Willy Leeuwarden (1876-ca 1954)
Willy Leeuwarden (1876-ca 1954). Decorated war hero from the trenches, succesful businessman, deported to Theresienstadt (instead of Auschwitz) and survived; his wife Rosa Marcuse did not. He died in the former G.D.R.
Willy (Wolf is the Jewish equivalent of his name, which he also used) had a beautiful home in the town of Mutzschen, near Leipzig (Germany), where he owned a large fashion store. He was a brother of my great-grandmother Gretchen Lehmkuhl-Leeuwarden. In the First World War, he received an "Iron Cross" for bravery. Thanks to this Iron Cross he was not deported to Auschwitz, but deported with his wife Rosa to Theresienstadt instead. The transport XVI/1, which occurred on September 20, 1942, originated in Leipzig with 877 people in this transport and arrived at the Terezín (Theresienstadt) concentration camp. Tragically, 785 people were murdered, while 92 managed to survive
His wife Rosa did not survive the camp; and he barely survived. After the war, he married Lucy, the nurse who had cared for him in Theresienstadt. He went to live in Mutzschen again, but had to live in a small house. It took him a lot of effort to get by. My aunt Margreeth Steenbeek-Hugenholtz has visited his home town in the 80s. They told her that he had two chickens, but he also had to hand over several eggs a week to the G.D.R. (German Democratic Republic).
His wife Rosa did not survive the camp; and he barely survived. After the war, he married Lucy, the nurse who had cared for him in Theresienstadt. He went to live in Mutzschen again, but had to live in a small house. It took him a lot of effort to get by. My aunt Margreeth Steenbeek-Hugenholtz has visited his home town in the 80s. They told her that he had two chickens, but he also had to hand over several eggs a week to the G.D.R. (German Democratic Republic).
Willy Leeuwarden (1876-ca 1954).
Willy Leeuwarden with his fiancee and later wife Rosa Marcuse-Leeuwarden.
Willy Leeuwarden (1876-ca 1954).
Summer holiday on Wangerooge 1926, with his sisters Lenchen Goldschidt-Leeuwarden (1872-1940) who fled to her son in the USA and Henny Willig-Leeuwarden (1882-1942) who was in an air raid on Cologne.
After the war: Willy with his second wife Lucy
My cousin Rosita Steenbeek has written a novel about our grandmother. The book is available in bookstores. A historical novel worth reading, regularly feature the rest of the family.
See my special page: “Rose” https://www.hugenholtz.net/rose/ This contains the hyperlinks of the persons who appear in the book and who have hteir own webpage.