Biography

About Else Driels

Else Driels was a daughter of Moritz Driels (Gross Karben 25 October 1882 - Auschwitz 10 August 1942) and Rosa Rubel (Ladenburg5 Januari 1889 - Auschwitz 10 Augustus 1942). Else Driels was born in 1919 at Ladenburg/Mannheim/Baden in Germany. She was unmarried and came to Amsterdam in June 1938 and worked as servant maid/domestic help at various addresses in the city. Per 21 June 1938 her address was Michel Angelostraat 46 II; 20 March 1940 she moved to Botticellistraat 22 down floor and 11 October she stayed at Händelstraat 17 donw floor. Her last address per 1 April 1942 was at Raphaëlplein 30 hs in Amsterdam.

Whether it was known to Else Driels that other members of the German Driels-family resided in Holland is not sure; but there was her aunt Frieda in Haarlem, married to Eliazer Drielsma and a sister of her father Moritz Driels; she had a great-aunt Rozette Driels, a sister of her grandfather Nathan Driels, who was married to Abraham van Coevorden from Groningen and also second niece Marianne Driels from Hilversum, who was married to Leon Hirschtick, a daughter of her great-uncle Mozes Driels.

The Jewish Archive reveal that Else was already deported from Camp Westerbork to Auschwitz on 15 July 1942. Her official date of death as registered in the Dutch registers of death is 30 September 1942 in Auschwitz. However the German Gedenkbuch, Opfer der Verfolgung der Juden unter der nationalsozialistischen Gewaltherrschaft in Deutschland 1933-1945 listed her "Todesdatum"  (date of death as 27 August 1942 in Auschwitz.

City Archive of Amsterdam, archive card of Else Driels; Gedenkbuch,Opfer der Verfolgung der Juden unter der nationalsozialistischen Gewaltherrschaft in Deutschland 1933-1945 regarding Else Driels; Yad Vashem, database victims of the Shoah Else Driels and the file cabinet of the Jewish Council, registration card of Else Driels and additions by de editors of Joods Monument on behalf of Mrs. Marianne Pijpstra-Cranenbroek of Haarlem.

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