An exhibition about Jewish athletes opened today in the synagogue of Coevorden. The exhibition Jewish athletes, before and after the Holocaust tells mostly unknown stories of Dutch Jews around the Second World War
Sports were not nearly as common among Jews, especially Orthodox, as they are today. “It was seen as the glorification of the body,” says synagogue board member Geke Koopal. “Although at that time you already had a group of more liberal Jews who did play sports.”
Large panels on the top floor of the synagogue display the stories of both top athletes and ordinary Jews who exercised in their spare time. Football was popular, as were boxing, skating and swimming.
One of those leisure athletes was Herman Zilverberg from Coevorden. He was a member of Germanicus football club and Plons swimming club. “During the war he was deported to Auschwitz. The sport actually saved his life,” says Koopal.
In the extermination camp Zilverberg met top boxer Leen Sanders from Rotterdam. After his arrival in Auschwitz, his wife and sons were taken to the gas chamber, but the boxer was picked out of the line. Koopal: “An SS man recognized him and Sanders had to organize boxing matches in the camp for the entertainment of the Germans.”
Sanders earned extra food from this, which he shared with other prisoners. Zilverberg also got a little more to eat in this way than others in the camp. He survived the war and eventually died in 2004.
“It is precisely these kinds of little stories, stories from hell, that tell so much about the time and the people,” says Koopal. “That’s why we think it’s so worthwhile to tell them.”
The exhibition JJewish athletes, before and after the Holocaust can be visited until the beginning of June.