J. Schaap and Family Commit Suicide
What a terrible information Monday evening, late 12 midnight. This B.B.C. “Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands arrived in England.”
I am broken, broken hearted.
The alley to the Queen’s Palace, next to Juwelier Schaap, through which the Queen and suite left. Jo and Nel Schaap saw them passing through.
THE VERY FIRST ONES OF THE HAGUE, PROBABLY OF THE WHOLE NETHERLANDS.
Joël Schaap
Helene Schaap – van Geldere
Hanna Rose Schaap
Max Rudolf Schaap
May 14, 1940
Jo Schaap, his wife and their 2 children , Noordeinde 86, The Hague committed suicide.
This is next to the Queen’s Palace.
They saw the Queen with Suite, leaving the Palace at the back and going thru the alley next to their store and living quarters. They were the first ones to know that the Queen and Suite had fled to England. He and she preferred all “to die in peace, rather than to be exposed to those inhuman tortures, which we Jews now have to undergo “.
Dear Ma,
Nel and I give preference with the children to enter death together
than to fall in the hands of the Nazis. It must be for you
an unexpressive distress, but still it looks to me that you have to undergo
in any case the well-known torments. When you read this
and you want to go with us, take this powder. God forgive me this sin
and if ever you should see my family, tell them and thank them
for all the love experienced from them.
Your loving
Joël
My dear brother Maurits and my dear brother in law Alfred
to be testamentary executives; there is no will, as you know
and Nel and I were married under marriage settlement (nuptial agreement)
P.S.
And in Great Britain when one commits suicide, you know what they say? The Officials, the Judge and in all the Newspapers: “WHILST OF UNSOUND MIND!”
Dear Ma,
Pardon me that I must cause you so much grief. Holland is lost.
The Queen has left for England (you were betting your head,
such a thing never would happen.) The powder is painless
and death is instantaneously. We give preference to die in peace
than to be exposed to the inhuman tortures to which, we Jews
are deemed to undergo.
We are very calm and intend to go to sleep quietly.
Your loving daughter
NEL
My jewelry and the money which is in this envelope is for you, as well as all my personal property.
Joel Schaap, his wife and 2 children.
Jo Schaap, his wife and 2 children committed suicide and probably the first one
of the Netherlands. May 14, 1940.
The Row of the other gravestones of people committing suicide a day later, May 15, 1940. This Day was called the “Day of the Suicide”.
Just after the invasion on May 10, 1940 and the Netherlands capitulating, many Jews committed suicide. This is called Suicide Row (The Hague)
The first tomb of cousin, wife and 2 children.
Excerpt from Frankenhuis Collection, Memoirs Volume 3 – J. Schaap and Family Commit Suicide
