Stumbling Stone Wilhelminalaan 11

This brass memorial plaque (Stolperstein or stumbling stone) commemorates:
*CLAAS JOSEPH CORNELIS ROODA (born 1910, arrested and murdered 25 September 1944, Westerbork)

Claas Joseph Cornelis Rooda was born in Groningen on July 6, 1910. He was a typographer by profession. He married Clara Gezina Warners. The couple moved to Haren, where they lived at Wilheminalaan 11. Their son Niels was born there.

His life was dominated by resistance against the occupying forces. Already during the May days of 1940, he actively participated in battles against the Germans. He then continued his struggle in the resistance. He was responsible for printing ration cards and food stamps for people in hiding. He was also involved in the illegal resistance newspaper Ons Vrije Nederland.

His resistance work proved fatal. He was betrayed on September 20, 1944. Five days later, on September 25, 1944, Claas Joseph Cornelis Rooda was executed by firing squad in Camp Westerbork.

He is commemorated on the Roll of Honor of the Fallen 1940-1945 and on the memorial at crematorium camp Westerbork, where he was cremated.

This Stolperstein lies here for a resistance fighter, murdered in World War II.

"Stolpersteine" is an art project for Europe by Gunter Demnig to commemorate victims of National Socialism (Nazism). Stolpersteine (stumbling stones) are small, 10x10cm brass plaques placed in the sidewalk in front of a residence of (usually Jewish) victims of the Nazis. Each plaque is provided with the name of the victim, date of birth and the fate of these people. By doing this, Gunter Demnig gives an individual memorial to each victim. One stone, one name, one person. He cites the Talmud: "A human being is forgotten only when his or her name is forgotten."

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Source

• Text: TracesOfWar
• Photos: Bert Deelman