the Netherlands
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I could write down the history of Bethrina Kooperberg but it is more poignant to use her own words to illustrate the person she was. The text is translated from Dutch and comes from a postcard and letter Bethrina sent from Camp Vught to her friends, the Van Beek family, dated 24 April 1943. “The…
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Although he was born as Alexander Zwaap, for most of his life he would be known as Lex van Delden. He was a truly remarkable man, despite hardships he never gave up. He was born in Amsterdam on September 10, 1919, as the only child of Wolf Zwaap, a school-teacher, and his wife Sara Olivier-Zwaap,…
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What would I do? Or, how much courage would I have? These are questions that haunt me in relation to the Holocaust? Questions which are becoming more and more relevant these days. There was a time where I would jeopardize my life to defend my principles in relation to justice and the treatment of my…
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I often come across people who seek my advice. Not that I am counselor or a psycho therapist, I don’t qualify for any of that. But for some reason people know I have had a life full of experiences. They often tell me “life isn’t fair” and I sometimes reply £Life is not supposed to…
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93 trains left concentration camp Westerbork in the Netherlands between July 1942 and September 1944. All the trains were heading eastbound. Not one single journey would be a pleasant one , The final destination would more then likely result in death. I deliberately call Westerbork a concentration camp, because that’s what it was, It is…
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Jan Ruschkewitz, just a name of a young boy. A young bot born in the Hague in the Netherlands. 23 years after the international peace palace was established. A palace that was suppose to safeguard your peace. In the picture you are about 2 or 3, but your peace would soon be destroyed. Jan Ruschkewitz,…
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In the 1920’s it would not be uncommon ,in the Catholic south of the Netherlands, that 1 or 2 children in a family would join a monastery or convent. But 6 from the 8 children was rare. What makes it even more rare with the Löb siblings that their parents had been Jewish. but they…
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I can’t deny the facts that the Dutch could have done more during World War II, especially concerning helping their fellow Jewish citizens. On the other hand, it is easy for me to judge because I was never in a situation where I had to choose between aiding a neighbour with a good chance of…
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On August 4,1944 a tip from a Dutch informer led the Gestapo to the now so well known secret annex in Amsterdam. Anne Frank, her family and all the other occupants would be arrested. Via her diary Anne Frank became one of the symbols of the Holocaust. I often read people describing her diary and her…
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I miss you, even though I don’t know you and we’ve never met. I miss you because you could have been the composer who composed my favourite piece of music. I miss you because you could have been the poet who wrote my favourite poem. I miss you because you could have been the painter…
History of Sorts 
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