Eekwal 28

With this stumbling stone we commemorate Jozeph (Jo) Troostwijk. Jo was killed by members of the Meppel resistance group at the end of July 1943 in Staphorst, aged 58, under pressure of the circumstances. He remained unmarried. **

Jo Troostwijk was born in Zwolle in on November 7, 1884. His father was the copper and tinsmith Mozes Troostwijk (Leeuwarden 1847-Zwolle 1914), his mother Catharina Troostwijk-Polak (Zwolle 1857-Zwolle 1941). He had five brothers, two of whom died before the war. Three brothers and their wives survived the war in hiding. After his father's death in 1914, Jo stayed with his mother at Eekwal 28. He made a living as a traveling salesman for his brother Arthur's household goods wholesaler.

In the course of 1942 the threat of deportation grew and Jo decided to go into hiding. Initially he stayed in a remote farm in Zwollerkerspel. The limited freedom of movement, hopelessness and loneliness caused a lot of tension and tangled him mentally. After he threatened to commit suicide, several hiding places followed in Staphorst and Meppel. He spent his time painting still lifes and all kinds of chores.

At his last hiding place, tensions only increased. When there was imminent danger, Jo had to stay in a dark coal loft. Panic-stricken, he fled to the streets a few times with all the associated risks. Apparently, people did not know how to handle the situation. In consultation with members of the resistance from the Meppel squad, it was therefore decided to kill Jo. This happened at the end of July 1943 on a farm in Staphorst. Jo's body was buried in the meadow behind the farm.

After the war, the incident was reported to official authorities. On August 29, 1946, his remains were exhumed and reburied a few days later at the Jewish cemetery at Kuyerhuislaan in Zwolle. As far as is known, no further judicial investigation has taken place.

Not only Jo Troostwijk, also dozens of other Jewish people in hiding in our country have been killed, mostly because they endangered their people in hiding or resistance members because of their behavior.
Source:
Dammis Baan et al., "Jo couldn't stand in hiding", in: Persecution of Jews in twelve
portraits (Judaica Zwolle Foundation 2016), p. 32-35, 77, 89.

https://www.judaica-zwolle.nl/article.php?articleID=176

Muistetaan täällä

Onko kivi täällä vaurioitunut tai kadonnut? Kerro meille sähköpostitse