Postwar: Verdoner children emigrate to the US
VS, the three Verdoner children - Otto, Francisca and Yoka playing in the woods. This footage was shot post war, the Verdoner children were hidden children. Their mother Hilde was deported to Auschwitz and perished during the war. Cut to Otto on the deck of a ship SS Gripsholm. VS, of the three children on deck, as well as other women. They are on board the ship that took them from Europe to the US in 1946. High angle, MLS, Francisca sits on a bench on deck and waves to the camera. CU, an unidentified woman aboard the ship.
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Record last modified: 2023-11-07 12:19:28
This page: https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn1002656
Also in Verdoner Family Collection
Film footage in both color and black and white representing the pre- and post-war life of a prominent Jewish family from Hilversum, Holland. The donor, Francesca Verdoner-Kan, was a hidden child, along with her sister and brother. These films are an important part of their family heritage and pre-war Jewish family life and history.
Postwar: Christmas in the US
Film
EXT, MS, two unidentified women walking away from camera, their backs eventually face the camera. Cut to MS, man and young girl walking along a street, they pass several parked cars, before getting into a car, there is an unidentified woman there as well- she waves to the camera. MS, young girl dressed in a red snowsuit, runs out of a large house and toward the camera. She runs back into the house and a young boy comes out, without a coat, indicates that he is cold and goes back inside the house with the young girl. MS, girl in the red snow suit walking through the streets of an unidentified town. Pedestrians walking in shopping district, cars parked on the streets. It is Christmas-time as there are Christmas trees on the street. Young girl stops in the window of a candy store, a sign in the window reads: "CHOCOLATES". Pan of storefront as child enters shop, the sign above the shop reads: "MIMI's CANDY SHOP". VS, young girl about town, she enters a bakery and comes out with a small box, she returns to the candy store. Cut to MS, elderly woman and another woman exiting a building. Man and others follow, they walk towards their car, waving to the camera. VS, men and women exiting large house seen earlier. Some walk arm in arm. They get into parked cars, a pan of license plate- it is a Virginia license plate. The people get in the car a drive away.
Postwar: Verdoner children emigrate on the Gripsholm; walk around NYC
Film
Color part of "November 1946 Gripsholm" reel. CU, Yoka and Francisca Verdoner on the deck of a ship SS Gripsholm bound for the USA. This footage was shot post war, the Verdoner children were hidden children. Their mother Hilde was deported to Auschwitz and perished during the war. CU, all three Verdoner children arm in arm on deck- Francisca, Yoka and Otto. MCU, Otto on deck, he is playing with what looks like a piece of 35mm film(?). There are some instances of overexposure on this reel of film. Yoka moving about on deck. Panning shot of the ship's mast and various displaced persons on deck- there are men, women and children aboard this ship. VS, Otto walking around the deck, he stops to pose for his CU. Yoka on deck reading a book. Francisca on deck. More shots of the ship's mast and the ocean ahead. Otto walking among the pulleys and lines on deck. A view through the porthole. VS, LSs, the ocean and the waves. 08:06:15 LS, the three Verdoner children on the street in front of a house in the USA, unidentified location. 08:06:28 New reel: "1946 Jo, Barend, Gerrit, Lien, Ben in NY" Gerrit Verdoner and a woman sit on a bench talking. VS, on the streets of NYC with several men and women (friends, relatives). There is a sign on one of the buildings that indicates it is the Bamberger's department store. VS, on different city streets, men and women posing for the camera, unidentified. Signs for bus stops, etc. This is one of the last times that all three Verdoner children are together with their father. In 1947, Gerrit Verdoner died of a heart attack, the three children were separated and sent to individual families in the USA.
Postwar: Barn in Woodstock, NY
Film
EXT, MS, Kurt Sluizer wearing a red plaid barn jacket and hat, walking up to pet a horse, pan to a large sheepdog named Toby running in the grass towards Esther Sluizer coming out of the house to their yard in Zena, NY, near the artist colony of Woodstock. Kurt is the brother of Hilde Verdoner-Sluizer and brother-in-law to the cameraman, Gerrit Verdoner. Kurt and Esther left Europe in 1936, thereby escaping the Holocaust. They lived first in Pueblo, Colorado, and then in Zena. Kurt was an oil painter, Esther a nurse and a weaver. Their home dates to colonial times, originally a roadside inn. They kept a horse and an English sheepdog named Toby. Esther smiles and plays with the dog. Cut to MCU of horse tethered to a tree in the yard. Kurt feeds the horse, and poses for the camera. CU, muzzle of horse as he feeds. CU, Kurt. MS, pan of white wood frame house and yard, a car is parked in the drive next to the house. VS, the sheep dog, Toby. Pan of hillside behind the home, Kurt getting water from a well for the horse. Dog relaxing on the grass. Cut to INT of home, sequence is underlit, difficult to make out anything but shadows and the light from the windows. Cut back to Kurt working outside and in the barn. Pan of landscape, house and barn. MS, Toby running toward camera. MS, Esther approaching camera, stops to play with dog.
Postwar: Verdoner children playing
Film
Otto Verdoner, now at least 6 years of age, playing in the family yard, postwar with his sister Francisca Verdoner. The three Verdoner children were hidden children during the war. This footage was shot shortly after the children were reunited. Their mother, Hilde, is not present, she was deported to Auschwitz and died during the war. CU, Yoka sitting in a club chair in the house doing schoolwork. The three children are also playing with another young girl, possibly a neighbor or a relative. VS, MS, CUs of the children playing ball in the yard. Francisca and Otto climb up to a roof top and lie down. CU of the two smiling for the camera. They then climb back down to the ground.
Postwar: Verdoner family at the beach
Film
"Zandvoort 1946. Joke ping pong. Kinderen bad, strand" EXT, Yoka Verdoner playing table tennis. Francisca Verdoner walking among cabanas at the beach in Zandvoort, near Haarlem, the Verdoner family's summer vacation spot. This footage was shot post war. The Verdoner children were hidden children. Their mother Hilde was deported to Auschwitz where she perished. CU of the children at the beach. Yoka and Otto are present as are other children, young adults and adults. They play together in the sand. VS of the children tumbling and doing head stands on the beach. "Zomer 1946. Padedestoelen" MCUs the children swimming in the ocean along with the adults. MCU, Yoka eating grapes at the beach, sharing them with the other children. Yoka blowing bubbles. Francisca doing gymnastics.
Verdoner children at home
Film
Otto Verdoner, seated at a table in his high chair, wearing a bib, and being fed by his mother. He is wearing a party hat that resembles a king's crown, most likely it is Otto's first birthday. Francisca plays with her younger brother. MCU, Otto seated on the 'potty' playing with a hair brush. CU, Otto and his mother Hilde. CU, Francisca and her great uncle Paul Wallmann playing at the table. CU, Yoka and her great aunt Selma Wallmann at the dinner table; great aunt Selma is making sure that Yoka eats all of her food. Yoka shows off her clean plate. CU, Yoka learning to knit. CU, Francisca playing with Uncle Paul and Aunt Selma. Both Paul and Selma Wallmann, Hilde Verdoner’s aunt and uncle, died in Bergen Belsen.
Verdoner children playing in the garden
Film
CU, Otto Verdoner standing in his crib, smiling happily for the camera. ECU, Otto's face. VS, Otto playing with wooden toys in his crib. MCU, Francisca seated in a chair next to Otto's crib, she talks to her brother, and amuses herself. EXT, several children, including Yoka and Francisca Verdoner in the Verdoners' garden. ECU, Otto in the arms of his mother Hilde, passing the camera to go outside with the other children. VS, children running around playing ball, the father of the other young children (3) is present. There are two boys and one girl. Yoka and the boys chase each other around the yard. MS, quick glimpse of the grandparents out on the patio.
Verdoner children
Film
MCU, Yoka Verdoner hamming it up for the camera. Hilde Verdoner feeding her son Otto who is seated in his high chair at the table. Otto begins to feed himself as well. CU, Francisca Verdoner seated at the table, drinking milk that was poured for her, and eating. She smiles and plays for the camera. VS, CUs, Otto eating and drinking milk, playing "peek-a-boo" for the camera. More shots of Otto eating.
Verdoner children playing
Film
Yoka, Francisca and Otto Verdoner playing on the floor of their home in Hilversum, Holland. Yoka and Francisca play with baby Otto as if he were a life-sized doll. Their mother Hilde picks up Otto to rescue him from his sisters' affections. CU, Hilde and Otto. CUs, Otto attempting to crawl, holding his torso up, etc. Yoka and Francisca try to help Otto. Brief shot of Francisca sitting at a table eating.
Verdoner family sledding
Film
Winter time in Hilversum, Holland, 1940. Yoka and Francisca Verdoner playing out in their yard in the snow. LS, children sledding down a snow covered, tree-lined street. A large, wood frame house is visible in the distance. MCU, two young boys, seated on a sled, laughing and travelling down the snow covered street. VS, Yoka being dragged along on a sled by the young bespectacled man (possibly an uncle or a cousin) who appears often in this collection of family films. VS, Yoka pulling Francisca on the sled.
Baby Otto Verdoner
Film
Baby Otto Verdoner, in the winter of 1939-40, around 8 months old, lying in his crib, lifting his head up, etc. Francisca Verdoner playing on wooden rocking horse near Otto's crib. VS, Otto in his crib, laughing, smiling, and moving about. CU, Hilde Verdoner plays with her son.
Verdoners skating at ice rink and sledding
Film
Hilde Verdoner and others ice skating on a frozen track/rink in their hometown of Hilversum, Holland. VS, LS, MS, CU of Hilde and a young man. VS, LS, people skating around the outdoor rink. Some of the faces are familiar from earlier footage of the Verdoner family, two young men in particular, but they are not identified by name. VS, Hilde skating slowly and slightly unsteadily toward the camera, she sits on a bench to take a rest. LS, of trees, hillside and Yoka sledding down the slope on her belly. Hilde and Francisca sled down the hill together. VS, Yoka, Francisca and Hilde playing in the snow. Yoka goes down the hill on the back of her father Gerrit Verdoner.
Verdoner family playing in winter in Hilversum
Film
Hilde Verdoner pulling her daughters Yoka and Francisca along the snowy streets of Hilversum, Holland on a sled. VS, LS, MS, the children sledding, townspeople skiing and sledding down a snow covered hill. LS, a group of men climbing uphill on skis in order to ski back downhill. MS, Gerrit Verdoner and his daughter Yoka sledding downhill together. VS, MS, CU, Yoka sledding. LS, pan of treetops and hillside, outline of buildings in town visible beyond the tree line, small walking bridge in BG, screen left. LS, skiers on the slopes. VS, families with their children and sleds. Yoka rides again. Hilde Verdoner pulling Francisca on a sled, while walking hand in hand with Yoka. Hilde and two young men at the outdoor ice rink, they are on either side of her, holding her hands to keep her steady. MLS, Hilde and one young man hand in hand skating.
Children's birthday party
Film
Children's birthday party. Francisca and Yoka Verdoner are present, there are many other (unidentified) children present as well. Many of the little boys are dressed in sailors uniforms, the word "MARINE" is visible on one of the little boy's hats. The children blow out a candle on a cake. Documentation from original film indicates that this is Yoka's fifth birthday party. MCU, Yoka, playing a harmonica, table of children playing at party in BG.
Verdoner family watches Christmas parade
Film
EXT, VS, MSs, procession of St. Nicolas on a white horse for the local children. St. Nicolas is accompanied by a man in black face (according to the Dutch tradition of a black dwarf that accompanies St. Nicolas on his rounds.) The children wave to him as he passes by, featured prominently is Yoka Verdoner, in her winter coat, hat and scarf. EXT, LS, Yoka, Francisca and Hilde Verdoner walking along a sidewalk in Hilversum, Holland. Yoka skips towards the camera until she is featured in ECU, Francisca follows her sister, stops and pauses for CU.
Verdoner family garden
Film
Otto Verdoner, at roughly four months old. VS, CUs, MCUs, Otto being bathed by his mother. CU, Francisca posing in the arms of a woman in the Verdoner garden, Yoka doing same. VS, MLSs, MSs, MCUs, Francisca and Yoka playing in the garden, and in a sand box. Their grandfather comes out to join them in the garden, followed by other unidentified relatives. The camera focuses for quite a while on a young man as he speaks to an older woman and then to Hilde Verdoner (uncertain of this man's relationship to the family). CU, older couple having tea in the Verdoners' garden.
Verdoner children in Hilversum
Film
EXT, MCUs, Yoka Verdoner, in the arms of a young bespectacled man, on the streets of Hilversum, Holland. They are both smiling and joking with each other, Yoka gives the man a kiss on the cheek. Yoka and a young boy, roughly her age, playing on a see saw in a garden or a park, Francisca Verdoner looks on, then amuses herself playing ball. Their mother Hilde Verdoner appears in a brief shot. Another man, mid-thirties, with glasses, appears in the garden. He plays briefly with Francisca. (Perhaps the father of the young boy.) Yoka pushes a ball around with a large broken tree branch.
Verdoner family holiday and houseboat
Film
EXT, MCU, a man in a small house boat, docked. According to documentation that accompanied original films, the man's name is Leo Wijnbergin Punter. Gerrit Verdoner comes out on deck, putting on his shirt, and takes one of the eggs from the table, puts it in his mouth and begins to ham it up for the camera before ducking back inside the cabin. MS, EXT of the houseboat, the sea, and the window of a building, there is a sign on the building that reads: "STALLING-R'JWIELEN". Camera continues to pan building and surrounding farmland. VCU to MS of two young women standing in the doorway of the house. They wave to the camera. MCU, older woman, holding and petting a cat poses for the camera in the same doorway. Three young men fixing a motor on a small boat. Children wading in the water at the beach - Yoka and Francisca Verdoner are present, along with other children their age and some a bit older (pre-adolescent). Yoka and Francisca having tea and biscuits at the beach, sitting outside at the beach house. CU, Francisca waves to the camera.
Verdoner family celebrates Easter
Film
Notes from original film indicate that the Verdoner family is celebrating Easter, April 1939. EXT, MLS, Gerrit and Francisca Verdoner in their garden. VS, MCUs Francisca playing in the yard with a toy baby doll and baby carriage. Her older sister Yoka is also playing in the garden with her. They are searching for Easter eggs among the trees and bushes in their yard. Their grandfather is in the garden playing with them. MCU, grandfather, grandmother and another female relative, pose for the camera, they are playing with eggs in their hands that they are passing to each other. Gerrit Verdoner moves in and out of frame to join the game. MS, another female relative appears in the picture. CU, Yoka with a basket of colored eggs that she shows to the camera, the image of a rabbit is evident on one of the eggs. VS, in the family yard. Children and adults play with the colored eggs. Francisca continues to hunt for more eggs. Yoka plays ball with her father.
Verdoner children playing outdoors
Film
Yoka and Francisca Verdoner playing outdoors, they seem to be out in the country. They are running past a fence, down a paved strip. VS of the children and other family members outside in a garden. Some shots of Franicisca and Yoka near water.
Verdoner family in their garden
Film
Francisca and Yoka Verdoner playing at home and in the garden with a large metal spinning top toy. VS, of the children playing with several family members- identified in original documentation that accompanied films as Grandma and Grandpa Vinkeles (Hilde's parents). More scenes in the garden with unidentified family members, sitting and talking. Yoka and Francisca continue to play in the BG, and FG. VS, MCU, CU, MS Yoka and Francisca picking mushrooms in the garden with their mother, Yoka eats one of the mushrooms.
Verdoner children eating and playing
Film
Yoka and Francisca Verdoner, with their mother Hilde Verdoner. The story begins with the two children playing in their backyard, followed by a series of interior shots, in medium close-up of Yoka and Francisca eating chocolate pudding. Several good closeups of the children feeding themselves and each other (and making a mess), particularly Francisca. Closeups of Hilde eating as well. Closeup of father, Gerrit Verdoner feeding Francisca, both wave to the camera. Closeup, Gerrit, Francisca and Yoka hamming it up for the camera.
Baby Otto Verdoner
Film
Otto Verdoner, the youngest of the three Verdoner children is seen with a nurse, being taken out of his bassinette. Notes with original film indicate that Otto was 2 days old. VS, CU Otto in the arms of his mother Hilde Verdoner, lying in bed with Hilde. VS, of the nursemaid helping to take care of Otto and his mother. MCU, Yoka arranging the bassinette for her baby brother. CU, Otto crying in crib. VS, CUs, Otto takes a bath and changes diapers with the help of the nursemaid, Yoka and Francisca. Original notes with the film indicate that these images were shot over a period of two months. Otto is seen from the age of two days to the age of eight weeks in various daily activities in the life of a newborn. There is another woman who appears in the footage, possibly a family member or neighbor, she is not identified by name. She assists Hilde and plays with Yoka and Francisca, takes part in dressing Otto. VS, Francisca filling a bucket with water, having a minor tantrum.
Verdoner family on summer holiday
Film
VS, Verdoner family on summer holiday in the beach resort town of Zandvoort, near Haarlem in the Netherlands.
Verdoner children playing in the yard
Film
VS, Francisca and Yoka Verdoner playing in their yard with their mother Hilde and their grandmother, and two puppy dogs.
Verdoner family at home
Film
Yoka Verdoner and her mother Hilde, petting a horse that is pulling a green grocer's cart through the streets of Hilversum, Holland. Hilde purchases produce. EXT, clothing hanging on a clothesline. INT, VS, Francisca Verdoner being potty trained. VS, Francisca learning to walk with help from sister Yoka and father Gerrit Verdoner. VS, Yoka and Francisca bathing, blowing kisses to the camera, etc. EXT, VS, Francisca taking her first tentative steps alone, and then with the help of Yoka and Hilde.
Verdoner family at the beach in Zandvoort
Film
Verdoner family on summer holdiay in Zandvoort, Holland, a beach resort town near Haarlem. VS, Yoka and Francisca digging in the sand with their mother and father. Playing in the sand with other children, also older children.
Verdoner family at the beach
Film
VS, Yoka frolicking in the water at the beach. Yoka playing with her mother in the water, as well as a man (relative or friend?). VS, Yoka and her father, Gerrit, she is on his shoulders and they are running around the beach. VS, sunbathing, collecting shells, eating ice cream, walking along the water's edge.
Verdoner family on vacation in the Alps
Film
Scenes from the Verdoner family's winter vacation, skiing in the Alps in Switzerland. VS of ski slopes and countryside. Hilde and Gerrit Verdoner are identifiable. VS of people lining up on the slopes, cross country skiing, climbing uphill, etc. Shot of ski lift and people getting on lift. VS of ski resort/lodge taken from the lift.
Verdoner family at home
Film
Verdoner family at home. INT, scenes of Hilde Verdoner with baby Francisca Verdoner being fed, crawling around with bare bottom. Scenes in their home. Scenes of Francisca potty-training, hamming it up for the camera, calling to the cameraman. VS, Yoka and Francisca playing together, eating dinner at table. Yoka feeds herself.
Verdoner family playing in the garden
Film
Francisca Verdoner and Yoka Verdoner, in the family yard with their mother Hilde Verdoner. They are eating and playing. VS, some overhead shots, taken from a window or a balcony in the house. Francisca beginning to crawl, being picked up off the grass by her grandfather. Francisca and Yoka playing with wooden blocks and toys. CUs, their father Gerrit Verdoner helps them to build a tower from the wooden blocks.
Verdoner family out in Hilversum
Film
Yoka Verdoner out for a stroll with her mother Hilde Verdoner and her baby sister Francisca Verdoner (in baby carriage). Yoka wheels along a baby doll in a play stroller. VS, of the family on their outing through the streets in their home town of Hilversum, Holland.
Verdoner family and friends out in Hilversum
Film
Verdoner family and friends out for a stroll on a late fall/early winter day in Hilversum, Holland. Yoka Verdoner, her mother Hilde Verdoner, Francisca Verdoner in baby carriage, and several other children, women and men (possibly relatives or friends, the family is indentified as the Cohen family in original captions that accompany films). Walking through park, posing for group portraits, pointing out things of interest along their path. All are well dressed. Yoka hams it up for the camera. In one shot, we can see the arm of a man with a movie camera.
Verdoner children at home
Film
Francisca Verdoner Kan, as a young baby in her crib. Her mother Hilde is also in the scene. The crib is placed outside in the garden. VS, family members in the garden, three women and a man at the table eating. Yoka Verdoner, the eldest child is also present.
Verdoner child plays in the yard
Film
Yoka Verdoner, playing in her yard, alone, then in the company of her mother, another woman, father and grandfather.
Verdoner baby
Film
Baby- Francisca Verdoner Kan - bathing, dressing, in crib, etc. Scenes with mother or nursemaid. Scenes with sister Yoka, father and grandfather.
Verdoner family walking in Hilversum and playing
Film
EXT, MCUs Francisca and Yoka Verdoner with their brother Otto in a stroller. Their mother Hilde walks along with them. The family walks through the streets of Hilversum, other people are seen on foot and on bicycle. INT, Otto, now with a full head of hair. VS, CUs of Otto, now walking on his own. The children play with a toy, a dancing, wind up monkey. CU of the monkey toy dancing. CUs, bare-bottomed Otto playing with the monkey, his mother Hilde is undressing him. VS, Otto crawling and walking about the room naked.
Baby Otto Verdoner
Film
EXT, High angle shot, looking down on Otto Verdoner playing in his crib/playpen. CU of a stuffed elephant toy in the crib. VS of Otto in his crib and then crawling about on the lawn in the Verdoner family yard. The house is visible in the BG of several shots. Hilde Verdoner feeds Otto a cracker, Otto continues to prance around his crib and eat his cracker. MCU, a woman in the garden knitting while she keeps an eye on Otto. CU, Otto picks up a ball, he is playing with his sister who is off camera. VS, Yoka Verdoner playing with Otto. VS, Hilde and all three children (Yoka, Francisca and Otto) playing in the yard.
Verdoner children bathing
Film
CU, Francisca Verdoner in the bath tub, being bathed by her mother Hilde. Hilde washes her hair, makes a shampoo "mohawk", etc. CU, Yoka in the bathroom, making faces for the camera, sticking her tongue out at the camera as Francisca's bath continues. ECU, Francisca crying when she gets soap in her eyes. CU, Francisca sitting calmly, shrowded in a towel after her bath. CU, Yoka undresses and gets into the bath. VS, CUs, Yoka wetting her head, lathering with soap, then the mother takes over and finishes washing her.
