"I remember that day so well," she said. Her mother dressed up beautifully to impress the German police and hurried to police headquarters to retrieve the patient notebook her husband always carried with him.
The Gestapo suspiciously checked the book a number of times, reluctant to give it back to her. She insisted the book was needed by the replacement doctor to continue treatments for Dr. Zubli s patients.
"It was a good thing she got it back," said Rudolph Joon. The book contained code names of people in the Dutch Underground, plus details of escape routes throughout Europe.
"If the Gestapo had learned that, he would have been killed," Joon said.
Although he wasn't Jewish, Julda said her father was a "humanist" who would have helped anyone. The Joon family has donated the doctor s concentration camp striped uniform and identification bracelet to the U.S. Holocaust Museum.
Chapter 15 - The Legacy for the Next Generation
When my 85 year-old mother became gravely ill a few years ago, my mind filled with weighty thoughts. In addition to feeling frightened about being orphaned again, I realized that no matter how old you are, the death of an ultimate parent still represents an end to your childhood. As long as my mother is alive, I am still someone's child. But, once she is gone, I will have to rely on my memories.
I'm glad that I took the time to talk to my mother about her life - especially the life she lead before she gave birth to me and my sister. It amazed me how little I knew about someone I have known all of my life. For the first time, my mother shared her stories about enduring the War -- about working in Germany as a slave laborer.
After listening to the stories of the Holocaust from my mother and other survivors, I realize that I have received a weighty bequest -- the legacy of a second generation survivor.
The children of Holocaust survivors have begun to speak out about how their lives have been impacted being born to survivors. As the second generation survivors pass through parenthood and middle age, they are showing concern about the legacy they have been handed down by their parents.
This enormous legacy can be a burden or a gift. For those who have accepted this ponderous legacy, I have some words of encouragement: You are not alone. Your feelings are shared by countless others. This is especially important for non-Jewish second generation survivors. The children of non-Jewish survivors have felt much the same pain and burden as children of Jewish survivors -- with one major difference. Non- Jewish children of survivors are often denied the recognition. Many are not aware that they were victims of the Holocaust too -- some just as much or almost just as much as many of their Jewish friends.
Because the Jewish people have worked diligently to make sure that their children do not forget the tragedies of the Holocaust, non-Jewish survivors have often felt that, by comparison, their parents did not suffer "enough" and that the Holocaust is a "Jewish thing". There is no doubt that the Jewish people as a whole suffered much more than the non-Jews. Whether one group suffered more is not an issue. There is no yardstick for personal suffering. Personal misery and sorrow cannot be measured. Nor should it be denied.
Non-Jewish children often do not have the same extensive support groups and backup organizations as Jewish children of survivors. There are many support groups and organizations for second generation survivors, but, from my experience, these groups are almost exclusively Jewish. So, non-Jewish children of survivors are again being forgotten -- just like their parents.
To some second generation children, it does not matter. Some feel no burden of being children of survivors. Some feel no desire to accept the legacy as a gift. This bequest is not for everyone. But, for those who accept the legacy of the Holocaust as a gift, I urge you to exploit this precious bequest. It is a part of your history too.
Do not let anyone deny that your parents, your grandparents or your family suffered. Remember that your parents and grandparents were also incarcerated, tortured, enslaved and murdered. Remember that your parents and grandparents fought valiantly with homemade weapons and utensils. Remember this important part of your history, not only to honor your forefathers, but also for your children's sake. One day it will be your turn to pass the legacy on to them.
Afterword
Immediately after publishing my website, www.holocaustforgotten.com, in February 1997, I began receiving emails, letters, books and manuscripts from non-Jewish survivors and their families who wanted to share their personal stories. I was surprised at the volume of correspondence - but I was completely overwhelmed by the force of their feelings.
Curiously, only a few survivors contacted me. Some showed me their scars and tattooed arms. Others pulled out musty photographs and hand-written diaries. Most of those who wrote to me were children of non-Jewish Holocaust survivors. It was the second and third generation that responded with a strong desire to share their family's story.
Holocaust Forgotten - Five Million Non-Jewish Victims Page 5
