Emmen, Zuidbarge, Odoorn

Just before the war, in 1935, Willem Oosting founded the Noorder Dierenpark. After the war began, the situation became increasingly difficult. Willem is ordered to put up a sign saying ‘Forbidden for Jews’, but makes sure it disappears several times.

Halfway through the war, a resident of Emmen knocks on the door of the animal park, looking for a way to escape employment in Germany. He disguises himself as an animal caretaker and works at the park during the day, while at night he sleeps above the lions‘ and elephants’ pens. Over time, more hiders find their way to the park, and eventually 18 people sleep in this secret place during the war. Despite a raid by the Germans, they all survive.

It was not only in the animal park that people found hiding places. Many Jews were in hiding in the surroundings of Emmen. So you cycle through the Valtherbos, where people in hiding lived in a self-built hiding place for two years. When hiding in Bertus Zefat's chicken shed became too dangerous, they fled into the forest and dug a hiding place. When this hole was discovered, the hiders managed to escape without a trace, just before the occupying forces arrived. They built a new den about 400 metres away, where they stayed until the liberation on 11 April 1945. A total of 16 people went into hiding here, and they all survived. Unfortunately, resistance fighters Bertus Zefat and Jan Hendriks were killed by the occupying forces because they refused to give information about the hiding den.