Snatager family papers

Bernard Snatager (1871-1935) was born in the Netherlands and married Olga Stern (1877-1945) in 1912. They had one daughter, Leonie Snatager (later Penny, 1918-2013) born in the Haag, Netherlands. Bernard passed away in 1935 from heart complications. In the early 1930s, Leonie began studying economics at the University of Amsterdam. After the German invasion of the Netherlands in 1940, Leonie and Olga decided it would be best for Leonie to come home. Leonie continued to go to school and graduated in 1940. Olga and Leonie were soon forced from their apartment and they decided to separate and go into hiding. Leonie obtained false papers and went into hiding in the Netherlands under the name Jane Lambert. She stayed with various family members posing as a student looking for work as a housekeeper. While in hiding she kept a journal about her thoughts and experiences. Olga and her sister were in hiding in Amsterdam, but were found and sent to Auschwitz where they perished. After the war Leonie volunteered for an American Jewish organization where she interviewed survivors. Leonie immigrated to the United States in 1948. In 1953 she married Walter Penney (1913-2000) and they had three children, Walter F. Penny Jr, Bernard, and Olga. Leonie was close friends with Etty Hillesum and worked to ensure Etty’s diaries were published. Leonie mentions Etty often in her own journals.