The fallen resistance people in Limburg

Joe “Kobus“ Russel
(Frans Joseph Karel)

The Joe Russel archive, which can now be found on verzetsmuseum.org, shows that Joe Russel was studying classical languages in Nijmegen when the war broke out. [1]
Cammaert wrote: He was instrumental in the founding of the L.O. in the Venlo district. Russel also played a role at provincial level. He was appointed district leader of the L.O. of Venray. He was also a member of the Aussenministerium in the north of the province. He managed the distribution of several underground newspapers. [2.1]

The resistance organization Aussenministerium was mainly concerned with helping students flee from Germany who were doing forced labor there. He was asked by the LO leader Ambrosius from Venlo to organize the Venray district on the Venlo model. Initially Russel commuted back and forth between Venlo and Venray, but in March 1944 he settled permanently in that district. This included the North Brabant towns of Deurne and Helmond as sub-districts. [2.2]

On May 1, 1944, the Sipo raided Russell’s father’s business in Tegelen. Since his son could not be found, they took Russel Sr. hostage for ten days. Because of this incident, the latter decided to stop distributing underground magazines and Joe went into hiding in Venray. [2.3]
He also remained active in Venlo and Tegelen, mainly in connection with the Aussenministerium. The illegal newspaper Het Gastmaal was reproduced in Kees Tabbers’ grocery at Haukestraat 6 in Venlo. Forms were also produced there that enabled students forced to work in Germany to return seemingly legally. [1]

Joe Russel was present at the Weert raid but managed to escape by hiding himself under a desk. [3]
This happened on Wednesday, June 21, 1944. Almost the entire top of the Limburg LO was arrested there.
The search for him became so intense that he had to assume a female identity. A scarf covered his Adam’s apple. [4]
So he was able to travel again, accompanied by a real woman, Eugenie Boutet, a pilot’s helper from Sevenum, who was also in hiding. [3]
Because women were seldom checked.

Joe survived the war and told his resistance story in front of Peel & Maas TV camera, also on behalf of his friends who could no longer do so.
In this interview he mentions a whole series of names and stories. [3]


Joe Russel, Venray van toen [3]

Footnotes

1. oorlogsbronnen.nl Collectie Joe Russel
2. Cammaert, A. P. M. (1994). Het verborgen front: Geschiedenis van de georganiseerde illegaliteit in de provincie Limburg tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen.
   1. Hoofdst. 0, pp.18ff: Introductie van vaak genoemde personen
   2. Hoofdst.4, Hulpverlening aan geallieerde piloten en hun bemanningsleden
      pp.709 ff.: §VIII.9., District Venray
   3. 11. Illegale pers, p.1066
3. YouTube: Peel en Maas TV, Getuigenverhalen Tweede Wereldoorlog Joe Russel Venray van toen - 29 juni 2024
4. verzetsmuseum.org Hiding the persecuted 1