Adi Bader can still vividly remember his stay in the children’s homes in Brussels and Wezembeek. His parents had him smuggled from Duisburg to Antwerp on a cargo ship after the November pogrom, since a legal departure, for example with a Kindertransport, was not possible. His fate in Belgium during the Shoah was similar to that of many Kindertransport children.
Our director Madame Albert was omnipresent, strict and fair at the same time. She also radiated motherly warmth. She always wore her hair back like a nurse. There were almost 100 Jewish children in the Wezembeek home. The youngest of us, Reisele, was just two years old. She was one of the children who had been smuggled out of the transit camp in Malines.
We children were divided into six groups. In my group, Kwutzah Jehuda, there were twelve children. Our Rosch [leader of the group] was Harry, who came from Belgium. During the day we participated in Peulot [activities] where Jewish culture was taught, for example in the form of Hebrew songs. We played many community games, often to do with scouting, such as stargazing, tying knots, and hurdle-jumping. We also spent our spare time playing board games. I never got bored and I didn’t fool around.
On the ground floor, separated by a door with leaded glas, was our little synagogue. In another corner was our library. For a while I was responsible for the library together with Edith, who came from Vienna. During this time, I read a lot, my favourite being adventure novels by Jack London, cowboy books and Nick Knatterton stories.
From time to time the Gestapo paid a visit to the children’s home unexpectedly. Then we children had to lie down on our beds with outstretched arms, and the Germans did a head-count to make sure that there were no children in the home other than those officially registered. This was one of the rare occasions when I was really afraid.
The underground movement advised us to stay outside the home as much as possible. So, we went for walks and played in the woods for hours. Wearing our yellow-green uniforms, the small cloaks fastened at the collar with a small chain, we looked like scouts when we set off along the main road from Wezembeek to the woods. We wore the Jewish star on our capes.