Walter Rosenbaum was a son of Moses (Max) Rosenbaum and Johanna Terhoch. His mother, born in 1874 in Drensteinfurth (Germany), died in 1930 in Raesfeld. His father, born 1880 in Raesfeld, passed away in 1935 in Dorsten (Germany). In 1931 he was remarried to Frieda Humburg, who died only in 1996 in Beth Zikna in Arnhem – almost 104 years of age.
Moses (Max Rosenbaum and Johanna Terhoch had three sons: Walter, Max and Ernst. After the passing of their father, Walter, Max and Ernst illegally crossed the Dutch border in 1937 and ended up in Westendorp. In 1938, one year later, their stepmother Frieda Humberg followed and she arrived in Varsseveld. After roaming around for some time, Frieda and her three stepsons were given a permanent hiding place in the attic of a farm in Westendorp.There they stayed for 30 months. A neighbor woman came occasionally to bring them kosher chicken, bottled in preserving jars. Walter’s siblings Max and Ernst survived the war too and started a cattle trade after 1945. Walter however was arrested early October 1942 and deported Eastwards but eventually ended up the Extern Command of Brobek, where he lost his life 20 March 1943.
His certificateof death however reveal that he was “most recently” married to Elisabeth Winter. His wedding must have taken place even before October 1942 as the registration cards from the Jewish Council indicate that Elisabeth Rosenbaum-Winter and also Walter Rosenbaum were deported to Westerbork between 3-5 October 1942 as a married couple. But Elisabeth Winter lived in Arnhem, where she was registered at the address Emmastraat 36 and at the time of registration by the Jewish Council at Markt 5 in Arnhem. Walter Rosenbaum stayed officially in Varsseveld at the address C44.
Elisabeth Rosenbaum Winter and her husband Walter Rosenbaum have been put on transport from Westerbork to Auschwitz 16 October 1942. This tranport included 1710 deportees. In Kozel, about 80 km west from Auschwitz, the train stopped and 570 men between 15 and 50 years old had forcedly left the train, among them also Walter Rosenbaum. They were employed as forced laborers in the surrounding satellite camps of Auschwitz. Those, who remained in the train, among them Walter’s spouse Elisabeth Winter, were transported further to Auschwitz an on arrival there 19 October 1942, immediately killed.
Walter Rosenbaum ended up in the Extern Command of Bobrek, a small labor camp which functioned as sub-camp of Auschwitz. In Brobek a Siemens factory was established in 1940. Walter lost his life there 20 March 1943.
Sources among others: the Gelders Archive, certificate of death for Walter Rosenbaum, nr. 19 dated 16 Feberuary 1951, made out by the Community of Wisch; certificate of death for Elisabeth Winter, nr. 38a, dated 20 January 1951, made out by the Municipality of Arnhem; the book “Het Oude Volk” by Hans Kooger, page 105, edition Staring Institute/Mr. H.J. Steenbergen foundation, Doetinchem 2001 and the file cabinet of the Jewish Council, registration cards of Walter Rosenbaum and Elisabeth Rosenbaum-Winter.