Philip Silbernberg -Murdered in Auschwitz

Just a picture of a soldier with his family. One could easily dismiss this photograph as just someone’s memory. A father who loved to smoke, a mother all dressed up and 2 well dressed children, a boy and a girl.

This picture could have easily been a picture of my Grandfather and part of his family. Like the man in the picture my Grandfather had something in common. The man in the pictures is Philip Silbernberg. The picture was taken in 1939. the Dutch army was mobilized for fear of war. My Grandfather was also called up that same year.

War did come to the Netherlands, on May 10.1940 German troops invaded the Netherlands. The fighting continued for 4 days, on May 14 the Dutch army capitulated.

In a way Philip and my Grandfather may have been relieved that the fighting only lasted 4 days. They realised that things would…