Memorial Anje Lok

The school, on which this monument in honor of Anje Lok (born on December 8, 1903 in Siegerswoude) is attached, was built in 1930. Meester Lok became the first principal of this school. He is described as a confidant to many, who has meant a lot to the village. As a nature lover and biologist, he taught people to enjoy the beautiful nature that surrounds the village.

During the Second World War, he was a staunch advocate of nonviolent resistance. His deepest belief was that all people are essentially equal and should therefore be given equal opportunities. He helped people in hiding by providing them with shelter, for example in the attic of the school, and ration cards. Hans Slosch, a Jewish boy, lived at his house. A fellow teacher at the school of Lok was a member of the NSB, which made Lok's resistance work more difficult. Hans was therefore placed in a safer place. The colleague was aware of Lok's activities and passed this on to the occupier.

In the night of 19 to 20 May 1944, the doorbell rang at Lok, who lived in a house next to the school. Two plainclothes men, who identified themselves with SS ID cards, asked Lok to accompany him to give a testimony in Assen. His wife, daughter (11 years old) and son watched Lok, while he went with the men. The men reassuringly told Lok's wife that her husband would be back home soon. The men then shot Lok dead at the garden gate. The men then ran to a car and drove off with the lights off.

Later it turned out that this drama was a retaliation for the attack on land warden Kees Hartenhof. This kind of 'Silbertanne' murders took place between September 1943 and September 1944. For an attack on one Dutch collaborator, three "Deutschfeindliche" Dutchmen were often shot without any form of trial. Within a year about 50 anti-German Dutch were murdered in this way.

A Silbertanne action was intended as a reprisal and to deter people. That is why a prominent person of public renown was chosen, who the occupier knew was critical of the German occupation. For those reasons, Lok has become a target. It has never become known who carried out the Silbertanne murder on Lok.

In Ravenswoud there is a MeesterLokstraat and the school is called Meester Loksschool. Every year in May, the students commemorate their principal Lok.

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Source

• Text: Gerrit Hazenberg
• Photos: Gerrit Hazenberg
• Trouw.nl
• Ravenswoud.nl
• meesterlokschool.nl
• spanvis.nl