(Werth/D, 1911)

Member DNB Company

A family divided by the national border

Bernhard Bovenkerk was born in 1911 in Werth, Germany. In 1929, he moved to the Netherlands to work at the Klein Nibbelink smithy in Bredevoort. There, he fell in love with Hendrika, his boss’s sister. Despite the age difference and his German origin, they married. Shortly before the war, Bernhard was naturalised as a Dutch citizen and obtained his National Farrier’s Diploma. The war had a profound impact on his German mother: having previously lost brothers in the First World War, she now lost three sons.

After Hendrika’s death, Bernhard remarried and had three children. He remained silent about the war, but his son Henk discovered hidden hiding places in their home and a uniform belonging to The Cameron Highlanders. It later emerged that Bernhard had fought against the Germans, but he kept the details to himself. Through word of mouth, Henk heard there had been suspicion regarding his father’s involvement with the DNB. His German accent made him an object of distrust, though his linguistic skills were an advantage.

On his father’s deathbed, Henk had to promise never to tell the German side of the family about Bernhard’s role in the war. That generation has since passed away, and Henk and his sisters maintain good contact with their relatives in Germany. They have chosen to let the war rest.

This story illustrates how family ties can be strained to breaking point by war, turning brothers and sisters into enemies. In this family history, borders run both literally and figuratively through their lives.

Bernhard Bovenkerk passed away on 9 December 1985 in Bredevoort.

Bernhard Bovenkerk