Esther Blits (b. 04-Dec-1879 in Amsterdam) was the younger sister of Mietje Blits and the tenth child of Simon Hartog Blits and Leentje Koopman. She married Eliazer Goudsmit (b. 13-Jun-1883 in Amsterdam) on 20-Sep-1904 in Antwerp, BE. Eliazer and Esther had two children Louis Goudsmit (b. 16-Dec-1907 in Amsterdam) and Lina Goudsmit (b. 26-Jan-1910 in Amsterdam).
Eliazer Goudsmit died on 07-Jan-1925 in Amsterdam. By the time that Louis Goudsmit registered for the military on 19-Mar-1926, he had already completed his training and begun working as an accountant, supporting his sister and mother as the primary wage earner for the family. He was recorded as being 172cm tall. He served in the military for a short period between 1928 and 1929, but was released permanently from service on 03-Jan-1929 on account of his obligation as the breadwinner for the family. Louis worked as an accountant, bookkeeper, auditor and consultant (possibly for the telephone service). Lina worked as an accountant as well. By at least 1938, Esther, Louis and Lina all lived together at Eemsstraat 26 huis in Amsterdam.
On 15-Jul-1942 Louis Goudsmit was deported from Amsterdam. It is known that he was transported through Westerbork, though it does not appear that he was detained any length of time there. On 21-Jul-1942 Louis was transported from Westerbork to Auschwitz. Many of the 1001 deportees on this transport had been summoned a few days before to appear at the Amsterdam Central Station. These deportees were taken to the Hooghalen Station and forced to leave their belongings and walk 5 km into the Westerbork Camp. Around 9:00 on the morning of 21-Jul-1942, the deportees on this transport walked back to the station at Hooghalen, where they boarded the cattle car train bound for Auschwitz. The train arrived in the late evening around 10:00pm on 22-Jul-1942 in Auschwitz. As Louis was not killed until September, 1942, He was among the 479 men who were separated that evening for slave labor at the camp. Louis Goudsmit was killed on 02-Sep-1942 at 1:05pm in Auschwitz at the age of 34. He is recorded in the Auschwitz Sterberbücher (Death Books) of dying by Herzwassersucht (Cardiac Edema). Additionally, he is recorded on the Auschwitz Death Certificate of dying on 02-Sep-1942.
Three months after the deportation of Louis, Esther Blits moved in with her daughter Lina and son-in-law at Vechtstraat 71 III on 30-Oct-1942. On his archive card, there is also a record of Louis Goudsmit moving to this address on the same date, however, this would clearly not be possible since he had already been killed. It is possible that Esther registered him at this address at this time, in the hopes that he would return.
Esther Blits was deported before 25-May-1943 through Westerbork and is reported to have stayed at Barrack 65. She was among the 2,862 deportees of the 13th transport to Sobibor which departed on 25-May-1943. The train arrived in Sobibor on 28-May-1943 and there were no survivors. Esther Blits died on 28-May-1943 at the age of 63.
Sources
Amsterdam Stadsarchief: Geregisteerde (Census) Mietje Blits
Amsterdam Stadsarchief: Geregistreerde (Census) Esther Blits
Amsterdam Stadsarchief: Archive Card Esther Blits
Amsterdam Stadsarchief: Woningkaarten (Residence Card) Esther Blits
Amsterdam Stadsarchief: Militieregisters (Military Registration) Louis Goudsmit
Amsterdam Stadsarchief: Archive Card Louis Goudsmit
Amsterdam Stadsarchief: Archive Card Lina Goudsmit
ITS-Arolsen 130296529: Judenrat Card for Esther Blits
ITS-Arolsen 130296689: Judenrat Card Louis Goudsmit
ITS-Arolsen 581722: Auschwitz Death Book Louis Goudsmit 02-Sep-1942
ITS-Arolsen 23103931: Arolsen Death Certificate Louis Goudsmit 02-Sep-1942
Yad Vashem: Index to Death Certificate Louis Goudsmit
Yad Vashem: Transport from Westerbork to Auschwitz on 21-Jul-1942
Yad Vashem: Transport from Westerbork to Sobibor 25-May-1943