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46

VICTOR MONNERTZ

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1927:    born in Steinfort (L)

1933:    moves to Greiveldange (L)

1942:    forced service on the farm of Jean Haas, a farmer in Flaxweiler (L) 

1943:    forced entry into the Hitler Youth (HJ)

02.1944:    helps hide a deserter in the Monnertz family home 

09.1944:    evacuation of the family to Steinfort, where they remain until liberation
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Mir hate Lëtzebuerger Preisen ënnert eis, déi haten […] ee Jong an dee war Chef vun der Hitlerjugend. A fir dass se eis mat Rou loossen, sinn ech alt mat e puer aner Jongen aus Greiweldeng an d’HJ gaangen. Mir sinn dunn nach e puermol op Gouschteng gefuer. Do war den HJ-Sall. Do gouf dann eng Ried gehalen an Übunge gemaach. Dono bass de dann erëm heemgefuer.
Victor Monnertz, contemporary witness interview, 3 Nov. 2017

Hitler Youth armband
Work
Victor Monnertz was an eyewitness to Nazi atrocities such as Russian forced labourers being executed by German guards during the extension of the railway line on the Moselle. The head of the local Hitler Youth group put pressure on the teenager to join the organization. In 1943 he joined the HJ and attended a few meetings. At the end of the year he had to go to Ansemburg for pre-military training. In February 1944 he helped deserter Adrien Oswald to hide in the Monnertz family barn. In mid-September, the family and Oswald fled to the liberated neighbouring village of Canach. From there they were evacuated to Steinfort, where the young man held several jobs, including in the kitchen of the American soldiers, where he was able to get additional food for his family.
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Do ( zu Ansembuerg ) war den Drill, de „Vorarbeitsdienst“ ( hu mir dat genannt ). Jo, do si mir deemools ausgebilt ginn. Do hu mir da misste krauchen, a mir hu gemaach, wéi wa Krich gewiescht wier. ( Mir sinn ) eropgeklommen bis uewe bei d’Kapell ( bis ) d’Ielebéi futti waren. Duerch d’Baach, wou do gelaf ass, hu mer misste krauchen, mir ware mëschtnaass, mir hate keen dréche Gezei, dat ass esou um Kierper gedréchent. Mir hunn hannenaus ( vum Schlass ) an den Zelter geschlof.
Victor Monnertz, contemporary witness interview, 27 Nov. 2017

In preparation for the Reich Labour Service and the Wehrmacht, young Luxembourgers were given military training at the Hitler Youth’s “military training camp” in Ansemburg Castle, 1942

Déi meescht Leit op den Dierfer haten een Deserteur verstoppt […] an dann hues de missen oppasse, wat s du gesot hues fréier an de Wiertschaften. Do waren dann déi Lëtzebuerger Preisen […] déi hunn alt gemengt, d’Preise géingen de Krich wannen (an) da kriten se eng gutt Platz. Du hues also misste ganz genee oppasse, wat s de gesot hues.
Du konns net soen: Hei, mir hunn och een do um Späicher sëtzen.

Victor Monnertz, contemporary witness interview, 27 Nov. 2017

After the liberation, Victor Monnertz photographed his family with the Luxembourgish deserter Adrien Oswald, Steinfort 1944
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