Elisabeth Gaarkeuken, born in Haarlem, was a daughter of Magiel Gaarkeuken and Grietje van Hessen. 18 August 1909 she married in Haarlem David van Amerongen from Naarden, a son of Emanuel David van Amerongen and Mietje Glaser. The couple had two daughters, namely Marietje in 1911 and Margaretha in 1913. Both were killed in Shoah, just as their parents.
Elisabeth was born into a family with eleven children in total. However, three children were stillborn, in 1872, 1873 and 1875. A baby-son Izaak died in 1874, six months old. Two daughters, namely Roosje and Naatje and a son Marcus have died already before the war (resp. 1937, 1934 and 1926) and one son, Simon, died in Haarlem during the war. Three children Gaarkeuken were killed in the Shoah: Elisabeth self, her brothers Salomon and Wolf.
Elisabeth Gaarkeuken was deported to Camp Westerbork 23 March 1943. She lived at Hendrik de Keijserplein 19 2nd stock in Amsterdam, already since 3 August 1935. However the archive of the Jewish Council reveal that from her husband David van Amerongen as latest known address was registered Nieuwe Achtergracht 2 in Amsterdam. It was also clear that in July 1942 he still lived at Hendrik de Keijserplein 19 2nd stock with his wife and two daughters. David however was already sent to Westerbork two months earlier than his wife; 23 Janary 1943 he was registered there and stayed in barack 60. Elisabeth and David were both put on transport 30 March 1943 to Sobibor and upon arrival there 2 April 1943 immediately killed.
When Elisabeth and David 30 March 1943 were deported to Sobibor, their daughters Marietje (housekeeper) and Margaretha (sales-lady) have been sent already nine months earlier to Westerbork. 13 and 14 July 1942 were both registered and two days later, 16 July put on transport to Auschwitz, where they were killed at some point. Both their date of death however was established as 30 September 1942.
City Archive of Amsterdam, archive card of David van Amerongen; website www.wiewaswie.nl; the file cabinet of the Jewish Council, registration cards of Elisabeth Gaarkeuken en David van Amerongen and Margaretha van Amerongen.