Abe's war, liberation beckons

In April 1945, the Canadians and the British were at the gates of Heerenveen. The liberators had already reached Mildam. They were advancing further north, but in Heerenveen the Germans still held sway. Heerenveen was a garrison town and was full of Wehrmacht soldiers. Now that the Allies were advancing, they were growing nervous.  

Abe Lenstra knew the dangers of war. He was 24 years old, had lived with his Hiltje in Oranjewoud since his marriage in August 1944, and had been in hiding with an uncle and aunt in Grou. According to his brother-in-law Jan Wisman, because Abe had forged identification cards. With the Allies so close, Abe could not contain his curiosity. A neighbour had already been to Mildam. He had seen the Canadians handing out cigarettes and chocolate. The neighbour had not encountered a single German between Oranjewoud and Mildam.  

With his brother-in-law, Abe set off on a bicycle towards Mildam. The two were not alone. Jan de Wit and Wieger Blom also wanted to join. They were two of the 86 juniors of the Amsterdam first division teams Ajax, DWS, De Volewijckers and Blauw Wit who had come to Heerenveen in the Hunger Winter to recuperate. Jan de Wit and his little brother Arie lived with Abe and Hiltje. 

In liberated Mildam, the mood was elated. The liberators seemed calm. Abe chattered endlessly. Although he never finished high school, he had a good command of both English and German. 

When the boys had indulged in chocolate and Jan Wisman had stuffed his clogs with cigarettes, Abe called it a day. He wanted to be home for dinner. They cycled past the Jagershuis and were almost at Tjaarda when they suddenly saw a flat police van coming towards them from the direction of the hotel. A few moments later, seven German soldiers aimed their weapons at the six cyclists. 

Jan Wisman and Abe had to show their identity cards. The two brothers-in-law were searched roughly. What if the Germans found the cigarettes? 

"Now it's over," Jan whispered to Abe. The young officer cut him off. "What are you doing here?", snapped the German. Jan Wisman looked to his side. "You are the only one who can speak German. Make sure we get out of here,'' he hissed at Abe. But Abe had frozen. It seemed like an eternity before he opened his mouth. "We went to get milk," Abe finally said in German. 

That was a risky choice. None of the six had a milk jug or milk can with them. There was a silence. Two more men on bicycles passed by. They too were searched roughly and their bags were emptied on the street. To Jan Wisman's relief, there were no weapons in them. "If that had been the case, then all eight of us would definitely have been shot dead," he said later. 

In Wieger Blom's experience, they stood with their hands in the air for at least fifteen minutes. When they finally got a sign to go, they cycled back as fast as they could. They did not show their faces on the street again until the liberation of Heerenveen on 15 April. 

Source: Abe, the biography (author Johann Mast)