Graves Victims 14 Mai 1940 Doelen

During the bombing of Rotterdam, several victims fell in the Doelenzaal on the Coolsingel, rebuilt in 1934. This concert hall had been designated by the Dutch authorities as a location for the internment of " enemies of the state. These included persons of German nationality and (alleged) Dutch sympathizers of the enemy. Twenty-two of these victims were buried at the Crooswijk cemetery. A memorial stone lists both Dutch and German names under the text "14 May 1940 Doelen". One of those mentioned is Martin Friedland, a Jewish composer born in Burg Stargard on December 9, 1881, who had been living in the Netherlands as a refugee since 1938. Probably because of his German origin he was detained by Dutch authorities in De Doelen.

On either side of the memorial stone are two separate stones, each bearing a Star of David and the names of respectively Max Heidt and Werner Wartelsky, both of whom also died in the May 14 bombing. Werner Wartelsky was born on May 4, 1910 in Köningsberg. He was of Jewish descent and his last place of residence was registered as Camp Westerbork, which at that time was a refugee center of the Dutch government for German-Jewish refugees. The website Joods Monument suggests that Wartelsky may have been on his way to emigrate via the port of Rotterdam to Argentina, where his parents already resided. His wife, Lotte Sara Schmulewitz, was at that time still in Westerbork, where she would survive the war. Jewish merchant Max Heidt, born in Giesen on May 17, 1900, was the husband of Eveline Pool, who was born in Rotterdam. She and their son Eddy survived the war. Both Heidt and Wartelsky probably died while they were interned in De Doelen because of their German nationality.

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Source

• Text: Kevin Prenger
• Photos: Kevin Prenger