Four lesser-known WWII stories from Gelderland

Ru Paré: An Artist Turned Resistance Fighter 
Henrica Maria Paré, known as Ru, was born in Druten in 1896 and became an established artist in The Hague. During the war, she refused to comply with Nazi orders requiring artists to register with the Kultuurkamer, a move that would have allowed her to continue exhibiting and selling her work. Instead, Ru chose to dedicate her energy to helping those at risk. Known to the 52 Jewish children she aided as "Tante Zus" (Auntie Zus), Ru arranged hiding places for them and provided food stamps, forged identity papers, and other essentials. Her old paint box was modified with a false bottom to smuggle goods to the families hiding the children. Remarkably, all 52 children survived the war. Ru rarely spoke of her actions, viewing them as a natural response to the horrors around her. In 1968, she was honoured as a "Righteous Among the Nations," a title given to non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. She passed away in 1972, but her legacy endures, with a street in her hometown of Druten named in her memory. 

Piet Hoefsloot: A Family Caught in the Crossfire 

In September 1944, Piet Hoefsloot and his family lived at Eusebiusbuitensingel 59 in Arnhem. As Operation Market Garden unfolded, British and German forces clashed in the streets surrounding their home. On September 17, the family took refuge in their cellar as gunfire erupted outside. For two days, they huddled in the basement, unsure of what was happening above. 

By September 19, their home and the neighbourhood had become too dangerous to stay in. Fires were spreading, and Piet decided to seek guidance from nearby British soldiers. After being advised to head to the west side of the embankment, Piet led his family, a group of 16 people, on a tense march with a white flag. They narrowly escaped being shot at near a viaduct, sheltering between the thick pillars of the bridge. 

Eventually, the family found temporary safety in another cellar with other residents of Arnhem. However, they were soon forced to move again by German soldiers, who checked Piet's papers to ensure he was not disguised as a British soldier. The family managed to make their way out of Arnhem to safer ground. Their story stands as a testament to the chaos that civilians faced during the conflict.