Stevensweert War Memorial

The youngest victim was the 11-month-old baby Johanna van Aalst, who evacuated from Stevensweert to Montfort during the front time in the autumn of 1944. She fled with her 25-year-old mother, Johanna van Aalst-Sirag. That's where mother and daughter were killed on 20 January 1945, due to heavy British bombing of the village packed with refugees.

Brothers Sef and A.G.J. Boers were an active part of the local resistance. They helped French and Walloon prisoners of war, who had escaped from Germany, on their way home. Things went well for a long time, until two Belgian traitors succeeded in entering the international escape route via Stevensweert in July 1944. Following a phone call, A. Boers had picked them up in Maasbracht. He temporarily housed them in a shelter, while waiting for the border crossing to Belgium. Shortly thereafter, they suddenly disappeared. The traitors had run off and reported their findings to the Nazis. To find out more, the investigators of the Sicherheitspolizei (Security Police, also known as the 'SiPo') left the brothers untouched until 29 August 1944. Then they knew enough and made their move. In the early hours of the morning, German police officers awoke the entire family whilst they were in bed. Three of the four sons and a coincidental visitor, F. Jonk, were taken to Maaseik for questioning. Harrie and Sef Boers were transferred to camp Vught on 3 September and shot dead on 5 September. A. Boers and F. Jonk were lucky. They were freed from Maastricht prison on 5 September thanks to a resistance group.

The names of Harrie and Sef Boers are also mentioned on the memorial of the Camp Vught National Monument.