The birth of Willem
The Netherlands declared their neutralily at the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939. However Germany invaded this country on May 10, 1940. The poorly armed Dutch army was quickly overrun by the Germans. Only at the Afsluitdijk, the Grebbeberg and the bridge at Moerdijk there was still resistance. Because these fights took the Germans too long, they demanded the surrender of Rotterdam on May 14. The city was then surrendered, but was bombed nevertheless, resulting in approximately 800 deaths and 78 000 destroyed houses. After this bombing the Dutch army decided to capitulate.
At the beginning of the occupation, many companies were happy to please the Germans because they were obtaining many profitable orders from them. In 1941 - 1942 the Germans began concentrating the production in companies that were directly and indirectly useful for warfare. Many other companies had to close because of this. The persecution of the Jews began to become grimmer, and the Germans also acted harder against the people who resisted, as in the February strike.
At the beginning of the occupation, many companies were happy to please the Germans because they were obtaining many profitable orders from them. In 1941 - 1942 the Germans began concentrating the production in companies that were directly and indirectly useful for warfare. Many other companies had to close because of this. The persecution of the Jews began to become grimmer, and the Germans also acted harder against the people who resisted, as in the February strike.
Under these circumstances Bart and Thea Saris lived in Leiden. They were married just after Bart finished his dissertation in physics in 1941. In 1942 they got their first child Frans and the year after Thea was pregnant with her second child. On July 8 at 7 o'clock in the evening, Thea called her husband from the living room "Bart, the labor pains start, we have to go to the hospital." Bart, as usual was working at his desk, he hurried downstairs, took his bike out of the shed, went outside, and said to Thea who had also come down: "jump on the back of my bike then we will quickly ride to the hospital".
With the hospital already an appointment was made, because the delivery of their first son had been very difficult. Everything was well prepared for their second child but now the delivery went very smoothly. Within two hours their son, Willem, was born on July 8, 1943 at 9 o'clock in the evening. He had come a little too early but that had also made the delivery easier.
With the hospital already an appointment was made, because the delivery of their first son had been very difficult. Everything was well prepared for their second child but now the delivery went very smoothly. Within two hours their son, Willem, was born on July 8, 1943 at 9 o'clock in the evening. He had come a little too early but that had also made the delivery easier.
Children in such uncertain times
One may wonder why Bart and Thea got children in this uncertain war time. In 1944 even a third child followed, a girl and a fourth child in 1946. One may even be more surprised if one knows that Bart, because of social concerns with the bad economic situation after the economic crisis, had become one of the student leaders to win people for national socialist ideas. Perhaps there could have been some hope for a good outcome in the first year of the occupation, but certainly after Bart had lost his job at the university due to his political activities, Bart and Thea should have thought that his work for the enemy would lead to serious problems.
The most likely reason for their decision to get children in these uncertain times, I can come up with, must have been that they both came from strict Catholic families, were themselves religious, and that for them birth control was not an option, also in these difficult times.
So they got three children during the war of which the second one was their son Willem.
One may wonder why Bart and Thea got children in this uncertain war time. In 1944 even a third child followed, a girl and a fourth child in 1946. One may even be more surprised if one knows that Bart, because of social concerns with the bad economic situation after the economic crisis, had become one of the student leaders to win people for national socialist ideas. Perhaps there could have been some hope for a good outcome in the first year of the occupation, but certainly after Bart had lost his job at the university due to his political activities, Bart and Thea should have thought that his work for the enemy would lead to serious problems.
The most likely reason for their decision to get children in these uncertain times, I can come up with, must have been that they both came from strict Catholic families, were themselves religious, and that for them birth control was not an option, also in these difficult times.
So they got three children during the war of which the second one was their son Willem.