WWII Censor Covers Camp Westerbork

I have became the custodian of about 80 covers for the Quaker organization "American Friends Service Committee". There is an article by Ed Dubin on the "American Friends Service Committee; World War I
European Relief Work" April 2012 of the "American Philatelist" magazine. The Quakers are conscientious objectors and in WWI provided help in the ambulance corps. The AFSC stayed on Germany and used their outreach around the world. When the Nazi's were persecuting the Jews many left and moved to surrounding countries. The outflow was a burden to the countries and even they had anti semetic laws. Most of the countries built camps to house them. These originally weren't the type of camps you might think of. Most were built in areas were the displaced wouldn't bother anyone. Many were informal and the people living there could come and go. The AFSC in Philadelphia was a place they could write to to find help and direction for immigration.
The 80 covers were addressed to them and ranged from 1940-1942. The first I will show you is a cover from Netherlands.

I picked this one so you can follow along with the results I get. It was postmarked from Hooghalen in 1941. It has two "seagull" stamps that equal 45 cents. That is consistent with the airmail rate I've seen on ebay. The reverse has a German censor with a Koln Deutz postmark. The Germans had invaded Holland on May 10, 1940. The Westerbork Refugee Camp had its own currency and postal system. The detainees were moved through the camp to other locations and it is referred to as a transit camp.

Koln (Cologne) was a SS location where they moved detainees through to the other camps. Although I can't make out the day the letter was postmarked in Hooghalen in 1941. The censors didn't release the letter until May 2 1942.





Camp Westerbork is now a museum and has a project called "A Name and a Face". The project is designed to add historical and biographical information to the many people who passed through. I emailed them yesterday regarding information on this fellow. I received it back today.

Dear William,

Moritz Busack, 1890-03-18, Bergkirchen, Germany, came to Westerbork on 1940-07-17. He was married with a Christian woman and was he was baptized. He was released on 1942-07-13, two days before the deportations to the East started.

How lucky was this guy. I don't know what happened to him but if he would have made the train a couple of days later I doubt anyone would have released him after that.
Bill