On May 29th 2014, Max, Oldrik Verloop and Carel went to visit the former Natzweiler- Struthof Concentration Camp where “Opa Carel” was imprisoned in 1944.

Very impressive to be at this place of great cruelty, suffering and evil and to know that someone so close to Max and I was one of the people that had to endure this organised, pre-meditated and very much intentionally designed place of death and destruction.

In the “Kartoffelkeller”, which was a place built by the NN (Nacht und Nebel) prisoners, you really feel the evil that used to reign that place.

When you see that the place has been built against a hill (former ski-resort), you know how much that must have added to the suffering. I remember my grandfather saying that every step you take in Natzweiler either goes up or down. In his case, with a very badly injured (and later amputated) leg, that was torturous..

It will not be the last time I go there, because my children need to know what happened and need to understand what they need to be on the lookout for…

CFS, 1.6.2014