The fallen resistance people in Limburg

"Arie" Hermkens
(Gerardus Hendrikus Hubertus)

Het Grote Gebod – L.O.

The L.O. at Montfort was led by H. Seegers and Vicar Gerard Hermkens. On December 16, 1944, the Germans started their Ardennes Counteroffensive [1], a.k.a. Battle of the Bulge. So the Allies withdraw many troops from Limburg to reinforce the Ardennes. The same day, 30 civilians lest Montfort in an attempt to cross the lines to the liberated area. Vicar Hermkens had organized this march with the help of his contacts with the resistance. But they were betrayed by a German sergeant, Koks, who had pretended to want to desert. This story is very similar to that of the so-called Strike of Wittem.
An attempt to warn the vicar came too late. [2]
On the night of December 17-18, 1944, he was taken from his bed by the Gestapo [5] and arrested, along with his cousin, Rector J.J. Hendrix from Beek-Maasbracht, who had taken shelter with Hermkens after his evacuation. The two clergymen ended up in Buchenwald. There vicar Hermkens had the prisoner number 65989. [3]
On February 8, 1945, both were seriously injured in a bombing raid on the factory where they worked. Hendrix died on February 9, Hermkens nine days later. [4]

The aforementioned group of people who had wanted to escape to liberated territory consisted mainly of members of the Tholen family. Frans Smits from Echt tells how they fared: Of the 31 who had ventured this adventure, 19 did not return from German captivity, including father Tholen, mother Tholen and two of her children. [2]
 
Gerardus Hendrikus Hubertus ( "Arie" ) Hermkens is listed in the Erelijst 1940-1945 (Honor Roll of the Dutch Parliament). [5]

Footnotes

1. Wikipedia • Slag om de Ardennen • Gegenoffensive in den Ardennen • Ardennes Counteroffensive • Bataille des Ardennes • Batalha das Ardenas
2. Montfort, 16 december 1944: Frans Smits + audio
3. Archief Oorlogsgravenstichting (@ Nationaal archief), Dossier • #6
4. 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 • VIII-IX, p. 629
5. Erelijst 1940-1945
6. Oorlogsgravenstichting.nl