Deadly betrayal for Klaassens father and son

The story began in the early morning of 8 April 1945 when French paratroopers had landed near Schoonloo. Frederick and Jantinus came to them. They offered the French a cup of coffee and hid their parachutes.

A German soldier cycled past, saw what had happened and was immediately taken prisoner. The French paratroopers then moved north along the road to a farm just outside the village, called 'the Strubben', where they ended up fighting the German occupiers.

This combat action immediately had serious consequences. Two Germans were killed. A strong German unit with tracking dogs came to Grolloo within an hour to search for the French in the direction of Schoonloo. They didn't find anyone because they only did a cursory search in the forests, perhaps because they were also a bit nervous about what to expect with a possible encounter with the French paratroopers.

The two fallen Germans were taken to Schoonloo by horse and cart later that day. Frederick and Jantinus were summoned there to climb onto the wagon. At the time, they must still have thought they were supposed to help bury the two bodies. That soon proved to be a delusion.

That evening, shots sounded from behind the Schoonoord mill: father and son Klaassens had been shot for aiding the enemy. How did the Germans know? Treason must have been committed.