© Fam.Zondervan /Het Vrije Volk

Het Vrije Volk SATURDAY 23 April 1955

Klaasje (880 grams) dressed in 1944 in a "hanky"

This is the laughing face of Klaasje Zondervan who lives in Stadskanaal in the Netherlands, where her father is director of the working departement. Klaasje is a special child , when she was born her weight was only 880 grams.
Now 10 years later, she is as normal as any other 10 year old: you cann't tell the difference

Smallest and youngest in hiding baby now a blooming young girl

The 10 year old Klaske Lolkje Zondervan has two records on her name. When Klaasje-as she's called now-was born 10 years ago on the 24th of october 1944 she was not only the smallest baby with her 880 gram but also the youngest in hiding with a light weight

No wonder that father and mother Zondervan looked at each other last week Wednesday, after reading "This happens in the World" smiled understandingly. In this section of the Free People: the world was shocking news to read that Mrs.. Phyllis in England had given birth to a boy of just under one kilogram. Klaasje weight at birth was 880 grams on the head, and it is entirely different circumstances than the English born baby. But that's a story in itself.

In the spring of 1944 the officer of civil status in Franeker found a happy couple to get married. J. Zondervan and T.Hylkema said "Yes" and after the ceremony moved in to a nice new house..The couple Zondervan , who also escaped the claws of the Gestapo ,will not easily forget that time. Husband and wife were separated for the sake of safety .

The SD started a fierce hunt for illegal immigrants. And so one day the Germans spotted a very dangerous freedom figther near Grouw . It was....mr. Zondervan! With the Green Police, a manhunt started. The "headquarters" in Leeuwarden tried to warn on time but could not send a message . No one knew exactly where Johan Zomers, alias of Mr. Zondervan, was hiding. His wife did.

Although Klaske was about to be born, the mother to-be went to save her husband . No transport was available to her. Walking from Joure to Sneek, almost eigtheen kilometers,where the refuge had found a hiding place. Mr. Zondervan was warned in time, but the great effort of his wife his wife, was not without consequences. Back in Sneek, the young woman suddenly felt not good

On the morning of 24th October 1944, at a quarter to ten,Klaasje was born . A seven-month baby of 880 grams. The birth took place in a reformed nursinghouse. A midwife was happy to present a helping hand. Sister Kingma later came to pass. Mr. Zondervan had during childbirth in the immediate vicinity awaited. He was told he completely lost the plot, the tension and fear under which he was suffering for days and the unexpected birth.

" Nice Weight "

"When one of the nurses showed him the tiny baby and told him the weight, his first reaction, much to the indignation of the director of the nursing home:" A great weight !" After all he had to say something. The baby was in an incubator and in the absence of a regulator (to regulate the temperature) the nurse kept a good eye on it. The stayed beside the incubator all the time. Thanks to the excellent care Klaasje survived.

Her parents will however continue to remember her birth like yesterday. Jelke Zondervan, the father who 24 hours before the joyous event was seen dropping a weapon, namely the received command to find some babyclothes. Because this "early baby" they had not counted. Dad came home "with oversized trousers, the baby almost drowned in them. Good advice was expensive. Resourceful nurses created a jacket of cotton balls and a ladies handkerchief served as a diaper. "It's been a marvelous thing, as the sisters Sybrandie and Bruinsma and have performed in those days" told Mrs. Zondervan.

Klaasje grew up a and became a healthy young girl. She is the eldest of five children of the family Zondervan. "Remarkably, Mrs Zondervan has indicated Klaasje to the Registrar. In this case it was too dangerous for it to do immediately after birth. With the consent of the prosecutor it took place a half year later in Sneek.

*******************************************************

© Fam.Zondervan /Schilders Nieuwsblad

Schilder's Nieuwsblad DONDERDAG 23 April 1970

OUDERS OPGEJAAGD DOOR BEZETTER

Lightest baby a mother herself now !

In Harderwijk in Boerhaave hospital these days Mrs K.L. H-Zondervan gave birth to a son G.C. H less than six and half pounds. In itself an everyday happy occasion, were it not for the little boy's weight is almost four times as heavy as his mother at birth. For Klaske Lolkje came in the anxious days of 1944 in Friesland (province Netherlands) on this world as a human being weight only 880 grams! As the daughter of a hunted resistance couple she was the youngest and lightest diver in the world. This was not world wide news at that time, because the parents were in the Frisian Resitance and they had to hide for the Germans. Exactly 25 years after the liberation of Friesland, was the smallest "baby done" a mother herself. Her son was born at least in peace.

Klaske Lolkje has two records on her name. Then, on 24 October in Sneek first saw light, she was at that time not only the lightest baby but also the youngest diver. Recently reported by the press the news that one mrs. Phyllis in England had given birth to a boy of about one kilogram. No wonder father and mother together Zondervan, after reading this news, once smiled understandingly. Klaske weight at birth was not only less, it is also quite different circumstances than the English born baby.

MINIS FOR THE OF FOR THE DEAD CONVICT

In the spring of 1944 the mayor of Franeker married a happy couple Jelke Zondervan and Teuny Hylkema. But Zondervan was a resistance fighter and his wife courier from the first days of May, 1940 "We were aware that every hour of the day we could be arrested or even die. That's why we wanted to get married (and because we were verry much in love!) "The honey moon did not last long weeks. Illigal group was betrayed by approximately four weeks after their marriage . The resistance fighters, who escaped, went into hiding..

Started an exciting time for them to wander and go underground. On July 13, the anniversary of his wife, Mr. Zondervan by "Targeting Hohere Krieg der Luftwaffe" in Utrecht in absentia to death for "helping the enemy, sabotage, espionage, and aid Jews'

Escape.

The couple Zondervan escaped to the claws of the Gestapo , this time will not easily be forgotten. Husband and wife were separated for the sake of safety and it was a necessity that brought them back together. The Gestapo started a fierce hunting of the members of the Frisian Resistance : they were betrayed again! And Zondervan was the number one dangerous person on the German huntinglist.

The underground headquarters in Leeuwarden, with its famous telephone monitoring station, tried to warn him but could not reach. No one knew exactly where "Summer" as the alias of Mr. Zondervan had found itself. The Green Police, a manhunt was undertaken, knew about. His wife knew exactly. Although Klaske had already notified the mother went out there, to - in competing with the Green Police - to save her husband.

Black for the eyes.

No transport was available to her. Walking the eighteen miles from Sneek to Joure, where the refugees had found shelter . "I could at last no longer. Sometimes I was completely black for the eyes but I didn't stopped for a rest," said Ms Zondervan. She warned "Zomer" just in time. But the big effort Teuny made, had been too much. Shortly after uttering the warning, she fell down unconscious. A few KP-ers put her in a stolen car and brought her to the reformed nursinghome in Sneek.

In the morning October 24, 1944, at a quarter to ten, was born Klaske Lolkje. A seven-month baby of 880 grams. Mr. Zondervan had during childbirth in the immediate vicinity awaited. The tension, the fear of the past months had wearied him.

Teuntje (Teuny) Hylkema, born on 13-07-1920 in Wijnjeterp. Teuny died on 31-07-1973 in Apeldoorn, 53 years old. She has been buried in cemetery Wenum (gem. Apeldoorn).

Teuny married, 23 years old, on 04-02-1944 in Franeker with Jelke Zondervan, 24 years old, born on 19-11-1919 in Franeker as son of Jacob Zondervan and Lolkje of of the heathland. Jelke died on 12-11-1987 in Apeldoorn, 67 years old. He has been buried on 14-11-1987 in cemetery Wenum (gem. Apeldoorn).