EN

Arnold Keesing

Arnold Keesing was Anne's mathematics teacher at the Jewish Lyceum.

Person

Vervaardiger onbekend. Afkomstig uit privécollectie
  • Aäron Keesing
  • Amsterdam, Nederland March 19, 1885
  • Amsterdam, Nederland March 18, 1949

Aäron Keesing, rond 1948

Vervaardiger onbekend. Afkomstig uit privécollectie

Rechthebbende(n) onvindbaar

Aäron (Arnold) Keesing was born on 19 March 1885 in Amsterdam in a Jewish family. On 31 July 1912 he married non-Jewish Francisca Agnes Antonia Gunzel (1885-1973).[1] He was the first in his family to have a non-Jewish spouse and this caused some commotion within the family.[2] They had three sons and one daughter: Frans Arnold George (1913-1972), Arnold Frans Johan (1916-1982), Johan George Anton (1917-1917) and Evelina Arnolda Francisca (1920-2012).[3] Their youngest son died when he was six days old.[4]

Keesing had a permanent contract with the municipality of Amsterdam and taught at the 1st HBS with a five-year course. He also taught at the Handelsschool (on Raamplein). When he had to give details of his Jewish grandparents because of school segregation, he stated that there were "probably" more than two. He was not more specific because they had all died before he was born. His wife did not have any Jewish grandparents.[5]

In 1942, he began teaching at the Jewish Lyceum and had Anne Frank in his class.[6] In her diary Anne characterizes him as "the old man who teaches math." Anne describes how he repeatedly gave her lines for talking during class. The first time she had to write an essay about a chatterbox, the second time about an incurable chatterbox, and the third time an essay entitled "Quack, quack, quack says Mrs. Natterbeak." That last essay, written in verse, was read aloud by Keesing in class.[7] She also describes the whole incident in detail in her story A Maths Lesson.[8]

Keesing received a Sperre for having a mixed marriage and was therefore exempted from deportation.[9] He and his family survived the war. He is listed by Otto Frank as one of the people he wanted to send copy of Het Achterhuis.[10] After Keesing received the book, he visited Otto at his office.[11]

Source personal data.[1] Addresses: 1e Helmerstraat 101hs, Amsterdam.[1]

Footnotes

  1. a, b, c Stadsarchief Amsterdam (SAA), Dienst Bevolkingsregister, Archiefkaarten (toegangsnummer 30238): Archiefkaart Aäron Keesing.
  2. ^ E-mail Miriam Mijatovich-Keesing aan Gertjan Broek (Anne Frank Stichting), 30 november 2009.
  3. ^ Geneanet: Aäron Keesing.
  4. ^ SAA, Archief van de Burgerlijke stand, toegang 5009, inv. nr. 4137, 1917, deel 12, 69v: Johan George Anton Keesing.
  5. ^ SAA, Afdeling Onderwijs, toegang 5191, inv. nr. 10830, formulier B, no. 2354 (afschrift), opgave van A. Keesing.  
  6. ^ SAA, Afdeling Onderwijs, inv. nr. 10830, personeelslijst Joods Lyceum, 16 september 1942.
  7. ^ Anne Frank, Diary Version B, 21 June 1942, in: The Collected Works, transl. from the Dutch by Susan Massotty. - London [etc.]: Bloomsbury Continuum, 2019.
  8. ^ Anne Frank, Tales from the Secret Annex, "A Maths Lesson", in The Collected Works.
  9. ^ Arolsen Archives, Incarceration Documents, Index cards from the Jewish Council file in Amsterdam, Reference code: 01020402 134, Document ID: 130317641: Aäron Keesing.
  10. ^ Anne Frank Stichting, Anne Frank Collectie, Otto Frank Archief, reg. code OFA_100.89: Lijst met namen en adressen, 1947.
  11. ^ AFS, AFC, OFA, reg. code OFA_100.37: Brief van Otto Frank aan Aäron Keesing, juni 1947; AFS, AFC, OFA, reg. code OFA_4: Zakagenda Otto Frank 1947, 1 juli 1947.

Related