Between the devil and the deep blue sea - University of Canterbury

- 273 -
have pennission from the local commander. 102 The Territorial Commander in Friesland
closed the territOlY bordering the mouth of the Eems, in case the Allies used it to survey the
comings and goings of Gennan warships. 103 Likewise, the Commander of the Fortified
Position of Den Helder declared the Friesian islands off limits, to keep the curious from
monitoring naval movements in the North Sea. 104 His counterparts in the south of the
country prohibited sketching or photographing near the borders. 105 They also tightened
border security: no one without identification could enter the country except in cases of
obvious humanitarian need (deserters, refugees, internees and escaped POW s ).106 When
caught, dubious individuals found in or near restricted areas were often sent back across the
border (into Gennany) or faced prosecution and imprisonment. 107 One historian even has
claimed that in a month during 1917, 3,000 Gennan smugglers were caught and removed
out of the country. lOS Overall, there were enough infringements to warrant sending others to
emergency prisons for foreigners established in Nijmegen, Venlo, Roennond and
Maastricht. 109
102 Territorial Commander in Friesland to Commander-in-Chief, 18 November 1914, in ARA, "Archieven van de
Generale Staf' entry no. 2.l3.70, inventory no. 95; Commander of Coastal Battery in Neuzen, "Bekendmaking"
[Declaration] poster, l3 October 1914, in ARA, "Archieven van de Generale Staf' entry no. 2.13.70, inventory no.
98.
103 Territorial Commander in Friesland to Commander-in-Chief, 27 December 1914, and reply, 30 December 1914, in
ARA, "Archieven van de Generale Staf' entry no. 2.l3.70, inventory no. 74; Territorial Commander in Friesland to
Commander-in-Chief, 18 February 1915, in ARA, "Archieven van de Generale Staf' entry no. 2.13.70, inventory no.
202.
104 Commander of the Fortified Position of Den Helder, "Kennisgeving" [Announcement] poster, 12 July 1916, in
ARA, "Archieven van de Generale Staf' entry no. 2.13.70, inventory no. 210. See: ARA, "Archieven van de
Generale Staf' entry no. 2.l3.70, inventory no. 127 for documents on movements of German ships and aeroplanes
monitored on the island of Rottumeroog.
105 Commander of Coastal Battery near Neuzen, "Politieverordening" [Police declaration] poster, 2 November 1914,
in ARA, "Archieven van de Generale Staf' entry no. 2.13.70, inventory no. 98.
106 Commander-in-Chiefto Commander ofthe Field Army, 20 August 1914, in ARA, "Archieven van de Generale
Staf' entry no. 2.13.70, inventory no. 37; Commander-in-Chief, "Voorschrift, houdende bepalingen op de toelating
en het verblijfvan vreemdelingen in het staat van beleg verklaarde gebied" [Regulations regarding the entry and stay
offoreigners in the "state of siege" areas] 28 December 1916, in SMG/DC, "Handschrift nr: 39" 93/1.
107 Territorial Commander in Friesland, "Verslag ingevolge artikel 6" 28 May 1920, p. 11, in ARA, "Archieven van
de Generale Staf' entry no. 2.l3.70, inventory no. 708; Commander of "Division Group Brabant" to Minister of War,
30 September 1915, in ARA, "Archieven van de Generale Staf' entry no. 2.13.70, inventory no.174. For an example
of spies caught and removed out of the "state of siege", see: ARA, "Archief van het Hoofdkwartier Veldleger" entry
no. 2.l3.16, inventory no. 184; Smidt, "De bestrijding van de smokkelhandel" p. 61. See: information about
suspected spies moved out of the "state of siege" in ARA, "Archief van het Hoofdkwartier Veldleger" entry no.
2.l3.16, inventory no. 184.
108 Ritter, De Donkere Poort Volume 2, pp. 198 - 199.
109 Commander Division IV, "Verslag ingevolge art. 6" 5 May 1920, p. 7, in ARA, "Archieven van de Generale Staf'
entry no. 2.l3.70, inventory no. 708.