The Vacation Bans

The Dutch in Germany
Found it a huge disappointment,
In March, the order came suddenly:
No leave until mid-May.

Even if they hadn’t
Been home for long,
It couldn’t be avoided,
The leave was canceled.

Yes, it was withdrawn
Until the 15th of May,
After that, “it is expected,”
You are free again

To travel to the Netherlands
To spouse and children,
And that joyful expectation
Brings comfort to many.

Leaves canceled
As of March 6, 1944, according to “Het Volk,” all leaves of the Dutch workers abroad are canceled until May 15. Only in very urgent cases, such as serious illness or the death of parents, wife, or children, an exception can be made. The competent German authority, the Deutsche Fachberater at the Gewestelijk Arbeidsbureau, must confirm the illness or the death. According to “Het Volk,” the cancelation of leaves is due to the suspension of all transport trains until that date. – 14-3-44

But many were furious,
Mumbling in their beards,
That usually with such a postponement,
It leads to cancellation most of the time.

They didn‘t want to believe it,
They were pessimistic:
There go our leaves,
They had been mistaken.

No, really, the Germans
Aren‘t thaaaat bad after all,
It seems that the homecoming
Is still possible.

And trains will run again
Starting from May 15,
The postponement of leaves
Is now thankfully over.

We go home, to Holland,
We go to our children and wives,
It’s two months later,
But that doesn’t matter much.

There is great joy,
To visit one’s country,
And until mid-June,
The trains were fully booked.

Leaves again from May 15.
As of May 15, leave trains to the Netherlands will run again, as reported from Berlin to „Het Volk.“ The interest in this is so great that the trains are fully booked until about mid-June. – 6-5-44

Too beautiful to believe,
So it is reported today,
Leaves were once again
Temporarily postponed.

You must stay in Germany,
Not allowed to go to the Netherlands,
And the joy of vacation
Is gone once again.

Leaves postponed again.
The Generalbevollmächtigte for the Arbeitseinsatz, Gauleiter Sauckel, has extended the ban on leave, which was introduced by ordinance on March 2, 1944, temporarily due to the approaching decisive battle for Europe, as reported from Berlin to Het Volk. Also, the workers who had already obtained a place in the leave trains will have to postpone their leave again, for the time being. – 15-5-44

The pessimists
Finally were proven right,
One feels, there is no blessing
In the whole Third Reich.

But if the Invasion succeeds,
It will be a huge stroke of luck,
Despite every Nazi,
Then you will get a big leave.