Immediately after the invasion in 1940, the Wehrmacht established an Ortskommandantur in the conquered Dutch cities. This also happened in Bergen op Zoom. The leadership was in the hands of an Ortskommandant, a local go-between.

His role and that of his staff changed when Seys-Inquart was appointed Reich Commissioner for the Occupied Dutch Territories at the end of May. From that moment on, their role was limited to overseeing the execution by the municipal authorities of the billeting of German soldiers and the requisitioning of movable and immovable property for the benefit of the Wehrmacht and other German institutions established in the city.

The military supervision and monitoring of premises used by the occupiers and other security matters were assigned to this  Area Commander dedicated.

In every province, officials were appointed, the so-called Representative en Speakers, who supervised provincial and municipal administration, in particular the supervision of compliance with German ordinances by Dutch government organisations.

In the Wehrmacht organisation, each Ortskommandatur is assigned a number. For Bergen op Zoom, this is 870.
Source: Wehrmacht Lexicon. )

This became operational in mid-1940 and was therefore located on Steenbergseweg. For more detailed information, please refer to the Lexikon.

During the liberation of Bergen op Zoom on 27 October 1944, Canadian tanks and other military vehicles passed through Steenbergsestraat. Number 27 had, until then, housed the German Ortskommandantur.
Importantly, the fight with the occupier continued for several more days at the end of the Steenbergsestraat, near the Zoom.

The photographs were taken in October 1944, photographer: J.H.M Weijts, collection WestBrabantsArchief.

The photos were taken on 10 September 2024 by Maarten van ‘t Hof. 

(Due to differences in camera technology, lens characteristics, etc., it is virtually impossible to make the photos align exactly.)