Debora Slier joined the Hollandia-Kattenburg textile factory in Amsterdam on 4 February 1935. On Wednesday, 11 November 1942, around 4:30 PM, Willy Lages conducted the Sicherheitspolizei raid on the Hollandia factories. All exits were blocked, and the Jewish staff members were taken away that evening. Photographs of all workers taken away that evening, as well as those deported previously, appear in the 'Boek der tranen' [Book of tears].
Debora Slier worked for Hollandia, a clothing factory in Amsterdam. Some of the employees were arrested on suspicion of having distributed the illegal publication 'De Waarheid' and to have called for sabotage of the production of raincoats destined for the German army by working slowly or by inactivating the conveyor belt. In January 1943, a first group of five were prosecuted in Utrecht. A second court case against the other five employees never took place. The five Jews were taken to Westerbork as exemplary punishment and from there deported to Auschwitz. Debora Slier was one of them.
Before the war, Debora Slier had been an active member of the 'Bond in de Kleedingindustrie van het NVV' (Textile Workers' Union).
//Jewish Historical Museum, Documents collection, inv.nr B1376, 'Boek der tranen' [Book of tears] A. Bockxmeer, “De ramp bij Hollandia Kattenburg”, Het Parool 7 November 1992, 21-22
B. Braber, Zelfs als wij zullen verliezen. Joden in verzet en illegaliteit in Nederland 1940-1945 (Amsterdam, 1990) 115, 178, noot 71//
Biography