During World War II the Merwede hostages were a group of hundreds of young men (18 to 26 years old) who were arrested and taken away by the German occupiers in a raid on 16 May 1944 in villages on both sides of the Merwede river. This raid was a reprisal for an attack by the resistance on a group of collaborators in the night of 9 to 10 May 1944 near the Helsluis. The occupier asked the perpetrators to report themselves, but they did not. In order to exert pressure, the occupier decided to arrest a large group of men as hostages.
Merwede Hostages (The Netherlands)
Rehenes de Merwede (Países Bajos)
Geiseln von Merwede (Niederlande)
The hostages were mostly from Sliedrecht, Giessendam, Hardinxveld, Werkendam and the Biesbosch. They were taken along and collected in several places. In Sliedrecht at the Reformed Church, in Neder-Hardinxveld on the schoolyard of the School with the Bible near the arch bridge and in Werkendam at Smid De Kreek. The first group was loaded into trucks from the collection point in the early evening. The second group left at 21:00 and arrived at Camp Amersfoort at half past twelve at night. In the camp, the Merwede hostages kept their clothing and hair. From 9 June, the hostages had to appear at roll call with the other prisoners. Until then, they were exempt from roll call with their fellow prisoners. Like the other hostages, they too eventually lost the privileges that the status of hostage offered them.
رهائن ميرويد (هولندا)
梅尔韦德人质事件（荷兰）
Otages de Merwede (Pays-Bas)
At the time of the Merwede Group, there were more hostages present in Camp Amersfoort, including those from Beverwijk and Bedum. From 16 May 1944, the day the Merwede hostages arrived in Camp Amersfoort, until 6 July 1944, a total of 263 Merwede hostages were released. In many cases, this happened at the request of their employer. These were mainly employees of companies that were important to the German occupier, such as Aviolanda, shipyards and other metalworking companies.
Zakładnicy Merwede (Holandia)
Заложники Мерведе (Нидерланды)
Merwede Gijzelaars (Nederland)
Because the perpetrators of the attack at the Helsluis had not reported after a month and a half, the hostages who were still present were selected for transport to Germany on 28 June 1944. This transport took place during the night of 6 to 7 July 1944. Of the 650 prisoners who went on this transport, approximately 100 died up to and including May 1945 as a result of diseases including tuberculosis and typhoid, malnutrition, abuse and bombardments. This number only concerns the officially registered deceased; the actual number is probably higher. Of the Merwede hostages, more than 25 died in Germany.
Sandera Merwede (Belanda)
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