COENRAAD ROOD

On 23 April 1942, Coenraad Rood, a 25 year-old Jewish tailor, receives a request to be examined for a work camp. In the early morning of 25 April he leaves his wife Bep and departs from Amsterdam to camp Conrad, near Rouveen (Overijssel).

It was the beginning of a horrible three-year journey during which he was dragged from camp to camp in the Netherlands, Germany, and Poland. Rood finally returned to the Netherlands more dead than alive and was reunited with his wife. In 1960 he immigrated to the United States with his family. Coenraad Rood set himself the task of revealing what happened during the Holocaust. A promise that he made to his dead camp comrades: whoever survives has to report so that we will never forget. He gave talks at American schools. His main message was: “Don’t hate. And watch out because looking down on someone is the beginning of hate!”

LEGACY

PUBLICATIONS

Shortly after liberation, at the request of RIOD (now NIOD), Rood recorded his memories of his brutal journey through the camps. In their standard works about WWII, Lou de Jong and Jacques Presser both made use of Rood’s sober account. In the 1950’s a part of Rood’s manuscript was published with the title Westerbork. In 2002 his testimony was published by Fisher Verlag in Germany with the title Wenn ich es nicht erzählen kann, muss ich weinen. Als Zwangsarbeiter der Rüstingsindustrie. The complete work was published in 2011 with the title Onze dagen. Herinneringen aan de Jodenvervolging [Our days. Memories of the persecution of the Jews]. In October of that year, Anet Bleich wrote in the Volkskrant: “… the contrast between Rood’s sober-mindedness and his descriptions of the inconceivable depths to which people can sink as a result of calculated cruelty causes an enormous shock.”

FILMED TESTIMONY

In 2009 the Overijssel Historical Center decided to let Coenraad Rood’s story be filmed. This came about because of a webcam interview with Rood during an educational exhibition about camp Conrad. The story of the 92-year-old man made a deep impression on those present. The next day Mr. Rood sent the following email: “After the conversation I thought of all the things I still wanted to say, but that’s my natural reaction. I trust that you won’t abandon me.” The Overijssel Historical Center made financial means available, and early in 2010 the film was shot in the home of Coen Rood in Texas. In all 25 hours of material were filmed. Rood’s account was expressive and detailed, and his mind was sharp. His sober narrative style causes his listeners/viewers not to turn away easily from the atrocities.

OUR MISSION

Coenraad Rood died on October 1, 2011, at the age of 94, one day before his book Onze dagen [Our days] was published. Until his death Rood kept the promise that he made to his camp comrades. Our mission is to take up this promise and to make his oral testimony available to a larger public.  It is important that people continue to pay attention to Coenraad Rood’s story – from a historical perspective so that we don’t forget. But also because each one of us, young and old, can come to face choices similar to those that people faced 70 years ago. And looking down on another person is the beginning of hate.

DISCLAIMER

The information shown on this website has been put together with care and attention and is intended for general information. No rights can be derived from the information on this website. The story of Coenraad Rood is a personal testimony; nevertheless it is possible that the informative texts next to the fragments on the website are incomplete and/or incorrect.

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