History of Sorts

This is Rachel Soesan—her face is filled with so much life and joy, and why wouldn’t it be when she was 4. Her whole life lay before her.

Yet there were some who perceived her as a threat to society.

She was born on December 20, 1938 in Amsterdam. She would have been 85 today. I can’t comprehend that no one asked questions.

I do not have an exact date of the arrest—but they arrested her. A 4-year-old arrested! No one asked any questions, and no one noticed the absurdity of this arrest.

Until June 5, 1943. this 4-year-old was imprisoned in Vught Concentration Camp. Again, no questions were asked, and orders were followed blindly.

On June 6, 1943. she was transported to Westerbork. The person who put her on that transport must have known what Rachel’s ultimate fate would be, and yet again, no questions were asked.

From Westerbork, she was deported to Sobibor. Whoever processed her deportation knew what the purpose of Sobibor was, yet the deportation was not stopped. Orders were orders. Critical thinking did not apply.

Rachel arrived in Sobibor on June 11, 1943. There, she was sent to the gas chamber. Someone must have looked at Rachel’s angelic face and reckoned that she was an immediate threat to their life.

Rachel Soesan, a 4-year-old, a clear and present danger, was murdered in Sobibor on June 11, 1943, but she should have been blowing out 85 birthday candles on her cake today.

Sources

https://www.joodsmonument.nl/nl/page/180043/rachel-soesan

https://www.oorlogsbronnen.nl/tijdlijn/Rachel-Soesan/01/39261