Did you know that RK Begraafplaats Sint Jozef has a history stretching back over a century? This cemetery whispers tales of faith, war and community. It all began with a visionary pastor.
In 1917, Pastor Paulus Johannes van Beuzekom arrived at the OLVOO church. He was only 39 years old. He recognized a pressing need. Den Helder’s Roman Catholics needed their own dedicated burial ground. Van Beuzekom embarked on a quest. He sought a suitable location for a Catholic cemetery. He enlisted the help of two men. These were R.N. van Os, a carpenter and contractor, and R.Th. Luijckx, an entrepreneur.
After careful searching, they identified the ideal spot. It was near the general cemetery on the Strooweg. Today this is known as Jan Verfailleweg. This transformation happened after a council decision on March 1, 1938. The vicar-general wanted both church administrations to manage the new cemetery together. The land however belonged to the Ministry of War. After some negotiation, the church acquired the land. On February 17, 1921, the ministry transferred 1.21 hectares for 200 guilders. Den Helder’s authorities swiftly granted permission. Work began immediately. The terrain needed raising with sand. A portion was paved. A priest’s grave was constructed. The contractor Van Os’s site cabin served as a temporary chapel.
RK Begraafplaats Sint Jozef was consecrated on August 31, 1922. Soon after its opening, people realised it would be too small. In 1926, a strip of land was purchased from the Ministry of War to expand the cemetery. This strip lay on the south side. It measured 100 by 25 meters. The cost was 100 guilders. It extended the general cemetery.
This strip remained unused for a while. The German occupation in May 1940 brought changes. Initially, the Germans used the war cemetery at the general burial ground. This was for their dead in 1940. In 1941, they designated this strip of land as a war cemetery too. From October 24, 1941, they buried fallen Allied soldiers here. The Germans painted the outside of the cemetery chapel green. From 1942, German soldiers were also buried here. Locally, this section became known as the German cemetery.
After the war, from 1946 to 1949, the remains of over 500 soldiers were moved. They were reburied in other fields of honour. Americans went to Margraten in Limburg. British and Commonwealth soldiers were moved to Bergen op Zoom in Noord Brabant. The French were reinterred in Kapelle in Zeeland. The Germans were taken to Ysselsteyn in Limburg. The cemetery chapel was repainted white.
In 1971, this ground was added to the RK Begraafplaats Sint Jozef. Over time, space became limited again. In 1993, the cemetery expanded with section L. In 2010, section J was added. The cemetery then covered approximately 4.400 square meters.
The administration of RK Begraafplaats Sint Jozef has its own story. On November 27, 1935, the cemetery board bought the house on Strooweg. This was from the estate of Rens Zwaan. He was the gravedigger of the general cemetery. The Catholic cemetery’s gravedigger became the new resident. Henk Veldman was the first known gravedigger. Later, Stromer and Ursem took over. In April 1951, Marinus Raaijmakers became the caretaker. He was the father of the current manager, Jan Raaijmakers. When Marinus Raaijmakers died suddenly on May 11, 1957, his wife took over. She was helped by her 14-year-old son, Jan. From that moment until today, Jan has managed the cemetery.
In 2022, the cemetery’s centennial year, Jan celebrated 65 years as manager. He was awarded a royal decoration for his service that April.
Throughout its history, the RK Begraafplaats Sint Jozef has evolved. Initially, strict rules applied. When a Roman Catholic died, the pastor decided if they could be buried here. This depended on their conduct during their life. Drawings for grave monuments needed approval from the board. The term “doodgraver” became “grafdelver” in the late 1920s. In 1946, Sint Joseph became Sint Jozef. In 1952, the cemetery’s legal status changed to “begraafplaats.” Nowadays, non-Catholics can also be buried here. Rules are less strict than 100 years ago.
Behind the chapel, you will find older graves. Some monuments predate the cemetery. After the cemetery’s creation, several graves were moved from the general cemetery. The grave monuments of some of Den Helder’s elite are also located here.
Today, the RK Begraafplaats Sint Jozef stands as a testament to faith. It shows resilience and community spirit. It has served Den Helder for a century. It connects past, present and future generations.