Loe de Jong

Dutch and Jewish historian and journalist, the writer of the Dutch standard work "The Kingdom of the Netherlands During World War II".

Louis de Jong was one of the male twins of the milkman Godfried de Jong (17 August 1891, Amsterdam - 4 June 1943, Sobibór, Poland) and Betsij Aleng (22 December 1888, Amsterdam - 4 June 1943, Sobibór). He was named after his grandfather Lewi, but to prevent discrimination, the parents changed the name Lewi to Louis. But Louis changed it again to the Jewish "Loe" in his penn-name Loe de Jong.

Louis had an in his parents eyes very succesfull twin brother Salomon "Sally" de Jong (24 April 1914, Amsterdam - 31 May 1945, Buchenwald or KZ Mittelbau-Dora), who became a PhD physician on 3 October 1940 in Amsterdam. Sally married Elisabeth de Jong-Van Male (7 May 1915, Deventer – March 1944, Auschwitz) and got two children, who survived the Holocaust by going underground. Sally and Elisabeth escaped July 1943 from Camp Westerbork and fled to France. But here they were captured, imprisoned in Camp Drancy and on 17 December transported to Auschwitz. When the Russians neared the camp, he was transported to Camp Buchenwald or the nearby KZ Mittelbau-Dora, where he died of exhaustion after the war. Louis was jealous of his twin brother Sally, even after his tragic faith. In the sixties Louis had psychological treatment for it.

Their only and youngest sister Jeannette de Jong (12 October 1930, Amsterdam - 4 June 1943, Sobibór) was killed during the Holocaust before she could establish a family.

Louis and Sally de Jong visited the Vossius Gymnasium in Amsterdam. Louis studied Social Geography and History at the University of Amsterdam (Sept 1932 - Nov 1937). Though he did not study hard and was more involved in social life, he graduated November 1937 cum laude.

From 1 February 1938 till May 1940 he was editor foreign affairs of the weekly De Groene Amsterdammer.