Max Keizer was born as Simon Max Keizer on 20 July 1931 in Amsterdam as son of Eduard Charles Keizer and Jeannette Vega. He lived with his parents and sister Anna Esther at Waterlooplein 123 downfloor in Amsterdam. 26 May 1943 Max, his mother and sister were locked in in Westerbork in barack 55. His father followed 29 September 1943. They were “gesperrt”, exempted from deportation because of “the list Callmeyer”. Eventually they were put on transport 15 February 1944 to Bergen Belsen. There Max celebrated his barmitswah 5 August 1944 and wrote Joseph Gompers his poem “Kracht” for him. The complete family has survived the Shoah and were able to return to Amsterdam in 1945.
City Archive of Amsterdam, archive cards of Eduard Charles Keizer and Jeannette Vega and the file cabinet of the Jewish Council, registration cards of Eduard Keizer, Jeannette Keizer-Vega, Anna Esther Keizer and Simon Max Keizer.