Translation: Johan (John) Willems de Boer
Uncle Herre’s Youth.
Grandma (Beppe) Trijntje en Grandpa (Pake) Johan had a family of eight children. Herre was the youngest, and is married to Aunt Holly; currently their residence is in Sneek, Friesland. His children used to say, “Why don’t you write about the days of your youth, before everything is forgotten”? In a nutshell, Herre has accomplished this and has written this in a very interesting story. Grandfather Johan and especially Grandma Trijntje have as far as I am concerned come back to life. The story as it is told gives us also a very clear picture of the crisis-years and the occupation of the Second World War in Sneek and outlining areas.
Below you will find some pictures of the families who Herre makes reference to in his story.
The story was written in the winter of 1993 - 1994. Aunt Holly in the meantime has also written about the days of her youth. It is called : "Recollection of a barge-child".
A note from John the translator: “When I met my Aunt Holly for the first time, Herre brought her home to meet the family, I must have been around thirteen years old and Holly about seventeen, or less. One of my uncles, Omke Feike said to me, make sure that you call her Aunt Holly, which I did, much to the embarrassment of Holly, needless to say I never called her Aunt again although she is one of my favorite Aunts. This was when my grandparents lived in the Wijde Noorderhorne # 19 upstairs.
Aunt Holly's: "Recollection of a barge-child".
Marriage certificate.
