The Eventful Life of a Dutch Farmer's Son
From Prisoner of War #47211 to Canadian Farmer
by
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It was later given the name of Buchenwald, because it was situated in a forest of beech trees. The prisoners built the entire complex with their own hands, including the barracks of the SS. The stone to build it with had to be hewn from nearby quarries. Working in the quarries was the heaviest punishment POW's could be given. The prisoners would enter the camp by a gate of wrought iron in the main building. On that gate, it said, Jedem das Seine. In one wing of the gate building the infamous dungeons, the "bunkers", were located. There, in an effort to gain information from them, prisoners were tortured in the most appalling ways. Naturally, the camp site was enclosed by high fences all around, with a watchtower at each corner. After the prisoners entered, they were taken to the food supplies building, the largest building of the camp. There, the prisoners were shaved, disinfected and dressed in camp clothing and given both a number and a mark by which one could tell to which category they belonged: Jews, gypsies, homosexuals, Jehovah's Witnesses or communists.
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About the Book
A courageous and inspiring story of a man who survived the “Tyranny of the German S.S.” during WWII. Captured by the German SS, spent 1 ½ years of confinement in camps, liberated in 1945. During confinement they were starved, beaten, humiliated and required to work long hours. As was typical of these camps they were held in lines for inspection and counting twice a day and these ‘inspection’ sessions could last for hours and all the while being exposed to harsh weather. The treatment of the prisoners was so extreme that many of them wanted to die rather than go on and often they would ask to be shot. Specific ways Joe was able to resist the forces that were designed to ultimately crush him were; possessing a faith in God, he said to one of the guards: “you can kill my body but you will never get my spirit”, supporting each other in a small secret group prevented isolation and empowered people in the face of adversity and oppression, giving hope to others so they would not give up helped give him hope too. Joe’s stories can mentor others on how to increase chances of survival in extreme situations.
About the Author
Joe Laarhuis’ ancestry can be traced back to 1700. The family farm, built in the early 1800’s, is still owned and operated by a Laarhuis. Joe was a survivor of the WWII concentration camps. He immigrated to Canada in 1949 where he lived through many hardships to become a successful farmer and family man in Tofield, Alberta. He believed strongly in documenting the past. Because of this believe he created a huge family photo and story album. Joe lived through night tremors his whole life, never sharing his anguish with others. He decided that by telling his story he could help others, especially those in the military.