Willig-Leeuwarden family
Henny Willig-Leeuwarden (1883-1942) and Rudolf Willig (1872-1941)
Henny Leeuwarden was born in Delmenhorst (D) around 1875 as a daughter of my great-great-grandparents: Levi Nathan Leeuwarden (1843-1904) and Rosette Polack (1846-1904). She was a sister of my great-grandmother Gretchen Lehmkuhl-Leeuwarden (1877-1952). She married Rudolf Willig, who was a director of a chocolate factory in Cologne (Germany).
Children:
Rudolf died in 1940 and was buried in Melaten Friedhof, Cologne (Germany); grave doesn't exist anymore. Henny died in 1942 during a bomb raid on Cologne, probably the 1,000 bomber raid on Cologne. This first 1,000 bomber raid by the RAF was codenamed Operation Millennium, Cologne was chosen as the target and the raid took place on the night of 30/31 May 1942. The Thousand bomber raid was launched for several reasons. One of them was, that it was expected that the devastation from such raids might be enough to knock Germany out of the war or at least severely damage German morale.
Their daughter Rose, often named Rose II (my grandmother, her older niece was named Rose I) and her (50% jewish) husband Albrecht Leoni emigrated to Brazil in the 1930’s. Their son Ernst stayed in Germany. Being “only 35% jewish, he had to join the German army. After the war, Ernst Willig was invited by his sister Rose to come over to Brazil.
After the war, their daughter Rose and her husband Albrecht stayed in Woubrugge, the Netherlands with my grandparents for several months to find out if they should go back to Germany. Eventually they decided to go back to Brazil.
Tante Rose and Onkel Albrecht visited the family in the Netherlands many times.
Children:
- Rose Leoni-Willig (1911-1994)
- Ernst Willig (1913-1986)
Rudolf died in 1940 and was buried in Melaten Friedhof, Cologne (Germany); grave doesn't exist anymore. Henny died in 1942 during a bomb raid on Cologne, probably the 1,000 bomber raid on Cologne. This first 1,000 bomber raid by the RAF was codenamed Operation Millennium, Cologne was chosen as the target and the raid took place on the night of 30/31 May 1942. The Thousand bomber raid was launched for several reasons. One of them was, that it was expected that the devastation from such raids might be enough to knock Germany out of the war or at least severely damage German morale.
Their daughter Rose, often named Rose II (my grandmother, her older niece was named Rose I) and her (50% jewish) husband Albrecht Leoni emigrated to Brazil in the 1930’s. Their son Ernst stayed in Germany. Being “only 35% jewish, he had to join the German army. After the war, Ernst Willig was invited by his sister Rose to come over to Brazil.
After the war, their daughter Rose and her husband Albrecht stayed in Woubrugge, the Netherlands with my grandparents for several months to find out if they should go back to Germany. Eventually they decided to go back to Brazil.
Tante Rose and Onkel Albrecht visited the family in the Netherlands many times.
Ouders van mijn overgrootmoeder Gretchen Lehmkuhl-Leeuwarden (1877-1952). Levi Nathan Leeuwarden (1843-1904) en Rossette Leeuwarden-Polack (1846-1900).
Henny Willig-Leeuwarden (1883-1942)
Villa Rosa on the beautiful island of Wangerooge (Germany), owned by her sister Röschen Levy-Leeuwarden and brother in law Moritz Levy where the family spend a lot of summer holidays.
Rudolf Willig (1872-1940).
daughter Rose Willig-Leoni (1911-1994)
daughter Rose Willig-Leoni (1911-1994).
Their children: Rose Willig-Leoni (1911-1994) and Ernst Willig (1913-1987)
My grandmother Rose Hugenholtz-Lehmkuhl (1905-1992) with her cousin Ernst Willig (1913-1987).
Rose Willig-Leoni (1911-1994) and Ernst Willig (1913-1987)
Rose Leoni-Willig (1911-1994) and my grandmother Rose Hugenholtz-Lehmkuhl (1905-1992).
My grandmother Rose Hugenholtz-Lehmkuhl (1905-1992) and her cousin Rose Leoni-Willig (1911-1994) and in a parc in Cologne (Germany) around 1926. They were called Rose I and Rose II.
Rose Leoni-Willig in St. Peter Bad 1926.
Family reunion with her sister and brother in law, probably around 1938: left to right: Nathan Heger, Mathilde Heger-Leeuwarden, Rudolf Willig, Henny Willig Leeuwarden.
Four sisters Mathilde Heger-Leeuwarden, Gretchen Lehmkuhl-Leeuwarden, Lenchen Goldschmidt-Leeuwarden and Henny Willig-Leeuwarden.
Henny Willig-Leeuwarden (1883-1942).
Henny Willig-Leeuwarden (1883-1942)
Their son-in-law Albrecht Leoni (1912-1996) in the 1930's.
their daughter Rose Willig-Leoni (1911-1994) in the 1930's
Immigration of tante Rose
Ernst Willig in German uniform with his wife Margot.
Ernst Willig with his wife Margot.
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Verena Leoni-Maffei (b. 1938).
Verena Leoni-Maffei (b. 1938).
Verena Leoni-Maffei (b. 1938).
The Leoni Children: Verena (b. 1938) and Anita (b. 1942)
My grandmother Rose Hugenholtz-Lehmkuhl, Rose Willig-Leoni (1911-1994), Albrecht Leoni (1912-1996) visited Brazil in the summer of 1978. On this picture with Tante Rose, Onkel Albrecht and two granddaughters (Children of Anita).
My grandmother Rose Hugenholtz-Lehmkuhl, Rose Willig-Leoni (1911-1994), Albrecht Leoni (1912-1996) visiting my parents home in Bunschoten, the Netherlands around 1979.
Onkel Albrecht and tante Rose were regular visitors. Every three years on average, they visited the family in the Netherlands (and Germany).
Rose I and Rose II in Bunschoten (NL) 1984 during a visit to my parents.
Albrecht Leoni in Bunschoten (NL) 1984 during a visit to my parents.
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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.
On the night of 30/31 May 1942 the inner city of Cologne was almost totally destroyed by a 1000-bomber raid. After that it was regularly bombarded until 1945. This film gives the viewer some insight into the devastation of Cologne.