How Martin van Creveld’s Family Survived the Holocaust

Thursday, December 24th, 2015

Martin van Creveld tells the story of how his family survived the Holocaust:

Most of the interned Jews went docilely enough. No one like the Dutch in bowing to “de overheid” (the authorities) and following orders! Not so my family. My grandfather, fully expecting that the Germans would break their promise, prepared accordingly. When the day came, he, his wife, their children four daughters, one in-law, two future in-laws, and two nephews all managed to escape. My father, who had golden hands, used to work as a handyman in camp, simply put on his overalls, picked up his tools — my son Eldad still has his electric tester, which still works — and walked out. What nerve! But to this day he feels a little guilty about having left his fiancé, my mother to be, behind.

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