Willem Hikspoors:
On a sunny day, Sept. 19 1944, the 52 year old gardner Willem Hikspoors was working in the yard of Soeterbeek estate.
The estate lies in the north-east of Eindhoven, near Nuenen and Nederwetten. Willem Hikspoors was the gardner of
the ‘Smits van Oyen’ nobility family. Market Garden was in its third day, it was very quiet at the Soeterbeek estate.
Everybody was gone, looking at the liberators in Son. After a while Willem Hikspoors heard a strange noise coming
from the east. At first he thought it was the sound of allied planes, returning home from their mission. He was wrong,
a man on a bike passed the Soeterbeek estate and informed Willem that the Germans were coming.
After a few minutes the first vehicles of the German column arrived. It was the reconnaissance unit of the German
107th Panzer brigade, mainly consisting of half-tracked vehicles. The first vehicle stopped just in front of the bridge.
A German armed with a sub-machinegun stepped out of the vehicle to look at the bridge. Would the bridge be strong
enough to carry the Panzer brigade across the Dommel?
Willem Hikspoors understood what the German soldier was doing and walked up to him shouting that the bridge was
not strong enough. The German soldier doesn’t seem to be convinced by the old man. More Germans exit their vehicle
and walk up to the bridge. After a long conversation, Willem points towards the road sign next to the bridge. It says
that the bridge can only carry a payload of 8 tons. The German seems to believe Willem now and orders his troops to
return to their vehicle. They’re going back to where they came from.
By the time the Germans were returning to their vehicles, the son of the Smits van Oyen family arrived at Soeterbeek
estate. He mistakenly thinks allied troops have reached his house, aims his camera towards the vehicles and snaps a
few shots. The German commander is outraged by this spy taking pictures, captures Jan, throws Jan’s camera into the
Dommel river and leads him away to the back of the column.
Willem Hikspoors fears for the live of his boss’s son and tries to find a way to free him. While the Germans are turning
their vehicles on this narrow road, Willem makes sure that the Germans take their time by giving directions. When the
Germans are fully concentrated on the vehicles and the road, Willem signs Jan to run away. A short pursuit follows,
shots being fired, but Jan manages to get away. The German commander is furious but decides to leave the spot and
find another way to attack Hell’s Highway.
The estate lies in the north-
Everybody was gone, looking at the liberators in Son. After a while Willem Hikspoors heard a strange noise coming
from the east. At first he thought it was the sound of allied planes, returning home from their mission. He was wrong,
a man on a bike passed the Soeterbeek estate and informed Willem that the Germans were coming.
After a few minutes the first vehicles of the German column arrived. It was the reconnaissance unit of the German
107th Panzer brigade, mainly consisting of half-
Willem Hikspoors understood what the German soldier was doing and walked up to him shouting that the bridge was
not strong enough. The German soldier doesn’t seem to be convinced by the old man. More Germans exit their vehicle
and walk up to the bridge. After a long conversation, Willem points towards the road sign next to the bridge. It says
that the bridge can only carry a payload of 8 tons. The German seems to believe Willem now and orders his troops to
return to their vehicle. They’re going back to where they came from.
By the time the Germans were returning to their vehicles, the son of the Smits van Oyen family arrived at Soeterbeek
estate. He mistakenly thinks allied troops have reached his house, aims his camera towards the vehicles and snaps a
few shots. The German commander is outraged by this spy taking pictures, captures Jan, throws Jan’s camera into the
Dommel river and leads him away to the back of the column.
Willem Hikspoors fears for the live of his boss’s son and tries to find a way to free him. While the Germans are turning
their vehicles on this narrow road, Willem makes sure that the Germans take their time by giving directions. When the
Germans are fully concentrated on the vehicles and the road, Willem signs Jan to run away. A short pursuit follows,
shots being fired, but Jan manages to get away. The German commander is furious but decides to leave the spot and
find another way to attack Hell’s Highway.
Photo: Willem Hikspoors on the
bridge that saved Eindhoven.
bridge that saved Eindhoven.
Willem Hikspoors story got a lot of attention when the war had ended. Many
Eindhoven citizens believe that Willem Hikspoors prevented a big tank battle
by his action. Through the years the bridge has changed. The old brick bridge
is replaced by a new concrete bridge. In 1984 the bridge got its new name;
The Hikspoors bridge. On the bridge people will find a plaque which holds a
poem referring to this incident on sept 19 1944.
Eindhoven citizens believe that Willem Hikspoors prevented a big tank battle
by his action. Through the years the bridge has changed. The old brick bridge
is replaced by a new concrete bridge. In 1984 the bridge got its new name;
The Hikspoors bridge. On the bridge people will find a plaque which holds a
poem referring to this incident on sept 19 1944.
The Dutch version of the poem:
God spaard’ ons ongedacht
door deze zwakke brug,
Haar zwakheid was haar kracht,
Hier moest de mof terug
God spaard’ ons ongedacht
door deze zwakke brug,
Haar zwakheid was haar kracht,
Hier moest de mof terug
Translated:
God saved us without knowing
By this weak bridge
Her weakness was her strenght
This is where the Boche had to go back
God saved us without knowing
By this weak bridge
Her weakness was her strenght
This is where the Boche had to go back
The poem is added to the bridge when it got its new name in 1984. The last
sentence of the poem also changed over the years, because it was too
offensive. ‘Boche’ changed into ‘German’ and eventually changed into ‘Enemy’.
sentence of the poem also changed over the years, because it was too
offensive. ‘Boche’ changed into ‘German’ and eventually changed into ‘Enemy’.
Photo: the Hikspoor bridge now and the bridge as it was during the war.