The assured departure and the uncertain return

On 18 March 1943 Cornelis Borgstein bid farewell to his family and friends, as he was sent to Germany as a forced labourer. He received a small box of cigars and a Bible for the journey. Originally, he was meant to go to Leipzig, but he managed to change his destination to Meurs, which was closer to home. He did this by boarding an earlier train in Nijmegen— a risky decision.

In Meurs, Cornelis worked as a painter under harsh conditions. Occasionally, he was granted leave, but during one visit home, he fell ill and remained in the Netherlands for an additional 18 weeks. After undergoing a medical reassessment, he was sent back to Germany on 30 August 1943. Returning to forced labour was a heavy burden, and after three weeks of leave, he decided not to go back and went into hiding. Later, he voluntarily took a job in Castricum with the German construction organisation called Organisation Todt. There, he worked on tank traps and bunkers, but he was allowed to go home one weekend a month, which gave him the chance to be with his pregnant wife.

His decision to work for the Germans in the Netherlands raised eyebrows among others. Cornelis defended his choice by arguing that he preferred staying in the Netherlands rather than being forced back to Germany. When D-Day took place on 6 June 1944, he hoped for a swift liberation. However, instead of relief, all leave was cancelled. During an alarm at the military base, he and other workers were locked inside, though it later turned out to be a false alarm. The next day, he escaped and returned to Culemborg, where he went into hiding and took on illegal painting jobs.

The final years of the war were harsh. After the railway strike in October 1944 food supplies dwindled and the Germans cracked down more severely. Men between the ages of 17 and 60 were forced to guard railway lines to prevent sabotage. On 10 November, as retaliation for acts of sabotage, three farms were set on fire. Cornelis wrote about the fear that gripped Culemborg and how the population was forced to surrender goods to avoid evacuation. On 22 January 1945 his daughter Henny was born, and he spent the remainder of the war with his family.

Cornelis had a better life in Castricum and Culemborg than in Germany, where he had been forced to survive on sour, undercooked cabbage soup. After the war, he rarely spoke about his experiences.

He had his own way of coping with his wartime memories. He read mainly war novels based on historical events and accounts. Unfortunately, this had a negative effect on him. He would become angry and upset. Eventually, his wife forbade him from reading these books, as they brought back too many painful memories.
His story highlights the moral dilemmas of war: Do you take the risk of boarding a different train? Do you go into hiding? Do you work for the enemy to stay close to your family? These are questions that only find answers when one is faced with such a reality.

Interview with Hans van Marmeren, Son-in-law of Cornelis Borgstein
By: Jelle Vogelsang and Hidde Meenhorst