Jaap Halma
Jaap Halma was born on October 3, 1939, in Bolsward, Friesland, just before the start of World War II. He was only a small child when the war came to the Netherlands, but the memories of that time have stayed vividly with him. Living on Kleine Dijlakker 44, just two houses from the Martini Church, he grew up immersed in the landscape and rhythms of the old town—an area he would come to write about in his later years.
Jaap was around six years old when Canadian forces arrived to liberate Bolsward. He recalls Canadian soldiers being stationed in a small church across the street from where he lived. These soldiers, full of life and sometimes mischief, were known to drink the odd “snapje,” and Jaap remembers watching them through broken windowpanes, fascinated but also fearful. One encounter in particular left a lasting impression. A soldier jokingly approached the young boy with a bayonet, scaring him. Another soldier quickly intervened, scolding his comrade and soothing Jaap with a new toothbrush—a gift that made him feel like royalty.
He also remembers playing by the canal where Canadian troops tossed coins into the water to amuse the children, trying to hit the fish below. The waters then were so clear that every movement could be seen—a far cry from their state today.
But there were terrifying moments too. During an air raid, bullets from a British aircraft entered their home, piercing the window and lodging in the ceiling and floor. Jaap was shown exactly where they struck—if he had been sitting in his usual chair, he would have been killed. His father, a member of the local civil defense, was not home at the time. That close call, among others, underscored the ever-present danger of war, even in a relatively quiet town.
As Bolsward was liberated on April 15, 1945, Jaap witnessed Canadian troops rolling into town. Though he had no personal conversations with the soldiers, their presence left an indelible mark on him. Decades later, these memories remain part of his life story—a child’s perspective on the day war gave way to freedom.
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Jouren, Frieslan
Photography & Story by Jason van Bruggen
