Book of the month – Zwarte Kees, partisan in the Achterhoek.
In 2021, the first edition of a book about Kees Ruizendaal was published: Zwarte Kees, partisan in the Achterhoek. The book was quickly sold out.
Paul Westmeijer, the author and grandson of Zwarte Kees, has supplemented the renewed edition with new stories that he heard from the readers of the first edition.

From 20 April, 80 years after the death of Zwarte Kees, this renewed edition will be for sale again in the National Hiding Museum. The book Zwarte Kees, partisan in the Achterhoek, describes the life of Kees Ruizendaal, his motives and legacy.

After a career in the Navy, Kees fought as a soldier in the Battle of the Grebbeberg. After the capitulation of the Netherlands, the Dutch Government gave him a job as a police officer in Amsterdam. Because of his horror against this new order, he requested a transfer to the Achterhoek, where he ended up with the Marechaussee. There he set up a network with ex-soldiers and local resistance fighters who offered help to people in hiding, but also organized robberies and liquidations. The Arnhem branch of the SD (Sicherheitsdienst) put Zwarte Kees on a list of most wanted terrorists. And pulled out all the stops to eliminate this partisan and the resistance. During this action, 80 years ago, Zwarte Kees was killed after a firefight in a Doesburg courtyard.

With this book, Black Kees is honored and Paul meets the grandson, his grandfather in a parallel reality.

Title: Zwarte Kees, partisan in the Achterhoek
Author: Paul Westmeijer
Size: Paperback, 208 pages, 47 photos and illustrations
Price: € 19,95
Publisher: Nationaal Onderduikmuseum

With the purchase of this book you support the National Hiding Museum because the entire proceeds of the book benefit the museum.