In July 2014, seventy-two years after the deportation of its owners, workers renovating an Amsterdam home made an extraordinary discovery. Hidden between the floors of Johannes Vermeerstraat 73 lay an extensive archive documenting the life of Juda Swaab, a Jewish dentist and accomplished cellist. The documents, filling three large hardware store bags, were recovered by Swaab's nephew Dick, offering his family their first real glimpse of relatives they had never met.
Born in 1904 to Benjamin and Sara Swaab-Sealtiel, Juda grew up in a household where both medicine and music were deeply valued. His father maintained a busy medical practice at their home on Oosteinde 13, while his mother, known for her strict character and accomplished piano playing, ensured her sons received thorough musical education. Juda developed such passion and talent for the cello that he expressed his desire to become a professional musician. However, his family insisted he choose what they considered a "real profession," leading him to reluctantly enter dental school in Utrecht in 1923.
Despite choosing dentistry, Juda maintained his connection to music throughout his adult life. He performed with the semi-professional Caecilia orchestra, and among his meticulously preserved documents was a receipt for having a cello bow rehaired. His cultural interests extended beyond music - he saved analyses of chess championships and maintained membership in the Amsterdam arts circle 'Voor Allen' until he was forced out due to anti-Jewish regulations.
The archive provides a detailed chronology of the systematic stripping away of Jewish rights. By February 1941, Juda received notice from the Department of Social Affairs that he could only treat Jewish patients. His practice hours were segregated between Jewish and Christian patients, and he was removed from his position at Ziekenzorg Amsterdam's pediatric dentistry clinic. Despite these restrictions, his private practice income remained stable at around 4,000 guilders annually, suggesting his patient base had been predominantly Jewish.
In a desperate attempt to secure protection, Juda applied for a position as a dentist with the Jewish Council in July 1942, though the application proved unsuccessful. His family's substantial assets, including multiple properties and over 50,000 guilders intended for emigration to America, were seized by the Lippmann and Rosenthal bank.
On September 9, 1942, Juda and his wife Hansje were taken to Westerbork transit camp, along with their 13-year-old foster daughter Steffi Wittelshöfer. A surviving photograph from 1942 shows Juda on his cello performing in Westerbork's concert hall, accompanying singer Erna Weiss-Falk. The image captures a complex moment: a musician continuing to play his instrument, but now within the confines of a concentration camp. Taken during his imprisonment, this image provides a stark contrast to his earlier life as a semi-professional musician in Amsterdam, where he had freely chosen to perform with the Caecilia orchestra. The photograph serves as both historical documentation of cultural activities within Westerbork and a reminder of how the Holocaust disrupted and ultimately destroyed not just lives, but also the artistic and cultural pursuits that had enriched them. It is likely his final performance.
Fuentes
van den Ende, Hannah. Boletín Auschwitz, diciembre de 2016 (consultado en enero de 2025) p14-15
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