Ode to Rosalie Wijnberg | Heroic and progressive for women's healthcare

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Rosalie Wijnberg

I first heard Rosalie's story during a lecture at the WG grounds as part of the 4 May 2023 commemoration. She must have been an extraordinary woman, heroic and progressive for women's healthcare.

Rosalie Margaretha Wijnberg was born on 1 February 1887 in Amsterdam. She was the daughter of Jewish parents, Jacob Wijnberg and Keetje Morel. She had another younger brother, Benjamin.

After grammar school, Rosalie went to study medicine at the municipal university and passed her doctors' exam in 1913.

In 1916, with two other female doctors, Rosalie became assistant to Hector Treub at the Women's Clinic of the Wilhelmina Hospital. After completing her specialisation, Rosalie started her own practice Obstetrics and Women's Diseases at P.C. Hoofdstraat.

She published the popular handbook 'Hygiene of women in different walks of life'.

Rosalie kept herself well informed scientifically, but especially loved it when she had brought another baby into the world. Her cheerfulness and humour made her particularly popular. Rosalie was an ardent advocate of the use of proper and safe contraception.

World War II dramatically changed Rosalie's life. In 1941, Rosalie was no longer allowed to treat her non-Jewish patients because of her Jewish background. When she was in danger of being deported in 1942, she took poison. Her housekeeper raised the alarm and Rosalie was just saved. She then spent a year in hiding at the Valerius Clinic (the director was a friend). In 1943, she was nevertheless deported to Barneveld, an assembly camp for prominent Jews. Together with physician colleagues, she retrained as a chiropodist.

From 1 November, she worked in the infirmary at Westerbork concentration camp.

When she and four male colleagues there were ordered to sterilise mixed-married Jewish women, she refused. And she continued to do so despite pressure from camp commander Gemmeker, who threatened her with the death penalty. Partly because of her steadfast stance, the order was revoked from on high.

"Had I done otherwise, self-loathing would have simply made further life impossible for me," was Rosalie's defence with which she rejected all praise later in life.

On 4 September 1944, she is taken to Theresienstadt where, after six months, she is exchanged with German prisoners of war on 5 February 1945 as one of twelve hundred Jews. She then ends up in Switzerland.

After the war, Rosalie returned to Amsterdam and resumed her practice at Vondelstraat. In the post-war period, Rosalie championed the use of contraception, something that was hardly discussed by doctors and for which the sale and promotion was still punishable at the time. She found it absurd that doctors did not receive proper education on birth control.

In 1949, Rosalie published a high-profile article on birth control in the Dutch Journal of Medicine accompanied by a comprehensive overview of good and safe contraceptives. This sparks a storm of indignation among doctors.

But Rosalie cares little. She continues to practise until she is seventy years old.

Rosalie Wijnberg was the first female gynaecologist in the Netherlands. She made a name for herself with the popular handbook on women's health, she gave lectures and courses on good and safe birth control, essential for women's health and well-being.

In 1967, she was awarded Knight of the Order of Orange -Nassau for her social services.

Rosalie died on 10 January 1973.

Sources consulted:

1001 vrouwen in de 20ste eeuw (1001 women in the 20th century), compiled by Els Kloek

https//www.joodsamsterdam.nl