Story

I am a good person

The Netherlands

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During the war days, the Park School in Groningen was requisitioned by the Germans for a military hospital. During the fierce fighting for the Park Bridge on April 14, 1945, a German Red Cross car suddenly drives at an enormous speed over the Park Bridge towards the emergency hospital.

The Canadians allow this German car to continue as they assume that there are injured people in it. The car stops at the hospital, the doors fly open and a German soldier tries to attack the Canadians from the back. Fortunately, a resident can warn the Canadians in time. In this area house by house is cleared of the enemy. From the window of the apartment on the second floor, a hand grenade is thrown out of the window between some Canadian soldiers, wounding a few.

A Canadian soldier goes upstairs alone to apprehend the German who caused this. After five minutes, he comes down the stairs with his prisoner. The German, apparently very afraid of reprisals, shouts repeatedly; 'Ich bin ein guter mensch' whereupon the Canadian decides to knock him down with the butt of his rifle, which was narrowly prevented by a Canadian officer. He thus saved the German's life.

After the liberation of the city of Groningen, the emergency hospital was filled with Canadian and German wounded soldiers. To prevent the inhabitants of Groningen from taking out their frustrations on the German wounded, it was decided to secure the hospital with Canadian guards.