Oma 'Omama' Gabrielse's War Memoirs, Oma se dagboek
During the Second World War, young Dutch girl, Mary Gabrielse was interned in a Japanese war camp in Indonesia with her mother and sister. She was my grandmother, my beloved Oma. Her gruelling experiences and the stories she shared stayed with me and I remembered being in awe of her and what she had endured.
My Oma’s illustrations of life during this period and her mother’s journal were heart rendering but exhibited the strength, resilience, creativity and humour, which helped them cope and find purpose during a time of suffering, humiliation and loss.
It was so hard for my Oma to remember a time of freedom
before war broke out, but she survived and hope kept her alive. The painful
memories have stayed with her all of her life and those who did not make it are
forever in her thoughts. My Oma, my brave, brave Oma!
This book is their story.
A hardback copy of Oma's war memoir is available for £25+postage.