Kniertje Roeleveld
15 September 1921 – 1 March 1945 (aged 23)

Kniertje Roeleveld
5 September 1921–1 March 1945 (age 23)
Cemetery Berkenhove, grave 379

Kniertje Roeleveld is a daughter of an NSB member who is also active in the Landwacht. The Roeleveld family lived on the Rikkertweg in Aalten (then Heurne 41a).

Below is the story of Bernard Aversteeg.
One day, resistance fighter Bernard Aversteeg is visiting his parental home on the Eerste Broekdijk, when suddenly the Landwacht appears on the scene. They are after him. He flees the house headlong and runs into the Broek armed with a gun.
However, the Landwacht does not give up and doggedly gives chase. In the end, Bernard tries to keep himself covered in the furrows of a ploughed piece of land not far from the house where Roeleveld lives. If necessary, he will sell his life as dearly as possible.

Kniertje Roeleveld sees Bernard’s plight and beckons him to come in. Bernard says: “My first thought was that the daughter wanted to warn the Landwacht, but the beckoning was meant for me. What to do? I decided to take a chance.”

Kniertje takes Bernard inside and hides him in her bed. She says that the Landwacht will search everywhere, except here in the lion’s den. This is how Bernard escapes from the Landwacht.

A month before the liberation, Kniertje Roeleveld dies at the age of 23. Her cause of death is most likely TB or diphtheria. There was a dire shortage of medicines during the war years

Bernard Aversteeg has never forgotten her. He often visits her grave well into old age.
He then says: “To give Efkes Kniertje my regards. Because I have my life to thank her.”

Although Kniertje is not a victim of war, we do not want to conceal her special act.

Sources:
Interview and memoirs: archive Bernard Aversteeg
History of farms in the Aalten area: archive Karel Aversteeg
Photos © Collection Westendorp
© Collection Nationaal Onderduikmuseum Aalten

Kniertje Roeleveld
15 September 1921 – 1 March 1945
Berkenhove Cemetery, grave 379
Collection Westendorp

Bernard Aversteeg
Collection Westendorp

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