Memorial stone Mayoral murder Asten and Someren 1944

Memorial stone for the murder of the mayor near Sluis XII in Someren-Eind: Founded 1949. Renovated in 1975, by the municipalities of Asten and Someren together. In July 2010 a memorial sign was placed on the service road, below, because the monument on the busy Kanaaldijk is virtually inaccessible. The text on the Death Valley De Peel information board explains the mayoral murder.

In the night of 14 to 15 August 1944, mayors Willem Wijnen (Asten) and Piet Smulders (Someren) were lifted from their beds by a Sondercommando of the Germanic SS. The mayors had previously refused to appoint "volunteers" in their municipalities for the Arbeitseinsatz in Germany or for the construction of the Atlantic Wall on the coast. "That is not in the Dutch interest", they had agreed with their colleagues in the Geldrop mayor's circle. First, the Germans arrested the two mayors to bring in teams of forced laborers from Asten and Someren to set piles in Zeeland. Back at their posts, they thought they were safe.

When the underground in Gemert executed some Landwachters, Willem Wijnen and Piet Smulders were arrested again as part of the Silbertanne Action. kidnapped and cowardly murdered on the quiet Kanaaldijk-Zuid in Someren. The third kidnapping victim, Frans Eijsbouts from Someren, survived the attack. Based on his testimony, the perpetrators were brought to justice after the war. 
The other reluctant mayors were also arrested and died in concentration camps after horrific hardships. Near the murder site, along the Someren-Eind-Sluis XIII cycle path, a monument commemorates the Silbertanne murders.