This page contains interviews and contributions of eyewitnesses, who were involved in the actual operations.
Mr. Kulik – Gouda– The Netherlands
Memories of the Food Drops and the Hunger Winter
Mr. Kulik grew up in Gouda, in the Kort Akkeren district. During the Hunger Winter he was about eight years old. He remembers the extreme food shortages that prevailed at the time. Before the food drops there was hardly any food, and he had to eat sugar beets regularly to survive. However, his family was somewhat lucky: through family in Arnhem and Oosterbeek they occasionally received food, which made the situation somewhat more bearable.
When the food drops started, he heard the planes flying over. He remembers watching the drops with his father, which took place in the direction of Bloemendaal (North area of Gouda). At that time, it was still an open meadow. Although he does not remember exactly how the food was distributed, he does know that, among other things, large tins with biscuits were dropped. Children later used these tins as drums to play with, since there were hardly any toys in those days.
Daily Life during the War
Mr. Kulik’s father was a bricklayer but worked in a yarn mill during the war. He got a job there and was exempted from compulsory labor in Germany. This was fortunate because many other men were deported. Despite this exemption, his father still took risks, especially because of his great passion for carrier pigeons.
During the war, all carrier pigeons had to be handed in and killed, because the Germans were afraid that they would be used to send secret messages. However, Mr. Kulik’s father refused to give up all his pigeons. He kept six to eight pigeons hidden in a cage in the barn. When there were raids, Mr. Kulik and his brother had to quickly put the pigeons in a basket and hide them in a cupboard. This was a big risk because if the Germans had discovered the pigeons, there could have been serious consequences.
German Billeting and the Liberation
Many German soldiers were billeted in their neighborhood. In a nearby school, the Germans had set up a field kitchen, where soldiers got their meals. In some houses, including that of the Kulik family, German soldiers were housed. He remembers how a German soldier stayed in their house. The man ate his meals while he and his brother watched. However, he did not give any of his food away.
His father made sure the soldier had a good bed, but he made it clear who was the boss in the house. When the soldier sat in bed with a candle in the evening, his father would sternly shout “Light out!”, after which the soldier would obey.
When the war ended, the situation slowly changed. A neighbor had suffered greatly from the hardships and was suffering from severe hunger edema. Mr Kulik also saw how boys, who had been taken to Germany during the war, returned to their families. These were emotional moments when mothers could finally hold their sons in their arms again after years.
Life after the War
After the war, everyone had to adjust to a normal life again. Mr. Kulik describes this period as ‘lost years’, because there was hardly anything for children. Toys were scarce and children played with what they could find, such as a bunch of newspapers with a string around it as a football.
He remembers the smell of freshly baked bread when the bakers were able to resume their work. This was a special experience after the long period of scarcity.
Later, Mr. Kulik became a pottery painter at Zenith, a well-known company in the ceramics industry. He took an evening course at the art academy in The Hague, where he trained in free drawing and painting. He painted landscapes and portraits in the style of famous painters such as Frans Hals. Eventually, he ended up at the museum via municipal reorganizations, where he worked as an attendant and was responsible for maintenance work.
Conclusion
Mr. Kulik’s memoirs provide a unique insight into life during and after World War II. His experiences with food shortages, food drops, German occupation, and slow reconstruction show how difficult this period was, but also how people managed to adapt and continue with their lives.
Gouda, The Netherlands, 31st January 2025 ( Michel – PE1MR, Lynette – PD4LYN)