The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-02-27
Germans Ditch
Dutch Settlers
By PETER EDISON

Behind a recent brief, cabled account of
the bombing of four trainloads of Dutch colo
nists, returning to Holland after being driven
out of the Ukraine by the Russians, there is
a little-known story of another noble Nazi
experiment, revealed now through American
connections with the Dutch underground.
The story goes back to June 1912, when
the German master-minds in Holland con-
ceived the idea of providing an outlet for
the energies of the Hollanders who formerly
had gone to the Netherlands East Indies to
coloniZe those lush tropical islands of Queen
Wihelnnina's domain. Since the Nazis had
already consigned the East Indies to the Japs,
there was no colonizing that the Germans
could do in this area, and furthermore, the
NaZis had other colonizing difficulties of their
own They had overrun the rick Ukraine,
but strangely enough, the Ukrainians of Rus
sian origin seemed unwilling to cooperate
with the master race, and the Germans them
selves had no excess manpower for planting,
cultivating and harvesting the crops Of the
Ukranian soil. What better, therefore, than
that the Dutch should be transplanted from
their native lands to contribute toward the
Drag mach Oesten.
The colonizing venture was conceived on a
grand SCALE like all Nazi plans. A Neither
lands East Company was organized under
Meinoud Rost Won Tonningen, Dutch N z i
counterpart of DR.. Schacht.
Recruiting. however, was slow. Dutch Nazis
numbered only a few thousands, and even
they seemed more interested in staying at
home than in pioneering. few Dutchmen
who did apply found to their dismay that
they were drafted for forced labor in Ger
many.
Radio appeals promised life of luxury.
Each Dutch farmer was told he would con-
troll $4,000 acres and that he would be ex-
pected to behave proudly and stalwartly and
also to be gentleman in every respect. Each
leader must see that he is master and that
whenever he arrives at a farm. there is some
body who jumps to attention to hold his horse
On the $4,000 acres some 10000 people usually
live, of whom about 5000 work for the mas
ter. These people are absolutely subordinate -
Even these promises of slave owning failed
to lure the colonists Some did go. Under
ground papers say the number was not more
than $4,000. and those who did go found only
grief. German soldiers seemed to get the
best land. Over every 10 Dutch farmers there
was one German district farmer" Harvests,
instead OF going to Holland, as promised, went
to Germany. There was no pay
Some colonists found that the land assigned
them had already been won back by the Red
army. Others found themselves stranded be-
tween battle lines. Still others were forced to
do road work or were pressed into the Ger
man army.
A few tried to make their way back to
Holland, and were machine-gunned by the
Germans. Then. in January, as h e Red
armies advanced into the Ukraine. it was an
nounced that some 600 officials Temporarily
unemployed'' were being shifted from Neither
lands Eastland to new posts in Holland and
Denmark.
They started home in four trainloads Rus
sian air forcSs attacked them, wrecking three
out of the four Only one trainload got back
to Holland to tell the story.
--V
| A college professor says plain girls are
clever. But, professor, are clever girls plain?
y
It's Just some peoples luck that when thew
have money to burn there is a shortage Of
fire water.
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