Pierre Schunck
Encyclopedia
Peter Joseph Arnold Schunck (24 March 1906 in Heerlen
– 2 February 1993 in Kerkrade
),
also known as Paul Simmons, was a member of the prosperous Schunck
family who owned a department store at Heerlen in the Netherlands
. He is remembered principally for his involvement in the Dutch resistance
in the Second World War when he hid a considerable number of Dutchmen from the Germans and also assisted the Allies during the Dutch liberation.
Pierre initially studied to become a priest but soon joined the family business, initially running a laundry in Valkenburg
near Maastricht
. From the beginning of the German occupation, he decided to stand up against the Germans and became a member of the LO or Landelijke Organisatie voor hulp aan Onderduikers, a resistance group whose mandate was to assist persons in hiding. Under the pseudonym of Paul Simmons, he headed the Valkenburg chapter
.
He helped Jews and resistance fighters to hide from the Germans in his laundry as well as in the nearby Valkenburg limestone caves. Furthermore, his assisted both Dutchmen and Allies to move on by issuing them with ration books and coupons and providing them with safe addresses where they could hide.
In 1944, as a member of intelligence group ID18, he provided the Allies
first with reports on the German defences and later organised physical resistance.
After the war, he returned to the family business and ultimately took up weaving for which he was considered to be an expert.
Pierre Schunck was awarded the Resistance Cross
for his bravery during the occupation.
Heerlen
Heerlen is a city and a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands. The municipality is the second largest in the province of Limburg. It forms part of Parkstad Limburg, , an agglomeration of about 220,000 inhabitants.After its early Roman beginnings and a rather modest medieval period, Heerlen...
– 2 February 1993 in Kerkrade
Kerkrade
Kerkrade is a town and a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands.It is the western half of the divided region and de facto city, taken together with the eastern half, the German town of Herzogenrath...
),
also known as Paul Simmons, was a member of the prosperous Schunck
Schunck
Schunck is the name of former fashion house and department store Firma Schunck in Heerlen, the Netherlands. It is also the name for the collection of buildings the firm has been housed in, one of which is known as the Glaspaleis , which is now a cultural centre and declared one of the 1000 most...
family who owned a department store at Heerlen in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. He is remembered principally for his involvement in the Dutch resistance
Dutch resistance
Dutch resistance to the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands during World War II can be mainly characterized by its prominent non-violence, summitting in over 300,000 people in hiding in the autumn of 1944, tended to by some 60,000 to 200,000 illegal landlords and caretakers and tolerated knowingly...
in the Second World War when he hid a considerable number of Dutchmen from the Germans and also assisted the Allies during the Dutch liberation.
Pierre initially studied to become a priest but soon joined the family business, initially running a laundry in Valkenburg
Valkenburg aan de Geul
Valkenburg aan de Geul is a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands.-History:Siege and conquest were characteristic of the history of Valkenburg. Each event is withheld, followed by subsequent restorations. This most definitely holds for the castle perched atop of a hill in the middle of the...
near Maastricht
Maastricht
Maastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...
. From the beginning of the German occupation, he decided to stand up against the Germans and became a member of the LO or Landelijke Organisatie voor hulp aan Onderduikers, a resistance group whose mandate was to assist persons in hiding. Under the pseudonym of Paul Simmons, he headed the Valkenburg chapter
Valkenburg resistance
The Valkenburg Resistance was the resistance movement in Valkenburg, Limburg, Netherlands, during World War II. Most of the activities were related to helping people who had gone into hiding for various reasons. Going into hiding was dangerous, but so was keeping people in hiding...
.
He helped Jews and resistance fighters to hide from the Germans in his laundry as well as in the nearby Valkenburg limestone caves. Furthermore, his assisted both Dutchmen and Allies to move on by issuing them with ration books and coupons and providing them with safe addresses where they could hide.
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
first with reports on the German defences and later organised physical resistance.
After the war, he returned to the family business and ultimately took up weaving for which he was considered to be an expert.
Pierre Schunck was awarded the Resistance Cross
Dutch Cross of Resistance
The Verzetskruis 1940–1945 is one of the highest possible decorations that exist within the Kingdom of the Netherlands....
for his bravery during the occupation.