1/3 Children hang self-made butterflies at the children’s monument in Kamp Vught (photo: Imke van de Laar)
Eighty years ago, nearly 1300 Jewish children were deported from Camp Vught to extermination camp Sobibor in Poland. When they got there, they were almost all killed immediately. There was a memorial service for these children in National Monument Camp Vught on Sunday.
“Helena six years, Elisa eight years, Willy ten years.” The children of primary school De Schalm reverently enumerate the names of children who were sent from Kamp Vught to extermination camps.
It’s not all 1300 names. Hein from group seven explains: “There are so many of them. I think you’ll be busy for two days.” Feline adds: “But we want to remember the children and read their names so that they are a bit there.”
“Jewish children were taken to extermination camps and killed. I find that pathetic.”
Bram knows why the commemoration is in National Monument Camp Vught. “A lot of Jewish children were taken from here to extermination camps and they were murdered there. I think that’s pathetic.”
During the memorial service, stories about the war were told and flowers were laid. The children also hung homemade paper butterflies at the children’s monument in the camp. Tom explains: “We hung eighty of them because it has been eighty years since the transport. The butterflies symbolize freedom and love.”
Claire talks enthusiastically as she hangs a butterfly. “We made it with the class. Everyone was allowed to make a butterfly and we hung it here.”
“The butterflies symbolize flying away from the camp.”
Tijl, Bram and Ben are also busy decorating. In no time at all, both the barbed wire and the children’s monument are colorfully decorated with dozens of butterflies. “They symbolize flying away from the camp.”