DNL Saturday 13 July 1946

François Baetens

Memorial card for François Baetens

SD SS-Hauptscharführer Max R. Ströbel

SD SS-Hauptscharführer Richard Heinrich Georg Nitsch

View all persons in the category: Shot, liquidated or murdered in some other way