Betty Stodel was born on 12/07/1937. Around 16/08/1942 she was murdered in Auschwitz by the Nazis. Betty was only 5 years old.

During the war she lived in The Netherlands in Amsterdam at the Tugelaweg 116 - Oost. A Stolperstein has been placed for her at this address.

Unfortunately, I could not find any further information on the details of her story. Records show that she and her family were detained in Westerbork, the so called Gate to Hell. From there she was deported with her father, her mother and her sister to Auschwitz, were she and the others were killed.

 

The portrait is part of a series called "Resonance - Never Forget". For me, portraying is a form of contemplation of the life of the person. The choice of color palette is meant to celebrate who Betty was and what she could have become. Working on the portrait raises questions about Betty's hopes for her future, her talents, what made her smile and what she could have accomplished if her life had not been taken away in Auschwitz.