ACHTEN Jean-Julius-Robert one of the 24 Partizans that were killed in Fort Breendonk on 11 April 1944.

Jan Achten, born in 1914 and a municipal employee in Diepenbeek, soon came into contact with Max Devries from Wellen and together they founded the resistance group “Collection” in September 1940.
In May 1943 he officially joined the PA, the Armed Partisans. As an intelligence officer, he organizes the intelligence service “Marc” in Limburg and he is a member of “Gebroken Vleugels”, a network that shelters downed Allied pilots. The Meuwis-Broeders couple are also involved in this network. Eights is said to have taken away eleven pilots. He also took part in armed actions until he was arrested together with Mathieu Marting (As) by the Sipo-SD in Café Tourist in Zutendaal. Maria Broeders will be arrested on March 12, 1944, during a subsequent action by the Sipo-SD, and deported to Ravensbrück.

SMETS Jan, one of the 24 Partizans that were killed in Fort Breendonk on 11 April 1944.

During this raid on January 17, 1944 in Neeroeteren, miner and partisan Jan Smets was also arrested. He was born in 1906 and lives in Diepenbeek. He has three children. He is listed by the Kriegsgericht as a “professional criminal” and convicted for his participation in seven murders, several robberies, sabotage actions, indecent assaults, assault and battery... He has, among other things, liquidated VNV constable Loos from Zonhoven. The comment on this from Sipo-SD chief Schiesser was telling: “Now we have lost our best agent introducer in the province.” Smets was also involved in the 'Broken Wings', which provides assistance to downed Allied airmen.

Plot of Honor - Veteran Graves