There is a striking war memorial in a not too conspicuous place in Vierhouten. This memorial monument on De Paasheuvel consists of two parts: a bronze bell and a memorial column bearing more than 400 names of AJC members.
The bronze bell was unveiled as a monument during the Feast of Pentecost in 1947. A death list of the then known victims of the Second World War was placed next to this clock. On September 24, 1983, a bronze memorial column was also unveiled. The design of this column is by the artist Bé van Aalderen. This monument contains the names of the previous death list, supplemented with the names of the victims who only became known later.
A.J.C
The memorial column and the bell at De Paasheuvel in Vierhouten (municipality of Nunspeet) commemorate the members of the Arbeiders Jeugd Centrale who died during the Second World War.
The Workers Youth Centrale was founded on March 18, 1918 by the Social Democratic Workers Party (SDAP) and the Dutch Trade Union Federation (NVV). The organization focused mainly on educating and developing working-class youth, both in a physical and mental sense.
In 1922 the AJC bought a barren hilltop in Vierhouten called ‘De Paasheuvel’. An AJC camping site was set up here. In June 1923, the De Paasheuvel camp house was built on the hilltop.
The AJC was an organization with its own style and characteristic manners, without tobacco or alcohol, with its own way of dressing, spending leisure time and celebrating.
After the German invasion, the AJC disbanded in August 1940. However, the AJC’s activities continued underground. After the war, the AJC was quickly re-established, but was disbanded in 1959 due to declining membership.
Rachel Schelvis-Borzykowski
During the Second World War, more than 400 AJC members ultimately died. The bronze memorial column on De Paasheuvel in Vierhouten shows a striking number of Jewish victims. One of these victims is Rachel Schelvis-Borzykowski, the wife of Jules Schelvis. Before the war, Rachel and Jules participated in camp meetings in Vierhouten several times as members of the AJC.
Jules Schelvis (1921-2016) and Rachel were arrested in 1943 during a raid in Amsterdam. After a short stay in Westerbork, Jules and Rachel were deported on June 1, 1943. They arrived at the Sobibor extermination camp on June 4, 1943 after a long and exhausting train journey of three days and three nights. Jules miraculously managed to survive seven concentration and extermination camps. His wife Rachel was murdered in Sobibor on June 4, 1943.
Texts The text on the clock reads:
‘1940-1945 AS A LASTING MEMORIES OF OUR YOUNG COMRADES WHO DIED FOR FREEDOM, MY VOICE CALLS FROM THE EASTER HILL NOT TO FORGET THEIR EXAMPLE AND TO CONTINUE TO WITNESS FOR PEACE, FREEDOM AND FRIENDSHIP. PENTECOST 1947′.
The text on the memorial column reads:
‘THEY WERE STILL YOUNG AND WANT A BETTER WORLD, OUR FRIENDS FROM THE WORKERS YOUTH CENTER, WHO DIED BY BRUTAL VIOLENCE IN THE YEARS 1940-1945.
LET THEIR NAMES BE SIGNS ON THE ROAD TO FREEDOM, PEACE AND FRIENDSHIP.’
Sources:
Van Norel, W. www.elburgintrouwstijd.nl
Hamburger and JC Regtien. Jewish monuments in the province of Gelderland. Bedum, 2005. www.4en5mei.nl/Warmonumenten
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