Postwar: Verdoner children emigrate on the Gripsholm; walk around NYC

Identifier
irn1002657
Language of Description
English
Alt. Identifiers
  • 2002.182.1
  • RG-60.3400
Dates
1 Jan 1946 - 31 Dec 1946
Level of Description
Item
Languages
  • Silent
Source
EHRI Partner

Creator(s)

Biographical History

The Verdoner Family - Gerrit and Hilde Verdoner, their children Yoka (b.1934), Francisca (b.1937) and Otto (b.1939) - were Jewish. In May 1940, when the Germans overran the Netherlands, Nazi decrees aimed specifically at Jews forced Gerrit out of his business and Yoka out of her second grade class. When the Nazis commandeered their home, the Verdoners went to live with Gerrit's parents in Amsterdam. Shortly thereafter, Gerrit and Hilde decided to place the children in hiding. Their foresight enabled the children to survive and save these family films. Hilde entered Westerbork on December 18, 1942, while Gerrit had a job with the Jewish Council. On September 29, 1943, after the collapse of the Jewish Council and Gerrit's narrow escape from the Germans, Gerrit found refuge in a hideout on a farm. On January 8, 1944 Hilde was sent to Auschwitz. After the war, Gerrit managed to reunite with his children and other surviving family members. The Verdoners emigrated to the US in 1946.

Scope and Content

Color part of "November 1946 Gripsholm" reel. CU, Yoka and Francisca Verdoner on the deck of a ship SS Gripsholm bound for the USA. This footage was shot post war, the Verdoner children were hidden children. Their mother Hilde was deported to Auschwitz and perished during the war. CU, all three Verdoner children arm in arm on deck- Francisca, Yoka and Otto. MCU, Otto on deck, he is playing with what looks like a piece of 35mm film(?). There are some instances of overexposure on this reel of film. Yoka moving about on deck. Panning shot of the ship's mast and various displaced persons on deck- there are men, women and children aboard this ship. VS, Otto walking around the deck, he stops to pose for his CU. Yoka on deck reading a book. Francisca on deck. More shots of the ship's mast and the ocean ahead. Otto walking among the pulleys and lines on deck. A view through the porthole. VS, LSs, the ocean and the waves. 08:06:15 LS, the three Verdoner children on the street in front of a house in the USA, unidentified location. 08:06:28 New reel: "1946 Jo, Barend, Gerrit, Lien, Ben in NY" Gerrit Verdoner and a woman sit on a bench talking. VS, on the streets of NYC with several men and women (friends, relatives). There is a sign on one of the buildings that indicates it is the Bamberger's department store. VS, on different city streets, men and women posing for the camera, unidentified. Signs for bus stops, etc. This is one of the last times that all three Verdoner children are together with their father. In 1947, Gerrit Verdoner died of a heart attack, the three children were separated and sent to individual families in the USA.

Subjects

Places

Genre

This description is derived directly from structured data provided to EHRI by a partner institution. This collection holding institution considers this description as an accurate reflection of the archival holdings to which it refers at the moment of data transfer.