Koningsplein 10

Willem is born on September 22, 1880 in Sint-Oedenrode as son of Gerard Wijnen and Clasina Kemps. He is married to Carolina Maussen from Veghel with whom he founded a family of six children. In 1910 Willem was appointed mayor of Asten.

At the time of the German occupation, Willem, like several other mayors, decides to remain in office, to prevent an NSB from taking over his position. He actively opposes German domination. For example, he refuses to make residents of his municipality available for work on the racks in Zeeland that are built because of the Allied advance. Instead, he offers volunteers, but he does not expect any results.

In August 1944, the resistance liquidates two collaborating land guards in Gemert. Represailles do not have been out for long. Late in the evening of August 14, Dutch SSs of the Sonderkommando Feldmeijer are at Willem at the door of his official residence. His son opens, after which three SS people push him aside and look for Willem they find in his bedroom. Willem refuses to go, on which he is grabbed and pushed down the stairs. He is then taken into the ready car. He drives on to Someren, where Mayor Piet Smulders is also lifted from his bed. The third would become the doctor of Someren, a friend of Piet. Because he is not at home, entrepreneur Frans Eijsbouts, another friend, is taken along.

Eventually there are eight people in the car. The driver complains that the car is too heavily loaded that they will get pieces later. However, this comment is an agreed signal for the SS people that the ultimate goal of their nocturnal journey is approaching. In the meantime, the mayors are silent and look out for themselves. They probably already take the worst into account.

Suddenly the car is set to silence position. The driver swears and calls something about bad luck, on which the passengers are summoned to get out. Immediately afterwards the fire is opened on the three prisoners. Piet is shot immediately. Willem tries to flee, but is being chased, shot from several times and ends up on the roadside. Frans is hit in his arm and then keeps himself dead. He hears how ten to twelve times are being shot and the mayors are lagging behind and moaning. A few moments later it is quiet.

Willem, victim of the Silbertanne murders, was 63 years old and is buried at home in Asten in the Roman Catholic cemetery. His wife would only survive him for a month and a half. Still broken because of the loss of her husband, she has to flee her house at the end of September because of the approaching war violence, but on 27 September she died in Geldrop after being fatally injured in the shelling. Carolina was 62 years old.
(Source: Brabantsgesneuvelden)

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