Names Not Numbers

Rodi Glass

Amsterdam, Holland

Westerbork Transit Camp

In Hiding

1936

Rodi Glass

Amsterdam, Holland

1936

Rodi was born on April 26, 1936, in Amsterdam, as an only child. She came from a large family—her mother had five siblings, and her father had six. As the oldest grandchild, Rodi was cherished and spoiled by her family. Her mother’s parents were from Amsterdam, and her grandfather worked as a shoemaker.

Due to the difficult economic conditions in Holland, the family moved to London in the early 1920s, seeking better business opportunities. Rodi's mother and four of her siblings were born in London. This English citizenship later played a critical role in saving their lives. The family returned to Amsterdam in 1923, and Rodi’s parents married there in 1935.

Rodi was born the following year, in 1936. One of her clearest memories from childhood is her fifth birthday party, as it was the last time her entire family gathered together. In 1940, the Nazis occupied Holland, and life for Jews began to change dramatically due to the many anti-Jewish laws enacted. Around this time, Rodi’s father’s family disappeared. The family knew they had been taken to a camp, but they didn’t know the details.

Later, Rodi learned that her father’s family had been sent to Westerbork Transit Camp and then murdered in Sobibor.

In September 1942, Rodi, her parents, and her mother’s family were also sent to Westerbork. She vividly remembers walking and the train ride there. After a few days, they were ordered to go to the town center. A German officer recognized Rodi’s mother but signaled for her not to acknowledge him.

He later crossed their names off the list, sparing them from being sent to Auschwitz, where the others on the list were deported.

Jews were forbidden from possessing money or jewelry, but Rodi’s grandfather, who had worked with tanneries throughout Holland, was able to hide his money among the tannery owners, who were not Jewish.

He eventually retrieved the funds and paid 120,000 guilders for each of the 11 family members to obtain a sperr, which temporarily protected them from deportation to the East. The family was released from Westerbork and returned to their apartment in Amsterdam.

Life continued to grow more difficult for the Jews in Amsterdam. One Friday night, Rodi and her family were arrested and taken to the Jewish-Dutch Theater.

Thanks to the sperr, they were allowed to return home, much to the surprise of their Dutch neighbors, who had expected them to be taken away. Eventually, the family was forced to leave their apartment and move to a designated Jewish area.

Due to the burning of the courthouse in Rotterdam, many documents were destroyed, making it difficult to verify people's citizenship.

Fortunately, Rodi’s aunt had her English passport, allowing the entire family to claim English citizenship. In 1943, they moved to Vittel, a place where many British and American citizens were residing. There, they no longer had to wear the Jewish star.

Rodi and her family were liberated by the American army in 1944. After liberation, the family moved to La Bourboule, in Southern France, where they stayed until Holland was freed.

Upon their return to Holland, they were given an apartment that had been abandoned by a Dutch Nazi, which was filled with Nazi paraphernalia. Rodi’s father burned it all. Eventually, Rodi enrolled in a regular Dutch school, resuming a more normal life.

In 1947, Rodi’s aunts emigrated to the United States. Rodi and her parents joined them in 1951, beginning a new chapter in their lives.

Names Not Numbers

Rodi Glass

Rodi Glass

The End