Sophia Hegt, daughter of Alexander Hegt and Diena Katz, married 29 November 1928 in Rotterdam Abraham van Rijs, a son of Isaac van Rijs and Heintje Bosboom. The couple had two children, who both together with their parents were killed in Sobibor. However, Sophia had five siblings, namely Sijbilla, Hester, Rachel Mientje, Michiel and Samuel, of whom some have survived the Shoah.
Hester and Rachel were Sophia’s unmarried sisters. Both resided since 1936 in Rotterdam: at Statenweg 53a, at Delftsestraat 67b and their last known address was Hofstedelaan 20a in Rotterdam. From there they were deported to Camp Westerbork on 4 August 1942 and already three days later, on 7 August, put on transport to Auschwitz. Based on their date of death of 30 September 1942, it seems clear that upon arrival in Auschwitz on 10 August, they were not immediately killed but obiviously forced to do hard labor in the concentration camp, until they succumbed to the hardships and/or at some point eventually have lost their lives.
Sophia’s little sister Sijbille, born 14 Decembe 1908 in Rotterdam, passed away on 2 May 1910, only 1 year old. Of Sophia’s brother Samuel, born 10 December 1912 is known that he has survived the war and left Rotterdam on 27 May 1946 for Amsterdam to Jekerstraat 7.
Her brother Michiel Hegt, born 20 August 1900, was married 18 May 1927 in Rotterdam to Rachel Knap, a daughter of Salomon Knap and Simche IJsaksohn and in 1928 his daughter Diena was born. However his marriage ended in a divorce on 21 February 1930. On 22 March 1939 he married again in Rotterdam to Maria Petronella Janssens from Lier (Belgium) who was born 27 Febrary 1897.
Michiel has survived the Holocaust. Data of his registration card of the Jewish Council shows that he was registered and interned in Camp Westerbork on 1 January 1944 and stayed in barack 70. Presumably Michiel was discharged from Westerbork early April 1944 but a few weeks later, on 21 April 1944 he was brought in again in Westerbork and had to stay in barack 67. 25 May 1944 Michiel was still at present in Camp Westerbork. On Sunday 3 September 1944 he was deported to Auschwitz (probable as “criminal case” (S). This last transport to Auschwitz contained 1019 people, among them 95 children. About 470 men and women were not sent to the gas-chamber immediately but were forced to do hard labor. (Source: G. Luijters, In Memoriam, page 787-807). Further notes on his card revealed that he has survived the Sjoa, and was repatriated 25 August 1945 via Odessa to Holland.
City Archive of Amsterdam, family registration card of Abraham van Rijs;City Archive of Rotterdam, family registration cards of Hester Hegt and Rachel Mientje Hegt, Rachel Knap and Michiel Hegt and Samuel Hegt; website www.wiewaswie.nl and the file cabinet of the Jewish Council, registration cards of Sophia van Rijs-Hegt, Hester Hegt, Rachel Mientje Hegt and Michiel Hegt.