Jewish war orphans Holland: copy official documents

The Committee for War Foster Children (Commissie voor Oorlogspleegkinderen) was established by the Dutch government on 13 August 1945 with the objective of ensuring that the fate of the children orphaned as a result of the war and the Holocaust be secured in the children's best interest. The stance taken by the committee was controversial from the outset. Jewish groups felt that they were under represented on the Committee given that 84% of the children were Jewish, They argued that Jewish children, instead of being allowed to go to Jewish foster parents, were encouraged to stay with their existing (non- Jewish) foster parents. The committee, determined to be non-denominational, argued that if the children were happy in their adopted, non-Jewish environment, and it could not be proven that they came from orthodox family backgrounds, it would be in their best interests to stay put.

Included are papers re the famous case of Anna Henriette Beekman, who, at the age of 2½ years in early 1943, was placed with a devout Catholic family (having come from an orthodox Jewish family) [907/5]. The court ruled that the child be passed to a Jewish foster family in July 1946 but the family of Catholic sisters, van Moorst, took her into hiding. With the assistance of the church she was kept from the authorities until adulthood.

Documents re guardianship of Jewish war orphans (Holland)

Donated August 1990

Donor: Office of the Chief Rabbi