Verdoner children

MCU, Yoka Verdoner hamming it up for the camera. Hilde Verdoner feeding her son Otto who is seated in his high chair at the table. Otto begins to feed himself as well. CU, Francisca Verdoner seated at the table, drinking milk that was poured for her, and eating. She smiles and plays for the camera. VS, CUs, Otto eating and drinking milk, playing "peek-a-boo" for the camera. More shots of Otto eating. 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.