The Story of Kees Robertus: Stolperstein Unveiled for WWII Victim in Groningen

Relatives of both the victim and the perpetrator were present today when a memorial stone was laid for the Groninger Kees Robertus, who was murdered in the Second World War. The ‘Stolperstein’ (stumbling stone) was placed on the Oostersingel in Groningen.

Robertus was killed in World War II by SS man Gerrit de Zwart, in retaliation for an unprovoked attack on Grootegast town hall. A descendant of De Zwart, who does not wish to be named, applied for the plaque which was released today.

The murderer was his uncle, his uncle. “He volunteered to train with the Germans in 1940 and thought he would be a sports instructor, but he ended up with the SS,” he explains. North RTV. “In 1943 he was largely absorbed into the Sonderkommando Feldmeijer.” This was a group of Dutch SS men who were accused of murder.

On the night of July 11, 1944, De Zwart and an assistant were ordered to kill two innocent residents of Groningen in retaliation for an action by the front, the regional broadcaster writes. Robertus was on the list of victims because he was the director of a transport company and was known to be anti-German.

After the war, Robertus’ widow said that he was taken from home by two men. He was shot on the street corner. He died in hospital three days later.

The murderer’s descendants have been researching the story for the last few years and he says it is terrible: “I understand that I am not responsible for this, but I have taken all the history in. said the man.

He says his uncle’s history is controversial: “He murdered three people. On the other hand, he deserted in 1944 and went into hiding because he didn’t want to do this. That played a part in his conviction, he got twenty a year in prison and not a life sentence or the death penalty.”

Later De Zwart went to live in Germany, where his descendants sometimes visited him: “But there was not much to talk about at home. My mother was very upset that her brother did all this.”

Robertus’ family also did not talk about his death at home, said his grandson. “It was a very painful thing for my grandmother and the children. That’s how it went after the war, they had to carry on. But just after that we heard more about grandfather Kees . He was a very social person who was all kinds of groups.”

When the stepping stone was unveiled today, flowers were laid and photographs were taken. The Kees Robertus family also started a conversation with De Zwart’s descendants.

To his relief, no one was angry with him and no charges were brought. “It’s okay, thank you for doing this,” said a relative of Robertus as he shook the man’s hand.