Dutch and German Immigrants The Prins Family - Pier 21

During the war Uncle Klaas had two unpleasant “meetings” with theGerman occupying forces.The first one came when commuting by train between Ijmuidenand Amsterdam.One day coming home, during rush hour, the train was quite crowded,when he was pushed from behind; he reacted, but to his chagrin it was aGerman officer who had done the pushing. The officer then proceeded toremove him from the train. As he didn’t want to miss his train, he movedfurther down the platform and entered the train again. At his enddestination he stepped off. When he looked at the departing train, hesaw the officer glaring at him. This caused him to wave a friendlygoodbye. Needless to say he followed a different timetable to go home thenext few weeks.The second encounter came while living in Amsterdam. When he wasbiking to somewhere, two German Policeman stopped him and demandedto see his ID card. Now every Dutch person over the age of 15 years hadto have an ID card; the Jews had an ID card also, but they had theadditional letter J stamped in it. Beside that they were required to wear,visibly, the yellow star, of David. Now there were two reasons why hewas nervous about an ID control.When they moved in their apartment upon the Da Costa Kade he foundinside a closet a small container with some knick-knacks and a yellowstar, of David! He put the star, not thinking very clearly, in hispocketbook.As his ID card was a bit smudged, it looked like if it had had a J in there,but had been removed. Not true of course, but it made for anuncomfortable, a sweaty situation.After the war was over, circumstances improved and holidays withJennie and her husband were organized to the eastern part of Hollandand later on when he had his own car and some longer holidays, tripswere organized to Italy. One week to travel to Italy by car and the two ofthem, two weeks together with The Hague, and one week to travel backhome. And every year a different city was visited. This arrangementlasted for quite a few years, but later Aunt Jo and Uncle Klaas went theirown way.My Earliest Memories