This morning I visited Hans to say him farewell.
He is at a wonderful place in the back garden of his youngest daughter. The sun is shining, all very peaceful.
His other daughter asked me to park my Norton next to his BSA.
On behalf of everybody here who knew Hans I made a card which is now on his coffin
Some nice memories were shown
The mourning card
Hans' clear message on this card is 'Do me a favor, there are too many tears of sadness these days in the world, I prefer to cry because of laughing. So please think about my, sometimes a little absurd, sense of humour....'
Since Hans loved to be on this forum asking questions, giving answers or just replying his family specifically asked me to post these pictures as that would have been Hans wish.
Because of the current restrictions a funeral will not be organised but if you light a candle at 3.30 pm on Tuesday 31st of March and listen to Mendelssohn's Symphony no 4, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KjrK3pzDF8. This is what Hans would have wished for; 'Happy and optimistic, the way I tried to live my life....'
Any quote or memory you want to share with the family can be e-mailed to gomhill_09@live.nl
On behalf of Hans family many thanks for your replies here on the forum.
Thanks for posting that Sven...
The one thing Hans said that I remember was in answer to my observation that many Dutch people are very tall...He replied ..'It's natural selection...In a land that is mainly below sea level it's the tallest that survive...'....Ian:relaxed:
Ian Wright
Mar 27, 2020 - 5:41PM
Quote ReplyHans....
I'm sorry to have to report that Hans Muller has passed away...I was contacted by his family today with the news...
It's fair to say he was a true gentleman and his loss is another break with the history of the liberation in the Netherlands... His determination to get Don Fife's name entered onto the Canadian war memorial can also only be admired...It wouldn't have happened without him....A sad day...Ian
email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com
Rob Miller
Mar 27, 2020 - 5:52PM
Quote ReplyRe: Hans....
Very sad to here that Ian, he was a true gentleman, my condolences to his family.
Rob
email (option): robmiller11(a)yahoo.co.uk
Ron Pier
Mar 27, 2020 - 6:06PM
Quote ReplyRe: Hans....
Really sad news. What a gent. I help him acquire some NOS oil pipes for his M20 just a couple of weeks ago, which he was still working on to get it fully renovated to bequeath to his grandson. Ron
Don-Fife5-2
email (option): ronpier@talk21.com
Jan
Mar 27, 2020 - 8:00PM
Quote ReplyRe: Hans....
Rest in peace Hans. I have been fortunate to have known you, to have been in your lovely workshop. Fond memories...
My condolences to your family.
Jan
email (option): wd.register@gmail.com
Rik
Mar 27, 2020 - 8:09PM
Quote ReplyRe: Hans....
Sad news at a sad and difficult time. Rest in Peace, Hans.
John O’Brien
Mar 27, 2020 - 8:45PM
Quote ReplyRe: Hans....
So sad to hear this
Hans was a gentleman & always most helpful to everyone imparting his knowledge & experience - myself included as I began my custodianship of my m20 all those years ago now
His recall of being liberated as a young boy in Amsterdam always stuck with me
RIP Hans, it was a privilege to know you & a pleasure always to meet you
Hope there are motorcycles where you are
Jo’b😢😢😢
email (option): jonnyob1@googlemail.com
Tom Steele
Mar 27, 2020 - 9:20PM
Quote ReplyRe: Hans....
Sorry to hear this rip Hans.
email (option): tjsblade@googlemail.com
Horror
Mar 27, 2020 - 9:55PM
Quote ReplyRe: Hans....
I'm sorry to hear this sad news, RIP Hans
email (option): horror@blueyonder.co.uk
Samuel Cormier
Mar 27, 2020 - 10:16PM
Quote ReplyRe: Hans....
Very sad news. I never met Hans, but worked with him on the Don Fife event. He was a super friendly fellow who offered me the use of his M20 at any time and for any events which I would choose to attend in Europe. Never would I have accepted such an offer, but I know he was absolutely sincere about it. Rest in Peace, Hans.
email (option): sam-cormier@hotmail.com
Lex Schmidt
Mar 28, 2020 - 4:45AM
Quote ReplyRe: Hans....
Very sad news indeed!
May he rest in peace! Visited him several times the last ten years, always nice coffee and biscuits, and very nice stories!
Lex
email (option): welbike@welbi🤯🤯.net
Mick
Mar 28, 2020 - 9:49AM
Quote ReplyRe: Hans....
Sorry to hear this. I never met him but he was always helpfull and a true BSA fan.
Rest in peace, Hans.
Michiel W
Mar 28, 2020 - 11:15AM
Quote ReplyRe: Hans....
I also remember his forum posts of his yearly visit to the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, always with lots of respect and flowers.
He really expressed his thanks to our liberators.
Been at his home once, had a nice chat and walk around his workshop and discussed his M20, he wanted his bike in perfect condition to hand it over to his grandson, hope that his plan did work out...
Ray
Mar 28, 2020 - 11:30AM
Quote ReplyRe: Hans....
Sad news indeed - RIP Hans.
email (option): rays54@hotmail.com
Pratap Henry
Mar 28, 2020 - 11:37AM
Quote ReplyRe: Hans....
Very very sad to hear about it.
When I first got the M20 and when I knew nothing about it Hans sent a CD with multiple pictures and technical documents all the way to India.
My very first knowledge about the M20s were from the CD he sent over.
When asked about the postage and handling expenses he very kindly refused.
Will miss him very much...
Pratap Henry
email (option): prataphenry@gmail.com
Stephen Foster
Mar 28, 2020 - 11:56AM
Quote ReplyRe: Hans....
Very sad news .
Sorry to hear of his passing, we met and had a great time in Normandy together when a passing hello ended in Hans getting his tools and spanners out to show and help me with a few things. I will never forget your White Polar Bears, finding out why they were so special to him. Glad we stayed up a little late at the bar one night.
Wow
Very bad news
I dealt with him and he was a very good man - I considered him like my older brother
I hope that God will be in heaven and bliss
The family has the most sincere solace
This is news you never want to hear but inevitable in the end.
I met him first time on a bus trip to Stafford organised by the Dutch BSA club many years ago.
We sat beside each other where he told me lots about Triumphs and I had some info on Nortons.
When I told my main interest was the military Norton he started telling about his personal experience of the liberation of Amsterdam.
In the end he had tears in his eyes indicating the enormous impact those events had on a little boy.
Something we cannot really imagine ourselfs not having been there.
I do not know (anymore?) if he was present on "de Dam" square when the shooting started on may 7th, killing 30 civilians through German machine gun fire. My aunt (a nurse then) was and she was equally impressed.
Polar Bears liberated my home town (Utrecht) but at that time there was not much fighting.
Hans, you are one of the persons I will never forget,
Just saw a reply on a Facebook group that Hans had passed, came here to check.
Had a couple of great conversations with him last year, sad news.
RIP sir.
Phill.