Hardenberg was liberated by a unit of the Manitoba Dragoons, who advanced from the east, from Germany, toward southern Drenthe and eastern Overijssel. At that time, German soldiers were still in Heemse, just outside Hardenberg. The bridge over the Vecht River in the center of Hardenberg had been blown up by them, forcing the Canadians to make a detour via Gramsbergen and the Haardijk to reach Heemse.
The Canadian armored vehicles were met with great enthusiasm by the residents of Heemse at the intersection near Garage Oostenbrink. Liberation seemed certain. At that moment, however, a German car carrying officers entered the village from the direction of Ommen, followed by a bus full of soldiers.
The Canadian soldiers immediately opened fire. After a brief exchange of shots, the German soldiers waved white flags. Although it appeared they wanted to surrender, they still fired upon the approaching Canadians. The situation escalated further when one of the Canadian vehicles drove via the Scholtensdijk to the Reformed Church and opened fire on a hiding place where German soldiers had taken cover. Eventually, the Canadians managed to overpower the remaining German troops.
After this incident, the Canadians left Heemse. They did not wish to push on toward Ommen, fearing that at night they might be attacked from the forests by German troops with anti-tank weapons (panzerfausts). They left the guarding of the surviving Germans to the local resistance—specifically, to two members of the Binnenlandse Strijdkrachten (Domestic Armed Forces, B.S.) who were patrolling the area.
The B.S. remained alone in Heemse and Hardenberg. This was dangerous, as the rapid Allied advance had left scattered groups of German soldiers behind, trying to regroup. To prevent this, the B.S. increased patrols.
Two members of the Ordedienst (O.D.), Pieter Arends and Herman Scheffer, were on guard at the weir, which at that time was the only connection between Hardenberg and Heemse. On Saturday, 7 April 1945, they were ambushed there by German soldiers. Scheffer was killed on the spot, and Pieter Arends, who was severely wounded, died a few weeks later—on his 27th birthday, Thursday, 26 April 1945.
In memory of them, and of Heine Bolks—another resistance fighter from Heemse—a resistance monument was erected on a small square on Brandweg in Heemse. Here also stands the monument to Frits de Zwerver, the founder and leader of the Landelijke Organisatie voor Hulp aan Onderduikers (National Organization for Aid to People in Hiding).