Leendert Barmhartigheid was a son of Karel Barmhartigheid and Rachel Franschman. He was born in Amsterdam on 16 August 1900 and started his working life as a peddler. At the age of 20, he married on 29 September 1920 in Amsterdam the 32-year old and still unmarried Esther Vogel, a daughter of Isaäc Vogel and Trijntje Lubig, who was born on 23 March 1888.
After the marriage was concluded in September 1920, the Barmhartheid couple lived at Valkenburgerstraat 9 2nd floor, moved on 4 June 1928 to Benkoelenstraat 6 2nd, located in the "Indian District" of Amsterdam, but when the family was completed, they moved again at 23 June 1933 to the 2nd floor of Rapenburg 101.
In the 1930s, Leendert had obtained a permanent position at the street market on Waterlooplein in order to provide for his family, where he sold fruit and vegetables from Monday to Friday. In the meantime, in the family of Leendert and Esther six children were born, viz. Catharina in 1923, Karel in 1924, Isaac in 1926, Rachel in 1928, Lehman in 1929 and Salomon in 1931.
During the war, the sons Karel and Isaac were the first to be called up for the so-called “Arbeitseinsatz”, the provision of additional work in Germany under police surveillance. Karel and Isaac were called up on 12 July to report to Westerbork and on 15 July 1942 they were deported to Auschwitz. It is unknown where they were subsequently employed, but post-war research and testimonials from survivors have shown that the conditions in Auschwitz were terrible. The Dutch authorities then determined that Karel and Isaac Barmhartheid could no longer be alive after 30 September 1942, and then the Municipality of Amsterdam drew up death certificates for them stating that they died on 30 September 1942 in Auschwitz. The actual date on which they died in Auschwitz is unfortunately not known.
Esther Barmhartigheid-Vogel, together with her three youngest children Rachel, Lehman and Salomon, were taken from Amsterdam to Westerbork by transport from 5 to 6 September 1942. The next day they were deported to Auschwitz, where they were immediately murdered in the gas chambers of Auschwitz-Birkenau upon arrival there on 10 September 1942.
It is not known whether Leendert Barmhartigheid was provisionally exempted from deportation. It would have been possible that he, as a market vendor in fruit and vegetables, might have been deployed for example by the Jewish Council in the food distribution department or otherwise. But his Jewish Council registration cards indicate nothing as such; in Westerbork he stayed in barrack 73 from about 10 February 1943 and was deported to Auschwitz on 16 February 1943. Upon arrival there on 19 February 1943, Leendert Barmhartigheid was immediately gassed in Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Daughter Catharina Barmhartigheid was the last of the family to be arrested and deported. She had become a saleswoman and after her first call-up of 12 July 1942 she probably might have received an exemption through the Jewish Council, but if that was the case, the reason is unknown. Her registration card gives no further information about this, except that she was deported from Amsterdam to Westerbork on 18 May 1943, ended up in barrack 70 and on that same day she was added to the deportation transport of a total of 2511 victims to Sobibor. Upon arrival on 21 May 1943, all, including Catharina Mercy, were immediately murdered in the gas chambers. There were no survivors.
Sources include the City Archive of Amsterdam, family registration cards of Karel Barmhartigheid, Leendert Barmhartigheid; archive cards of Esther Vogel, Leendert Barmhartigheid and of Catharina, Karel, Isaac, Rachel, Lehman and Salomon Barmhartigheid; Amsterdam residence card of Benkoelenstraat 6; the file cabinet of the Jewish Council, registration cards of Esther Barmhartigheid-Vogel, Leendert Barmhartigheid and of Catharina, Karel, Isaac, Rachel, Lehman and Salomon Barmhartigheid; the archive of the Dutch Red Cross/transportlist of 5 to 6 September 1942 Amsterdam -> Westerbork/page 8 no’s 12-15 and the Wikipedia list of “Jodentransporten vanuit Nederland.nl”.