Hester Soesman, born in Zwartewaal, was a daughter of Wolf Soesman and Judik Sterner. She was unmarried and worked among others in Alkmaar and Gouda as servant maid. In 1910 she was registered in the Peoples Registry of Rotterdam and whe worked as shop assistant. On 24 December 1923 she left Rotterdam for Zwartewaal and stayed with her mother, to return to Rotterdam again in September 1924. Since 3 August 1933 she was registered at the address Walenburgerweg 76a.
Hester Soesman had six other siblings. A baby sister Elisabeth died in 1891 nearly 2 months old. Her brother Jacob passed away in 1922, aged 46 and left behind a wife (Betje de Haas) and son (Isaac Soesman) who were killed in the Shoah. Her other siblings, namely Asser Schoontje Reintje and Sara with their families were also killed in the Holocaust. Her father died already in 1891 only 44 years old and her mother in 1932, aged 85 years.
Hester Soesman was deported from Camp Westerbork on 12 October 1942 to Auschwitz where she has been killed immediately upon arrival there on 15 October 1942.
Website www.wiewaswie.nl, N.A.Brielle, certificate of birth nr. 26 of Hester Soesman; City Archive of Rotterdam, family registration card of Hester Soesman; Peoples registry of Alkmaar-Servants, Hester Soesman and the file cabinet of the Jewisch Council, card of Hester Soesman.