The lifetime of Ruth Elisabeth Dahl

The townspeople of Geilenkirchen supported the Nazi regime and nobody helped their Jewish neighbours. This meant that they were excluded from public institutions and frowned upon. This forced Ruth to go to a private Catholic school.

Ruth's father, Isidor had to shut down his business and sell their house. This meant a considerable financial loss for the Dahl's.

Ruth's family moved to the Netherlands. They settled in a town called Valkenburg. Relocation meant that Isidor could continue his business in cattle dealing, and so he did. Valkenburg was were Ruth's mum, Sophia was born.

Ruth's older brother, Carl, went to live with his maternal aunts in Maastricht.

Ruth's maternal aunts were taken to Auschwitz where they perished. Carl volunteered to go with them and ended up in forced labour

Police took Jewish neighbours away while Ruth and her family went into hiding with the Dutch Resistance.

Ruth was separated from her family. She spent the next 2 years navigating from one refuge to another.