Historical Information

Labourcamps Diever A and B

From about 1935 to 1945 here were the Work Camps 'Diever A and Diever B'. These camps were established in 1935 and served for unemployed men in the (financial) crisis years of the thirties of last century, to carry out useful work. This work concerned mainly the cultivation of wastelands for forestry and agriculture, but also to help farmers in the area.

During the occupation years 1940-1945, the camps were used for German interests. For example, here in 1942 Jewish men were put to work and then be transferred to the Westerbork transit camp. In the last war years evacuees were housed here that due to the war had to leave their homes. After the war, people were taken prisoner here because they were suspected to have collaborated with the occupier, pending their trial.

The barracks were demolished in late 1946 and taken to Montfort in Limburg, where they were used till 1966.

Dutch text on the monument (translated to English):

Geef mij de moed om onrecht te onderkennen

Ook waar ’t door eeuwen van gebruik gewettigd wordt,

De vaste wil aan onrecht nooit wennen,

Ook waar de macht, het weg te nemen, schort.

Give me the courage to recognize injustice

Even where it is justified by centuries of use,

The determination to never get used to injustice,

Even where the power and the removal of it, suspends.

Jacqueline van der Waals

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Vanaf begin 1942 – tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog – werden joodse landgenoten in werkkampen ondergebracht om dwangarbeid te verrichten. Op 2 oktober van datzelfde jaar werden zij allen naar Kamp Westerbork en van daar naar Duitse vernietigingskampen gedeporteerd. Slechts weinigen keerden terug.

From early 1942 - during the Second World War - Jewish compatriots were housed in camps for forced labour operations. On October 2nd of that year they were transferred to Camp Westerbork and from there to German extermination camps. Only a few returned.

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WERKKAMPEN ‘DIEVER A’ en ‘DIEVER B’

Hier waren twee werkkampen gevestigd. Diever A bevond zich links en Diever B rechts.

Camps 'DIEVER A and DIEVER B'

There were two camps established here. Diever A stood left and Diever B right.