Right before us stands the Annetje Fels-Kupferschmidtbrug. This bridge honors a remarkable woman. Annetje Fels-Kupferschmidt was a survivor. She lived through the horrors of Auschwitz.
Annetje Fels-Kupferschmidt was born Channah Sarah Kupferschmidt. This happened in Keulen Germany in 1914. Her family soon moved to the Netherlands. There she became known as Annetje or Annie.
Before the war Annetje trained as a kindergarten teacher. She attended an anti-war congress in Brussels in 1934. There she met like-minded individuals.
Annetje married Hans Polak. Sadly Hans died in Dachau in 1945. Their daughter Chaja was born in 1941. The family hid in Amsterdam. Betrayal led to Annetje and Hans’ arrest in 1944.
Annetje was sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau. She worked in the kitchen there. She endured a death march. This lasted three days. Then she was transported to Ravensbrück. Later she was moved to Neustadt-Glewe. There she found women she knew from Auschwitz. They faced terrible conditions. Liberation came from American and Russian forces.
After the war Annetje found only her daughter Chaja and sister Ruthie alive. She remarried Cor Fels. They had two more children Ellen and Hans.
In 1956 Annetje co-founded the Nederlands Auschwitz Comit. She chaired it from 1974 to 1994. She then became honorary chair. She was also on the board of the International Auschwitz Comit.
Annetje shared her life story with the USC Shoah Foundation Institute. This was founded by Steven Spielberg. Her story is part of the Joods Historisch Museum collection.
Annetje received several honors. She became an Officer in the Order of Oranje Nassau. The city of Amsterdam awarded her a silver medal. A sculpture of her stands in the Hollandsche Schouwburg.
The Annetje Fels-Kupferschmidt Award is given annually. It recognizes those who advance the Comit’s goals. Jan Wolkers designed the original award. It was a glass hourglass with still sand.
The Annetje Fels-Kupferschmidtbrug. It serves as a reminder of Annetje’s strength. It also reminds us of her dedication to “Nooit meer Auschwitz.” Never again Auschwitz. It is a powerful message. It is a message of hope. It is a message of remembrance. The bridge stands as a symbol of resilience. It honors a life dedicated to preventing such horrors from ever happening again. It is a testament to the enduring power of the human spirit.