The fallen resistance people in Limburg

Roelf H. Bartels

Maastrichtse Gevelstenen

Factory owner, co-founder of the Dresen Group. Bartels and his wife Maria, 36 years his junior, had two stores in Maastricht, one in Heggenstraat and one in St. Maartenslaan. Captain in the reserve of the Dutch army. Despite his advanced age, Bartels joined the resistance. In his Tricotage house in the Heggenstraat, he housed sixty escaped Belgian prisoners of war who were then smuggled across the border. Bartels was also one of the key figures in the publication and production of the resistance newspaper Oranje Post. The first issue contained, among other things, the Guidelines for Good Dutch people that he had written. The resistance group was betrayed from within. More on this at Group Dresen. On December 12, 1941, the SiPo arrested Bartels. The resistance fighter ended up in the Neuengamme concentration camp. He died there a little more than a year after his arrest.At that time he was 74 years old.
Further information (pdf) (pdf)
Arrested according to mestreechonline.nl on Nov. 2, 1941, according to Cammaert chap. II, p. 117 on Dec. 12, 1941.

• https://www.maastrichtsegevelstenen.nl/0.OORLOG/oorlog2c-verzet.htm
• https://forum.mestreechonline.nl/forum/mestreech-maastricht/geschiedenis-maastricht/tweede-wereldoorlog-en-bevrijding/1223-verzetsstrijders-maastricht?t=1029