Biography

About Louis de Brave

Louis de Brave was a son of Machiel de Brave and Judic Luks. His parents were married 26 July 1923 in Amsterdam and Louis has been born already 12 December 1923. He lived with his parents at first at Valkenburgerstraat 105 2nd floor and from 8 January 1927 at Zwanenburgerstraat 26 1st floor. Louis had a younger brother Max, born 31 July 1926 but who, due to illness has died in the Nederlands Israëlitisch Ziekenhuis (hospital N.I.Z.) 10 July 1928.

Unfortunately, his mother Judich Luks died 11 February 1929; she was interred in the Jewish Cemetery in Diemen. Three years later, 10 February 1932, his father Machiel married again to Dilia de Weert, a daughter of Jan de Weert and Antonia Westerlaken. Louis had then two other half-brothers: in 1930 Michel was born who was legalized at the wedding of his father to Dilia de Weert and in 1932 Jacques was born. However two years after his wedding to his 2nd wife Dilia, Machiel de Brave passed away too on 15 October 1934. Also he was interred in the Jewish Cemetry in Diemen. It is unknown what has happened further to both half-brothers – presumably they have survived the war.

Afther the passing of his father, Louis de Brave was adopted in the family of Gompert Turk, who was married to Betje Luks, a sister of his mother Judic. He lived with his uncle and aunt at Weesperstraat 57 2nd floor and per 31 March 1941 he moved in the same street with them to nr. 53 3rd floor.

16 July 1942 Louis was deported to Westerbork, from where he was put on transport 21 July 1942 to Auschwitz. Based on his officially established date of death of 30 September 1942, it may assumed that on arrival in Auschwtiz 24 August 1942, Louis has been selected as laborer in Auschwitz of perhaps in one of the satellite camps. Eventually he lost his life caused by diseases, exhaustion, hardship or maltreatment at the age of 18 years.

City Archive of Amsterdam, family registration cards of Machiel de Brave and Gompert Turk; archive card of Louis de Brave; website Het Stenen Archief, gravestones of Machiel de Brave and Judic de Brave-Luks and the file cabinet of the Jewish Council, registration card of Louis de Brave.