Elisabeth Rokkestikker was a daughter of the blacksmith Jacob David Philip Rokkestikker (Amsterdam 1846-1916) and Roosje van Gelderen (Leiden 1845-Amsterdam 1909). Elisabeth was born in Amsterdam on 15 March 1881 and worked as a shop assistant.
She married Hijman Oudkerk on 25 March 1908 in Weesp. He was a son from the 2nd marriage of Meijer Oudkerk (Schagen 1846-Amsterdam 1927) and the Amsterdam Maria Cohenno (1843-1909). He was one of the seven children from that family and was born in Schagen on 2 July 1879, where he worked as a shop assistant in a drapery store.
After the marriage was concluded, Hijman Oudkerk and Elisabeth Rokkestikker lived at Kinkerstraat 41 in Amsterdam-West, where both their children were born: Meijer on 2 May 1909 and Jacob on 13 April 1917. Hijman worked as a shop assistant at “De Tijdgeest” a company at Bilderdijkstraat 77-85 that sold carpets, curtains, linoleum, beds, blankets and furniture.
On 21 June 1924, Meijer moved with his family to Bilderdijkstraat 73-75 and on 20 October of that year to the 1st floor of house number 69. In later years, Hijman Oudkerk started his own drapery business at no. 71. However, Hijman lost his wife: Elisabeth Rokkestikker passed away on 6 January 1940 in Amsterdam and was interred in the Jewish Cemetery in Diemen. She was 58 years old.
In the second year of the war, on 6 November 1941, Hijman Oudkerk married again, this time to Rozette van Praag, a daughter of Zacharias van Praag and Hanna van Emden. She was born on 11 March 1894 in Amsterdam and was previously married to Michael Machin on 15 February 1917, from whom she divorced on 12 June 1928. A daughter was born from that marriage on 13 July 1918: Susanna Machin. (who survived the war).
The eldest son, Meijer Oudkerk, married Kaatje Polak on 15 December 1937, who was born in Arnhem on 2 August 1908 as the daughter of Philipus Polak and Grietje Broers, who lived with her parents in Hilversum. After the marriage was concluded, the couple left 5 days later their respective parental homes and found living space in the Allard Piersonstgraat 13 1st floor and in October 1939 in the Dintelstraat 10 ground floor in Amsterdam South.
The youngest son Jacob Oudkerk, who was still unmarried but who had already given notice to be married to Lilly Davids, was brought to Westerbork on 9 October 1943 and locked up in penal barrack 67. It is not known what his offense was against the occupier, but most likely it was in hiding. Also his future wife Lilly Davids was brought in; she has given birth to a son in Westerbork on 23 October 1943, who died shortly after delivery and was cremated. Their wedding, planned for 24 December 1943 in Westerbork, did not take place.
Hijman Oudkerk and his 2nd wife Rozette van Praag lived in the Bilderdijkstraat until they were arrested due to treason on 9 May 1944, after which they were taken by penal transport from Amsterdam to Westerbork and there they were locked up in the penal barrack 67. It was not until 19 May 1944 that Hijman Oudkerk and Rozette van Praag were deported to Auschwitz, the departure of which was recorded in the Westerbork film.
This transport also included 245 Roma and in Assen the train was linked with 507 deportees from the 25th transport from Kaserne Dossin in Mechelen. After arriving on 22 May 1944 in Auschwitz, Hijman Oudkerk and Rozette van Praag were murdered that same day in the gas chambers of Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Sources include the City Archive of Amsterdam, family registration card of Hijman Oudkerk 1879; archive cards of Michael Machin 1890, Rozette van Praag 1894, Susanna Machin 1918, Hijman Oudkerk 1879, Elisabeth Rokkestikker 1881, Meijer Oudkerk (1909) and Jacob Oudkerk 1917; website stenenarchief.nl/record 48635 Elisabeth Rokkestikker; the file cabinet of the Jewish Council, registration cards of Hijman Oudkerk and Rozette van Praag, Meijer van Praag and Kaatje Polak and the website Jodentransporten vanuit Nederland.nl/transport 10 August 1942 and transport 19 May 1944 aswell additions of users of the website.