Aad van Schoten
Adrianus “Aad” van Schooten was a boy of five when the war began and ten when it ended. Born and raised in Heemstede, he experienced the occupation through the eyes of a child, but the impact of those years stayed with him long into adulthood. His memories are not shaped by the grand movements of armies, but by everyday moments of fear, resilience, and the first glimpse of hope.
Aad remembers the sound of German boots on cobblestone streets, the ever-present hush of neighbors whispering bad news, and the way the curtains were always drawn at night. His family, like so many others, practiced a kind of quiet resistance—sharing food, hiding valuables, and trying to protect children from what was happening just beyond the front door.
The final winter of the war, known as the Hunger Winter, left an especially deep impression on Aad. Food was scarce. He vividly recalls standing in line with his mother for bread, and the gray hush that fell over the town as hunger took hold. They scavenged for firewood, pulling up floorboards and breaking apart furniture to stay warm. Aad’s father, who worked for the local council, sometimes came home with small rations—a rare potato, a bit of lard—that were divided carefully among the family.
He also remembers the fear when word came that neighbours had been taken away, or when distant artillery fire rattled the windows. In those final days, there were whispers that Canadian troops were approaching, but no one dared believe it until they saw it with their own eyes.
And then, one spring day, they came. Aad was with his parents when Canadian soldiers rolled into Heemstede, and he remembers the flags, the cheers, and the tears. One soldier handed him a piece of chocolate—his first real chocolate in years. It was a small gesture, but to a ten-year-old boy, it felt like a miracle.
That day, Aad van Schooten became one of thousands of Dutch children whose lives were forever changed by the arrival of Canadian liberators. He grew up with deep respect and gratitude for the Canadians, telling his children and grandchildren about the day freedom came wrapped in camouflage and kindness.
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Almelo
Photography & Story by Jason van Bruggen
