The Siesel family were Jewish refugees from Altenstadt who settled at Turfstraat 35 A in Zutphen. Father Julius, a cattle trader, lived there with his wife Sarah Selma Katzenstein and their children Frits, Stella and Karola. Life was difficult: the family had little money, received support from Jewish aid committees, and tried to rebuild their lives in Zutphen’s Jewish community. Stella died in Zutphen in 1941 after being denied permission to travel for proper medical treatment. During the raid of 17 November 1942, Julius, Sarah and ten-year-old Karola were arrested, deported via Westerbork to Auschwitz, and murdered on 27 November 1942. Frits remained in Westerbork, escaped in 1944 with help from the Westerweel Group, and later reached Israel.
