Hester Kool Full Holocaust Survivor Testimony
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ก.ย. 2024
- Learn more about Hester Kool by visiting her Survivor Encyclopedia: Washington State profile: www.holocaustc...
Hester shares her story as a Holocaust survivor.
Recorded on April 23, 2009.
Hester is my grandmother, and she just celebrated her 96th birthday last week! The comments on this video are very touching, it’s amazing to see how many people have heard her story and been moved by it.
96... what a blessing. Happy Birthday, Hester ❤
Please tell her Happy Belated from a complete stranger who is over the moon that she is still here! For someone like me she is a beacon of hope & strength. We must remember that history repeats itself and I fear that it's doing just that.
Regardless, Happy Birthday Hestor! You have been blessed and in return you have blessed us with your accounts of such a tragic history.
all around the world your grandmother will be know i am sure she is a good grandmother all love to all your family
That's amazing. What a beautiful redemption
I am so glad to run into someone that is related to Hester on here. And to me this is been a wonderful experience to hear her she was so exact and i love the maps... And it was such a pleasure to learn so many things I look at a lot of these videos and hers of course touched my heart very much and I have tears in my eyes please give her a hug from me. And I will see you all in heaven along with the Messiah
I am just crying and crying. Because this is my family. The uncle from Antwerp was my grandfather.
Bless you snd your family
I cannot imagine how terrifying this whole era would have been for a child, nor how difficult to navigate the dangers alone. Kudos to your spirit and fortitude to survive, thrive and make a record of what happened so it will never be forgotten.
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Thank you for telling your story. It needed to be told.
I was born in Den Haag in 1937.. I am not Jewish but there is so much in your story that I can relate to, God bless you and yours. Oh, I live in Australia since 1951.
Would love to hear what you experienced during those times.
She is a very good story teller....love and peace
This is such an inspiring story. My heart is sad for her losses but I'm so proud of her for her bravery. Thank you Hester for telling your story ❤
I LOVE that this woman had the Map and other things to help illustrate her story! Just wonderful !
I love how she is very detailed and had the map as well.
😂😂 Yea, she needed it for the americans watching, we in Europe sure don't need a map to find Holandia ( Holland) and it's cities 😂🤣😂🤣😂😂
A wonderful lady whose destiny was quite different from the rest of her family. It’s bittersweet for the survivors
I believe she was kept for a specific purpose favor favor even blessed with old age
Fascinating. You have a wonderful spirit Hester, thank you for recording your experiences.
And many think they had a rough life growing up. An amazing journey for you Hester to some how go with the tide that overwhelmed you, tested you and stole your family and childhood from you but you managed to come out of it all onto a shore to a second chance at life. Your strength, endurance and dignity is so inspiring. Your family that passed away in that horror would be so proud of you that you are a living testament to them and carry their legacy forward.
Absolutely amazing. My God, what these people lived through. We are so fortunate to have their stories. It's so difficult to even conceive of the magnitude of lost lives...
Hello 👋how are you doing?
@@franklinstephen3268 I'm well thank you! Hope the same for you. Happy 2023!
@@janupczak1643 Happy new year to you, it’s nice meeting with you here. Where are you texting from?
Dankie vir jou verhaal! Ek voel so sleg vir jou! Hoe kan hulle sulke dinge aan jou doen? 'n Jong dame!!
Groete van Süid-Afrika!!!
She is so sweet, I thank her for sharing her childhood life story with us
What a remarkable story and you narrated it all so well. You are still smiling and managed to build yourself a new life after all the trauma. ❤
Thanks for sharing your amazing survival story, dear Hester!!
What a tough time you went through, early on in your life.
Thank you so much for your testimony. God bless you and your family 🙏🌺
What a glorious person.
❤ BLESSINGS to you Hester and yours ! How wonderful that your life story of sadness and great strength is now being shared with the world !
This is such a wonderful story of survival, to share with the next generations.
Being a German I am so very sorry and ashamed of what my people did to you and your people.
I'm glad you are such a strong woman and I wish you all the luck in the world.
it is not your fault that at one time there was a government that treated people so poorly in your country...
Dear Elisabeth,it is not your fault,you did not do this.I lived through war as a child and I hoped no war will ever happen again but now Ukraine...so sad.
It is not your fault Elisabeth
Elizabeth, unfortunately there are people capable of such evil in most countries. We just need to be aware and to do everything we can to stop them taking power.
Dear Elisabeth, You do not have to be sorry for the things that you didn’t do. What happened during the war could happen anywhere, at any time, because of the beliefs of the country’s leadership, and lies told to the population. We must all be vigilant, so it doesn’t happen again. You show yourself to be a very high morals person, to apologize for your forefathers deeds. Thank you for your kindness!
Thank you Helen, for your testimonial. Bless your memory! It is so important to know and remember what atrocities happened under the Nazi’s. And it did not happen far away, long ago. And it can happen again if people are racists and nationalists! ( I was born in ‘62, raised in Amsterdam and always go to the beach in Zandvoort.)
Hester I'm sorry this happened to you and your family😢. Bless you. Thank you for sharing your story; brave lady. Love and peace ❤️
When I started to translate this little book to my son I began to cry for this little girl, but I had to remember this little girl was me. I am so happy that she could reflect back on such a horrible time and figure it was her beginning and grieve for her...but in all here years the hurt, loss and heartache of that young women was replaced by on who LIVED. ❤️
She said a lot of moving things in this interview be for me that and her daughter telling her to not be sorry for moving across an ocean...giving her a new life and a new start. WOW! She lived, so I am so happy she was able to do so and glad her daughter helped her see that.
We must never forget!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And never allow it to happen again.
It’s happening to the Kurds, ulghars, and now Ukrainians right now
Wow! What an amazing woman. Thanks for sharing your story.
Oh my ! How sad! What a beautiful lady and as I listened to her I admired her strength at recounting the terrible time of the war and so sad for her loss of her parents and family.. bless her 🙏🏼
Thank you so much for telling your life story so ppl can learn from this! It's such an honor to be able to hear a recount of the war from someone who was actualy there and lived and survived through all those atrocities. I to have grandparents of course, my grandma (my mothers ma) she joined the partisans with the rest of her family, while my grandpa, her future husband lived on a small island Drvenik Mali near Trogir. His family (parents and grandparents) hid his fathers sister who married a man born of a hebrew faith (she changed her faith (which was none😂, some sort of christian but she wasn't even christened, but she still underwent a long and demanding processe before they couldvhe weeding) and their five children, from ages about 16 to 8, plus her parents and her brother, his wife and their two daughters (their son joined the partizans). They hid them in the basemant and everything was allright before the capitulation of Italy in 1943 when the Italians left and the Germans came. Because everyone who lived on the island knew they were hidding there (i mean it wasn't exactly a big house) and when the Germans came in 43 it became extrenly dangereos because there was two many ppl in the house so my grear grand mother took my grandfather and his two yonger brothers and went in zbjeg (I don't know how to translate exept run away) in El Shat, in Egipt - a lot of women with small children did that. My grandpa is 3 years younger than my grandma (his future wife, the one that went to partisans, he was the oldest, 13 and his brothers Jozo and Misha, 9 and 7. They had the oldest brother Antonio, 17 who run away with partisans and died during the fighting. But the real tragedy was that right near the end of the war Germans gave orders they everyone must emptied the island and sent everyone to be stationed in Split and one of the Germans found out they had no papers or weren't registered on the island and they killed - shot them all, my grandpas sister, her small children, her husband, his family and everyone who lived in the house. They always considered Slavs inferier people (not Arian enough I guess) even though they all had blue eyes and white skin (black or brown hair though) it was a punishment for hiding Hebrews and warning to others (one other family hid Hebrew relatives too but they run away to America via Lisabon just before Italy capitulated- that family, Tironi, had lot more money because they owned the only mill and bread shop on the island, plus they hid just 3 persons, a couple and a child, and they still had to leave their 5 year old boy but they returned for him after the war ended (and they had huge problems with their visa because of laws back then that you can't leave the US for 5 years or something like that. My fathers father joined the partisans, got tuberculoses and died after the war, but the fact he joined partisans stoped comunists from taking all his land and nationalizing it. Those were brutal times but the sadest thing is how short of a memory ppl have and how quicly they forget. The sadest is that people learned nothing from the horrors of holocoust and when someone learnes nothing they are destened to repet the "lesson", one way or the other.
So brave! I love you Hester.
I am American/ Jewish blonde hair and green eyes. Was a Bat Mitzvah.
@ 25 yo I moved to Switzerland. Long story short I lived on the border of Germany.
Turs out same that the Swiss returned Oskar Schindler.
I traveled to Munich, took a local bus to Dachau. Not one German showed acknowledgement of the Camp.
Had German friends, not one would say anything except their grandparents had nothing to do with it.
Still so shocking.
Dankuwel voor het vertellen van uw verhaal.
It’s time us people starting putting more of these stories in limelight and focus more on using this to fight other evils in the world as it all connects. Social media should be used to address these stories and help us yes not forget though build passion and character to bring more justice and a human standard to not allow this again- rather than celebrity worshipping
82 years old ?
I watch all of these holocaust programs, my heart cries for these poor people, I can't imagine being so mean and hateful to so many innocent people, sometimes it's hard to watch. God bless all those poor souls, may they never be forgotten ❤
What a sad story. Her perseverance is stunning. Thank you for sharing her story with the world.
She's a very nice lady. I'm Glas she shared her story with us. 96 years old and going strong! My best regards.🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
This history is so critically important. I do grieve for his woman and all of the people who suffered, and those who were murdered so horrifically. I so admire this woman and all who share their experiences that prove that these things happened. I am grateful for all who tell their history, and I watch so that I/we do not ever forget. Much respect to this woman.
She’s wonderful and a strong lady physically as well to have survived such a horror. I’m so glad she is got a family and she’s happy. I wish her a long life with her loved ones. Thank you for your heart felt testimony. ❤️
Thank you for this. You have made a significant contribution to future generations. God bless you!
I love the fact she used the map to give us an idea of where everything is. And all the other items to prove these atrocities really happened.
After such a difficult childhood, it is good to see that found happiness after the war. Her testimony is most engaging.
As a former marine fighting in Afghanistan I've seen my share of cruelty but nothing compares to what this lady went through. What a lovely woman and story
Lol another “I served in Afghanistan” statement. Ya know. When people ask me where I served I give them my FOB and a physical location. Too many liars out there
Ya everyone likes a nice lovely story.
I'm sure the orphans your kind killed in Afghanistan will have similar stories that will make you feel warm inside that sadistic thing you call a heart.
Thank you 🙏 for your story Hester watching you I had tears in my eyes It was heartbreaking what you went though, (R.I.P. to all the victims who died)
I just love it that she still has a thick Dutch accent..
Facinerend en heel oprecht hoe zij alles vertelt .
Ben blij dat ze een goed leven had na al deze gebeurtnissen.
Een typies Nederlands optimismus zie je in haar doen en laten.
Respekt voor jou en je familie
Some absolutely amazing people survived to tell their stories so that we could’ve vigilant, we need to keep listening. Amazing woman with fantastic recall.
It is so terrible and yet to smile at some things you remember is a testament to your brave and beautiful soul.
The Red Cross did a great job delivering 1200 care packages each Friday to the people in the Auschwitz camp . Money was also delivered and was exchanged for camp currency to buy items in the general store. No such programs offered in Soviet Gulags.
Strong courageous lady what a heartbreaking life 💔
When I was watching this video I thought I got nothing to complain about .thank you for sharing what happened to you
On one hand, those people who hid her saved her from the horrors of the concentration camp. On the other hand, their motivation is that they wanted a free slave worker who would do all the household chores and take care of the kids, and they were unfriendly too. I’m on the fence as to whether these people should be praised or not!
Indeed. I need to know more about similar cases to understand their true motif. It is a good thing that she was strong enough to chose for herself despite the egoism of these people.
But they were putting their lives on the line as well. If that was how they would have treated their help, Jewish or not, they would have been noticed if it changed.
They most likely didnt have the money to pay her. It was a very difficult time economically and everyone had little money. They didnt even have money for most foods. Like Hester said, she was given bone broth to eat because there was nothing else to eat. They were good for helping her but after the war it was not necessary for her to babysit anymore. Maybe they would miss her if she left? Either way, the family didnt abuse her. She was fed and hidden well for two years when any other family could of given her up to the Germans out of fear
Not sure how she was a slave in this situation? They shared their rations.
If they were caught with her like others were they would be dragged out (most likely the father) and shot in the street as an example.
Um. What??? It's also important to remember that keeping her active and working while lonely would have been very important. Vital, in fact. She admitted that she was quite spoiled previously, so any work seemed much worse regardless- again, something she acknowledged. As a family who would have been shot dead on the spot for harboring her, as well as having to ration their own supplies which gave them less, it's quite unfair to say to that their "motivation" was to have "a free slave worker". Your view sounds extremely USA privileged, where everything is seen in the absolute worst way and in your own current day standards. I'm pretty sure she, and her children she was able to have because of that family, would rather have her changing diapers if the alternative was... oh... I don't know, DYING IN A GENOCIDE. I can't believe that was what you took from this. I'm truly second hand embarrassed for you.
Hester is so personable, organized, and a great orator ! I loved how she explained everything such as cities-locations her expetiences- how she felt, etc. I just loved her and would like to thank you Hester for sharing your experience and your story during the holocaust.
What an important story to tell. Thank you so much. ❤
I'm born in Africa. Our ancestors came from Holland as well. And looking at you make me think about my grandparents on my father side. My eye color is also greenish. If there is any Jewish blood in is, only the Heavenly Father knows. But we all have a desire to turn back and learn Torah from a Jewish point of view. Blessings dear Hester. I'm thanking God for keeping you and blessing you. Ma
I’m always blow away by each survivor telling their stories….it will be shared & stayed in my heart forever 🙏🏻💝🇺🇸🕯️🕯️🕯️…..they should’ve have the highest of Aliyah’s……RIP sweet souls ….
Hester- You spoke well. Thank- you so much for being willing to share your experiences and educate others about what happened to you. May each person who hears your story be changed inside.
I can tell you have done a lot of work, processing and organizing your thoughts as well as preparing to have a presentation that others can remember and connect with.
Don't laugh. The Jews of Europe never expected what happened. You are not 100% immune to horrors.
What a blessing ❤️ the poem book is. Messages from her mother, father and brother.
You have given such a gift
Humankind - be both
My father and his family lived in The Netherlands. My aunt and uncle were in the resistance. This ladt reminds me of my oma.
We are blessed to hear her story. God bless her. ❤
So very sad about the deaths of her mother, father, and brother at Auschwitz’s.
This lady did such a wonderful job. It was so nice how she presented her story. Loved listening to her even though it was very sad.
Thank you for telling your story. God bless everyone who went through the holocaust.
“We were good citizens and we did what we were told.” That is how it still starts today. I pray for the people of North Korea going through the same thing.
It is happening everywhere.
What a hard life as a teen. If was a good thing that Helen just happened to be friends with a girl who was part of the resistance and got her a safer place to live. Yet, Helen was made to live in the attic and eat alone. But, great fully she was never found by the Nazi’s! It was a hard time after the war. Thankfully, Helen’s Grandfather, and aunt and uncle and daughter’s all survived!
This people that made "sleep and eat alone " risked their lives and their children life to save her....
Of course she was made to stay alone at times. Because they were hiding her from the Nazis...
You became orphan been so little...I am in tears right now...I love you Hester..
A great hero here! Take note and learn history young people!
God bless you and your family 🙏🌺. Could listen to her for houers 🎧
What a sweet lady, I hope she is/was well loved in her life
Thank you for sharing your story
I am Canadian and live near Ottawa. My mother was a nurse in the war years and every spring when the beautiful tulip gardens bloom around the City of Ottawa, she tells us the story of how the Queen of Holland had her baby. The Canadian Parliament declared the maternity ward at the Ottawa Hospital to be Dutch Land so the baby would be born a Dutch Citizen. Canada is so very fond of Holland. We had Dutch exchange students come to stay with us when I was in high school and my mother visited Holland many years later and was so moved by the way Canadians were treated there. My Grandfather was the foreman at General Motors in Oshawa where they built the Mosquito bomber airplanes during WW2. I have a beautiful wooden box made out of scrap wood from the fuselage of a Mosquito plane. It is my favorite family heirloom. May those who died during WW2 and The Holocaust, Rest in Peace🙏
What is so remarkable is how these survivors after these harrowing and devastating experiences, the unimaginable horror and trauma, not only survived but went on to live full and productive lives, to marry happily and raise children who in turn live fulfilling lives.
What a wonderful lady, she went through so much!
I wonder why the man she was staying with wouldnt sign for her to go to her grandfather? He risked his life, and his wife and children hiding her. If someone had betrayed them, they probably all would have been killed. Perhaps he thought she "owed" him, or there was perhaps there was genuine affection to her from the children and he wondered how they would cope without her. They would have to pay a nanny/ housekeeper lot more money.
Such a tragic story, I don’t even want to think how her aunt felt hiding her baby, knowing she would probably never see her again. I wonder how many others that fifteen year old girl saved. She truly was a heroine.
Thank you for sharing your story lovely Hester xxx
Thanks to whoever took the time to document this. History books are just one version of a era. Hearing from people who were there is important. Documenting history, like the person who wrote the book she found that was important to her, is such a crucial thing. Especially in this age of alternative facts.
What a lovely lady ,i am so sad for you that you never see youre parent and youre brother and other family again .😔 and in dutch i say to you, ik bewonder u om wie u geworden bent na deze verschrikkelijke ervaringen op zeer jonge leeftijd.Respect .!! ♥️♥️🙏🙏
I could listen to Hester all day, her memory is excellent. DOD BLESSED this beautiful woman.
My family left on the last ship out of Amsterdam. My uncle was born there and is 91. Also first went to the Dutch West Indies.
I'm so glad Hester didn't have to experience the death camps. I'm so glad she survived 💛
Echt ongelofelijk wat er gebeurd is. Ik ben blij om te zien dat mensen geholpen hebben om Joodse mensen te laten leven. Maar snap niet dat die mensen waar deze mevrouw als jong meisje onderdook zo niet hartelijk waren. Een jong meisje die haar familie kwijt was en op de vlucht voor Duitsers.
Heel veel ❤️❤️❤️ voor u van mij en ik hoop dat u nog een gezond en gezegend leven mag hebben. Liefs uit Nederland(mutch love from Holland)
What a beautiful smart woman , this is the perfect example of how many talented , smart people were killed in the camps. Maybe they killed someone who had the cure for cancer or advancements in technology.So many people that were killed and it was a huge lose to the world. I am 43 and I can always remember having a thirst for history and I got stuck on the holocaust. No matter how much I learn or how many stories I hear I just can’t fathom how this happened or how those who went along with The Nazis thought it was ok . They say the world went mad and it’s true BUT IT STILL DONT MAKE IT RIGHT.
I am the same! I read and listen to everything that I can, just to honor all the people who’s went through the hell of the Nazis, and lost their loved ones. Every story matters. Each human life mattered, and was of worth. I try to figure out how this all happened, but one cannot make sense of the senseless.
This was one of the best testimonies I have listened to. I love that Hester had the visual aids, especially the maps. She was so fortunate to have survived and it was due to happenstance circumstances. Having the job so that she did not go with her parents and then meeting the girlfriend who arranged for her to be hidden with that family. I can see how she regrets leaving behind the menorah and the tea set that her mother had hidden, but when you are still a teenager, those things do not mean as much to you as they do when you are older.
How lucky that her friend helped her so she didn't end up in a concentration camp, unfortunately her poor family did and died in concentration camps, such a harrowing story for all those that suffered
Respect! thank you for sharring the story. Greetings from the Netherlands(Twente)✌❤
Hester the Lord made you a strong, strong women!!! So happpy you have a daughter and son, and a wonderful husband! Bless you all.
She is 82 when this is taped.
Are you sure ?
She was 68 when this was filmed. 54.00 min in she said she met a friend jenny she hadnt seen since she was 13 ! 55 years ago!
Yes, she’s in her 80’s here. Hester was born in May 1927. This is filmed in April 2009.
@@kristy1653 why did she say it was 55 years ago since I was 13.
@@ssaldfb For that portion, she’s talking about when she and her husband went back and visited Holland. It had been 55 years since she had seen her friend that she went to school with. They must have visited when she was in her later 60’s.
Bless this beautiful lady♥️♥️♥️🫶 shes so articulate. I pray that people all over the world can be kind to eachother
Hester, thank you for the amazing life you have led. Bless you
Bless you heart Hector! Thanks for sharing your story. You are loved!❤❤
JUST A WONDERFUL STORY AND HOW THE MEMORIES OF THESE GREAT PEOPLE IS SO FRESH AFTER 60-70 YEARS IS INCREDIBLE. ALL OF MY LIFE FROM A TEEN I HAVE BEEN INTERESTED IN THIS HISTORY. BUT BEING CANADIAN IT TOOK SO LONG TO UNDERSTAND WHAT EUROPEANS OF ALL RACES WENT THROUGH.
Watching from South Africa
What a precious person. Thank you 🙏 for sharing your life experience with us. May GOD richest blessings be yours ❤️🇮🇱❤️🕊❤️⛪️❤️🐑❤️🙏❤️❤️
Thank you for sharing your life through this hellish time. I try to listen to all I can and learn. I’m sorry that the devil know as Hitler was ever born. May he burn in hell.
What a gift that book. Thanks for sharing your experience. Such a terrible thing 6,000,000,000 died and many more suffered. May God continue to Bless your life
I love her so much! ❤I’m so sorry that she had to go through this and her family and friends.❤
What a pretty lady pretty lady been through hell. To know that your parents died in that way, it's always bad but that is really really bad.
Thanks for sharing your story.!!!!!!
Thank you Hester. You are incredible. Your story of survival is terrifying but also magical. I felt like I was watching a movie or reading a novel while listening to you. You are a Hero Hester. I love that you are so humble and peaceful. You are indeed a unique character. Thank you so much for sharing.
Thank you for telling your story for us,its important the world know, learn and remember the past in the hopes that generations to come wont repeat it ❤ god bless this wonderful woman ❤
Wow! Such an important story to be told ... thank you for sharing
Lady you are terrific and strong told this story and never broke down
I could listen to her all day!
Wonderful to hear this and that Hesther was able to tell her whole story with no interruptions. She was lucky to survive, unlike her dear mother, father & brother
Thanks so much for the map😊
Hester has an amazing memory for all the details of her life.