Peperstraat 18

Only their children managed to flee the Nazis **

Ellie Deaner was one of the next of kin who was present on March 12th when 2 stumbling blocks were placed in front of the house in Peperstraat no. 18. She and a number of other family members had come from America and England to Otto Rosenbaum and Sarah Stephanie Vogel to commemorate. Because they too were victims of the persecution of the Jews.

Otto was born in Schwerin, Germany in 1875 and is the oldest of 6 children. His father, Salomon, is a merchant. Otto attended the Gymnasium, later studied medicine, obtained his doctorate and settled in 1903 in his hometown as a general practitioner.

In 1913, he married Stephanie Vogel, 6 years his junior, who lived a year in England and France for her teacher training. Together with their 3 children Herbert, Heinz and Gerda they form a happy family, although Otto had to serve as a major physician in the German army during the First World War.

**The threat**
After that war he returns to Schwerin to resume his practice. But life has changed and after the seizure of power by the National Socialists, he is forced to resign from his practice as a school doctor in 1933. He can continue his private practice until 1938. In his district he is then the last active Jewish doctor. The atmosphere grows grim and, when some of his patients suddenly ignore him, the idea of moving to America slowly grows. To prepare properly, Otto takes English lessons for doctors. A visa is applied for, but it turns out not to be easy. No progress is being made and the situation is becoming increasingly unsafe. They therefore decide to already travel to the Netherlands and look further from there.

** Welcome to Oisterwijk **
Their son Heinz fled Germany in 1938 and now works at the leather factory in Oisterwijk. At the end of August 1939, his parents joined him with only two small suitcases and $ 10. Heinz later writes in his memoirs how his parents were taken care of and helped by the local population. A fully furnished house was arranged for them. During their stay in Oisterwijk, they live at various addresses, including Peperstraat 4 and last Peperstraat 18.

** The final destination **
At the end of October 1942, Otto and Stephanie were forced by the Germans to leave Oisterwijk and to settle in Amsterdam. After six months they are also expelled from Amsterdam and deported to Westerbork. After a stay of several weeks, they were deported to the Sobibor extermination camp on July 13, 1943. They face fate, because after a long and tiring journey, they are killed by the Nazis on arrival on July 16, 1943. For Otto Rosenbaum and his wife Stephanie Vogel, life ends in an extermination camp in eastern Poland. Otto is then 68 and Sarah Stephanie is 57. The children Heinz, Herbert and Gerda eventually reach America after all kinds of wanderings and difficulties.

** Stumbling stones **
On March 12, 2019, a total of 11 stumbling stones were laid in Oisterwijk in memory of the Jews who were deported from Oisterwijk and who died in concentration camps.

https://oisterwijkinbeeld.nl/story-family-rosenbaum/
(https://www.oisterwijkinbeeld.nl/struikelsteen/)

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