ROTTERDAM, 27 August – A pocket watch with a remarkable wartime story has been donated to Museum Rotterdam by the grandchildren of Jewish Rotterdammer Alfred Overstrijd. The watch, made in 1910, is now on display at Museum Rotterdam '40-'45 NU.
Pocket watch with wartime history donated to Museum Rotterdam
The grandchildren of Alfred Overstrijd, a Jewish Rotterdam-born watchmaker, have donated a pocket watch he crafted in 1910 to Museum Rotterdam. The watch, created for Alfred's brother, Louis, is connected to a dramatic wartime story. Both brothers were arrested, deported, and murdered by the Nazis, and the watch disappeared during this time. After more than 80 years, it found its way back to the family. Now, the engraved pocket watch can be viewed at Museum Rotterdam '40-'45 NU, located at Coolhaven 375.
The journey of the pocket watch
Alfred and Louis's father, André David Overstrijd (1857-1938), founded a watch shop on Hoogstraat in Rotterdam. The brothers were expected to continue in the family business. During his studies to become a watchmaker in Switzerland, Alfred André (1887-1943) crafted the pocket watch as a final project. He gifted this watch to his brother, Louis David (1892-1944), on his 18th birthday on 13 January 1910.
During World War II, both brothers were arrested, deported, and killed, and the watch vanished. In 1944, Belgian farmer Gustave Janssens (1888-1976) discovered the watch in his field in Molenstede-Diest. It is believed that a German soldier, quartered with him, lost it while in the field. Recognising the inscription and suspecting the watch was stolen, Janssens decided to hide it.
Gustave was never able to trace the original owner. Decades later, his grandson, Pieter Janssens, rediscovered the watch and used the internet to search for the name Overstrijd. This search led him to the Jewish Heritage Rotterdam (Joods Erfgoed Rotterdam) website. With the help of historian Rob Snijders from the site, the descendants were found, and the watch was returned to the family in 2022.
Richard (1954), Joyce (1951), and Monique (1949), the grandchildren of Alfred Overstrijd, were unaware of the watch's existence and were emotionally moved when they received their late grandfather's watch.
Rob Noordhoek of Museum Rotterdam receives the pocket watch from the family.
Donation to Museum Rotterdam
In autumn 2023, Alfred Overstrijd's grandchildren decided together to donate the pocket watch to a museum dedicated to World War II history, freedom, and education. “The choice fell on Museum Rotterdam because of the evident expertise and enthusiasm, combined with a personal touch,” explained Richard van Ameijden. “The fact that Alfred and Louis were from Rotterdam makes the connection even deeper.”
Rob Noordhoek, a curator at Museum Rotterdam, expressed his gratitude for the family's donation: “At Museum Rotterdam, we have Rotterdam timepieces from all eras in our collection, including pieces from the Overstrijd family. The personal, dramatic story and the extraordinary journey of this pocket watch add an emotional layer. It holds cultural and historical significance and tells a family story and bears witness to the inhumane persecution of the Jewish community in Rotterdam. It also shows how ordinary people, like the Belgian farmer and his grandson, try to do what is right.”
The watch
The pocket watch was crafted 114 years ago by Alfred during his studies at the watchmaking school in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, as a gift for his brother Louis's 18th birthday. It is a 'montre-école,' a high-quality ‘school’ pocket watch traditionally made as a demonstration of skill. The inscription reads: “Neufchâteau 1910, A.A. Overstrijd, pour mon frère Louis”.
The discovery and return of the pocket watch to Rotterdam is a remarkable wartime story. It was a pleasant surprise for all involved that the watch, after 114 years, still functions correctly.
Museum Rotterdam also holds other Overstrijd timepieces in its collection, including a clock on a green marble base from around 1900 and a silver pocket watch from 1910-1930. The enamel dial of the pocket watch bears the initials A.D. Overstrijd, referring to Alfred and Louis’s father, the founder of the watch shop on Hoogstraat in Rotterdam. “It is very special to us that there will soon be three timepieces from our family in the Museum Rotterdam collection, reunited in the birthplace of our parents and the brothers Alfred and Louis,” said grandson Richard van Ameijden.
Inside view of Alfred Overstrijd's pocket watch. Credit: Inez Smit
Visiting Museum Rotterdam '40-'45 NU
Museum Rotterdam '40-'45 NU is currently the public and educational venue for the museum, located at Coolhaven. The focus is on the Second World War and the May 1940 bombing. The museum also aims to increase its visibility in the city through activities such as lending items from its collection, educational programmes, lectures, city walks, and presentations.
The museum is also working on developing a new city museum, a place where Rotterdam's heritage is preserved, shared, and brought to life, inspiring and connecting people. Together with the municipality of Rotterdam, a permanent location is being sought for the new museum.
Directions to Museum Rotterdam '40-'45 NU
Museum Rotterdam '40-'45 NU is located at Coolhaven 375, easily accessible by metro and tram. The Coolhaven area, named after the nearby harbour, is in the Delfshaven district, known for its historic character and canals.
