Page 10 - Time For My Story :: Sample Stories

TIME FOR OUR STORIES
Johanna’s Story
My name is Johanna, and I was born in the Netherlands in 1923. I’ve lived a long and eventful life and am happy to share some of my memories with you. I grew up in a small village in the countryside, where life was simple but pleasant. My parents were farmers, and I spent most of my childhood helping them tend to the crops and livestock.
Despite the hard work, I enjoyed my upbringing. I had four siblings, and we always found ways to have fun and entertain ourselves. We played games, went on long walks, and even put on little plays and skits for our parents and neighbours.
We knew that we had to do something to help, so my family and I started hiding Jewish families in our homes. We risked our lives to keep them safe, but we knew it was the right thing to do.
In 1940, when I was just 17 years old, the Germans invaded the Netherlands. It was a terrifying time, and we never knew what to expect. We were forced to hide in our cellar during air raids, and we saw soldiers marching through our village almost every day.
Eventually, my two older brothers were drafted into the Dutch army and sent to fight the Ger- mans. They were both captured and taken as prisoners of war, and we didn’t hear from them for months. It was a very difficult time for our family, but we tried to remain hopeful and keep each other strong.
In 1944, things took a turn for the worse. The Germans started rounding up Jewish families and deporting them to concentration camps. We knew that we had to do something to help, so my family and I started hiding Jewish families in our homes. We risked our lives to keep them safe, but we knew it was the right thing to do.
8