Keetje Swartberg was a daughter of Levie Swartberg and Maria Vissel. She had grey eyes and reddish-blonde hair. Keetje worked as a seamstress, mending clothes in people’s homes. Keetje married Simon Brommet, a widower with two children. Keetje and Simon had a daughter, Selma. The family went to live in Norg, since Simon was a nurse at the penal colony in Veenhuizen. Their home was very close to this institution. They had a large orchard. Later on, Keetje lived on Houtstraat in Assen. According to one of the children, Simon was one of the founding members of the VARA broadcasting company and had left-wing convictions.
Keetje is remembered as a fantastic housewife. She was solicitous, frugal and a very good cook. In her parental home she had been the eldest daughter and was often called on to help. During the war, one of her stepchildren found a hiding-place for Selma. When Keetje was told about it she became absolutely hysterical with fear. She was against the idea. Selma was a beautiful girl with dark-brown hair. She was extremely intelligent and used to get full marks for algebra/mathematics. There were plans for her to go to university, but these plans foundered because of the war. Simon was in a nursing home in Assen, but he was deported nonetheless, as were Keetje and Selma. The children from the first marriage survived the war.
Addition of a visitor of the website
In addition, a Jokos file (number 1135) on this family is at the Amsterdam Municipal Archive. Access is subject to authorization from the Stichting Joods Maatschappelijk Werk.
This family is commemorated on a memorial in Assen. More information on this memorial can be found (in Dutch) on the website of the Nationaal Comité 4 en 5 mei.