(Den Haag, 1921)

Member of the 1st Company DNB

Austrian, deserted from the German army and went into hiding in Aalten

José Romeo Neureiter di Torrero, born on 11 November 1921 in The Hague, experienced a remarkable period during the war. As the son of an Austrian father, he was forced to enlist in the German army in 1943. However, he deserted and fled to the Netherlands, where he joined the resistance.

Neureiter first went into hiding with the Meinen family in Aalten and later with the Obbink family in Lintelo. During his period in hiding, he came into contact with other resistance fighters. Following the liberation, he joined the Dutch National Battalion (DNB) in April and supported the Canadians during the liberation of the Netherlands.

Thanks to his proficiency in German, English, and French, he was often deployed as an interpreter for the Allied troops. He later spoke about his experiences, including a situation in Spakenburg where he and his fellow combatants entrenched themselves in a school and came under heavy fire from the Germans.

In June 1945, Neureiter left the DNB and moved in with his family in The Hague. There, he was arrested by the police, but the chief of police happened to recognise the prisoner; he too had been sheltered by the Meinen family. Neureiter was granted a Dutch passport and married Tonny van den Heuvel. Together they had three children.

Neureiter passed away on 22 December 2002 in The Hague.

José Romeo Neureiter di Torrero