Editing Westerbork transit camp (section)

== Leadership within the Camp ==
Jacques Schol, a Dutchman, was commander of the camp from 16 July 1940 and until January 1943. Certain accounts report he was known for his brutality against Jewish inmates, allegedly kicking inmates to death.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ballis |first1=Anja |title=Holocaust Education Revisited |date=2019 |publisher=Springer |page=114 |isbn=9783658242053 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I0G7DwAAQBAJ&q=mari%C3%ABnbosch+kick+Jews&pg=PA114}}</ref> Other accounts state on the contrary that "although strict and organised, Schol was never cruel or violent". Furthermore, "Schol, who was anti-German, understood that a strict organisation of the camp was the best way to keep the Germans from taking over the camp". In 1941, German authorities understood that "Schol was too lenient and because of this attitude, the Jews felt too comfortable in the camp".<ref>[http://www.holocaust-lestweforget.com/jacques-schol.html "Camp Westerbork - Jacques Schol"], The Holocaust: Lest We Forget.</ref>

German authorities took control of Westerbork from the Government of the Netherlands on 1 July 1942 when Schol was replaced by a German commander.<ref name=":0" /> Deportations began under the orders of [[Gestapo]] sub-Department IV-B4, which was headed by [[Adolf Eichmann]].<ref name=":2" /> Gestapo officer Albert Konrad Gemmeker had overall command of the camp and was responsible for sending up to 100,000 Jews to the death camps.<ref>Buruma, Ian (2023). ''The Collaborators'', Penguin Press, pg 176, ISBN 9780593296646</ref> After the war, Gemmeker was sentenced to just ten years in prison. His light sentence was apparently due to his defense claim that he had no idea what would happen to the Jews after they were transported out of Westerbork.<ref>Buruma, pgs 221-222</ref> Within the confines of the camp, German SS members were in charge of inmates, but squads of Jewish police and security under [[Kurt Schlesinger]] were used to keep order and aid in transport.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kamparchieven.nl/en/camps-in-the-netherlands/camp-westerbork|title=Camp Westerbork|website=Kamparchieven|access-date=20 March 2018}}</ref>