About Ernst Hirsch

Ernst Hirsch arrived in Enschede as a German refugee on 6 July 1937. He lived on the Joodse Jeugdfarm [Jewish youth farm] in Gouda from 7 September 1938 until 3 May 1939. This farm, the Catharinahoeve estate, was established on over two hectares of land for Palestine pioneers in 1937. Afterwards he worked in Oss.
Ernst Hirsch was involved in the escape route to Spain that the Westerweel group organized for Palestine Pioneers. He was responsible for arranging lodgings in Antwerp and for finding safe border crossings from Belgium to France.
In 1947 surviving Palestine Pioneers planted the Westerweel Forest on one the slopes of Mount Ephraim in the Galilee in what was Palestine at the time. There is also monument at the site featuring the names of the Palestine Pioneers who were killed during the war, including Ernst Hirsch.
F. van der Straaten, Om nooit te vergeten. Herinneringen en belevenissen aan/van Palestina-Pioniers gedurende de oorlogsjaren 1939-1945 (Mijnsheerenland s.a.) 132-133, 147, 149, 165, 213