Daniel Hamilton Mr.

Neuburger English Comp 101-101 18 March 17, 2013 Survivor Summary Arie Van Mansum Arie Van Mansum was born in Utrecht, Holland on 5 March 17, 2013. He lived there until he was six then moved to Maasterich, Holland. His family was Protestant, which made them a minority in a town than was ninety nine percent Catholic. He learned what racism is around 1932 when Jews started to immigrate into Holland. He learned of Hitler at the age of thirteen. Hitler could be heard on the radio screaming and saying he wanted to kill all Jews. When Germany occupied Holland he first saw propaganda including movies and billboards about anti-Semitism. Arie was in the hospital when Holland was invaded by Germany. He said when he got out of the hospital there were Germans everywhere. Some of the Dutch people even welcomed them and their policies The Germans set curfews at nine in the evening, rationed food with food stamps, and created new jobs; manufacturing war-time materials. Radios were taken so that only German broadcasts could be heard. Being a traveling salesman with access without suspicion, to other towns, Arie was asked by his minister to escort a Jewish couple to another town. He was happy to help which led to further requests. He soon had a Jewish man his age living with him at his mother and fathers home. His church taught him the values of saving lives and helping people in need. He even brought home an eleven day old baby Jewish girl.

To feed the refugees, Arie learned how to forge documents, in order to get food stamps and identification cards that were not labeled Jewish. He risked imprisonment and maybe even death, but he was good at helping refugees. He even quit his regular job to devote all his time to the cause. German officers did finally arrest him for aiding the Jewish people. He was beaten and interrogated, but never gave up any secrets. The Germans imprisoned him in solitary confinement for six months but he was never beaten again. He told excellent lies and the Germans believed him. At his court martial he was released due to lack of evidence. When Canada finally liberated Holland he was able to return home. He was a community hero and said my whole face was covered with lipstick. It was hard for his family and the others to return the Jewish children they had raised as their own for over two years. Special relationships were formed and everyone attempted to stay involved in each others lives. Out of the over one hundred people he helped, thirty to forty still communicated with Arie. He has visited Israel three times and helped the Holland police charge specific Germans with war crimes. The man who beat Arie during his investigation was sentenced to over twenty years in prison.