THERE have been many stories written since the end of World War II about survivors of the Holocaust, but few have been penned specifically for teenagers.
Hetty Verholme was 12 years old in 1943 when her quiet, family life was destroyed by the German invasion of the Netherlands.
In the schools’ edition of her autobiography, she aims to share her experiences in a simple way that avoids the politics and statistics of the Holocaust taught in schools, and focuses on the human aspect.
“Even though there has been a lot written about this topic, I feel that the story can be hard to absorb and understand for young people,” she said.
“I also wanted to give people hope with my story because it is about survival, not death.
“Unlike Anne Frank’s book, which is am extraordinary story about hiding from the Nazis, my story is about my experiences in a concentration camp where few people survived.”
Ms Verholme was born in Belgium in 1930 and moved with her family to the Netherlands in 1931; in 1943, they were sent to the Nazi concentration camp of Bergen-Belsen.
Separated from their parents, Ms Verholme and her brothers were sent to the Children’s House where she became the “Little Mother” of the camp, helping care for other children.
“I moved to Australia in 1954 and I first tried to write my story in 1965. In 1971 I worked with a journalist in Adelaide and it was going to be a ghost written, but I realised that if you haven’t been there you can’t portray it properly,” she said.
“At aged 60 in 1991, I went back to Belsen with my brother and we met with some of the children who were there with us at the concentration camp.
“I started to write a little bit every day and in 1996 I finished the book. It took me 30 years to write it.”
Ms Verholme said she received letters from people all over the world including Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy and the UK, telling her that her story had inspired them.
In 1972, she was presented with the Most Successful Migrant award and in 1977, she was appointed to the Australian Ethnic Affairs Council.
Fremantle Press published the adult version of the book in 2000, selling more than 15,000 copies in Australia.
Fremantle Press will launch Ms Verholme’s abridged book for schools today, February 23 – the day before her 80th birthday.