Date of birth:

July 15th, 1912

Date of death:

July 18th, 1964

Nationality:

Dutch

The Cardozo family, father Salomon (28.7.1913 – 16.4.1043 Sobibor), mother E. Cardozo (née Beretz) and their only daughter Emma, born 23.03.1939, lived in the southern city of Venlo (prov. Limburg), where Salomon had a textile business. In the course of 1941, they were forced to move to one of the Jewish areas of Amsterdam. However, ever since the deportations to the camps in the East started in the summer of 1942, the Cardozos moved frequently in the designated areas of the city in order to stay out of sight. In early 1943, however, Salomon was caught and immediately deported. He was murdered in Sobibor on April 16, 1943. Mother Cardozo then decided to flee to Switzerland, but was told that she would be unable to take her daughter along. Emma, now a three-year-old toddler, was taken to the Keizer family in the eastern village of Veessen (prov. Gelderland) by a Protestant clergy man, who had contacted one of the brothers of Bertha Keizer, an activist in a local underground group. Albert and Bertha Keizer, both in their thirties, had an eight-year-old son, Arend. Albert was a blacksmith and Bertha a housewife. At the time that Emma came into their lives, the Keizers had just lost their baby girl as a result of an accident. Emma was warmly welcomed as if their own child, and from then on answered to the name, Emma Keizer. She was often the center of attention in the family, as if a replacement for their own deceased daughter. Emma slept in a closet-bed that could be closed off, so that unexpected visitors would not see her. She did go to Sunday school, as it was important for her to have a religious education, but she could not attend regular kindergarten for fear of discovery. Emma remembers that she was much loved but that she was often ill and was frequently visited by a physician who knew her real identity. Albert and Bertha Keizer were taking a serious risk by protecting Emma, since another of Bertha’s brothers was collaborating with the German occupation authorities. And thus, once during her stay in hiding, the entire Keizer family was ordered before the German authorities, who inquired about their possible resistance activities. Luckily, Emma was not identified as a Jewish girl in hiding, and all were allowed to return home. Emma stayed with the Keizers until the liberation of the area in April 1945. Shortly afterwards, her mother came to see her at the Keizers, but the transition for returning to her own mother was done gradually. Emma stayed in close contact with the Keizers until their deaths, and later with their son, who passed away in 2005.

Do you have more information about this person? Inform us!

• - Yad Vashem
  - Albert Keizer (1911 - 1980) - Genealogy