1

The fallen resistance people in Limburg

 

Harry Savelsberg
(Reinier)

∗ 27-04-1895 Schaesberg     † 02-05-1943 Wellerlooi (Bergen [L]) (48)
- Heerlen - April-Mei-stakingen, 1943 -

Reinier Savelsberg was an electrician at the state mine Oranje-Nassau III. He participated in the April May strike of 1943. On the night of May 1 to 2, 1943, Servaas Toussaint and Meindert Tempelaars were sentenced to death in summary proceedings by the police court in Maastricht and executed by a firing squad of the order police on the heath Hamertse Hei near Wellerlooi
Read more in De Limburgse mijnen en mijnwerkers tijdens de bezetting 1940-1944 [2] (The Limburg coal mines and miners during the occupation 1940-1944) including the April-May strike.
Initially the circumstances and location of their executions were not known, it was assumed to be in Maastricht. [3]
On July 1, 1946, a grave with seven bodies was discovered in Wellerlooi (municipality of Bergen) on the heath Wellse Heide (now the nature reserve Landgoed de Hamert).
In 1946, the deceased was found with six more at the indication of the German Nitsche. He was then transferred to his hometown and buried there. [3#4]
Renier was reburied with Meindert Tempelaars on July 5, 1946, at the Heerlerheide Municipal Cemetery, grave R.K.102 [4].
The history behind the verzetsmonument (resistance monument) in Wellerlooi provides more details. [5]
Also in Heerlerheide (Heerlen municipality) is the Miner’s Monument, erected in memory of Meindert Tempelaars and Reinier Savelsberg, both personnel of the Oranje Nassau Mine III. [6]
See also the articleAls de mijnwerkers staken tegen de Duitse bezetter (When the miners strike against the German occupier). [7]
For the Dutch texts we recommend www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
Reinier ( Harry ) Savelsberg is listed in the Erelijst 1940-1945 (Honor Roll of the Dutch Parliament). [8]

Footnotes

1. Dr. F. Cammaert, Het Verborgen Front – Geschiedenis van de georganiseerde illegaliteit in de provincie Limburg tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog. Doctorale scriptie 1994, Groningen
   6. De Landelijke Organisatie voor hulp aan onderduikers • II.2.3. Duitse maatregelen en de April-Meistaking, pp.487 ff.
2. Serge Langeweg De Limburgse mijnen en mijnwerkers tijdens de bezetting 1940-1944
3. Archief Oorlogsgravenstichting (@ Nationaal archief),
   Dossier Reinier Savelsberg • #3 • #4
4. oorlogsgravenstichting.nl ††† Heerlerheide, Heerlen
5. verzetsmonument Wellerlooi
6. Mijnwerkersmonument Heerlerheide Kampstraat, 6413 EA, Heerlerheide (Heerlen)
7. demijnen.nl Als de mijnwerkers staken tegen de Duitse bezetter
8. Erelijst 1940-1945
9. Oorlogsgravenstichting.nl
10. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/71/De_Hamert.jpg
11. Wikipedia NL: April-meistakingen