Vera Nathans Semel
Vera's mother's 75th birthday; Bussum, Holland, November 8, 1995. Left to right: Mieke Nathans (Vera's sister), Ans Nathans (Vera's mother), Hemmy Nathans (Vera's father), Vera Nathans Semel.
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Her Story
Vera Nathans was born in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on August 1, 1943. To protect her from the Nazis, her parents, Ans and Hemmy Nathans, placed her in hiding with two nurses from a children's hospital in Haarlem, Netherlands, before they were deported to Bergen-Belsen. Nathans was hidden with two other children, including a boy nearly the same age named Nico Visjager. One of the hospital’s nurses, Corrie Blauuw, claimed that Vera and Nico were her illegitimate twins. Vera's parents survived Bergen-Belsen and she rejoined them in Beverwijk, Netherlands.
Vera married Sandy Semel in 1965 in Bussum, Netherlands. The couple relocated to Scarsdale, New York, and had three children, Susan, David, and Adam.