Mattheus Sebens

Mattheus Sebens (1932) lived in May 1940, when the Netherlands were invaded by Germany, in the Dutch town of Nieuweschans. His home was situated nearby the level-crossing. Together with his friends he played at the Stationsplein. They were not allowed to play at the railway site. Countless trains he saw passing by, amongst them ones that carried V1 and V2 missiles. At the railway site regularly cattle-wagons shunted, that were attached to a German engine. The trains were guarded by German soldiers. They made it impossible to come close by. In the village of Nieuweschans it was said that these trains were so-called ‘Jew-trains’. Mattheus heard people talking in the cattle-wagons. When such a train left the barriers at the level-crossing were put down longer than usual, in order to give the German guards enough opportunity to collect the notes that were thrown off the train and to burn them.

English translation of the interview