Werner Joseph

Werner Joseph was born on February 21, 1928 in Breslau. He grew up in a family with three boys. Werner came to the Netherlands with his older brothers Hans Hugo (1924) and Heinz-Günther (1922) on a children’s transport on January 5, 1939. After staying together in the Dommel House for 10 months, Heinz-Günther and Hans Hugo leave for the Werkdorp in Wieringermeer. They remained there until the eviction on 20 March 1941. Heinz-Günther was arrested during the razzia of 11 June 1941 and deported via camp Schoorl to camp Mauthausen, where he was killed in September 1941. Hans-Hugo stayed in Amsterdam until April 1943. In the fall of 1941 he went to the Jewish Council’s Youth Home. Werner followed almost a year later. In the meantime he stayed with foster families.

Werner Joseph was in class 1L2 in the school year 1941-1942 and in class 2B in 1942-1943 at the Jewish Lyceum in Amsterdam. During this time he was in Anne Frank’s class.
The brothers were arrested on 20 April 1943 and deported to Camp Westerbork. On 4 May 1943 they are transported to Sobibor, where they are murdered immediately upon arrival, on 7 May 1943.

Both Werner’s father and mother were transported from Düsseldorf to the ghetto in Riga on December 11, 1941 and were killed shortly after arrival.