us-005578-irn47126-irn90157
is or was included in: us-005578-irn47126
has or had identifier: http://lod.ehri-project-test.eu/units/us-005578-irn47126-irn90157/alternateIDs/1
conditions of access: No restrictions on access
date: approximately 1942-approximately 1945, approximately 1942 September-approximately 1945 September
title: Military blouse, trousers, and General Service Cap worn by a Dutch Jewish corporal in the Prinses Irene Brigade
identifier: irn90157
has or had some members with language: nld
scope and content: Military blouse, pants, and General Service Cap worn by Jack Grootkerk, 29, who served in the Dutch Free Forces, Prinses Irene Brigade from September 1942 to September 1945. The Brigade was formed in England in 1941 by the Dutch government in exile and Dutch Army personnel who had escaped German occupied Europe. The unit wore British battledress uniforms with Dutch insignia. On May 10, 1940, Germany invaded the Netherlands. In December 1941, Jack was told to report for forced labor in Germany. He and his brother Erich fled to France and Spain, and were interned several times. In fall 1942, they reached Great Britain and Jack joined the Brigade. In July 1944, the Brigade entered combat in Normandy. The Netherlands was liberated on May 5, 1945. Most of Jack and his wife Hedi’s family were killed in German concentration camps.
history: The military uniform was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1991 by Paul Grootkerk, the son of Jack Grootkerk.
has record set type: Item
history: Jacques Grootkerk was born on July 25, 1913, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, to Izak (Isaac) and Pauline Servos Grootkerk. Izak was born on October 31, 1882, to Jacob and Sofiah Grootkerk, a middle class Jewish family that had been in the Netherlands for many generations. He was a fabric merchant in Amsterdam. Pauline was born on January 27, 1885, in Germany, to Salomon and Regina Liman Servos. Jacques had one younger brother Erich, born on November 30, 1919, in Amsterdam. The family was not religious. On March 6, 1940, Jacques married Hedwig (Hedi) Justus, a Jewish refugee who had fled to the Netherlands in 1934. Hedi was born on February 27, 1918, in Nieder-Ohmen, Germany, to Juda (1878-1923) and Klara Wertheim (1881-1943) Justus. Hedi had 5 siblings: Julius, Herman (Herbert), Bertha, Rosa (Ruth), and Ludwig. By early 1940, three of Hedi’s siblings, Ludwig, Ruth, and Julius, had emigrated. In May 1940, Germany invaded the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France. The Nazi occupied government implemented anti-Semitic legislation restricting the rights of Jews and created laws to punish anyone helping Jews hide or escape. By January 1941, all Jews had to register with the authorities. Jacques was summoned by the Jewish committee for a forced work placement in Germany, and he fled. Jacques and Erich left Amsterdam on December 3, 1941. They biked to Antwerp and were caught crossing the French border. They were released and walked to Maubeuge, France. The brothers travelled south, through German patrolled zones, to Paris. Sympathetic family friends there helped Jacques and Erich find people who could get them to Vichy France. They went to Tours and met with men who told them to cross the bridge during the changing of the German guards. They continued to Loches on foot. Once they arrived, a French detective found them and threatened to arrest them. The next day, the detective explained that he was a counter-intelligence officer and wanted to help. He bought them train ti…
results or resulted from: http://lod.ehri-project-test.eu/units/us-005578-irn47126-irn90157/acquisitions/1
has or had holder: us-005578
type: RecordSet
physical characterisitics and technical requirements: a. Long-sleeved, waist length, brown wool serge battledress blouse with 1 button epaulets and a pointed collar with a concealed buttonhole tab and button closure. All buttons are brown painted metal with finished buttonholes. The straight cuffs are secured by a concealed, 1 button closure. The front has a full-length, concealed placket with 5 buttons and 2 exterior breast bellows pockets with top flaps and concealed 1 button closures. The waistband has an extension tab, with a slide buckle and cloth belt loop, and 3 back buttonholes. Below each armhole are 3 reinforced eyelets. The interior collar, cuffs, placket, pocket flaps, and waistband are lined with light brown cloth. There are 2 very large, interior, welt breast pockets. Looped under the left epaulet is an orange and blue twisted cord invasion-lanyard, with a blue knot covered with an orange net; an orange cord with a looped bottom hangs from the knot. Sewn to the upper left sleeve are 3 cloth patches: the unit insignia, an arched, brown bar with Dutch text; a Netherland lion, a flared rectangle with a curved bottom and a gold, embroidered, rampant crowned lion holding a bundle of arrows and a sword and standing on Dutch text; and Corporal’s insignia of 2 brown chevrons. Sewn to the right sleeve are 4 cloth patches. On the upper arm: the unit insignia; an Infantry regiment service strip: a horizontal, red bar; and Corporal’s 2 chevron insignia. On the lower arm is a British overseas service chevron, brown with 3 printed, red chevrons, for 3 complete years of service. Above the left pocket are 3 ribbon bars. Pinned on the left is the Dutch War Commemorative Cross ribbon, 1 small bronze star, and 3 vertical stripes: green, wide orange, green. Sewn to the center is a British France and Germany Star paper ribbon bar with 5 vertical stripes: dark blue, white, red, white, dark blue. Sewn to the right is a Dutch Cross of Merit ribbon bar with 3 vertical stripes: wide blue, orange, wide blue. b. High-waisted, brown …
conditions of use: No restrictions on use
record resource extent: a: Height: 21.000 inches (53.34 cm) | Width: 15.125 inches (38.418 cm) b: Height: 27.875 inches (70.803 cm) | Width: 14.500 inches (36.83 cm) c: Height: 2.875 inches (7.303 cm) | Width: 10.500 inches (26.67 cm) | Depth: 10.000 inches (25.4 cm)