Willem Frederik Stokhuijzen

Wim Stokhuijzen, born on 11 June 1926 in Leiden, had just completed HBS (now VWO high school) and was still living with his parents in Leiden. Piet Vromans had also been born in Leiden on 19 June 1922 but was now living in Zoeterwoude. He was working in The Hague as inspector at Van Gend & Loos, a transport agency. Both men, including Piet van Manen (see Van Manen), were members of the resistance. In particular, it was the somewhat older Vromans whose resistance activities in Leiden and surroundings had proven to be praiseworthy. They were active in printing and distributing the illegal newspaper ‘Het dagelijks nieuws’ (The Daily News), transporting material used to make BS uniforms, and moving stenguns to locations where future members of the BS were already being taught how to use weapons, et cetera.

A fateful event occurred early in September 1944 while the resistance group was meeting at the home of Van Manen’s family. After being treacherously tipped off by the opposite neighbor, this address was raided by the ‘Landwacht’, a hated group nicknamed ‘Jan Hagel’ that had been set up one year earlier to help the police and whose members generally were members of the NSB. Most people present managed to escape but Vromans and Stokhuijzen were captured. The Landwacht handed them over to the German ‘Sicherheitspolizei’ and on 9 September when the ‘Sicherheitspolizei’ had finished with them, several policemen took the men away by car, via the Rijnsburgerweg towards Oegstgeest. On the Warmonderweg the car turned off the road to the right, searching for a quiet spot. It stopped on the Abtspoelweg, and everyone got out. Vromans and Stokhuijzen were forced to walk in front of the Germans in the direction of the Warmonderhek. At the level of an entrance gate along the road, the Germans shot the men in the back. The cause of death reported was ‘Auf der Flucht erschossen’ or shot while escaping.

Piet Vromans

Pieter Vromans was originally buried in Leiderdorp but on 17 September 1945 his mortal remains were transferred to the Honoray Cemetery at Loenen.

The simple gravestone of Piet Vromans in Loenen.

Right: The family grave of the family of Stokhuijzen.

Willem Frederik Stokhuijzen was buried on 14 September 1944 at the Groene Kerkje, close to Piet Maaskant. On his tombstone are carved the words: ‘Wim died for his country, freedom and justice.’