Joseph Leeger, born 31 January 1899 in Amsterdam, was a son of Elias Leeger and Rebecca Wurms. He married 26 May 1920 in Amsterdam Aaltje Springer, born 12 June 1899 in Amsterdam as daughter of Barend Springer and Esther Berklou. The couple had three children, namely Esther who was born 27 December 1920, Elias, on 13 November 1925 and Bernard Bob on 25 April 1930. However, the marriage of Joseph and Aaltje did not last and ended in a divorce on 19 June 1936.
At the time of his marriage, Joseph Leeger was a dealer in haberdasheries but up from November 1930 he also was dealing in irregular and occasional goods. He sold this from Monday till Friday at the street market at Waterlooplein, however not for long as in December of that year, he quitted already from his standing place.
After their wedding in 1920, Joseph and Aaltje lived at Amstelstraat 16 but moved 11 October 1922 to Tweede Boerhaavestraat 60 1st floor and on 25 August 1924 to Raamgracht 12 back house. Thereafter followed removals to Weesperstraat and Nieuwe Achtergracxht but in July 1934 Joseph and Aaltje lived already separate of each other, Joseph then lived with his father Elias Leeger at Zwanenburgwal 6 1st floor in Amsterdam and per 4 July 1940 he moved to the Jewish Psychiatric Hospital “Het Apeldoornse Bos” in Apeldoorn. Not known is whether Joseph Leeger was taken in as a patient or that he was hired as employee.
On the night of 21 to 22 January 1943, the Apeldoornse Bos with all patients and staff was emptied by the Nazis; they were taken to Auschwitz and all of them, including Joseph Leeger were immediately killed there on arrival on 25 January 1943.
Sources includes the City Archive of Amsterdam, archive cards of Joseph Leeger and Aaltje Springer, family registration card of Joseph Leeger and the file cabinet of the Jewish Council, registration card of Joseph Leeger.
