Clinton News-Record, 1985-5-8, Page 81Van Altena....
O'ru,00 vaga 13
Germans. They even took our streetcars
out of the country. They took people
away by the thousands to work in the
work camps. There was nothing to eat,"
he said.
Faced with the prospect of joining the
work teams forced to dig trenches in the
beaches for the Germans, Mr. Van
Altena became part of the underground
who took refuge from the Germans. He is
unwilling to talk about what happened
during that time.
He remained in hiding until 1945 when
the Canadian soldiers liberated Holland
from German occupation. He
remembers Holland being totally
devastated from the effects of war.
"There was a lot of damage. Cities
were levelled - farm houses, bridges;
almost everything was levelled in the
east and south pans of Holland," he said.
Between 1945 and 1947, Mr. Van Altena
was assigned to go with the Dutch troops
who accompanie i the Canadians and
Americans into Germany to repossess all
that belonged in Holland. While there, he
talked to many of the Canadian soldiers
who gave him a clearer picture of what
Canada was all about. "From asking
questions, I learned how if was in
Canada," he said.
After returning from Germany, he
barbered for three more years before he
decided to come to Canada. He said the
hardest part of leaving Holland was the
uncertainty of moving to a foreign land
and that he might not see his family
again.
"It was kind of sad because you never
knew if you will ever come back again.
You had to leave your mother and father
behind and you didn't know if you will
ever see them again. There were a lot of
tears," he said.
The adjustment to a new language was
the most difficult part of living in Canada
for the first few years, said Mr. Van
Altena. His wife, Anna Marie, was fluent
in English which helped him adapt more
easily - along with a little help from com-
ic books.
"I knew a little bit of English before 1
came. I learned it from the Canadian
troops. In the meantime, I bought comic
books because you would read it and you
would have the picture that went with it.
For 10 cents it was cheap. I still have
around 250 comic books from back then,"
he said.
The Van Altena's raised two sons and
one daughter who are grown up while liv-
ing in their Dunlop St. home in Clinton.
Mr. Van Altena has been active in the
cOrrununity, especially in politics as he is
presently serving as the deputy reeve of
Clinton since .1980. He plans to run for
reeve in the next municipal election in
November. He also served as a member
of Clinton town council from 1976 to 1980.
"I always liked to get involved with the
public. I like to meet people," he said.
Page 49
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