Nederlands Exposition in Auschwitz Going into hiding

Help to people in hiding

To be able to go into hiding, external help was indispensible. Help came from both individuals and organisations. In 1942, a national organisation was set up to help people in hiding. It had networks throughout the Netherlands. Student resistance groups devoted themselves to saving Jewish children.
Up until autumn of 1943, caregivers and members of resistance movements smuggled children from the childcare centre (with the consent of their parents), which was located across from the Hollandsche Schouwburg. Around 1100 children in total were brought to safe hiding places by the resistance organisations.
By mid 1943, the resistance organisations had enough addresses, especially for hiding people who refused to go to Arbeitseinsatz. For most of the Jews this was too late. They had already been deported.

Organisations for helping people in hiding
Personal story: Süskind en Cohen
Personal story: Slomp en Kuipers-Rietberg

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  1. Two Jewish children with two sons of Johannes Boogaard
    In the summer of 1943, the farmstead of Johannes Boogaard and his family in Haarlemmermeerpolder was the hiding place of 70 people in hiding, mostly Jews.
    Unknown photographer, NIOD Collection, Amsterdam
  2. Jews in hiding at Johannes Boogaard's farm in Haarlemmermeerpolder
    Unknown photographer, NIOD Collection, Amsterdam
  3. On 6 October 1944, Johannes Boogaard's farm was raided. Thirty four people were caught and had to lie on the ground awaiting transport. All were murdered in the extermination camps.
    Unknown photographer, NIOD Collection, Amsterdam
  4. In a forest in the Nunspeet municipality, a cleverly concealed hiding place was set up where around 80 to 100 people could hide. On 29 October 1944, the Germans discovered the place. Most of the people hiding were able to get away on time. The few that stayed behind were shot dead on the spot.
    Unknown photographer, NIOD Collection, Amsterdam
  5. In a forest in the Nunspeet municipality, a cleverly concealed hiding place was set up where around 80 to 100 people could hide. On 29 October 1944, the Germans discovered the place. Most of the people hiding were able to get away on time. The few that stayed behind were shot dead on the spot.
    Unknown photographer, NIOD Collection, Amsterdam
  6. A hiding place in Amsterdam in the cellar of a tobacco firm
    The caretaker of the building and his wife, seen in the photo, hid many people during the war.
    Photo Cas Oorthuys, May 1945, NFM Collection, Rotterdam
  7. Hiding place under the floor, The Hague, 21 November 1944.
    Photo Ed van Wijk, NFM Collectie, Rotterdam
  8. A 'drill in disappearing' in the home of the Ten Boom family in Haarlem, July 1943.
    During his hiding period in the home of the Ten Boom family (May 1943 to February 1944), the student Hans Poley used a box camera and paper negatives to make 24 photos of the daily life of people in hiding. The Ten Boom family were devout Christians who opened their doors to persecuted people out of their religious convictions. This included Jews, students who refused to sign a loyalty declaration, and people in the resistance. Poley was arrested on the street in February 1944 and imprisoned in camp Amersfoort. During a raid of the Sicherheitsdienst at the end of February 1944, everyone in the Ten Boom's home were arrested. Six people were so well hidden that they were not discovered. Corrie ten Boom survived imprisonment in Ravensbrück concentration camp. The rest of the family perished.
    Photo Hans Poley, NFM collection, Rotterdam
  9. Inner courtyard of the Hollandsche Schouwburg in Amsterdam. Jews who were arrested were brought to the Hollandsche Schouwburg awaiting transport to the Westerborg transit camp. Between 1942 and 1943, 15,000 to 18,000 Jews came through the Hollandsche Schouwburg.
    Photo Lydia Riezouw, VMA Collection, Amsterdam and NIOD, Amsterdam
Glossary
floorplan
introduction
jew in the netherlands
refugees
german invasion
persecution
resistance
going into hiding
sinti and roma
deportation
dutch people in auschwitz
guest book
people in hiding
help to people in hiding