Andries van Dam

Andries was born in Groningen. He started there a second hand-shop. Once moved to Rotterdam he and his wife Chelly started an antiques-business. They were both members of the Rotterdam NIG Chewre Kedische (Burial Society). They had no children. In 1938/9 they adopted two German Jewish girls, refugees. Andries and Chelly lived a very orthodox jewish life in matters of shabbos observance and kashrus. Their shop and home were not caught by fire on may 1940. The two girls survived the shoa. Some years ago they tried to look for Van Dam relatives by a Dutch radioprogramme, but did not succeed.

Andries was arrested after his protest agaisnt the arrest of his brother Meier and send to PDL Amersfoort and later to KZ Mauthausen. Chelly was caught as well, send to Sobibor.

After they knew they could not have children they made the State of the Netherlands their heirs. This was of course before 1940.