Loss, Perseverance, and Triumph: The Story of Gerd and the von Halle Family

Abstract

The following narrative details the life of Gerd von Halle. Gerd was a German Jew who moved to Amsterdam to escape Nazi persecution in 1933. The von Halle family was a prominent German Jewish family with origins dating back to the 17th century. Shortly after the invasion of Holland, Gerd and his family were torn apart by the Nazis. With the help of the Dutch Underground, Gerd and his mother Henriette survived the war. The narrative recounts the deaths of both his father and brother through recovered letters and personal testimony. The paper also contains correspondence between Eleanor Roosevelt and Under Secretary of State Sumner Welles. Both Roosevelt and Welles tried to help the von Halle family escape Europe. Gerd’s story provides an opportunity to look into the paranoia, fear, and resolution of the Jewish people during the Holocaust. After living in hiding for nearly three years, Gerd and his mother were liberated in Amsterdam in May 1945. Gerd immigrated to the United States in 1946. The paper is joined with a visual guide containing letters, false identity papers, falsified affidavits, and a multitude of photographs. The narrative is a testament to perseverance, loss, and triumph. You may contact the author via email at jvonhalle@gmail.com.