Ontvangbewijs
Object numberM1994/015:009
TitleOntvangbewijs
DescriptionA receipt signed by Karl Lakmaker of Amsterdam on 10 April 1940 that he has received a radio telegram.
Part of a collection of 24 documents, letters and identity cards pertaining to the Lakmaker family.
Karel Lakmaker was born in Amsterdam on 1 March 1897. He married Judic Lakmaker (nee Kijl), born 12 November 1897. Karel and Judic and their two children—Hartog (later Harry) (born 10 October 1922) and Rachel (born 6 January 1925)— lived at Botediep Street, 28, Unit 2 in Amsterdam, before WWII. On 10 May 1940, German troops invaded the Netherlands. Five days later, Dutch forces capitulated, and the German occupation of the Netherlands began. At this time approximately 140,000 Jews resided in the Netherlands. By the time the war ended the Nazis had deported 107,000 Jews to concentration camps and death camps. Of these only 5,000 survived. Rachel and Hartog Lakmaker were fortunate to be amongst them. Over 75% of Holland’s Jews were murdered by the Nazis.
Attempts at escape from the Netherlands under Nazi control were virtually impossible. Countries bordering the Netherlands were under German control. Flight across the Dutch border only meant entering another Nazi-controlled country, and its West-North borders consist of the North Sea coastline. Passage through German patrolled waters was highly dangerous. The Netherlands in 1940 was a densely populated country. The land is flat providing little forested mountain terrain suited for partisan activity or refuge. The geography of the Netherlands provided no place to run and few places to hide. Culturally, Dutch society was stratified, largely based on religion. Close friendships between Jews and Christians were uncommon in wartime Holland. This made it difficult for Jews to find shelter in the homes of gentile neighbours. Hiding Jews was risky; in Holland anyone caught helping Jews faced execution or being sent to a concentration camp, where chances of survival were slim. By August 1940 comprehensive anti-Jewish policies and administrative decrees had been worked out by the German administration to ostracise Jews and to lower their social, economic, and legal standing. In February 1941, the Nazis installed a Jewish Council (Dutch: Joodse Raad), that ultimately served as an instrument for organising the registration and deportation of Dutch Jews. During the first year of the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, Jews who were already registered on the basis of their religion had to get a large “J” stamped on their IDs. Every Dutch resident had to declare whether they had Jewish roots.
Jewish doctors and lawyers were forbidden to work for non-Jews, Jews were expelled from universities and banned from all public places. Their bank accounts were frozen. They were only permitted to shop from 3.00-5.00pm. Their radios were confiscated. From January 1942 Jews were also stigmatised with the compulsory wearing of the Star of David. These are the events that must have prompted the Lakmaker family to go into hiding. The woman who hid Rachel and her brother was the courageous Mrs Mevrou Addicks. During the two years the family was in hiding (1942-1944), Rachel was able to organise false identity documents in the name of Annie de Wit. These enabled her to “pass” as a non-Jew and to resurface occasionally in public.
The circumstances under which the family was arrested remains a mystery. They were arrested in 1944 and transported to Westerbork. After six months in Westerbork the family was deported— on one of the last transports leaving the Netherlands to Auschwitz, on 3 September 1944. On the train journey from Amsterdam to Westerbork, Rachel recognised Nannie Baum—a pre-war friend. They became camp sisters (German: lager-schwestern), caring and supporting each other, in Auschwitz and later in Gross-Rosen concentration camp. Incoming prisoners to Auschwitz were assigned a camp serial number that was tattooed onto the prisoner’s left forearm. Only those prisoners selected for forced labour were issued serial numbers; those sent directly to the gas chambers, were not registered, nor tattooed. When Judic Lakmaker arrived in Auschwitz in 1944, she was sent straight to the gas chamber—murdered aged 47. “She was ‘selected’ and never seen again”. Karel was selected for forced labour as was his son Hartog, who became prisoner number: J9246.
In a letter dated 20 November 1951 the Dutch Red Cross confirmed that Karel Lakmaker perished on the death march leaving Auschwitz for Loslau, between 18-25 January 1945. Hartog was barely alive when he was liberated in Auschwitz by Russian forces in January 1945. When Rachel Lakmaker and Nannie Baum arrived at Auschwitz, they were selected as “depot prisoners”—not registered nor tattooed— incarcerated for a few days in the Meksyl (Polish: Mexico) compound, before being transported to Gross-Rosen. Upon arrival, Rachel became prisoner number: 74387 and together with Nannie Baum were transported to one of its 100 sub camps – Liebau - “located in a small village in the Sudentenland (in Germany), where forced labourers worked for German armament industries, amongst them Krupp” [Kwiet, K. Private communication 2020]. Rachel and Nannie were liberated there by Russian forces in January 1945. At the end of the war, Rachel was repatriated to Holland. Her brother Hartog spent time in a DP camp before he made his way home. At some point they decided to emigrate to Australia. Aaron Engelander’s (their nominee) application for landing permits was successful, and they arrived by plane on 16 August 1948 [NAA]. Rachel met and married Charles Hoytash in 1952. They had two children. Philip (b. 1955) and Judy (b. 1959). Rachel worked for many years at the Hakoah Club in Bondi. Hartog died in Sydney on 27 August 1983. His sister Rachel, a decade later, on 8 March 1993.
Part of a collection of 24 documents, letters and identity cards pertaining to the Lakmaker family.
Karel Lakmaker was born in Amsterdam on 1 March 1897. He married Judic Lakmaker (nee Kijl), born 12 November 1897. Karel and Judic and their two children—Hartog (later Harry) (born 10 October 1922) and Rachel (born 6 January 1925)— lived at Botediep Street, 28, Unit 2 in Amsterdam, before WWII. On 10 May 1940, German troops invaded the Netherlands. Five days later, Dutch forces capitulated, and the German occupation of the Netherlands began. At this time approximately 140,000 Jews resided in the Netherlands. By the time the war ended the Nazis had deported 107,000 Jews to concentration camps and death camps. Of these only 5,000 survived. Rachel and Hartog Lakmaker were fortunate to be amongst them. Over 75% of Holland’s Jews were murdered by the Nazis.
Attempts at escape from the Netherlands under Nazi control were virtually impossible. Countries bordering the Netherlands were under German control. Flight across the Dutch border only meant entering another Nazi-controlled country, and its West-North borders consist of the North Sea coastline. Passage through German patrolled waters was highly dangerous. The Netherlands in 1940 was a densely populated country. The land is flat providing little forested mountain terrain suited for partisan activity or refuge. The geography of the Netherlands provided no place to run and few places to hide. Culturally, Dutch society was stratified, largely based on religion. Close friendships between Jews and Christians were uncommon in wartime Holland. This made it difficult for Jews to find shelter in the homes of gentile neighbours. Hiding Jews was risky; in Holland anyone caught helping Jews faced execution or being sent to a concentration camp, where chances of survival were slim. By August 1940 comprehensive anti-Jewish policies and administrative decrees had been worked out by the German administration to ostracise Jews and to lower their social, economic, and legal standing. In February 1941, the Nazis installed a Jewish Council (Dutch: Joodse Raad), that ultimately served as an instrument for organising the registration and deportation of Dutch Jews. During the first year of the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, Jews who were already registered on the basis of their religion had to get a large “J” stamped on their IDs. Every Dutch resident had to declare whether they had Jewish roots.
Jewish doctors and lawyers were forbidden to work for non-Jews, Jews were expelled from universities and banned from all public places. Their bank accounts were frozen. They were only permitted to shop from 3.00-5.00pm. Their radios were confiscated. From January 1942 Jews were also stigmatised with the compulsory wearing of the Star of David. These are the events that must have prompted the Lakmaker family to go into hiding. The woman who hid Rachel and her brother was the courageous Mrs Mevrou Addicks. During the two years the family was in hiding (1942-1944), Rachel was able to organise false identity documents in the name of Annie de Wit. These enabled her to “pass” as a non-Jew and to resurface occasionally in public.
The circumstances under which the family was arrested remains a mystery. They were arrested in 1944 and transported to Westerbork. After six months in Westerbork the family was deported— on one of the last transports leaving the Netherlands to Auschwitz, on 3 September 1944. On the train journey from Amsterdam to Westerbork, Rachel recognised Nannie Baum—a pre-war friend. They became camp sisters (German: lager-schwestern), caring and supporting each other, in Auschwitz and later in Gross-Rosen concentration camp. Incoming prisoners to Auschwitz were assigned a camp serial number that was tattooed onto the prisoner’s left forearm. Only those prisoners selected for forced labour were issued serial numbers; those sent directly to the gas chambers, were not registered, nor tattooed. When Judic Lakmaker arrived in Auschwitz in 1944, she was sent straight to the gas chamber—murdered aged 47. “She was ‘selected’ and never seen again”. Karel was selected for forced labour as was his son Hartog, who became prisoner number: J9246.
In a letter dated 20 November 1951 the Dutch Red Cross confirmed that Karel Lakmaker perished on the death march leaving Auschwitz for Loslau, between 18-25 January 1945. Hartog was barely alive when he was liberated in Auschwitz by Russian forces in January 1945. When Rachel Lakmaker and Nannie Baum arrived at Auschwitz, they were selected as “depot prisoners”—not registered nor tattooed— incarcerated for a few days in the Meksyl (Polish: Mexico) compound, before being transported to Gross-Rosen. Upon arrival, Rachel became prisoner number: 74387 and together with Nannie Baum were transported to one of its 100 sub camps – Liebau - “located in a small village in the Sudentenland (in Germany), where forced labourers worked for German armament industries, amongst them Krupp” [Kwiet, K. Private communication 2020]. Rachel and Nannie were liberated there by Russian forces in January 1945. At the end of the war, Rachel was repatriated to Holland. Her brother Hartog spent time in a DP camp before he made his way home. At some point they decided to emigrate to Australia. Aaron Engelander’s (their nominee) application for landing permits was successful, and they arrived by plane on 16 August 1948 [NAA]. Rachel met and married Charles Hoytash in 1952. They had two children. Philip (b. 1955) and Judy (b. 1959). Rachel worked for many years at the Hakoah Club in Bondi. Hartog died in Sydney on 27 August 1983. His sister Rachel, a decade later, on 8 March 1993.
Production placeNetherlands
Production date 1940-04-10
Subjectcommunication activities
Object namereceipts
Materialpaper
Dimensions
- width: 161.00 mm
height: 112.00 mm
Language
- Dutch Radio Regulation 1930, Article 66. Receipt by the undersigned, Karel Lakmaker of Botediep Street 28 Unit 2, Amsterdam, on 10 April 1940, declares having received the radio telegram.
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Mrs. Judy Pearce