A Boy from Flakkee: The Story of a Young Boy Who Grew up on the Island of Goeree and Overflakkee in the Southwest Region of the Netherlands

By Roland Krygsman

Roland Krygsman, AKA Roeland Krijgsman, was born on the island of Goeree-OverFlakkee on December 15, 1928 in the town of Middleharnis, The Netherlands. From the Great Depression, to the Second World War, life was always a struggle. As he grew up, he would ultimately carve out his own path and establish his own roots. Through his many adventures on the island to immigrating to America, he persevered through it all. He and his wife Lena settled in a town known as Clifton, New Jersey and currently live in the Dutch Hill section of that town. His story was originally left for his children and grandchildren. However his story was so extradinary, he felt it should be shared with the world. Each day is a gift. His hope is that many will appreciate what they have, rather than what they dont have. Life is about family; protecting it, nurturing it, and encouragement for growth. If hes not walking his four legged companion Max, hell be at his work bench dissecting some electrical motor or something else for scrap. Most of his days are uneventful. His highlights are time with his children and grandchildren when they visit Oma and Opa. When given the opportunity, he still to this day shares his stories with neighbors, and those who pass by while sitting on his front porch with his devoted friend Max. Ask him about his life? Well, you better sit down with a cup of coffee in hand and are prepared to listen till he cant remember anymore.

Sincerely with Love,
Herbert Krygsman

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Oct 27, 2010
• ISBN: 9781452090368

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© 2010 Roland Krygsman. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 10/23/2010

ISBN: 978-1-4520-9036-8 (e)

ISBN: 978-1-4520-9035-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4520-9034-4 (hc)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2010915076

Printed in the United States of America

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any Web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

Acknowledgment

Introduction

Birth and the Beginning

Childhood

Sad Days

War

My Teen Years

Life On The Mainland

The Flood (De Ramp)

Life In America

The Second Voyage

Our Island

The Financial Part

Back In The U.S.A.

Entertainment

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

As I sat down one day preparing to write my memoirs for my autobiography, I thought whom could I thank for being so instrumental in my life? First, I wanted to thank my boys for their help in translating and rewriting my thoughts down on paper. It was the stories told to my boys when going to bed, sharing stories with my grandchildren’s classmates, and sharing at senior outings that partly inspired me to put my thoughts on paper. It was those opportunities spent telling others about my life’s adventures. As for my wife Leny, she is and continues to be my inspiration, my love, and partner in life. She has sacrificed so much and stood by my side since the beginning when we first met. I love her dearly. Finally, there is the personal tragedy I experienced as a young boy losing my little brother, Adrie. He will always be remembered as my little hero. He came to my rescue when I least expected it. I am here today because of his heroics and I want others to know that he was my little brother who I will love and cherish for all eternity.

The front cover design is a painting done by a friend of the family. It was painted on April 5, 1951 from a copy of the original painting entitled; The Lane of Middleharnis. Elize Razenberg was a maintenance worker who painted the steam trains and ferry boats on the island of Goeree and OverFlakkee. In his spare time, he enjoyed painting pictures and valued his hobby. Being a close friend and co-worker, he painted this picture and gave it as a gift. It would be passed down to three generations ending up as one of my most treasured possessions.

INTRODUCTION

It was on December 15, 1928 when a boy by the name of Roel Krijgsman, also known as Roland Krygsman, was born to Dutch parents on the island of Goeree and Overflakkee in the southwest region of the Netherlands. It was depression time that not only affected the United States, but also in Europe and other parts of the World. Survival was only for the strong. The weak and timid would perish under the world’s oppression. It was a time that many would never forget. It was about survival, obtaining food, clothing, shelter, and achieving employment. Watching out for one another became a family affair. Work was scarce, along with food and money. The young and old alike persisted in their efforts to make ends meet. It is through the eyes and collective thoughts of this little boy from Holland that we are introduced to his more than ordinary life near the North Sea. As life goes on, many follow the same road from childhood to adulthood. It is through life changing circumstances that ultimately shape our well-being. What happens in our lives and what we learn will define us in what we become and achieve. The autobiography of Roland’s life is indeed extraordinary. The stories of his life, his loves, his adventures, and his quest to succeed in life are imaginable, but yet remind us of our human nature and our ever increasing need to live our lives to the fullest.

Modernization was unheard of. There was no television, or modern appliances like a washer, dryer, and refrigerator. People were poor and many families were quite large. Roland came from a family of seven children. He was the second oldest of six brothers and one sister. As many families found out, each day was a struggle. For the Krygsman family, growing up during the depression period meant that they all needed to work together. Each child was to be treated equally. Each received just enough to survive. There was never abundance; only what each child would get from mother and father. Even grandpa and grandma from both sides of the family assisted in caring for all the children. It was truly a family affair. Mother and father shouldn’t have picked their favorites, but they did. Roland would come to find out sooner than later in his young life that he wasn’t wanted. How could such loving parents like his deny him of love or to be loved? It is through our childhood that helps shape us into the men and women we become. How we reach that pinnacle is embedded in our minds. As children, we dream of someday becoming someone we can respect, honor, and adore. We all have dreams, but somehow many are robbed of the grand scheme and fall short in life. We have to settle for less and of course, our play on life is distorted. We are locked into life’s grip of being less than worthy. We share feelings of inadequacy and failure and wonder aimlessly through life looking for the right answers. Roland was such a boy who developed into a young man looking for life’s answers. As a young boy he suffered the loss of a dear brother and was destined to forever try winning over his mother and father’s admiration. While going from childhood to adolescence, he faced many challenges and adventures that would have many children today standing in awe. From repairing to rebuilding bicycles, Roland hustled to carve out a piece of his own stake. Attending technical school to become a dental assistant, he persevered to achieve the most in life.

Some of his adventures are shared with the reader. Throughout all what he lived through life was never simple.

During the Second World War Roland’s bravery and tolerance would be tested by the enemy. This was no horror movie. Death was all around him, his family, and the people of his country. There were no sides to take. Either obey the Nazis or be killed. He saw so many of his friends and acquaintances who died trying to escape, or working for their cause. As far as he was concerned, he wanted nothing to do with his oppressors. He vowed that he would do everything in his power to escape their dictatorship. In many ways he did elude them and even was able to trick them. In many other circumstances, however, it was devastating. Seeing many Jewish families pulled apart from one another, and their untimely deaths persuaded him that he needed to always be in constant vigilance. Young crew members perished from the skies as they were en route to Germany’s packed cities to deliver their weapons of mass destruction. Right before their eyes they watched as these planes, like sitting ducks, were plucked out of the sky one by one. As they blew up in midair, many fell to their deaths, or were burned alive. It was a scene never to be forgotten. Many of who survived relived these nightmares over and over. When the war was finally over, life in the Netherlands would slowly return to normal. Now was the time to rebuild the cities and restore life to a country that was once under Hitler’s oppression. Once again, Roland needed to step up and be accountable for his life.It was always a struggle though.

The war was over in Holland in 1945 and life continued on. Roland met his wife, Leny Klink from a town near his own. He eventually wed his beautiful bride and settled in Rotterdam. Life was good and he was making a decent living. He had his bride, a brand new BSA motorcycle, and a good paying job. It was a rough winter in that year of 1953. With uncertainty, a northeaster storm hit the southwest side of the island, breaching the dikes and punching a hole, causing a wall of sea water to roll over the town and its people. Many drowned as a result of the storm. Roland assisted in the recovery effort and rescued many from certain death. He himself had once again cheated death; stared it in the face and had conquered it. Holland’s island of Overflakkee was once again faced with the rebuilding effort.

During this time with a young bride in hand and a future wide open, he would, like many before him make a choice that would lead him to the land of opportunity, America. Like his uncle Arend and his aunt Lena, Roland was determined to claim his own piece of Americana. The voyage by ship was an adventure on both occasions. Looking for work, an apartment, and raising a family all became part of the course. He and his devoted wife, Leny would raise three sons and settle in a little town known as Clifton in the great state of New Jersey. He did live the American Dream of moving to America and raising his family. Opportunity presented itself and he took a gamble and won out at the end. Not bad for someone with the clothes on their back, two suitcases, and a wooden box coming to a foreign land and starting a new life. The most important lesson though, is he had his own family and incorporated all the love he and Leny could give. Family is and will always be of the greatest importance. It is the main ingredient that drives him even today.

BIRTH AND THE BEGINNING

It was a cold snowy day on December 15, 1928 that I was born in the small town of Middelharnis on the island of Goeree and Overflakkee in the province of South Holland. Basje, the midwife had come over to our home and helped with the birth and to care for my brother, Johan who was born on January 14thof that same year. She was an old woman dressed in traditional costume, all in black except her lace hat. She was a pleasant woman who stayed a week to care for my family. My mother and father were grateful for the help she provided.

It was depression time and many of the people in our town as well as our country were poor. During the winter months, jobs were hard to come by. Farmers weren’t able to provide work for the townspeople and industry was brought to a halt. The small island contained thirteen villages and the main one was our town, Middelharnis. Our town had our own harbor and provided a ferry boat for traveling across the waters to the mainland. A small steam train ran through our town as well. It provided yet another means of transporting people and supplies to each of the thirteen villages on the island. There were even a few schools in our town. Education meant that our people had a means to better their future. As one of the larger towns, we had our share of many variety stores. For a period, Middelharnis was known for their harbor and fishing fleet. Many of the townsmen worked tediously both on and off the fishing boats and in small factories that made many products and supplies for the fleet. To name a few of the suppliers, we had a basket factory, a tanning manufacturer, a twine place that specialized in making ropes, lines, and netting. A local blacksmith serviced farmers by making new shoes for the horses, tool making, and repairs for local businesses. Carpentry and masonry were slow. Sewing and the making of clothes was primarily done by individual families. Only some clothes could be purchased with the little money families had.

The home I first grew up in was built partially on a dike and a slope. It was very small for our family. It contained a common room for eating and socializing and two small alcoves for sleeping. We had no electric or gas supplied to our home. Kerosene was the main source of fuel used for cooking and light. A pot belly stove was on one side of the room that gave off heat and was used for cooking. Rainwater was collected in the form of a drywell used for drinking and washing. An outhouse was located in the rear that had no light, heat, or running water. It was very cold in the winter.

Nevertheless, life on our island was very quiet and uneventful. Our town was located furthest on the island in relation to the other villages and it was the closest to the bay of the North Sea. Our home like others nearby, were protected from the bay by a form of dikes or known today as levees. The bay was located two kilometers (about one-point-five miles) from our town. There were three dikes that protected the people and their homes. The first dike was known as the Watchman. It was closest to the bay. The second was known as the Sleeper. The Sleeper was located more inland than the first dike. The third and last dike was known as the Dreamer. This was known as the last defense against rising waters and a possible breach of the other dikes due to a harsh storm. These dikes were closest to our home and others. The worst of storms would occur during the winter months where the dikes would be tested for their strength against the winter’s elements. Northeastern storms would cause high tides and large waves.

Diligently my father worked part-time for a local carpenter shop and both my mother and father were very young when they started a family. We didn’t have welfare or any other financial support. We were fortunate that Grandpa and Grandma lived nearby. They helped with food and clothing and they sometimes were even helpful with finances too. Our family was very large. All of my grandparents were alive and we had lots of aunts, uncles and cousins mostly living in our town. I was named Roeland after my mother’s dad. He was a produce inspector for a group of farmers on the island and also rented farmland where he grew potatoes, onions, and other produce. He was a quiet and gentle man. I don’t remember ever seeing him angry. My grandmother was a homemaker and proclaimed that she was a devout Christian woman. She attended to affairs of the home and was best known as a gossiper, making false accusations against people. My other grandparents on my father’s side were very successful in business. They lived in a large house and raised cattle and pigs. My grandfather had the tendency of having a hot temper when angered, but my grandmother was an angel. I remember her having a kind and loving heart. It wasn’t hard to love and adore her. Both sides of my grandparents were known as my Oma and Opa in the Dutch language which means, grandma and grandpa. Life