On Thursday, October 31, the artwork was unveiled in Henk Sneevlietstraat in Hoogvliet Henk Sneevliet by Rotterdam artist Nelis Oosterwijk was festively unveiled with a program led by City Poet Elfie Tromp. One of the speakers was Ellen Santen, granddaughter of Mien Sneevliet-Draaijer (the last wife of Henk Sneevliet). She shared a moving story about her half-grandfather 'uncle Henk', who she had sat on her lap as a child, and her grandmother Mien, who barely survived the Ravensbrück concentration camp. This was her story:

Let me introduce myself:

I am Ellen Santen, step-granddaughter of Henk Sneevliet. He was the husband of my grandmother Mien.

I will briefly tell you something about the background of the beautiful photo collage that Nelis Oosterwijk made and I will tell you something about the personal history of uncle Henk and me.

He left in 1913 with his family for the Dutch East Indies to Semarang and became co-founder of the Indische Sociaal Demokratische Vereeniging. He campaigned for the autonomy of the Indies. At the union for railway personnel he ensured that native personnel such as engine drivers could also become members. He was expelled from the country in 1918 because of his anti-colonial activities.

In 1921 he was actively involved in the foundation of the Communist Party of China on behalf of the Comintern. He lived there under the pseudonym Maring. Back in the Netherlands he became chairman of the NAS. This was a trade union that was to the left of the NVV/FNV.

The thirties were years of crisis with austerity policies, unemployment and wage cuts. Many strikes broke out. There was also unrest in the Indies.

On 5 February 1933, mutiny broke out on the armoured ship “De Zeven Provinciën”. Hundreds of Indonesian navy men refused to appear at roll call. They wanted, among other things, to reverse the salary cuts. Henk Sneevliet called on the Dutch navy men to show solidarity. He wrote: 'The armoured ship “De Zeven Provinciën” left the port of Oleh-leh on 5 February, while the commander and his staff were on land. Nine officers on board were captured by sailors with bayonets on their rifles. Bravo for the occupation of this red ship!'

Henk Sneevliet was sentenced to five months in prison for incitement and disobedience.

Protest votes and slogans "Choose Sneevliet from jail" brought him to the Lower House in the same year 1933 for the RSP (Revolutionary Socialist Party). In this photo [the artwork] fifth from the right is Rotterdammer Ab Menist.

When the Second World War broke out, Henk and his wife Mien, my grandmother, immediately went into hiding. In 1942 they were betrayed and on 13 April 1942 Henk and 7 other comrades were shot by the Nazis in Amersfoort.

Now I want to share a memory of “Uncle Henk” and the special bond that existed between us – even though I was still a baby and it was war.

When I was born in October 1940, uncle Henk and grandma Mien were already in hiding. It was dangerous for him to be recognized, so he grew a long beard.

When I was born and in the hospital he came by as a surprise to see me, the new grandchild. At that time my Jewish grandfather Barend was also visiting and he did not recognize him. Sneevliet was proud of the fact that he was not recognized because of his disguise.

“Uncle Henk” visited our house more often, always unexpectedly, with the risk that he took of being recognized. Then he took me from my cradle, even when I was asleep. He called me “the black princess” because of my black hair. He enjoyed me. Especially since he had many setbacks. He lost his two sons Pim and Pam in 1932 and 1937. And he lost contact with his daughter Simaatje, who left for the Soviet Union with her mother in 1934. At that time it was not possible to maintain contact. He was in prison awaiting the execution of the death sentence for him and 7 other comrades.

On April 10, 1942, my mother Bep and I said goodbye to him in the prison of Amsterdam. I was just 1,5 years old. My father Sal was not allowed to visit him because he was Jewish. In his farewell letter he wrote: “Goodbye my sweet little girl, goodbye sweetheart.”

My grandmother Mien was deported to the women's concentration camp Ravensbrück. She survived the three years in the camp and was liberated in 1945. Thanks to her will to survive and creativity she survived the camp. In the camp she made beautiful books with poems about my life for me.

One of the poems is about Uncle Henk and me. He was the leader of the resistance group. Grandmother called the poem: 't Gnome Head.

Once upon a time there was a head of the gnomes,
he had a really big beard.
He loved all the little naughty ones
he was the sweetest man on earth.

And then there was a little girl
with dark locks and a sweet voice
that child loved to sing so much
and did this O! So gladly with him.

She quickly crawled onto her little knees
when he came into the room
he sang the most beautiful songs for her
when he took her in his arms.

And everyone had great joy
when you saw this couple going like this
but now something very sad comes
now the fun is over.

The gnome head has fallen asleep
no one can wake him up anymore.
But the dear little buddy
don't forget that sweet man.

I will indeed never forget him.

The photo of Uncle Henk with a beard always hung on her wall.