Eddy Hamel

Some people - especially Americans - may wonder why they should care about the Holocaust since it seems that only Other Nationalities (Germans, Poles, etc.) were Victims.

In reality American Citizens (Jewish, Catholics and Protestants) were Holocaust Victims and Survivors. I am talking about people who were American Citizens before and during World War 2 – not those that became Americans after the War.

Eddy Hamel:

Eddy Hamel was born October 21, 1902 in New York City, New York, USA to Jewish Parents:  Moses Hamel, a Diamond Polisher, and his Wife Eva who came to the US from the Netherlands in 1901.

Being born in New York City automatically made Eddy an American Citizen.

In 1903 they moved back to Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

In 1928, Eddy married Johanna Wijnberg, and in 1938 they had Twin Boys, Paul and Robert.

Eddy played professional Soccer for AFC Ajax from 1922 until 1930.

He was the first Jewish player (as well as the first American) to play for first team Ajax.

He appeared in 125 matches as a Right Winger.

Die-hard Ajax supporters still call themselves "Joden" – Dutch for "Jews" – a nickname that reflects both the team's and the city's Jewish heritage.

This nickname for Ajax fans dates back to before World War II, when Amsterdam was home to most of the Netherlands' 140,000 Jews.

Eddy had his own Fan Club in the 1920s, which would line up on his side of the field at the beginning of every game, and then switch sides to be on his side of the field in the second half.

After his retirement as a Player, Hamel managed Alcmaria Victrix for three years and continued to play in an Ajax Veteran Squad.

Despite his American Citizenship, on October 27, 1942 Eddy was arrested by the Jewish Affairs Division of the Amsterdam Police (who Collaborated with the Nazis) for not wearing the mandatory Star of David.

He and his Family were deported to Camp Westerbork in the Netherlands.

He did not have proof of his American Citizenship. If he had the Germans would have sent him and his Family to Bergen-Belsen to later be exchanged for German Prisoners.

Instead, they was deported to the Auschwitz Death Camp in German-Occupied Poland in January 1943.

His Wife, Children were gassed to death immediately after arrival and Eddy was sent to do Forced Labor.

After he was found to have a swollen mouth abscess during a Nazi Inspection, the Nazis murdered him in the Gas Chambers on April 30, 1943.

He was 40 years old.

January 27th is the 81st Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz and International Holocaust Remembrance Day.