TracesOfWar needs your help! Every euro, pound or dollar you contribute greatly supports the continuation of this website. Go to stiwot.nl and donate!

Townsend, Sophie

Date of birth:
February 27th, 1915 (Ede, the Netherlands)
Nationality:
Dutch

Biography

She, along with her mother, Petronella Wilhelmina Townsend-van Kruitum, and her four brothers, were members of the resistance in Ermelo and the surrounding area. Initially, they cared for people in hiding, later helping pilots. Their brother, Just (born 1910), was arrested in 1940 and died in Brandenburg Camp in 1945. Edward (born 1911) and Austin Edward (born 1920) escaped from prison in Ede in early 1945.

The Women's March 1945.
A total of 116 women are imprisoned in Camp Westerbork, originating from active resistance families from central and northeastern Netherlands. Assembled in Westerbork between 21 March and 6 April 1945 from 4 Sicherheitsdienst (SD) prisons in the country:
• Willem III Barracks in Apeldoorn – approximately 75 women come from here from Putten, Barneveld, Ermelo, Ede, Veenendaal, Utrecht
• House of Detention in Groningen – approximately 20 women, 16 of whom from Groningen or the surrounding area
• House of Detention in Zwolle – 12 women from Zwolle, 3 from Kampen and 2 women from Hellendoorn and Beerzerveld
• De Kruisberg in Doetinchem – most women from the Willem III barracks in Apeldoorn were held here for a few more days, together with a few prisoners from Zutphen, Twello, Lutten aan de Dedemsvaart.
The women have all ranks and ages, ranging from 17 to 63 years. Among them pregnant girls, a baroness, strict reformed people next to a reviled communist, and a fortune teller.
Sophie was one of them.

Do you have more information about this person? Inform us!

Sources

Photo