World War II Spitfire Wall Art Discovered in Amsterdam
During the construction of a building on the Leidsekade in Amsterdam, employees of the construction company Salverda Bouw discovered a wall drawing of a Spitfire fighter plane made during the war. The drawing measures approximately 50 by 110 cm, is dated January 2, 1942 and signed with ‘H. Janssen’.
The discoverers of the drawing were so impressed by the find that the sloop work was suspended. The contractor called the Resistance Museum, which then quickly investigated the origin of the drawing. Data from the Amsterdam population register showed that the Janssen family lived at the address in question during the war. Their youngest son Hans (1924-2003) was a gifted draftsman and would make a career as an interior architect after the war. The Resistance Museum contains Janssen’s daughter Margje, who was able to tell that her father went into hiding in the same attic to escape forced labor in Nazi Germany.
(Photo Resistance Museum Amsterdam – 2021)
Wall drawing of the Supermarine Spitfire. It is a British single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and other allied countries before, during and after World War II. Many variants of the Spitfire were built, using different wing configurations. It was also the only British fighter aircraft to be produced continuously during the war. The Spitfire remains popular with enthusiasts; there are about 70 more airworthy, and many more are static exhibits in aviation museums around the world
Testifying to many cut-out photos of fighter jets and bombers that can still be seen in the attic, young Hans had a fascination for airplanes. The Spitfire, the aircraft he chose for his drawing, was a widely used model of the British Air Force that was deployed in large numbers in Dutch airspace during the war.
More often, drawings referring to the war have been found in houses. However, they are repeatedly in such good condition and usually not made by someone with such a pronounced talent for drawing. It is also rare that a name with a story as well as a surviving relative of the artist can be traced. The wall drawing was disassembled by contractor Salverda Bouw today and in the presence of Janssen’s daughter Margje at the Resistance Museum finished. The panel can be admired as a new addition in the foyer of the museum from Wednesday 24 November to Sunday 30 November 2021. address: Plantation Kerklaan 61A Amsterdam