De Berg Blijft (The Mountain Will Stay)



Oma, my grandmother, grew up on the Indonesian island Java. Her life took a profound turn when she and our family were detained in a Japanese concentration camp from 1942 to 1945. At that time, Oma was 17 years old.

During those challenging years, a mountain just outside the camp became a symbol of hope for my grandmother. Each day, she would gaze at the Ambarawa mountain, finding solace in the certainty that, regardless of the uncertainties around her, this mountain stood steady. The strength and resilience of my grandmother have always captivated me. Despite enduring traumas during her time in the concentration camp in Java, she embraced life with a remarkable spirit.