The Journey

Twenty years later....

It was 1966. Peter and I were mentioning our parents and knowing their personality, Eva and Leo asked me to go and talk to them. So 4 months later Leo, Eva and I were on a plane to California. I explained what happened back then, I had to tell them everything, they reached their 20s and were old and mature enough to know the whole story.

It was a 12 hour flight and it was exhausting. So when we arrived to California, we went to the accommodation and took a nap. We were to visit mother and father the following day.

The next day, at 10:00 a.m, we were on our way to San Diego. I had never drove a car in the USA so I did not have the time to think and worry, I had to be careful where I'm driving. Before we all knew it, we were in front of my childhood home. I parked the car, got out, and straightened my yellow and white dress, complimented with a chiffon headscarf. Leo and Eva rang the doorbell while I was still getting my handbag from the back of the convertible.

I was doing my best to only listen to and focus my heels clicking on the long path to the door and forget the voice of my mother on the other side of the door. I was still a metre of two away from the door when my father opened the door. He had grown so old but his smile of greeting was still the same. He looked at his grandchildren with puzzled eyes but they soon lit up as he saw me walking to the door.

He greeted me with hugs and kisses, so did mother. I was not as comfortable but did my best to play along

Father: 'Hannah, I'm so thrilled to see you here!'

Mother: 'My dear, we owe you an explanation.'

Father: 'Wait, honey.......who are these fine-looking people with you ?'

Me: 'I'm glad you asked. These are my children Leonard and Eva. My husband, Hans did not come back from Aushwitz.'

Mother: 'We're sorry to hear that'

After a long conversation about what had happened, they decided to tell us why they sent us to The Netherlands permanently:

Rumours were spread about my father, that he was smuggling drugs and substances, that was not true. The government heard about that and they shut down his shop, the only source of where money was coming from. All the money they had was finishing and they didn't have enough money to raise us so mother asked her sister Edith if she could help out and she did. Ever since, they have been living with only a few dollars a week. They sent us away so that we could live a luxurious life.

I was devastated, I had no idea. When we left I realized I had to do something, we were drowning in wealth while my parents were living in such poverty. I called Peter and we reached a decision.