Aryanization of Businesses in the Netherlands

[Text: In January 1941, Jewish businesses in the Netherlands were expropriated. Louise recalls her father’s experience when his fur business was seized.] 

Louise Sorensen: That day he came home when he said a man had walked into his business, and he said, “meine Namen ist Jäger, und das ist mein Geschäft, und ich werde sie erschießen ...” Something like that, meaning, “My name is Hunter, and from here on, I’m in charge of this business, and if you cause any trouble, I’ll shoot you.” My father was laughing, you know? You know, we thought, especially still in the relatively early days, the Nazis were such seething idiots, you know, and they behave so ridiculous, you know? He said, well, he didn’t get much out of my business anyway, because there were not that many assets left. And he says, “Then he tells me ‘I’ll shoot you’ ... and his name has to be Hunter.” So, he really thought it was so ludicrous that he was just grinning about it, you see. And we didn’t know in those days ... we knew we’re in trouble and that we were being robbed and that we might be harassed and humiliated and all that because it happened elsewhere too, of course. But we never knew about how bad it was going to end up being.