us-005578-irn523836-irn524113
type: RecordSet
archival history: The uncut Star of David badge was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2006 by Clara Renee Keren Vromen, the daughter of Minnie Vromen.
biographical history: Clara Renee Keren Vromen (also known as Clary) was born on September 27, 1931 in Enschede, Netherlands, to Abraham Vromen and Minnie van Dam. Minnie was born in Enschede on June 6, 1907 to Isidoor van Dam (1876-1952) and Clara Samson (1880-1964). She had two sisters: Hettie Wilhelmina van Dam (later Hettie van der Meulen, 1902-1975) and Edith Rebecca van Dam (1918-1988). Minnie and Abraham married on December 13, 1927 in Enschede. Clara had one brother, Jaap Herman Vromen (also known as Jacob, b. July 21, 1930). Clara’s father was a businessman and head of Hachsara, a Zionist youth movement. The family immigrated to Palestine and settled in Tel Aviv. Minnie and Abraham divorced in 1934, and Minnie and the children returned to the Netherlands and settled in The Hague. Minnie studied to become a hospital assistant. In May 1940 Germany invaded and occupied the Netherlands. Minnie worked as a social worker, and received papers that protected her from deportation. By 1943 Minnie had gone into hiding under the false identity of Nellie Boorsman. She later used the false identity of Mininie Helene Lebeboer. Minnie hid her children first with two different families in Deurne, Netherlands. Jaap was later hidden with Annie (Anneke) and Johan Le Febre until liberation. Clara was hidden with a Catholic family, Riek and Gerard Hoefs and their children, in Utrecht, Netherlands. Clara remained in the house until liberation under the false identity of a cousin from Zeelandic Flanders. Clara and her family were all reunited after the war. They moved back to their home in Enschede, but found that their apartment was occupied by strangers. The family then moved to Amsterdam. Clara moved to London in 1950 to study nursing, and immigrated to Israel in 1952. Both of Minnie’s parents were briefly imprisoned in Westerbork, but survived the Holocaust. Riek and Gerard Hoefs were named Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem in 1977. Minnie van Dam was born on June 6, 1907, in Enschede, Neth…
physical characteristics and technical requirements: Rectangular yellow cloth printed with a 6 pointed Star of David. The star outline is formed from 2 overlapping, dyed triangles and has Dutch text in a font resembling Hebrew in the center. There are cut guide marks printed around the outside of the star.
conditions of access: No restrictions on access
conditions of use: No restrictions on use
has beginning date: 1942-01-01
has end date: 1943-12-31
has or had holder: us-005578
has or had identifier: 1
has or had some members with language: nld
has record set type: Item
identifier: irn524113
is or was included in: us-005578-irn523836
record resource extent: overall: Height: 5.000 inches (12.7 cm) | Width: 4.000 inches (10.16 cm)
results or resulted from: 1
scope and content: Uncut Star of David badge issued to the Vromen family in the Netherlands. Minnie Vromen, age 34, and her 2 children, Jaap, age 13, and Clary, age 12, were living in Enschede when Germany occupied the country in May 1940. Minnie's work as a social worker helped them escape deportation to Westerbork internment camp in November 1942. She decided to go into hiding and in February 1943 sent the children to Duerne where they were hidden in separate homes with non-Jewish Dutch families. They had to change hiding places several times during the war. After liberation in spring 1945, Minnie did not know where Clary was living. She placed her name on a register of missing people at a local synagogue. A few days later, Gerards Hoefs contacted her and told her that he and his wife, Riek, were Clary's foster parents. Clary was reunited with her family. She had renounced Judaism while in hiding and when they relocated to Amsterdam, Minnie enrolled her in Jewish schools. Both Minnie and Clary later emigrated to Israel.
title: Unused yellow Star of David badge printed with Jood