Newly Unearthed I.D. Tags Tell the Heartbreaking Stories of Four Young Holocaust Victims
Identification of Victims
In a poignant discovery at the Sobibor death camp in Poland, archaeologists have unearthed I.D. tags bearing the names of four Jewish children from Amsterdam: 6-year-old Lea Judith De La Penha, 6-year-old Deddie Zak, 11-year-old David Juda Van der Velde, and 12-year-old Annie Kapper. These tags provide a tangible connection to the lives and identities of these young victims.
A Tragic Fate
The children were among the thousands of Jewish people who were transported to Sobibor during World War II. Upon their arrival at the camp, they were immediately sent to their deaths in gas chambers. The I.D. tags, which likely belonged to their parents, offer a glimpse into the desperate hope that their children might be found someday.
Connecting the Dots
Through extensive research and collaboration with a memorial center at the Westerbork transit camp in the Netherlands, researchers were able to trace the children’s identities and fates. Tragically, train records revealed that some were part of a mass deportation of over 1,300 young children who were gassed upon arrival at Sobibor.
The Killing Area
The I.D. tags were discovered in different areas of the camp, including the railway platform and the “killing area,” where the gas chamber, crematorium, and mass graves were located. The discovery of half of Van der Velde’s partially burned tag near his body is a harrowing reminder of the horrors inflicted upon these innocent victims.
Operation Reinhard
Sobibor was one of three killing centers established by the Nazis as part of Operation Reinhard, a plan to exterminate Jews in Nazi-occupied Europe. These camps utilized carbon monoxide gas to murder their victims in mass executions.
The Sobibor Gas Chamber
Ongoing excavations at Sobibor have also revealed the camp’s gas chamber, a vast building with eight rooms capable of killing up to 900 people in just 10 minutes. This gruesome discovery underscores the industrial scale of the Holocaust and the Nazi’s relentless pursuit of genocide.
Uncovering the Past
Since 2007, Israeli archaeologist Yoram Haimi and his team have been excavating Sobibor, uncovering artifacts and personal belongings that shed light on the camp’s victims and perpetrators. These discoveries include I.D. tags identifying North African Jews, pins worn by the Jewish group Beitar, and even alcohol bottles belonging to Nazi personnel.
A Legacy of Loss
The I.D. tags of the four young children from Amsterdam serve as a poignant reminder of the countless lives lost during the Holocaust. Their stories are a testament to the unimaginable suffering endured by innocent victims and the enduring legacy of the Nazi genocide.
Preserving the Memory
The items discovered at Sobibor have been entrusted to a museum at the camp, which aims to preserve the memory of those who perished and educate future generations about the horrors of the Holocaust. However, due to the ongoing pandemic, the museum is currently closed.
A Symbol of Resistance
In October 1943, prisoners at Sobibor staged an uprising, resulting in the escape of around half of the 600 prisoners held at the time. Although many were subsequently killed, the uprising remains a symbol of resistance against Nazi tyranny and the indomitable spirit of those who fought for freedom.