BENNIE BIALLOSTERSKI
Bennie Biallosterski was the youngest son of Tobias Biallosterski Sr. and Guurtje de Graaf. He was born on February 24th 1924 in Bloemendaal. He went into hiding in the Achterhoek region, in Varsseveld, on a farm called ’t Heeg of the Hofs family on the Enkweg. He died in Buchenwald concentration camp on February 6th 1945.
In May 2002, Mrs. Willy Schaap-Roos wrote the following in the magazine Eendracht about Doortje Hofs, who had passed away shortly before. Below is part of that text:
MEMORIES OF DOORTJE HOFS
It now seems very strange, but before 1940 I had never heard of Varsseveld. At that time it was still a real village that you never learned about in geography lessons at school. However, when the war began and we became occupied territory, it soon became clear that Varsseveld really did exist and that it became a refuge for people in hiding.
Thanks to the Jolink ladies, my brother, who at that time was attending the Nautical College in Amsterdam, was able to go into hiding with the Hofs family at ’t Heeg on the Entinkweg. I myself worked as a nurse in Arnhem, which—strange as it may sound—felt wonderfully far away from Hoorn, where we came from.
When you are young, you most want to go away, for example abroad, but in 1940–1945 that was only a pious wish. So Arnhem, being “far away,” was the solution, and I have never regretted it. Despite the miserable times, I greatly enjoyed the Achterhoek, especially with its vast fields of rye, oats, and wheat.
Doortje Hofs was extremely busy at ’t Heeg with caring for her sick mother, the many tasks on the farm, the people in hiding, and cooking every day for the whole group. I myself sometimes wanted something different from life in a hospital, and when my brother asked me to come to ’t Heeg as well to help Doortje, I did not say “no.” It was, of course, very hard work, but I was used to that, and I learned a lot there—for example, the difference between the stalks of rye, wheat, and oats.
I cleaned milk churns, walked around in wooden clogs, and did household work in the house. In short, we were busy together, but it was quite enjoyable, Doortje and I.
Because of food supplies for the Germans, the land had supposedly been “ploughed up,” and in summer it looked yellow with grain on the grain fields. So beautiful! More beautiful than the cornfields you see now.
What was also very important during the war years was food, especially for people from the towns like me. I will never forget it and found it delicious. We picked the green beans ourselves, with chives, and then added crispy fried bacon. Delicious! During the week we naturally ate in the kitchen, but on Sundays we ate in the living room, and then there was meat.
Harvesting the grain was done with the mowing machine; the five of us stood in a row. Willem Hofs was still alive then as well. Boss Hofs (Gerrit Hendrik) sat on the machine and divided everything into sheaves with a stick, which we then tied together. That was enjoyable work. In the evenings the boys stacked the sheaves. The landscape in and around Varsseveld was so beautiful at that time that it still gives me a nostalgic, homesick feeling.
Willem Hofs, born 25 May 1919 in Varsseveld, died 10 March 1945 at Kdo. Meppen-Versen, Neuengamme. Arrested on 4 March 1944 in Amsterdam during a house search at a contact address.
Theodora Maria Hofs, born 12 November 1925 on the farm ’t Heeg in Varsseveld, died 26 March 2002. She married Jan Willem Lammers on 17 August 1950.
Her father was Gerrit Hendrik Hofs. The above-mentioned Willem Hofs was one of her two brothers.
LINTELO – Israel will posthumously award its highest honor on Tuesday to two former residents of Lintelo and two from Varsseveld. During the Second World War they provided a hiding place for a Jewish family. These are the couples Arend Jan Ebbers and Harmina Johanna Ebbers-Veldhuis from Lintelo, and Gerrit Hendrik Hofs and Johanna Wilhelmina Hofs-Schuurman from Varsseveld. Israel honors them as Righteous Among the Nations. At the Yad Vashem war museum in Jerusalem, a plaque bearing their names will be unveiled on a wall of honor. Their relatives will receive a certificate and a medal. October 2008.
Another person who went into hiding with the Hofs family was Reinder Lieuwes (Rein) Bangma. In his RVPS report no. 17108 he writes the following:
“At the beginning of 1942, one of the instructors (from the Nautical College in Amsterdam) called De Hart, a member of the NSB, managed to oust the director Haverkemp from his job and took over his position. As a result, the students went on strike. Bangma played a prominent role in the demonstrations, and De Hart then sent a letter to Bangma’s father stating that he would see if he could have Bangma sent to Germany in order to teach him a lesson.
This took place in March 1942, and although De Hart did not actually carry out his threat, Bangma’s father thought that, for safety’s sake, he should go to work on a farm. Therefore, he arranged for Bangma to stay at a farm owned by G. H. Hofs, Aaltenscheweg C 345, Varsseveld, Achterhoek.
Bangma had been friendly with another nautical student, Jansen (RVPS no. 17110), who came from Haarlem and asked Bangma’s parents where Bangma was. Jansen then came to stay at a neighboring farm.
A relative of Bangma’s called Jollink (Jolink), Aaltenscheweg, Varsseveld, was also a farmer, and several Jews were in hiding on his farm. These included Mr. and Mrs. Koeijn (Konijn?) and a certain Hirsch from Zwolle. Through these people Bangma learned of other Jews who wanted to go into hiding, and he therefore began contacting other farmers to find hiding places for them. He carried out this work together with Jansen in their spare time, while during normal working hours they worked on their respective farms.
This continued until about October 1942, when Bangma returned home (Santpoort), as he was becoming very bored with farm work. He was officially registered in Varsseveld and returned home without changing his registration. His food coupons were forwarded to him from the place where he had been working.”
Bennie, however, became homesick, or perhaps also tired of working on the farm, and he too returned to Santpoort. Subsequently, two stories circulated about his arrest, both of which are possible.
The first version is that he was arrested in Santpoort during a raid for the Arbeitseinsatz. According to his German papers, this took place on May 9th 1944 in Santpoort. He had been warned about the raid but trusted that his forged papers would get him through. However, it was considered suspicious that someone working in agriculture was at home on leave at that particular time.
Ten days later, despite the fact that under German racial laws he was not considered Jewish, he was nevertheless transferred to Westerbork on May 19th 1944. There he was put to work dismantling aircraft parts—that is, parts from the wreckage of shot-down Allied aircraft.
In May 2002, Mrs. Willy Schaap-Roos wrote the following in the magazine Eendracht about Doortje Hofs, who had passed away shortly before. Below is part of that text:
MEMORIES OF DOORTJE HOFS
It now seems very strange, but before 1940 I had never heard of Varsseveld. At that time it was still a real village that you never learned about in geography lessons at school. However, when the war began and we became occupied territory, it soon became clear that Varsseveld really did exist and that it became a refuge for people in hiding.
Thanks to the Jolink ladies, my brother, who at that time was attending the Nautical College in Amsterdam, was able to go into hiding with the Hofs family at ’t Heeg on the Entinkweg. I myself worked as a nurse in Arnhem, which—strange as it may sound—felt wonderfully far away from Hoorn, where we came from.
When you are young, you most want to go away, for example abroad, but in 1940–1945 that was only a pious wish. So Arnhem, being “far away,” was the solution, and I have never regretted it. Despite the miserable times, I greatly enjoyed the Achterhoek, especially with its vast fields of rye, oats, and wheat.
Doortje Hofs was extremely busy at ’t Heeg with caring for her sick mother, the many tasks on the farm, the people in hiding, and cooking every day for the whole group. I myself sometimes wanted something different from life in a hospital, and when my brother asked me to come to ’t Heeg as well to help Doortje, I did not say “no.” It was, of course, very hard work, but I was used to that, and I learned a lot there—for example, the difference between the stalks of rye, wheat, and oats.
I cleaned milk churns, walked around in wooden clogs, and did household work in the house. In short, we were busy together, but it was quite enjoyable, Doortje and I.
Because of food supplies for the Germans, the land had supposedly been “ploughed up,” and in summer it looked yellow with grain on the grain fields. So beautiful! More beautiful than the cornfields you see now.
What was also very important during the war years was food, especially for people from the towns like me. I will never forget it and found it delicious. We picked the green beans ourselves, with chives, and then added crispy fried bacon. Delicious! During the week we naturally ate in the kitchen, but on Sundays we ate in the living room, and then there was meat.
Harvesting the grain was done with the mowing machine; the five of us stood in a row. Willem Hofs was still alive then as well. Boss Hofs (Gerrit Hendrik) sat on the machine and divided everything into sheaves with a stick, which we then tied together. That was enjoyable work. In the evenings the boys stacked the sheaves. The landscape in and around Varsseveld was so beautiful at that time that it still gives me a nostalgic, homesick feeling.
Willem Hofs, born 25 May 1919 in Varsseveld, died 10 March 1945 at Kdo. Meppen-Versen, Neuengamme. Arrested on 4 March 1944 in Amsterdam during a house search at a contact address.
Theodora Maria Hofs, born 12 November 1925 on the farm ’t Heeg in Varsseveld, died 26 March 2002. She married Jan Willem Lammers on 17 August 1950.
Her father was Gerrit Hendrik Hofs. The above-mentioned Willem Hofs was one of her two brothers.
LINTELO – Israel will posthumously award its highest honor on Tuesday to two former residents of Lintelo and two from Varsseveld. During the Second World War they provided a hiding place for a Jewish family. These are the couples Arend Jan Ebbers and Harmina Johanna Ebbers-Veldhuis from Lintelo, and Gerrit Hendrik Hofs and Johanna Wilhelmina Hofs-Schuurman from Varsseveld. Israel honors them as Righteous Among the Nations. At the Yad Vashem war museum in Jerusalem, a plaque bearing their names will be unveiled on a wall of honor. Their relatives will receive a certificate and a medal. October 2008.
Another person who went into hiding with the Hofs family was Reinder Lieuwes (Rein) Bangma. In his RVPS report no. 17108 he writes the following:
“At the beginning of 1942, one of the instructors (from the Nautical College in Amsterdam) called De Hart, a member of the NSB, managed to oust the director Haverkemp from his job and took over his position. As a result, the students went on strike. Bangma played a prominent role in the demonstrations, and De Hart then sent a letter to Bangma’s father stating that he would see if he could have Bangma sent to Germany in order to teach him a lesson.
This took place in March 1942, and although De Hart did not actually carry out his threat, Bangma’s father thought that, for safety’s sake, he should go to work on a farm. Therefore, he arranged for Bangma to stay at a farm owned by G. H. Hofs, Aaltenscheweg C 345, Varsseveld, Achterhoek.
Bangma had been friendly with another nautical student, Jansen (RVPS no. 17110), who came from Haarlem and asked Bangma’s parents where Bangma was. Jansen then came to stay at a neighboring farm.
A relative of Bangma’s called Jollink (Jolink), Aaltenscheweg, Varsseveld, was also a farmer, and several Jews were in hiding on his farm. These included Mr. and Mrs. Koeijn (Konijn?) and a certain Hirsch from Zwolle. Through these people Bangma learned of other Jews who wanted to go into hiding, and he therefore began contacting other farmers to find hiding places for them. He carried out this work together with Jansen in their spare time, while during normal working hours they worked on their respective farms.
This continued until about October 1942, when Bangma returned home (Santpoort), as he was becoming very bored with farm work. He was officially registered in Varsseveld and returned home without changing his registration. His food coupons were forwarded to him from the place where he had been working.”
Bennie, however, became homesick, or perhaps also tired of working on the farm, and he too returned to Santpoort. Subsequently, two stories circulated about his arrest, both of which are possible.
The first version is that he was arrested in Santpoort during a raid for the Arbeitseinsatz. According to his German papers, this took place on May 9th 1944 in Santpoort. He had been warned about the raid but trusted that his forged papers would get him through. However, it was considered suspicious that someone working in agriculture was at home on leave at that particular time.
Ten days later, despite the fact that under German racial laws he was not considered Jewish, he was nevertheless transferred to Westerbork on May 19th 1944. There he was put to work dismantling aircraft parts—that is, parts from the wreckage of shot-down Allied aircraft.
Mrs. G. Biallosterski–de Graaf
Kruidbergerweg 99
Santpoort (Village)
4 August 1944
Dear Mother,
I hope that you have received my letter and the stamp, and that everything is still well at home. Unfortunately, I have had to say goodbye to (George) Boutelje and Robbie (Boutelje?) and Mrs. Blom and Jannie (Jansje Blom?). They are being transported to Theresienstadt and Celle (Bergen-Belsen). (Transport of 31 July 1944?) It is not a large transport; it consists of 450 people.
For the time being I do not need to worry, as I have been postponed again from the very beginning. And if everything should leave after all, I will be one of the last, and I will manage to get through it again. I have experienced enough over the past months to be able to cope with that as well. Let us hope for the best.
Thank you very much for the 50 guilders, which have been in my possession for a week now and which I can put to good use. I gave Boutelje 20 guilders, because the poor man does not have a cent left, and since I had been careful with the 70 guilders, I was able to help him in this way. You will probably think: where does all that money go? But I buy as much butter and other foodstuffs as possible to keep my health up as best I can. Everything is expensive, as you understand. I was therefore extremely happy with the 50 guilders.
You must especially pass on the greetings from the acquaintances here, and I hope that we may soon see them back in Holland. I will miss Boutelje’s voice very much, but who knows how soon all this misery will be over for all of us.
I have to do terribly dirty work, namely dismantling battery cells and sorting the manganese dioxide and carbon rods. The dust from that manganese penetrates right into your pores, and you can hardly get yourself clean. But if I can stay here during the war, I should not complain.
You should see me in my overalls, with a red back and a white band around my arm, and with my bald head. I will soon receive another stamp, and perhaps also a performance stamp. For now, you will have to be clever in packing the parcels. For example, wrap the butter in an oatmeal packet with a little oatmeal sprinkled on top. Put the jam in cardboard packaging; that saves weight. As little glass as possible. Hide the cigarettes as well, and if you want to send a note, for example put it in an aspirin tube and hide that in the jam. The weight may be up to 4 kg; those will certainly get through as long as the box is not too large. Camouflaging the butter is to prevent theft. You will no doubt become more and more skilled at assembling the parcels.
Now, Mother, I hope you receive this note. Give my greetings to everyone, keep up your courage. In my thoughts, embraced by your loving son,
Ben
Send the trunk and the shoulder bag with a loaf of rye bread inside. I already have one of the keys here.
Do not worry too much about the weight, because the parcels will certainly get through. Put boiled eggs in them and no bread, but ration coupons. I have received the 30 guilders and the parcel.
George Boutelje
Born 13 June 1894.
Residing in Amsterdam, Rijnstraat 129 II.
Occupation: (commercial) travelling salesman.
Transport XXIV/6, no. 31, 02-08-1944, from Westerbork to Theresienstadt
(Should this not be 31 July?)
Transport Ek, no. 1693, dated 28-09-1944, from Theresienstadt to Auschwitz.
Murdered on 28 February 1945. Not in Auschwitz, as that camp was liberated by the Red Army on 29 January 1945.
Robert Boutelje
Born 04 October 1924.
Son of George Boutelje.
Transport XXIV/6, no. 31, 02-08-1944, from Westerbork to Theresienstadt
(Should this not be 31 July?)
Transport Ek, no. 1693, dated 28-09-1944, from Theresienstadt to Auschwitz.
Murdered on 28 February 1945. Not in Auschwitz, as that camp was liberated by the Red Army on 29 January 1945.
Jannie Alida Blom
Born 1927 in Amsterdam.
Deported on 31 July 1944 to Bergen-Belsen.
Marianne Blom-Italiaander
Deported together with her daughter on 31 July 1944 to Bergen-Belsen.
On 31 July 1944, 213 Jews departed from Westerbork on five lists; no fewer than 146 of them on the basis of their services to the Entjudung (de-Jewification) of the Netherlands. On 2 August 1944, the transport arrived in Theresienstadt. Survivors: 48 (?).
The train probably took the following route: Westerbork – Groningen – Nieuweschans (where the locomotive was changed, the Dutch one being replaced by a German one) – Leer, Emden, Oldenburg, Hannover.
Kruidbergerweg 99
Santpoort (Village)
4 August 1944
Dear Mother,
I hope that you have received my letter and the stamp, and that everything is still well at home. Unfortunately, I have had to say goodbye to (George) Boutelje and Robbie (Boutelje?) and Mrs. Blom and Jannie (Jansje Blom?). They are being transported to Theresienstadt and Celle (Bergen-Belsen). (Transport of 31 July 1944?) It is not a large transport; it consists of 450 people.
For the time being I do not need to worry, as I have been postponed again from the very beginning. And if everything should leave after all, I will be one of the last, and I will manage to get through it again. I have experienced enough over the past months to be able to cope with that as well. Let us hope for the best.
Thank you very much for the 50 guilders, which have been in my possession for a week now and which I can put to good use. I gave Boutelje 20 guilders, because the poor man does not have a cent left, and since I had been careful with the 70 guilders, I was able to help him in this way. You will probably think: where does all that money go? But I buy as much butter and other foodstuffs as possible to keep my health up as best I can. Everything is expensive, as you understand. I was therefore extremely happy with the 50 guilders.
You must especially pass on the greetings from the acquaintances here, and I hope that we may soon see them back in Holland. I will miss Boutelje’s voice very much, but who knows how soon all this misery will be over for all of us.
I have to do terribly dirty work, namely dismantling battery cells and sorting the manganese dioxide and carbon rods. The dust from that manganese penetrates right into your pores, and you can hardly get yourself clean. But if I can stay here during the war, I should not complain.
You should see me in my overalls, with a red back and a white band around my arm, and with my bald head. I will soon receive another stamp, and perhaps also a performance stamp. For now, you will have to be clever in packing the parcels. For example, wrap the butter in an oatmeal packet with a little oatmeal sprinkled on top. Put the jam in cardboard packaging; that saves weight. As little glass as possible. Hide the cigarettes as well, and if you want to send a note, for example put it in an aspirin tube and hide that in the jam. The weight may be up to 4 kg; those will certainly get through as long as the box is not too large. Camouflaging the butter is to prevent theft. You will no doubt become more and more skilled at assembling the parcels.
Now, Mother, I hope you receive this note. Give my greetings to everyone, keep up your courage. In my thoughts, embraced by your loving son,
Ben
Send the trunk and the shoulder bag with a loaf of rye bread inside. I already have one of the keys here.
Do not worry too much about the weight, because the parcels will certainly get through. Put boiled eggs in them and no bread, but ration coupons. I have received the 30 guilders and the parcel.
George Boutelje
Born 13 June 1894.
Residing in Amsterdam, Rijnstraat 129 II.
Occupation: (commercial) travelling salesman.
Transport XXIV/6, no. 31, 02-08-1944, from Westerbork to Theresienstadt
(Should this not be 31 July?)
Transport Ek, no. 1693, dated 28-09-1944, from Theresienstadt to Auschwitz.
Murdered on 28 February 1945. Not in Auschwitz, as that camp was liberated by the Red Army on 29 January 1945.
Robert Boutelje
Born 04 October 1924.
Son of George Boutelje.
Transport XXIV/6, no. 31, 02-08-1944, from Westerbork to Theresienstadt
(Should this not be 31 July?)
Transport Ek, no. 1693, dated 28-09-1944, from Theresienstadt to Auschwitz.
Murdered on 28 February 1945. Not in Auschwitz, as that camp was liberated by the Red Army on 29 January 1945.
Jannie Alida Blom
Born 1927 in Amsterdam.
Deported on 31 July 1944 to Bergen-Belsen.
Marianne Blom-Italiaander
Deported together with her daughter on 31 July 1944 to Bergen-Belsen.
On 31 July 1944, 213 Jews departed from Westerbork on five lists; no fewer than 146 of them on the basis of their services to the Entjudung (de-Jewification) of the Netherlands. On 2 August 1944, the transport arrived in Theresienstadt. Survivors: 48 (?).
The train probably took the following route: Westerbork – Groningen – Nieuweschans (where the locomotive was changed, the Dutch one being replaced by a German one) – Leer, Emden, Oldenburg, Hannover.
In this note Bennie asks for the following items to be sent: money, blankets, a small frying pan, a potato pot, underwear, one sweater, socks, a towel, a fork and knife, a bathing suit, foodstuffs, cigarettes, soap, and shaving equipment.
It is not clear how Mrs. Biallosterski–de Graaf was supposed to send these items to Westerbork. Perhaps they could be handed in at the gate.
Eventually, Bennie departed on September 13th 1944 with the last transport from Westerbork camp to the Bergen-Belsen camp near Hanover, together with 297 people. The transport arrived there on September 15th 1944. According to the transport list, Bennie was listed as a diamond cutter. He was separated from the 77 children who had been arrested without their parents and, on December 4th 1944, was transferred onward to Sachsenhausen in Oranienburg near Berlin. In Bergen-Belsen he was registered under number 6792.
In Sachsenhausen, on December 18th 1944, he was admitted to the infirmary barracks. The children from the transport from Westerbork had been transferred to Theresienstadt in mid-November 1944; almost all of the children had typhus. It is possible that Bennie also had typhus when he arrived in Sachsenhausen. In Sachsenhausen, Ben received prisoner number 119582 and was placed in Barrack 14.
Bennie was transferred once again, this time to Buchenwald, where he arrived on February 6th 1945. He was housed in the so-called “Small Camp” in Barrack 56 and was assigned prisoner number 31073. He died there two days later, on February 8th 1945 at 4:30 p.m., of double pneumonia.
It is not clear how Mrs. Biallosterski–de Graaf was supposed to send these items to Westerbork. Perhaps they could be handed in at the gate.
Eventually, Bennie departed on September 13th 1944 with the last transport from Westerbork camp to the Bergen-Belsen camp near Hanover, together with 297 people. The transport arrived there on September 15th 1944. According to the transport list, Bennie was listed as a diamond cutter. He was separated from the 77 children who had been arrested without their parents and, on December 4th 1944, was transferred onward to Sachsenhausen in Oranienburg near Berlin. In Bergen-Belsen he was registered under number 6792.
In Sachsenhausen, on December 18th 1944, he was admitted to the infirmary barracks. The children from the transport from Westerbork had been transferred to Theresienstadt in mid-November 1944; almost all of the children had typhus. It is possible that Bennie also had typhus when he arrived in Sachsenhausen. In Sachsenhausen, Ben received prisoner number 119582 and was placed in Barrack 14.
Bennie was transferred once again, this time to Buchenwald, where he arrived on February 6th 1945. He was housed in the so-called “Small Camp” in Barrack 56 and was assigned prisoner number 31073. He died there two days later, on February 8th 1945 at 4:30 p.m., of double pneumonia.
Brother Wim Biallosterski told the following about Bennie for an article in a local newspaper in Santpoort:
“Meanwhile, in order to evade the Arbeitseinsatz, Bennie went into hiding with farmer Hofs in the Achterhoek, a contact address of Het Parool. Bennie suffered from homesickness and wanted to return to Santpoort, despite our repeated warnings not to do so because he was safe with Hofs.
In the spring of 1944, I was arrested in Haarlem during a raid, because from the name Biallosterski they inferred that I was Jewish. However, my mother was a Christian, so I am half-Jewish and did not have to have a ‘J’ in my Ausweis. A cousin of mine, who was Jewish, had been arrested in Amsterdam, and the same man (Evert Berkelaar) who had arrested him was also active in Haarlem.
I was taken to the police station in the Smedestraat, and there I managed to give a boy a note for my mother, in which I wrote that Bennie had to make sure he got away. He had, in fact, already returned home. My mother did indeed receive that note and was so upset by it that she immediately went to my uncle, who was working in our garden at the time. Together they went to the police station, completely forgetting that Bennie was still at home.
At the police station they were able to prove that I was not Jewish, and I was allowed to go home (6:30 p.m.). Meanwhile, the Germans had gone to our house to investigate how everything fitted together. There they found Bennie, whom they arrested immediately. He was taken directly to the prison on the Amstelveenseweg in Amsterdam and shortly thereafter to Westerbork.
My mother and my fiancée Ada Bootsma still brought laundry to Amsterdam, but there they were told that Bennie had already gone. From Westerbork he was taken to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp and later to Buchenwald. To this day we do not know where he died or where he was buried. Investigations by the Red Cross yielded no results. We assume that Bennie died in early February 1945.”
In the book A Hole in the Barbed Wire (Een gat in het prikkeldraad), written by Guido Abuys and Dirk Mulder about escapes and resistance in Westerbork camp, the following is written about Bennie:
“Ben Biallosterski was involved in various forms of resistance. At the moment he was about to collect five Jewish children in hiding in order to take them to a hiding place in the north of the country, he was arrested. After several days of interrogation, he was sent together with the five children to Westerbork in June 1944.
Ben made contact with his mother, who informed his brother Wim and asked him to free Ben from Westerbork. Weeks of preparation preceded this. Contact with Westerbork was maintained through a marechaussee whom Wim had known from earlier times.
On September 7th 1944, Wim entered the camp hidden in a truck loaded with food supplies. At the agreed location, Ben was ready. Around him stood the children. As the brothers fell into each other’s arms, the children approached fearfully. Ben said: ‘Listen, Wim, I know why you are here. But I cannot come with you. I cannot abandon the children to their fate.’
He knelt down to be at eye level with the children. He stroked a boy’s hair. The children knew that I had come to take Ben with me. Fear could be seen in their eyes. A small girl pressed herself against Ben and wrapped her arms around him. I knew that I would not be able to persuade Ben to come along. Taking the children with us was out of the question; that would certainly have led to discovery. I said goodbye to him.”
On September 13th 1944, Ben Biallosterski went with his children in hiding to Bergen-Belsen. Together with a number of other children, they formed the group of the “Unbekannte Kinder” (“Unknown Children”). Shortly after arrival, he was separated from the children and eventually ended up in Buchenwald via Sachsenhausen, where he died on February 8th 1945.
Finally, Lenie Boeken–Velleman recounted:
“They asked me whether I would go with them in that railway wagon, because they were going to saw out a plank and jump out. I ended up in that same wagon. The first ones jumped out, but I did not dare.”
According to Wim Biallosterski, Bennie was also involved in a raid on the distribution office in Westendorp in the Achterhoek in order to obtain ration coupons. Theo Hofs was also said to have been involved. Wim reportedly transported the coupons together with Theo by train from the Achterhoek to the western part of the country.
“Meanwhile, in order to evade the Arbeitseinsatz, Bennie went into hiding with farmer Hofs in the Achterhoek, a contact address of Het Parool. Bennie suffered from homesickness and wanted to return to Santpoort, despite our repeated warnings not to do so because he was safe with Hofs.
In the spring of 1944, I was arrested in Haarlem during a raid, because from the name Biallosterski they inferred that I was Jewish. However, my mother was a Christian, so I am half-Jewish and did not have to have a ‘J’ in my Ausweis. A cousin of mine, who was Jewish, had been arrested in Amsterdam, and the same man (Evert Berkelaar) who had arrested him was also active in Haarlem.
I was taken to the police station in the Smedestraat, and there I managed to give a boy a note for my mother, in which I wrote that Bennie had to make sure he got away. He had, in fact, already returned home. My mother did indeed receive that note and was so upset by it that she immediately went to my uncle, who was working in our garden at the time. Together they went to the police station, completely forgetting that Bennie was still at home.
At the police station they were able to prove that I was not Jewish, and I was allowed to go home (6:30 p.m.). Meanwhile, the Germans had gone to our house to investigate how everything fitted together. There they found Bennie, whom they arrested immediately. He was taken directly to the prison on the Amstelveenseweg in Amsterdam and shortly thereafter to Westerbork.
My mother and my fiancée Ada Bootsma still brought laundry to Amsterdam, but there they were told that Bennie had already gone. From Westerbork he was taken to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp and later to Buchenwald. To this day we do not know where he died or where he was buried. Investigations by the Red Cross yielded no results. We assume that Bennie died in early February 1945.”
In the book A Hole in the Barbed Wire (Een gat in het prikkeldraad), written by Guido Abuys and Dirk Mulder about escapes and resistance in Westerbork camp, the following is written about Bennie:
“Ben Biallosterski was involved in various forms of resistance. At the moment he was about to collect five Jewish children in hiding in order to take them to a hiding place in the north of the country, he was arrested. After several days of interrogation, he was sent together with the five children to Westerbork in June 1944.
Ben made contact with his mother, who informed his brother Wim and asked him to free Ben from Westerbork. Weeks of preparation preceded this. Contact with Westerbork was maintained through a marechaussee whom Wim had known from earlier times.
On September 7th 1944, Wim entered the camp hidden in a truck loaded with food supplies. At the agreed location, Ben was ready. Around him stood the children. As the brothers fell into each other’s arms, the children approached fearfully. Ben said: ‘Listen, Wim, I know why you are here. But I cannot come with you. I cannot abandon the children to their fate.’
He knelt down to be at eye level with the children. He stroked a boy’s hair. The children knew that I had come to take Ben with me. Fear could be seen in their eyes. A small girl pressed herself against Ben and wrapped her arms around him. I knew that I would not be able to persuade Ben to come along. Taking the children with us was out of the question; that would certainly have led to discovery. I said goodbye to him.”
On September 13th 1944, Ben Biallosterski went with his children in hiding to Bergen-Belsen. Together with a number of other children, they formed the group of the “Unbekannte Kinder” (“Unknown Children”). Shortly after arrival, he was separated from the children and eventually ended up in Buchenwald via Sachsenhausen, where he died on February 8th 1945.
Finally, Lenie Boeken–Velleman recounted:
“They asked me whether I would go with them in that railway wagon, because they were going to saw out a plank and jump out. I ended up in that same wagon. The first ones jumped out, but I did not dare.”
According to Wim Biallosterski, Bennie was also involved in a raid on the distribution office in Westendorp in the Achterhoek in order to obtain ration coupons. Theo Hofs was also said to have been involved. Wim reportedly transported the coupons together with Theo by train from the Achterhoek to the western part of the country.
During his stay in Camp Westerbork he wrote notes to his mother asking to sent him certain articles and food. Below are a few examples:
weggum.com