Paul and Simon Beer were the sons of Maurits Beer and Nanette Salomons. Paul, the eldest was born in Amsterdam on 22 October 1920 and his 2-year younger brother Simon on 7 August 1922. They lived with their parents in Amsterdam, untill they moved in 1933 with the entire family to Hortensialaan 4A in Groningen and there in 1936 to Korreweg 210A.
Early October 1942 the entire Beer family fell victim to a large raid in Groningen. They were carried off to Westerbork and arrived there between 3 and 5 October 1942, but every family member ended up then in different barracks. Father Maurits stayed until his deportatin in the baracks 59 and 61; mother Nanette in barrack 65. Simon ended up in the barracks 58 and 64 and Paul in 59 and 62. However, Simon as well Paul were deported to Auschwitz only on 14 September 1943.
That transport contained 902 deportees, of which in Cosel, locatesd ±80 km west from Auschwitz, 120 boys and men between 15 and 50 years forcedly had to leave the train. They were put to work as forced laborers in the surrounding labor camps in Upper Silesia.
However, it is not certain whether Paul and Simon were among the group of 120 men who had to leave the train in Cosel. From the remaining group that were transported further to Auschwitz, men were also selected for employment upon arrival. It is not clear whether Paul and Simon Beer ended up in Monowitz via Cosel or directly via Auschwitz, but it is clear that both were employed at the Buna-Werke in Auschwitz III-Monowitz.
It is known that Paul and Simon Beer made frantic attempts in Westerbork to be exempted from deportation. To obtain "Sperres" they also turned to their uncle Alexander Salomons in Nijmegen, who was the main representative of the Jewish Council there, but without result.
Paul Beer arrived in Auschwitz around 17 September 1942, where he was given prisoner number 150615 and was employed at the Buna-Werke in Monowitz (Auschwitz III). He was admitted to the Krankenbau (hospital) of Monowitz twice: the first time from 3 to 9 November 1943 and the second time from 8 December 1943 to 9 January 1944. He finally died in Auschwitz on 27 March 1944.
Simon must also have arrived in Auschwitz around 17 September 1942 and from the surviving administration of Auschwitz it can be deduced that Simon Beer was then given the prisoner number 150616. However, his date of birth is missing from that registration. Given both their transport on 14 September 1942 and both their employment in Auschwitz III (Monowitz) at the Buna-Werke, it may be assumed that Paul and Simon received prisoner numbers 150615 and 150616 respectively.
The same administration has also shown that Simon Beer too was admitted twice to the Häftlings-Krankenbau of Auschwitz III, but the periods with admission and discharge dates are not stated. On the second occasion, the administration behind “Häftlingskrankenbau” also mentions “Totenbuch”, from which it can be deduced that Simon Beer died as a prisoner of Auschwitz III-Monowitz on 20 January 1944 at the Buna-Werke in Monowitz.
Sources include the Amsterdam City Archives, Maurits Beer family registration cards; archive card Paul Beer; the file cabinet of the Jewish Council, registration cards of Paul and Simon Beer; Wikipedia website Jodentransporten vanuit Nederland.nl/14 September 1942; Death certificate 517 dated 8 May 1951 for Simon Beer and certificate 740 for Paul Beer dated 26 October 1951 drawn up in Groningen and the website Museum & Memorial Auschwitz-Birkenau.