K.J. Dijkstra Profile picture

Jun 1, 2021, 8 tweets

(1/8) On 01-06-1931 Bartha Valk (📷on the right) was born in Groningen. She was the daughter of Mozes, born 25-11-1904 and Naatje Valk nee Cohen, born 25-04-1899. She had a sister Jetje, born 28-02-1934.
Mozes settled in Groningen in 1924 and started a pastry shop.

(2/8) In 1927 he married Naatje Cohen. Before the war they lived in Groningen, but on their Jewish Council card is an adres in Amsterdam. This is probably the house (📷2) they had to move to. This street, the Schalk Burgerstraat, was in the so called judenviertel II...

(3/8) ..or Jewishquarter II. On 20-06-1943 was the last big roundup in Amsterdam. Because previous raids had insufficient results, the German occupier decided to prepare this raid in secret. Early in the morning this neighbourhood was completely closed.

(4/8) With loudspeaker cars the Jewish population was driven to the meeting points. The personal data were processed by the administration that came over from Camp Westerbork. The Jewish council card of Bartha, says 20-06-1943 WBK (WBK=Westerbork).

(5/8) Looking at this date it's very likely (but not certain) the Valk family were arrested during this roundup. Naatje and the girls were deported from Westerbork to #Sobibor on 06-07-1943. They arrived there on 09-07-1943 and were almost certain all 3 killed on arrival.😢

(6/8) It's uncertain if Mozes was also 'arrested' with his family. Only thing certain is that he survived the camp(s), but not which camp(s). After the war he remarried and had 4 children. One of them was also named Bartha. They lived in Amsterdam but moved in 1954 to Israel.

(7/8) In 1966 they moved from Israel to Antwerp in Belgium.
Moses never recovered from the horrors of the concentration camp. He was often ill and depressed. He died in early 1972 at the age of 67.

(8/8) The girls were 12 and 9 years 'old'!

Bartha, we will remember you, your parents Naatje and Mozes and your sister Jetje.

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