Dutch term – Onderduiker

An onderduiker literally means “under diver” and is somebody who went into hiding. The term was used during World War II to indicate Jews and other people who went into hiding to avoid deportation to the German concentration camps.

The most famous onderduiker was Anne Frank, who went into hiding with her family in the annex of the building where her father’s office was located.

Anne Frank. Credits: Unknown photographer, Anne Frank Foundation, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain).

 

About Yvette Hoitink

Yvette Hoitink, CG®, QG™ is a professional genealogist in the Netherlands. She holds the Certified Genealogist credential from the Board for Certification of Genealogists and has a post-graduate diploma in Family and Local History from the University of Dundee. She has been doing genealogy for over 30 years and helps people from across the world find their ancestors in the Netherlands. Read about Yvette's professional genealogy services.

Comments

  1. Phyllis Zylstra Comstock says

    Using the AlleFriezen database, I have found onderduiker kaarten from 4 Jewish people who stayed in hiding in my grandfather’s house near Rotsterhaule. They are part of a set from Joure and Sneek in Friesland. Who created and kept these records and for what purpose? Were they created when the Jewish person went into hiding? Or after the war? Were there cards for others besides Jewish people? What does the letter in the upper right corner mean – there are Js on “my” cards, but I also see B, C, D, E, F, G, H, and M.

    I realize these are a lot of questions and I’m not sure that it is your responsibility to help me. Can you steer me to someone who would know the answers?

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