Saturday, November 13th. a special diary of the people in hiding was handed over for the collection of the National Hiding Museum. The diaries of Jaap Weijel and Fien Aleng from the war have been recorded in book form by the Kuling family. This was handed over together with digital files by the descendants of the people in hiding and gratefully received by Marian Nijman, board member of the museum.
On each other’s lips
In 1942 Jaap Weijel and Fien Aleng married in Amsterdam. Both went into hiding together in Aalten on the farm of the Drenthel family on the Haart. At the end of 1943, Miel Aleng, Fien’s brother, also fled to the farm and moved in with them. Fien and Jaap have reported on their daily lives in the years that they have been in hiding. It gives an insight into the dilemmas and difficult situations in which people can end up who become dependent on each other and together ‘make the best of it’. It becomes clear how difficult it is to have to make the transition from a carefree rich and social and cultural life in the big city of Amsterdam to a hidden life on the farm. Jaap, Miel and Fien had nice work, a lot of contact with friends and family. They are now on each other’s lips in a side room, have to be careful that no one sees them and eat what is on the menu.
Anxious situations
We read moving passages but also about the distance that comes first. Their dissatisfaction with the situation and gradually the growing appreciation for the family that has taken them in, shares joys and sorrows and also defies danger. They describe the fearful situations, suddenly having to flee through the window and spending the night anxiously in a cold ditch on the land in the event of danger of raids. They carry these moments with them for the rest of their lives. Fortunately, everything went well and after the liberation they were able to ‘take back’ their lives in Amsterdam. The original notebooks are housed at the National Institute for War Documentation (NIOD).
Descendants donate the diary
Carry Kuling-Aleng, the daughter of Miel Aleng, together with her husband Aad Kuling, has digitally taken over the extensive diary and had a beautiful book of 350 pages printed for the family. She thought it was important to offer this to the National Hiding Museum: “The book ‘Ondergedoken’ should be in the collection!” Present at the transfer were the children of the Weijel and Aleng family. It was proudly said: “The Nazis wanted to destroy us Jewish people, but as you can see, in our case they did not succeed thanks to the Drenthel family!” It was nice that the Drenthel family was also represented at the donation of the diary.
Pieces of the puzzle
The museum is happy with this diary, which can also provide pieces of the puzzle for the history and stories of the people in hiding. For example, it will be studied by John Breukelaar for his book about the Jewish Hiding of Varsseveld and the surrounding area. Janneke Vos, who is working on a master’s degree on going into hiding, will also include the diary in her research.
