(Zuidland, 1924)

Member of the 2nd Company DNB

From Kamp Amersfoort to the Political Investigation Department

Andries Molengraaf was born on 6 July 1924 in Zuidland. During the years of occupation, he stayed in hiding with the Schoppers family on the Heuvelweg in Aalten. On 30 January 1944, he was arrested during the church raid at the Westerkerk. Via Arnhem, he was transferred to Kamp Amersfoort, where he was held in block 8a.

The Schoppers family received a pre-printed form from Andries, sent from Kamp Amersfoort on 8 March 1944. In it, he requested winter clothing, underwear, and work clothes, stating that he was to be transported. He was not permitted to take food, money, letters, or identity papers with him. Whether he was actually transported and to where is not (yet) entirely clear.

Service with the BS and the DNB

Immediately after the liberation, on 4 May 1945, Molengraaf enlisted in the Dutch Interior Forces (Nederlandse Binnenlandse Strijdkrachten – NBS). He was assigned to the 2nd Company of the Dutch National Battalion (DNB). This period of service ended on 25 June 1945, when he was honourably discharged.

Political Investigation Department

On 1 August 1945, Molengraaf joined the Political Investigation Department (Politieke Opsporingsdienst – POD), Aalten branch, as an administrative assistant. In this role, he was involved in the post-war investigation of political offenders and collaborators. Due to a reduction in staff, he was honourably discharged from the POD on 18 February 1946.

Later years

After his time with the investigation department, Molengraaf returned to ‘ordinary’ life, as far as one can speak of ordinary. He passed away on 4 September 2008 in Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht.

Andries Molengraaf