Rebecca van Kollem (b. 17-Feb-1912 in Amsterdam) married Sigfried Blitz (b. 07-Nov-09) on 28-Jan-1942 in Amsterdam. Interestingly, in 1939 and before their marriage, Sigfried is known to have lived in the same apartment building at Vrolikstraat 162 I, where Rebecca was also living at the time with her parents, Simon van Kollem and Roosje van Bergen. As Sigfried moved twice before their marriage, it is likely that the couple met in this building. After they married, they lived at Utrechtsedwarsstraat 41 I in the central ring district. Rebecca is listed in the archive card as a coat maker and bookseller, so she might have worked in her father’s shop. She is also listed as being a craftsperson. Sigfried was a tailor and rain jacket repairer.
Rebecca van Kollem would have certainly known about the deportations of her parents, sister and nieces by the time she and her husband were directly affected. The couple were still within their first year of marriage when their lives were upended. Sigfried was taken first, being deported between 28-Nov-1942 and 21-Dec-1942. In December, there was a detailed exchange recorded on the Judenrat cards between Sigfried, Rebecca and the authorities related to the deportation. This exchange focuses on locating, seizing and returning a passport. The exact sequence of events is partially illegible. In any case, by 21-Dec-1942, Sigfried was definitely located in Barrack 65 in Westerbork.
On 20-Feb-1943, Sigfried was transferred to the Vught labor camp, where he was assigned to Barrack 4a. The reason and sequencing of this move is somewhat difficult to interpret from the documentation, however, it seems to be intended to reunite Sigfried with Rebecca in Vught. Rebecca van Kollem was deported from Amsterdam to the Vught camp on or before 01-Apr-1943.
Although they were united again in Vught, it was short-lived. Sigfried was again transferred almost two months later on 21-May-1943 to the Moerdijk subcamp of Vught, where he was a resident of Barrack 29. Moerdijk is located approximately 60 km west of Vught. Moerdijk held strategic military importance for the German army, due to its capability to defend attacks both on the port of Rotterdam, as well as the Dutch interior. From March 1943 until February 1944, the Jewish and non-Jewish prisoners were mostly dispatched as slave labor to dig anti-tank ditches along the coast. Other units were put to work to make clothing for SS members and staff of the Moerdijk camp. As Sigfried was a tailor, it is quite likely that he was used for this work.
Later that fall, Sigfried began a long and arduous journey ultimately to the extermination camps in Eastern Europe. On 12-Sep-1943 he began the first leg of this journey from Moerdijk back to Westerbork, where he was once again united with his wife Rebecca, who was transferred herself on the same day to Westerbork. The couple were both housed in Barrack 60, however only for two days. On 14-Sep-1943, both Sigfried and Rebecca were transported from the Netherlands.
The transport from Westerbork that departed at 10:42 on the morning of 14-Sep-1943 was the 76th destined for Auschwitz. Both Sigfried and Rebecca were among the 1,310 deportees aboard the train, who mostly stood in the wagons. Upon crossing the border to Germany, the prisoners were forced to hand over their valuables. When this particular train arrived at 19:15 that evening in Soltau, seven cars were detached and routed further to Bergen-Belsen. These cars carried many 'privileged Jews' who had been pre-selected to proceed on as the first transport to Bergen-Belsen. The prisoners in this group consisted of Jews who had received special status, such as those in the Joodse Raad, or Jewish Council, whose importance to the Nazi government in the Netherlands had subsided. We know that Sigfried and Rebecca were in the cars transported to Auschwitz. The train arrived on 16-Sep-1943. After a separation, Sigfried was among the 578 prisoners who were killed upon arrival. Sigfried died on 17-Sep-1943.
Rebecca van Kollem was also transported with her husband to Auschwitz and among the 194 women who were separated for work upon arrival. Of these women, 52 survived the war. Rebecca received a prisoner number upon her arrival of 65178 (or 113xx). During her time in Auschwitz Rebecca van Kollem was subjected to medical experiments in Block 10 under the supervision of Carl Clauberg. This particular block performed forced sterilization of women, both through chemical and surgical means. No definite evidence is available as to what she may have specifically suffered during her time in the block.
Rebecca van Kollem survived Auschwitz. She was repatriated into the Netherlands in the Summer of 1945, being first admitted into the Portuguese Jewish Hospital in Amsterdam (PIZ), where she recovered from her experience (and probably illness, injuries and malnourishment).
By 26-Sep-1945 she was living in Amsterdam again at Henri Polaklaan 8-10 huis, however, moving three times before 07-Jun-1946, eventually settling on Plantage Middenlaan 48 through 06-Mar-1972. She moved in 1972 to Idaarderadeel, NL. She died in 1994 in Bussum, NL. There is no indication of remarrying or having any children.
Rebecca van Kollem is the only survivor of the war from the family of Simon van Kollem and Roosje van Bergen.
Sources
Amsterdam Stadsarchief: Archive Card Rebecca van Kollem #1
Amsterdam Stadsarchief: Archive Card Rebecca van Kollem #2
Amsterdam Stadsarchief: Archive Card Sigfried Blitz
ITS-Arolsen 338897: Vught Card Rebecca van Kollem
ITS-Arolsen 338749: Vught Card Sigfried Blitz
ITS-Arolsen 130261520: Judenrat Card Rebecca van Kollem
ITS-Arolsen 130261593: Judenrat Card Sigfried Blitz
ITS-Arolsen 130261589: Judenrat Card Sigfried Blitz Details
ITS-Arolsen 507662: List of people subjected to medical experiments
ITS-Arolsen 78772669: List of Liberated Dutch Jews
Yad Vashem: Transport from Westerbork to Auschwitz 14-Sep-1943
Nieuw Israelietisch weekblad: Obituary: Rebecca Blitz-van Kollem