大象传媒

Before the war, some religious difficulties were present in the town. Friesland was predominantly Protestant, my family were in a Catholic minority. Each group kept to themselves.
But, during the occupation, all denominations, including the Jewish community, worked together for one another, whenever possible. I suppose we all had a common enemy.
Members of the Jewish community started to be moved out during 1943. Originally, we thought that they were going to work in the German munitions factories. Many of the young men from Leeuwarden had been sent away already. We thought that the Jews would follow suit for the same reason and work in Germany.
Some did manage to find refuge in outlying isolated farms, but not many escaped the clutches of the SS.
The synagogue was turned into a dance hall, never to be used as a place of worship again. The Torah had already been removed and sent away, the rumour was that with the help of the underground, it had made its way to Egypt. The trademen's shops were destroyed and the homes in the Jewish quarter burned down.
Although the soldiers were involved, it was definitely under the orders and directions of the SS in the town.
Of about 3000 people removed, only around 100 returned in June and July of 1945 to find next to nothing of their former lives.
During the time of these arrests, ny eldest brother Piet, who was about 16 years old, was also detained during one of his school breaks. He had been walking in the town with his friends. Being tall, with dark brown hair and a dark complexion, the soldiers thought he was an unregistered Jew. He was taken to the SS building and interrogated, but of course knew nothing about anything. The headmaster of the school got a message home. My father got the German officer who was in charge at his workplace involved, and with his help, Piet was freed, about 8.00 the same evening.

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