Diary of father Dick van Ommen 1944/1945

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Father was arrested in April 1944 and released after several weeks in an Amsterdam prison. Mother was imprisoned shortly after my father and was liberated by the Americans April 28, 1945.

Dick van Ommen kept a diary during her absence. It is written in long hand. Twin brother Jan has started to translate it into German for his family

I intend to translate it into English for my family. Some of it is very mundane but it records the struggle to survive and manage without mother and keep my sister and brother looked after.

And father’s attempts to communicate with his wife and his futile efforts to try and have her released.

Sample of the handwritten pages:

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Translation:

dated September 11, 1944 : “ It is a very sad day, I phoned the Red Cross this morning and I was told that all the prisoners from Vught have been transported to Germany. The daughter of van Wolf, out of nearby den Bosch, came here and confirmed this. Wednesday morning at 8.15 taken away in boxcars of 80 women per car. Most likely direction Oranienburg, horrible.

Sept 12. Allied forces have crossed into Holland for the second time….