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Eyewitness Story: Nellie Hoogesteger
Nellie Hoogesteger from Nisse is three years old when the war begins. She remembers the fear while playing outside when planes flew overhead. “When a plane passed, we had to lie down or crawl back home on our knees.” The first years of the war were relatively quiet, but in 1943 the threat came closer, even at school. “I was five or six, and things got harsher. If you misbehaved and had to stand in the hallway, they would come by and pull your hair.”
A Fatal Shell Explosion
In 1944, Nellie’s brother Jan is sent to Germany, which saddens the family. As the war approaches, they decide to flee to Heinkenszand, bringing her disabled brother Anton in a wheelchair. Eventually, the family returns to Nisse, where they find themselves in the midst of shelling. A shell explodes above their house. Nellie cries out, “Mother, my arm hurts.” Only by the light of a lantern do they see that her arm is hanging by just a few tendons. The seven-year-old Nellie faints.
The Human Side of the Enemy
That evening, the Canadians arrive in the village and take Nellie and her injured sister Nina to Antwerp. Along the road, German soldiers are tied to a tree; they cry when they see the severely wounded children.
In Antwerp, Nellie’s wounds are dressed daily; eventually, it becomes clear that she’s not crying from pain but because she wants her arm back. At home, she learns to live with only one arm. During a Christmas party, a British soldier warns the children not to tease Nellie. Nellie smiles: “I was never teased.”
Nellie Hoogesteger
“Watch below the story of Nellie Hoogesteger, a young girl from Nisse who lost her arm due to the war. As the threat of occupation grew ever more present, Nellie lost not only her health but also a part of her childhood. Her story is a testament to courage, enduring loss, and the moments of humanity that remain unforgettable even in times of war.”