Document Ortskommandantur Dordrecht
This document is a standard order issued by the German Ortskommandantur in Dordrecht, drafted on 10 May 1944. It is addressed to all mayors within the district of the Dordrecht Ortskommandantur and stipulates that they must henceforth report immediately any event that the occupying forces would consider noteworthy. The text makes clear that an incident had recently occurred in which the Germans felt they had been informed too late or inadequately.
The Germans emphasise in this document that not only major events such as aircraft crashes or parachutists must be reported, but also smaller incidents such as raids on distribution offices, attacks on members of the Landwacht, or other forms of resistance. Such incidents occurred with increasing frequency in 1944, as the occupation became more unstable and the resistance more active.
The reports had to be “rasch, knapp, aber doch ausführlich genug,” meaning that they had to be submitted quickly, briefly, yet still with sufficient detail. The document is signed by a major of the Ortskommandantur Dordrecht.
