Recently, I heard of a bizarre argument that persecuted persons should not have had sex. They should not have taken the risk of getting pregnant. To me, it makes perfect sense they have sex, especially in times of discord. It’s a basic primary instinct that gives a feeling of comfort, albeit for a short time.
Women did become pregnant, and more often than not and the babies did not survive. Bergen-Belsen was described by most as a hell on Earth. Many babies were born and murdered there. I say murdered—because, basically, that is what happened. Infants did not receive the care required to thrive. They were born and murdered in captivity.
Below are a few of the documented stories.
Leo Henri Bierman
Leo Henri Bierman was born in Bergen-Belsen on 18 August 1944. He was murdered on 4 January 1945 in Bergen-Belsen. He reached the tender age of four months.
Leo’s father, Abraham Bierman, was a diamond worker who married on 14 October 1942 in Amsterdam to a German refugee. Together, they were arrested during a raid on 20 June 1943 and then deported to Westerbork. They were released on 17 July 1943. On 19 November 1943, they were back in Westerbork and deported to Bergen-Belsen on 19 May 1944. Their son Leon Henri was born there on 18 August 1944. On 16 December 1944, Abraham was transferred to Sachsenhausen, then returned in February 1945 to Bergen-Belsen, where he died on 31 May 1945. His spouse survived Bergen-Belsen.
Milly Blik
Milly Blik was born in Bergen-Belsen on 9 April 1944. Her murder was at Bergen-Belsen on 18 March 1945. She lived for 11 months.
Sonny Zurel
Sonny Zurel was born at Bergen-Belsen on 30 December 1944. He was murdered there on 4 January 1945. He lived five days—not even a week.
The last people in hiding transported to Westerbork from South Limburg, the Netherlands, were two young nurses who had sought refuge in Hoensbroek. Betsie Zurel-van Creveld and her friend Cato van Lier, both from Amsterdam, were picked up on 30 August 1944—more than two weeks before the liberation of Hoensbroek and then—they were finally delivered to Westerbork. Betsie was in her third trimester of pregnancy
She gave birth to her son Sonny on 30 December in Bergen-Belsen, who died five days later in the camp. Betsy died on 13 January 1945. Her friend Cato did not survive the Ravensbrück Camp.
Marcel Peterle Sandelowsky
Marcel Peterle Sandelowsky was born in Bergen-Belsen on 2 August 1944. In March 1945, he was murdered at Bergen-Belse and reached seven months of age.
sources
History of Sorts 