#Story

Reinhard Nolte, SS Member Against His Will

During the Second World War, the Staarink family lived at 63 Wehlseweg in Loil. In November 1944, they endured several terrifying days.

Their sons Gerrit and Frans became acquainted with Reinhard Nolte, a German soldier. Nolte, a 19-year-old seminary student, had been forced against his will to serve the Führer in the name of “Volk und Vaterland”. He was a kind young man who preferred spending time with the local population rather than mingling with his boastful SS comrades. He got along very well with the Staarink brothers and even visited the family at their home in Loil. However, during his second visit, on 6 November 1944, things went horribly wrong. German SS officers stormed the house, arrested Nolte, and executed him.

That same night, the entire Staarink family was taken from their home. They were transported by truck to the Pius Monastery in Didam, which had previously been requisitioned by the Germans. The family was confined in a pitch-black room where Nolte’s body lay. Convinced that their final hour had come, they said tearful goodbyes to one another. Frans was the first to be taken for interrogation, followed by Gerrit. After a tense wait, the remaining family members were allowed to return home later that night. Meanwhile, Frans and Gerrit were transferred to the Carolus building, where they were held at gunpoint until morning. The next day, the interrogation resumed but failed to produce the results the Germans were hoping for. At five o’clock that afternoon, the brothers were released, and the family was reunited in Loil.

Wehlseweg 63, Didam
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