Loosdrecht Youth Aliyah Home Leader
Joachim Simon, known as Shushu
Joachim Simon, or "Shushu," was searching for escape routes out of Holland for the Youth Aliyah children. He was working with Joop Westerweel to develop a route from Holland to Spain via Belgium and France. On January 23, 1943, Shushu met two Pioneer children in Brussels who had succeeded in crossing the Dutch border. Shushu gave them money and ration cards, and arranged to see them again before they went on to France. He never made the rendezvous. He was caught by the Germans, and rather than risk giving them information under torture, he took his own life . The two children waiting for him in Brussels were joined by two others. With the help of Joop Westerweel all four made their way to safety in Spain.