[PROFILE | Harry & Martha Snapper ]
were being deported to the East, and Harry was determined to keep the De Hartog family safe.
Harry's plan called for Rosetta De Hartog to live with the Snappers, taking on the name of Rika Borstell, and serving as a housekeeper. Hank Snapper, then just 6 years old, still has fond memories of Juff, commenting, “She was a second mother to us.” Rosetta's husband, Levi, stayed with the Snappers' neighbors. Two of the De Hartog's teen-aged daughters were placed with family friends, and their other three children were placed in nearby towns.
As if this situation was not periolous enough, during the last year of the war, five German soldiers took up residence upstairs in the Snapper home
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Levi De Hartog, known as Leen, was a frequent visitor in the Snappers' home. And the De Hartog's two teen-aged daughters visited their mother each evening, under the pretense of visiting one of the Snappers' teen-aged daughters. As if this situation was not perilous enough, during the last year of the war, five German soldiers took up residence upstairs in the Snapper home. Not only did Rosetta De Hartog continue posing as Rika, the Snappers' housekeeper, during this time, she even convinced the Germans to share some of their food rations with the hungry Snapper children.