Samson Beek, wholesaler in knitware, was the sixth of the seven children of Izaak Leon Beek and Matje Mok. He married Vogeltje Frankfort on 30 May 1922 in Amsterdam, who was born there 24 January 1898 as daughter of Samuel Frankfort and Heintje Menist. The couple had three children, namely Samuel in 1923, Martha in 1925 and Hans in 1927. The whole family has been murdered during Shoah in July 1943 in Sobibor.
After his marriage, Samson and his wife Vogeltje lived in shortly with his parents-in-law, Samuel and Heintje Frankfort at Gelderschekade 94 in Amsterdam, but moved rather quick afterwards to Zandvoort. On 12 July 1923 they returned in Amsterdam and lived then at Weesperstraat 33. On 20 July 1927, the family left for Zandvoort again, but returned on 12 November of that year to Amsterdam again.Their address became then shortly again Gelderschekade 94 and per 31 January 1928 2e Jan Steenstraat 101 in Amsterdam. On 25 August 1930 the family left Amsterdam for Rotterdam, where after four more relocations, they finally ended up on Statenweg 72a in 1938.
Meantime, Samson was not a wholesaler anymore but travelled in readymade fashion. Later, he worked in Rotterdam as warehouse clerk and more later, he was known as lodging-house keeper. His wife Vogeltje worked those days as sales lady at the Bijenkorf department store but later she was known as “landlady”. In any case, one of their tenants was Samson’s brother Simon, who earned his living as a representative in mens fashion.
The Jewish Council had not issued a “Sperre” (exemption for deportation) to Samson and his family. He was registered however as “Director of a Rest Home” since 1 August 1942. His former work was described as warehouse clerk and administrator and former wholesaler in knitware. Samson was commercially educated and at the Jewish Council at the registration, he made a “good impression” but was labeled as “difficult to deal with”. Usually an advantage for people setting a goal and go for it. Regarding his health it was taken down that Samson Beek was a heart patient.
On the other hand, Samson’s wife Vogeltje Frankfort was described as “energetic and pleasant to deal with”. She would have been acting as “Director of a Rest Home” since 1 August 1942 too, where son Hans was working as a “male nurse” since March 1943 and daughter Martha was there already “sick-nursing” up from 1 August 1942.
Still, the Samson Beek family was taken from Rotterdam to concentration camp Vught on 22 April 1943. Despite that Samson was a heart patient, he was apparently rated good enough to be deployed as a forced labourer at the so-called “Moerdijk-command”, an “Aussenkommando”(satellite camp) from Vught. On 3 July 1943 Samson and his family were transferred from Vught to Westerbork, where they ended up in barrack 60. Only three days later, on 6 July all were deported from Westerbork to Sobibor. That transport contained more than 2400 deportees and on arrival there, all were murdered immediately on 9 July 1943. There were no survivors.
Sources including City Archive of Amsterdam, family registration card of Samson Beek; City Archive of Rotterdam, family registration card of Samson Beek; website with information about the Moerdijk-command; Wikipedia website Jodentransporten vanuit Nederland and the file cabinet of the Jewish Council, registration cards of Samson Beek, Vogeltje Beek-Frankfort, and of Samuel, Martha and Hans Beek.