Memorial Tree Jewish Den Hartog Family

At the outbreak of the Second World War, only one Jewish family lived in Ridderkerk. That was the den Hartog family, which then consisted of father Abraham and the children Rozette, Saar, Simon, Elisabeth and Tine. Mother Leentje had already died before the war. In 1942, the family was "hidden" in the Israelite hospital.

Simon den Hartog was arrested by the SD on November 16, 1942. A day later, his sister Elisabeth was also arrested. Eventually they ended up in camp Westerbork. On February 26, 1943, Abraham, Rozette, Saar and Tine were arrested during a raid on the Israelite hospital and taken to Westerbork.
The members of the den Hartog family were transported from Westerbork to the camps in the East at various times. Rozette, Saar and Abraham had to leave on March 10, 1943. They were part of a transport of 1,105 Jews to the Sobibor extermination camp in Eastern Poland. Jewish prisoners were murdered here almost immediately upon arrival. On 13 March 1943, Abraham den Hartog (75 years), Rozette den Hartog (36 years) and Saar den Hartog (33 years) were killed there.

Simon den Hartog was deported to Sobibor on 20 July 1943. He was murdered there on July 23, 1943, when he was 43 years old. Tine and Elisabeth den Hartog were transported to Auschwitz on March 3, 1944. Some of the Jews were selected to be put to work after arriving in the camp. Those who didn't make it through the selection were killed shortly after. Elisabeth (46 years old) was not selected for the work and was killed on March 6, 1944. Tine was selected to work, but she died in December 1944 as a result of exhaustion from the heavy work and the degrading living conditions.
None of the den Hartog family survived the Second World War. The past and fate of the den Hartog family were forgotten. Their names were not mentioned at commemorations and no monument was erected.

That only changed in 2003. Janneke de Moei published the booklet 'Caught in the net', in which the results of her research into the den Hartog family were incorporated. A lesson letter was issued for the schools in Ridderkerk. And near the town hall, a walnut tree from Israel was planted, in memory of this Jewish family. This tree is remembered every year during the silent march that precedes the commemoration of the dead.

The plaque in front of the tree states the following text:
"This walnut tree from Israel was planted on Tu Bishwat 5763/ January 23, 2003 by the Dijksynagoge foundation in memory of the Jewish family den Hartog, butchers in Oostendam."

Source: Ridderkerk and the Second World War (D. de Winter a.o.)

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Source

• Text: David Izelaar
• Photos: David Izelaar