Camp Verde, AZ – Join us in the Terracotta Room at 1:00 pm on Monday, September 15th for a rare chance to hear stories from a Holocaust survivor. Hear award winning author Dirk van Leenen’s captivating life story of growing up in World War II, the invasion of Holland, and how history is repeating itself. He re-lives his father’s involvement in the “resistance”, how Dirk was a decoy, and the great escape from the last train to the concentration camp.
Van Leenen’s parents hid more than 1000 Jews under the floorboards of their home in Holland. They would be transported to over 40 hiding places in the country and then on to neutral countries. In order to feed so many mouths, Dirk’s father had to transport counterfeit food ration cards and fake ID’s. He distributed them by bicycle with young Dirk behind him, carrying the fake papers in hidden pockets in his clothing. His parents thought the German soldiers at the checkpoints would not search a child. If it seemed they might, Dirk would cry and “make a racket” so the soldiers would waive them through.
Ultimately, van Leenen and his parents were caught and sent by train to a concentration camp. Many died on the four-day train ride to Bergen-Belsen which had no food, water or toilets. The day following their arrival, the camp was liberated, but not without losing several family members.
These stories and more will be told in van Leenen’s presentation, with time for questions and answers afterwards, as well as an opportunity to purchase signed copies of his books.
Camp Verde Community Library is located at 130 N Black Bridge Road just off Montezuma Castle Highway in Camp Verde. The library is open Monday-Thursday 8:00a-7:00p and Friday-Saturday 9:00a-5:00p. For more information about this or any other library program visit the library’s webpage at https://www.campverde.az.gov/cvcl or call 928-554-8380 during library open hours.
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2 Comments
This is fantastic and just what our MAGA countrymen need to hear. Too bad they all have their fingers in their ears, hands over their eyes and mouths just like the three monkeys they all are. It takes bravery to stand against cowardly thugs who have to act in groups to take out their hatred of their fellow citizens and vulnerable people.
Too bad MAGA and DOGE are destroying our written and photographic archives that have kept the history and truth of slavery the holocaust and other atrocities committed by people just like them. Fortunately they cannot destroy memories nor the stories passed on by survivors of their horrific crimes. Go and listen to this man and his factual testimony about life under fascism and how the very same thing is happening over and over again despite “Never Again” lies by the people with designs upon committing them to include Trump, Netanyahu, Putin, Milosevic, Un, Orbán, Farage, and many many others! The world has reverted itself back to 1939 where dictators ruled unchecked for 6 consecutive years of hell on earth until HUMANITY put an end to their evil and hate only for it to rear it ugly head again here in our own country under Trump and elsewhere under other ego maniac psychopaths who talk smoothly like the Arc Angels of Death they all are as they have their brainwashed minions oppress, deport, steal, lie, torture and ultimately kill everything and everyone.
Get that straight You definitely need to attend this man’s presentation! Perhaps it will knock some sense into your tiny closed mind?