My early years in pictures
1937 - 1936

AMSTERDAM 1937 - 1949

At the groceryshop next door

In front of the Kindergarten


Visiting old hands from Indonesia

A befriended artist made a painting after a photo of my grandfather, the minister.


IJsbrand reads for his brother in 1939

Another holiday at the villa of aunt Riet

Visiting aunt, her daughters and neighbours. Often films were projected.


Grandma at the Rozengracht, Amsterdam.

Visiting nieces Tine and Noes at Wolvenstraat, Amsterdam 1939


Mother took up an interest in Theosophy

Children of the Theosophic sunday school 1939.


To the movies for ten cents

Matinee at another cheap cinema
Edison Bioscoop

IJsbrand and his friend Frits 1938 at the Vliegenbos, Amsterdam

With nieces to Ymuiden, in 1939


Mother and her father, the skipper, in 1938.

Another abortive invention of father: paperweights of casts of old coins.


Puppet theatre in front of our house. 1938
Poppenkast Helmersstraat

Video clip of scene of fishmonger in front of our house - grandmother and her friend paying a visit. 1939
9,5mm filmset as used by my father

IJsbrand at his tenth birthday.

IJsbrand, nine years old, at school in 1938.


With friends. Jewish boy at left was transported and gassed at Auschwitz in 1943.

foto: Matroos Rademakers

Visiting sailor Rademaker was killed at German invasion in 1940 .


Intocht duitse troepen 1940

Entry of German troups in Amsterdam May 1940

foto:  J.v.Lennepkade 59

foto 1940: We move into a new home at Jacob van Lennepkade 59, Amsterdam


Austrian refugee and tenant fräulein Schönhofer with friend at Nassaukade.

My first newspaper in july 1940 reporting on German confiscation of barges for invasion of England


The bath house we went to weekly.
The bath house we went  to weekly.

foto 1941: 12de verjaardag

At his twelfth birthday in 1941 IJsbrand was given conjurer's attributes


A day with family to the Nieuwe Meer near Amsterdam, 1941
foto aan het Nieuwe Meer

In the basement 1942


The cold winter of 1942
foto winter 1942
In 1943 IJsbrand is going to stay with family in East of Holland

He is given a new bike to cycle four miles to school

When he is 14 years' old IJsbrand had to apply for an identity card
New year's Eve in 1943 at home

Making a trip by train in 1944
A day in the country Summer '44.


After the invasion liberation troups are expected any moment in Deventer.

When troups fail to arrive IJsbrand returns to Amsterdam.
His father has bought him a piano, but his head is somewhere else.


Without food supply IJsbrand undertakes hunger treks


Emergency stoves for lack of coal

Wooden blocks for heating are stolen from tram rails


Emergency rations at soup kitchens

Finally liberation May 1945.


LIBERATION: LIFE RESUMES ITS OLD TEMPO

IJsbrand's laboratorium

IJsbrand takes up going to school again. Has a great interest in new inventions and explores chemistry

Fancy dress with nieces, summer '45.

Canadian soldiers steal nieces' hearts (1945)
Father's brother, psychiatrist, arrives from Cairo.

IJsbrand goes to stay with his aunt Riet in her villa in Epse, Gorssel, near Deventer, in 1946.
Self portrait 18 years old in 1947

IJsbrand at a sailing trip in 1947

With his uncle Henny at river IJsel, 1947


On the web since 6 December 2006, updated 24 March 2008

© Michael Rogge 2008


Previously Amsterdam 1929 - 36

Sequel: Amsterdam 1937 - 49 <


Recapitulation of previous pages with photos and clips


The above photos also appear in my autobiography in Dutch: