A special letter from 1944 – Ready by Cees Bakker

• 27 April 2025
  • 15:00 – 16:30

Cees Bakker came across a letter dated June 7, 1944, one day after D-Day in Normandy, the residents of Sijbekarspel were ordered to dig a so-called autobox in their garden bordering the road within a few days.

What is an Autobox and why was there such a rush?

From documents left behind concerning the Second World War by Mr. JHM Helder in Sijbekarspel, a special letter was found that was addressed to him with the subject: “The construction of shelters for shrapnel effects of bombs”. This applied to the Nieuwenweg and Abbekerkerweg. The work had to start immediately, exemption was not possible and refusal was seen as sabotage.

The letter, sent by the Mayor of Sijbekarspel on behalf of the Wehrmacht commander, is dated 7 June 1944: the day after the Allied landings on the coast of Normandy (6 June 1944; called D-day). Is the letter in response to the invasion?

A day later an addition to the first followed: now with the addition that a so-called “Autobox” must also be dug on their property. This gives the impression as protection for their own vehicles but turns out to be a position for a cannon.

It concerns about thirty addresses, so a total of 30 cannons on both sides of the now named Westerstraat and Dr. De Vriesstraat up to the intersection at the Nieuwe Weg. An eyewitness of the “Autoboxen” was able to say that the barrels would point towards Benningbroek if the cannons had been placed.

Fortunately this did not happen because our liberators did indeed travel north via this route Benningbroek and Sijbekarspel. So it could have ended very differently!

It is a piece of history that, to my knowledge, has never been published. That is why there is a presentation on this subject for those interested on April 27 in Huis Midwoud, starting at 15:00. The lecture is based on the aforementioned documents, interviewed witnesses and consulted historical material from the West-Fries archive concerning the municipality of Sijbekarspel.

In addition, the Internet is a source to find out, among other things, the German units mentioned at the time.

This reading will be presented in dutch language.

Start: 15:00 | Doors open: 14:30

Entrance: € 15.00 | Students and up to 21 years: € 7.50

Reservations: info@huismidwoud.nl