Biography

About Mozes van den Berg

Mozes van den Berg was a son of Abraham Mozes van den Berg (Steeenwijkerwold 1845 - Rotterdam 1921) and Vrouwtje Moscoviter (Amsterdam 1844 – Rotterdam 1918), who were married 4 April 1866 in Amsterdam.

Mozes was born into a large family: his parents had 14 children in total, of whom 4 children have died as babies, even before their 1st birthday and 2 children died before their 3rd year of life. His brother Salomon did not get older than 49 years and passed in 1923; his brother Godschalk Abraham and sister Fijtje have died after the war, respectively in 1956 and 1964. Of 3 children it is not known when they have died, before or after the war or perhaps even in childhood. However, Mozes self and his brother Israel were killed in the Shoah.

Mozes van den Berg married 2 August 1983 in Rotterdam Roosje Velleman, who was born 1871 in Zierikzee as the daughter of Izaac Velleman and Saartje Rubens. The couple had six children, namely Vrouwtje in 1894, Izaak in 1896, Saartje in 1898, Elizabeth in 1899, Charlotte in 1901 and Esther in 1904. With their families, they were all killed in the Shoah.

Mozes and his wife Roosje as well their daughters Charlotte, Esther and Vrouwtje returned from Den Haag in Rotterdam 14 November 1924 and they lived at Scheveningsestraat 10b. Their children Izaak, Saartje and Elizabeth were already married and the three daughters, who still lived with their parents, found their spouses between 1924 and 1928 so they too have left then their parental home.

Afterwards Mozes and Roosje moved several times in the city: in 1928 to Agniesestraat 60b, in 1933 to Roo Valkstraat 22a, after which Mozes moved to Insulindestraat 259, but his wife Roosje stayed behind at Roo Valkstraat 22a.

Then, 7 July 1936 Roosje moved to the address of her daughter Vrouwtje Kaufman-van den Berg, who lived at Schieweg 197b in Rotterdam with her husband Joachim Kaufman and daughter Betti, and lived in there till she was deported from Schieweg to Camp Westerbork. Possibly deported together with the Kaufman family, which had been taken to Westerbork 31 July 1942 and already put on transport 3 August to Auschwitz. Roosje van den Berg-Velleman however had to stay in barack 65 till she too was put on transport 10 November 1942 to Auschwitz, where she has been killed immediately upon arrival there 13 November 1942.

Mozes van den Berg lived alone after his removal to Insulindestraat 259. He changed again to Baljuwstraat 38a and 21 September 1938 he moved to Schoterbosstraat 69a. His last known address as taken down at his registration card by the Jewish Council, was Claes de Vrieselaan 40 in Rotterdam.

10 October 1942 Mozes van den Berg was brought to Westerbork and the next day, 11 October deported to Auschwitz, and upon arrival there 15 October 1942 immediately killed.

City archive of Rotterdam, family registration cards of Mozes van den Berg and Roosje Velleman; website www.wiewaswie.nl, marriage Mozes van den Berg/Roosje Velleman; the file cabinet of the Jewish Council, registration card of Mozes van den Berg, Roosje Velleman and the Joachim Kaufman family and an addition of a visitor of the website.