De Kruisberg

De Kruisberg originated in the seventeenth century on the grounds of the former Sion Monastery. In the eighteenth century, it was expanded into a manor house and country estate, which was occupied by various families over the years. After the death of Baron Van Diest in 1858, the estate was auctioned off and purchased by the state in 1863. This marked the end of its time as a country house and the beginning of its function as a correctional institution.

From 1866 onwards, De Kruisberg served as a boys' prison, later also as a state reformatory and observation facility. The complex was expanded with new wings and a large residential building, known as "de flat" (the flat). Boys worked the land there, learned crafts, and received education. Under director Jan Klootsema in the early twentieth century, the institution gained fame for its innovative pedagogical insights.

During the German occupation, De Kruisberg was requisitioned by the Sicherheitsdienst in 1944 and used as a Nazi prison. Prisoners were often "Todeskandidaten": resistance fighters who were executed after interrogation. Well-known are the executions of 46 prisoners at Rademakersbroek (March 2, 1945) and 25 at Woeste Hoeve (March 8, 1945).

After the war, De Kruisberg continued to function as a penitentiary until 2014, after which it temporarily served as a reception center for asylum seekers. This marked the end of a long and varied history: from monastery grounds and country estate to prison, reformatory, and war prison.

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Source

• Text: TracesofWar
• Photos: Haagschebluf