On May 27, 1942 Belgian Jews were forced to wear the yellow star, signalling what would be an ominous change in the tone of the Nazi occupation of their country. One of the Belgian Jews who had to endure this was Anne Eidltz. She was born in 1936, just before the war started. She was born in Antwerp, Belgium and lived with her mother, her father, and her younger sister Rosa. Her first languages were Flemish and Yiddish. She was the oldest grandchild and had many privileges and was given many things that the other grandchildren were not. When the war began, the family went into hiding, and Anne was taught what to do should the Gestapo come looking for them. Her father was taken away early on, and the rest of the family stayed in hiding. When the Nazis came for her mother, Anne followed her mother’s instructions and the Gestapo left the young Anne behind. Her new family felt the situation was too dangerous, and Anne was sent to Switzerland, where she spent the rest of the war years. Following the war she returned to Belgium, where she learned of the murder of her parents. She went into the care of other family members, and years later made her way to Canada. Please listen to her stories here – https://ohp.crestwood.on.ca/
