Rachel Koopman, born on 18 April 1865 in Amsterdam, was the second youngest of the 7 children of Isaac Emanuel Machiel Koopman and Rebecca Elias Pothuis. She married Jacob Winnik in Amsterdam on 29 September 1887, a son of Salomon Samson Winnik and Marianne van Lier. Jacob was born on 18 September 1863 and was a diamond polisher by profession.
After the marriage which took place in 1887, Jacob and Rachel moved into living space at Nieuwe Prinsengracht 62. They had two children there, namely: Salomon on 25 August 1892 and Rebecca on 5 September 1895. A few years later, just after the turn of the century, the family moved to Nieuwe Prinsengracht 90, 1st floor, where they lived for the rest of their lives.
From 8 April 1902, Jacob Winnik was registered as a member of the ANDB, the General Dutch Diamond Workers' Union. He was trained as a brilliant cutter and was assigned to department 2. His health probably suffered due to his work and the conditions in which he had to work, because on 23 October 1923 Jacob Winnik was removed as a member due to “unsuitability”. Further information from his family registration card from the Amsterdam City Archives shows that he benefits a invalidity pension”, from the invalidity law which was in force at the time.
Jacob Winnik, however, never experienced any of this. He died before the war on 29 March 1939 and was buried at the Jewish Cemetery in Muiderberg.
Son Salomon, however, followed in his father's footsteps and also became a diamond worker and member of the ANDB. He was trained as a brilliant cutter and worked in department 2. He was eventually deported to Auschwitz on 9 October 1942, but he lost his life somewhere in Central Europe on 31 August 1943. Salomon was unmarried.
Daughter Rebecca married Simon Gokkes on 22 November 1922, who was born on 21 March 1897 in Amsterdam. Simon was a paper merchant and had also been choir conductor since 1935 at the NIHS synagogue in Jacob Obrechtstraat in Amsterdam. Mother Rachel became grandmother of two grandchildren, namely: David Jacob, who was born on 23 November 1928 and Rachel Simona only on 16 May 1937. The entire family of Simon and Rebecca Gokkes with their two children was deported to Auschwitz on 2 February 1943 and murdered on arrival there on 5 February 1943 in the gas chambers.
Rachel Winnik-Koopman was left alone at Nieuwe Prinsengracht 90, until she too was taken to Westerbork via the Hollandse Schouwburg on 1 May 1943. She ended up there in barrack 85 and in barrack 74. However, on 4 May 1943 already, Rachel Winnik-Koopman was deported to Sobibor where she was immediately murdered in the gas chambers there upon arrival on 7 May 1943.
Sources include the Amsterdam City Archive, Peoples RegistryIsaac Emanuel Machiel Koopman and Jacob Winnik; family registration card of Jacob Winnik; archive cards of Rachel Koopman, Salomon Winnik, Rebecca Winnik and Simon Gokkes; residence card of Nieuwe Prinsengracht 90 Amsterdam/Jacob Winnik; the archive of the ANDB/membership cards of Jacob Winnik and Salomon Winnik; website stenenarchief.nl/grave Jacob Winnik; the file cabinet of the Jewish Council, registration cards of Rachel Winnik-Koopman, Rebecca Gokkes-Winnik, Simon Gokkes and Salomon Winnik; Amsterdams politice reports of 17 July 1942/reporting a robbery by Rachel Winnik-Koopman and the website Jodentransporten vanuit Nederland.nl/4 May 1943.