Broederenkerkhof 2

Toni Buda, Avi Langer, Zutphen, April 6, 2014.

Dear Grandpa Abraham, Grandma Rosa, Aunt Betsy, dear friends and guests,  This is the first time we address you directly, dear grandparents and aunt. We never met you personally, and know you only from old photographs and stories. When my sister Toni and I visited Zutphen, for the first time some years ago, we had the idea to place a stone or another marker in your memory. Although this is very late, WWII ended almost seventy years ago, we are here to do that. Thanks to the courtesy of those living here now, we have seen the inside of Broederenkerkhof 2, where you used to live with your small family.

Grandpa and Grandma, you lived here with your two daughters, Floor and Betsy, modestly and peacefully; you earned a living for your family in the butcher shop on ground floor, where only kosher meat and sausage was sold to the mainly Jewish clientele, and where you met relatives and friends as part of your regular day-to-day routine.

In May 1940 the Germans invaded and conquered Holland. Life changed for the population, especially for the Jews. The persecution started. Jews were taken from their homes by the Germans occupiers and their Dutch collaborators, often on the eve of Jewish holidays when they were sure to be in. This happened to the Hamburg- Glaser family, your family, too.

Our mother, Floor Elisabeth, wisely thought, that the German occupation would bring nothing but disaster for the Jews, and went underground in time. You too, dear grandparents, and others were aware of the danger, but could not leave home and livelihood for different reasons. Floor fled from home and witnessed at a distance your fears for the future. Grandpa Abraham, you, whose name I bear, were taken first. My mother told me how shocked she was seeing you crying for the first time in her life upon being ordered to go to a so called "labor camp", knowing that it was not just work awaiting you there. On the eve of Yom Kippur 1942 you were ordered to go to the train station, instead of going, deeply religious person that you were, to the Synagogue in order to celebrate the highest and most important Jewish holiday. You observed that Yom Kippur in a closed cattle-wagon, on its way to Westerbork. Grandma Rosa and Aunt Betsy, you were left frightened at home. You urged Floor to remain in hiding and not to come home. This saved her life. Almost two weeks later, on the eve of Simchat Tora, the two of you were also taken to Westerbork.Later the three of you were taken to Auschwitz, where you were murdered on November 2, 1942, only a few short weeks after leaving home. Grandpa, you were 60 years old; Grandma, you were 57; Betsy you we re just 18.

At the age of 20 our mother Floor was left completely alone. Only 30 of the 500 Jews of Zutphen, survived the war and persecution. Floor survived thanks to the Dutch Underground and her own quick reactions. She stayed in different places with different people, Jews and Christians, until the Underground placed her at the farm of the Goosens family in Liessel, South-Holland. This deeply religious Catholic family risked their livelihood and lives to save our mother and other Jews. Our mother worked on the farm; only when the occupation ended did she learn that the Goosens family had hidden and fed other Jews also.

In recognition for his deeds Frans Goosens was awarded the status of "Righteous among the Nations", by Yad Vashem, The Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Authority. This is lsrael's greatest recognition of people who saved Jews during the Holocaust all over the world.

After WWII our mother, your daughter and sister, emigrated to Palestine, which soon became Israel. She and her beloved husband, Max Langer, of blessed remembrance and the two of us children formed a small family, which has grown. Our mother now has eight grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. Unfortunately she was not able to attend this ceremony for health reasons, but she sends her greetings to all of you.Toni and I, on behalf of our mother and ourselves, would like to thank:

• Ellen Hamburg, a cousin of our mother, who made the effort to corne here today; we know it is not easy for her to travel. She is accompanied by her and our old friends,
• Dr. Hans and Celine Joostens, who kindly kept us updated on the Stolpersteine project in Holland.

We also would like to mention the "Gerda" prayer-group, which is named for Gerda Boekholt of blessed memory, who was our mothers best friend in Zutphen. Dear Riet, Inneke, Wim and Betsy, we are really moved by your attendance, and thank you for your support over many years. We would like to especially thank our friend Bart Mendelssohn, who shared with us his profound knowledge of the Jews of Zutphen in general, and the story of the Hamburg-Glaser family in particular. He assisted us willingly in many ways. We would like to thank our correspondent at the Stolpersteine Stichting, Mr. Anjo Lodewijks, without whom this ceremony would not have been arranged. We thank Mr. Gunter Demnig for creating this memorial for you, dear Grandparents and Aunt, a place of remembrance of you.

Thank you to all the guests who honored the memory of our grandparents and aunt, and our mother and us by attending this important ceremony.

Toni Buda, Avi Langer, Zutphen, April 6, 2014.