This memorial page is dedicated to Theodorus Reuser, 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.

 

Theodorus Reuser

Name: Reuser
First names: Theodorus
Nickname: Theo
Date of birth: 25-03-1912
Place of birth: Tiel
Residence: Nieuwe weg 55, te Tiel
Rank / Occupation: SS Grenadier
Identity tag: 1318 Grenadier Regiment ‘Landwacht Nederland’
Unit: 4. SS-Grenadier Regiment 1 ‘Landstorm Nederland’
Date of death: 24-09-1944
Place of death: Blasiusstraat te Deurne
Cause of death: munitions explosion
Cemetery: Duitse militaire Begraafplaats te Ysselsteyn
Memorial site: –

Overige informatie

Son of Johan Reuser and Everdina Reuser-Kuier, widower of Catharina Brugman.

Grave location: Section BI Row 4 Grave 97

Fleeing from the advancing Allies, six German soldiers drove a vehicle full of ammunition towards Griendtsveen. When they passed a group of churchgoers who had just attended Sunday mass and were on their way home, they warned them of the approaching danger.

The churchgoers managed to flee into a cellar just in time before the vehicle was caught by surprise by the Allies, who were also advancing from Griendtsveen towards Deurne. Almost immediately, the six German soldiers were killed when their vehicle exploded.

On 20 August 1947, the then still-unidentified six German soldiers were exhumed by the Identification and Recovery Service on the farm of Lambert van de Broek on Griendtsveenseweg Z.315 in Zeilberg.

Three of these soldiers could later be identified as Theodorus Reuser, Heinz Braun and Helmut Fink. Unfortunately it was not possible to identify the other three soldiers, and they therefore rest as ‘Ein deutscher Soldat’ under grave numbers 73, 74 and 75 in section BJ row 3. It is possible that the three unidentified soldiers can be found in the missing category; a thorough investigation should establish whether the identification reports of the unidentified war victims can be compared with the medical records of the missing war victims.

A transfer report with identification details, prepared by the Identification and Recovery Service, may be available for inspection from the author.

Death notice from ‘Volk en Vaderland’
Overlijdensadvertentie uit het 'Volk en Vaderland'

Death register
Death register

Below, a visit with Martin Reuser (son of Theodorus Reuser) to his father’s grave; footage was also filmed that day for a documentary about the liberation of Brabant. From left to right: Richard Schoutissen (author), Martin Reuser.
Theodorus Reuser (afbeelding 4)

* Documentary tip: “Om nooit te vergeten (To Never Forget)”, a documentary about the period September to November 1944.

View all persons in the category: German soldiers killed in action