Louise S. testimony 2014

Louise S. was born in Rotterdam, Netherlands on February 12, 1929. She moved to Naarden, a suburb of Amsterdam at age 6. She describes her family and their pre-war life. She recalls her experiences at school. She recalls her father’s attempts to leave Holland. She recalls the German occupation. She describes increased anti-Jewish regulations. She describes incidents of hiding possessions from confiscation and being forced from the family home. She explains how her father’s business was affected and how her parents were placed on a workers exemption list. She recalls having to wear the yellow star. She recalls living conditions in the ghetto. Louise describes witnessing round-ups. She recalls her family’s decision to go into hiding. She describes travelling with false papers and moving to different hiding places. She describes the various families and individuals who aided in hiding. She describes hiding during raids. She describes an incident of going to the dentist. Louise describes liberation by Canada troops. She describes reuniting with her sister. She recalls learning the fate of extended relatives and being reunited with relatives who were concentration camp prisoners. She describes the experience of returning to school. She recalls her experience as a teenager and young adult. She explains how she met her husband and ended up moving to Canada. Louise discusses how she began sharing her Holocaust experience. She discusses her identity as a survivor. She describes her reactions and responses to the experience of hiding. Louise discusses and describes artefacts.