Hartog Waterman, born on 8 August 1880 in Amsterdam, was a son of Meijer Waterman and Sara van Praag. He married on 14 May 1903 Heintje Granaat, who was born on 24 January 1876 in Amsterdam as a daughter of Joseph Jonas Granaat and Betje de Jong. The couple had three children, namely Meijer in 1904, Jonas in 1906 and Betsie in 1909. Jonas and Betsie survived the Holocaust but Meijer and his parents were killed during the Shoah.
Hartog Waterman was tailor by trade. Before he and his wife Heintje Granaat ended up at their address Amstelstraat 19 2nd floor in Amsterdam on 4 March 1936, after their marriage in 1903 they first lived on the Groenburgwal, then in 1925 on the Nieuwe Keizersgracht and in 1928 on the Plantage Middenlaan.
Their son Jonas Waterman had a “Sperre” – exempted from deportation for the time being – since 20 July 1942. He was employed by the Jewish Council as home visitor in case of complaints about billeting in Amsterdam-East. He lived at home with his parents and was unmarried. Whether his “Sperre” has influenced also the fate of his parents is not quite clear, but clear is that they were “only” arrested and carried off to Westerbork during the last raid of 29 September 1943, whereby on that date also the Jewish Council ceased to exist and the Germans labelled Amsterdam as “Judenrein” (freed of Jews).
However, notes on the Jewish Council registration card of Hartog Waterman do show that he was already registered in Westerbork on 13 November 1942 and had to stay in barrack 60, but obviously has been released, but again arrested and taken to Westerbork in the latest round-up of 29 September 1943. Hartog and Heintje then stayed in barrack 68.
Granddaughter Netty Waterman, the daughter of their son Meijer and his wife Kaatje, was by her parents again accomodated with grandpa and grandma at Amstelstraat 19 2nd floor; Meijer and Kaatje had received a call for the so-called “Arbeitseinsatz” in Germany but wanted to spare their 9-year old daughter for the undoubtedly harsh conditions in the labour camps in the East. After having reported themselves for it, they were deported from Westerbork to Auschwitz on 10 August 1942.
After arrival in Westerbork on 29 September 1943, Hartog Waterman, his wife Heintje Granaat and their granddaughter Netty were in the end deported on 25 February 1944 from Westerbork to Theresienstadt. After arrival there, Meijer and Heintje were together with their granddaughter, till Netty was deported to Auschwitz with transport no.742-XXIV/4 on 23 October 1944. On arrival there on 25 October 1944, as a 10-year old girl, she was immediately killed in the gas chambers of Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Five days later, on 28 October 1944,Hartog and Heintje were “evacuated” from Theresientstadt to Auschwitz too with transport no’s 1447 and 1448 – a so-called evacuation transport according list R-881/16c – and upon arrival there on 30 October 1944 immediately killed in the gas chambers of Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Sources include the Amsterdam City Archives, family registration card of Hartog Waterman and Meijer Waterman, archive cards of Hartog Waterman, Heintje Granaat, Meijer, Jonas and Betsie Waterman; the archives of the Jewish Council, registration cards of Hartog Waterman, Heintje Waterman-Granaat, Jonas Waterman, Betsie Waterman, Meijer Waterman and Netty (Betty) Waterman; Transport ticket from Theresienstadt to Auschwitz from 23 Oct 1944 by Netty Waterman; website Jodenstransoporten from Nederland.nl; death certificate 112 of 27 November 1953 from the A-register 102-folio 20verso for Netty Waterman; transport ticket Theresienstadt-Auschwitz of Heintje Waterman-Granaat of 28 Oct 1944.