“A nice section of the city”. That is what Carolyn Stewart stated about Kromme Mijdrecht. It is where the Rodrigues family lived in Amsterdam.
Amsterdam’s Kromme Mijdrecht whispers tales of both happiness and heartbreak. Imagine stepping back in time to the 1930s. The Rodrigues family is enjoying life here. Abraham Rodrigues, a successful textile merchant, lived here with his wife Lea and their children Henry and Elly.
For the Rodrigues family, Kromme Mijdrecht was more than just an address. It represented a sense of belonging. The family regularly attended services at a Portuguese synagogue. One of Elly’s grandfathers was even a rabbi.
Elly Rodrigues and Anne Frank shared intriguing parallels. The Rodrigues residence was a short walk from where the Frank family lived. Elly and Anne were acquainted. Barry Spanjaard, a friend of both girls, confirmed this in his autobiography. Elly and the Frank sisters attended the Jewish Lyceum.
The Nazi occupation brought increasing hardship. Restrictions tightened on Amsterdam’s Jewish residents. Laws defined who was Jewish. Measures limited their everyday lives. Jews faced prohibitions. They were banned from hotels, cafes, and parks. Jewish children were forbidden to attend school with non-Jewish children.
Amidst these dark times, some Dutch citizens showed remarkable courage. They defied the Nazis. They offered solidarity. The yellow star edict sparked fierce anger. Many non-Jewish Dutch citizens wore yellow stars. They showed their support.
In 1943, the Rodrigues family knew they had to flee. Elisabeth confided in her friend Barry. She revealed their plan to go into hiding. The family became beneficiaries of Bert Bochove’s protection. Bert hid them in the attic above his drugstore. They shared the space with another family.
For eleven months, they lived in silence. During the day, they couldn’t move. They had to remain still for hours. The conditions were difficult. The small attic was confining. The air became stale.
Elly Rodrigues later recounted the increasing danger. Neighbors turned on each other. There was chatter about Jews hiding in Bochove’s attic. Elly’s father, Abe, made a decision. He decided to split up the family. It was a crucial move that radically distinguished Elly’s story from Anne’s.
Abe contacted Margriet Bogaards. She was a home economics schoolteacher. She lived far away in the countryside. Margriet agreed to take Elly in. Elly left the attic in an ambulance. Abe’s parting words to his daughter were simple. “Do what you can to survive.”
Abraham and Lea Rodrigues were apprehended. They perished in the gas chambers at Auschwitz. Elly and Henry became penniless orphans.
Standing here at Kromme Mijdrecht, remember the Rodrigues family. Remember their joy. Remember their struggles. Remember their courage. Their story reminds us of the importance of resilience. It highlights the power of human connection in the face of unimaginable adversity. Let this place inspire you to stand up for what is right. Let it prompt you to show compassion in a world that desperately needs it.