February 9, 1914	Ilse Hess is born in Recklinghausen, Germany, the only child of Willy and Fanny (Wallheimer) Hirschberg.
October 8, 1933	Ilse is engaged to Siegfried Karl Hess of Fulda.
February 16, 1934	Ilse and Karl are married in Recklinghausen.
Fall 1936	They flee their home in Dusseldorf for Amsterdam, Holland.
January 14, 1938	Twins Steven (Stefan) and Marion ("Zusje") are born in Amsterdam.
November 9, 1938	"Kristallnacht." Willy Hirschberg is beaten. His business is subsequently seized and "Aryanized."
September 1, 1939	World War 11 begins.
May 10, 1940	Nazis invade the Netherlands.

May 12, 1940	Family attempts to reach Dutch port of Ymuiden and a channel steamer to England. They are turned back by Dutch guards for being "German." Family returns to Amsterdam.
July 1942	"Razzias" (seizing of Jews) and deportation begins.
July 1943	Karl secures a small truck and makes another escape attempt. The family is caught by a patrol. Karl recognizes one of the Germans and convinces him to release them.
July 23, 1943	Family arrested and sent to transit camp Westerbork. In September, Karl manages to have family released. They return to Amsterdam where Karl goes into hiding because the Nazis are again looking for him.
September 1943	Eight days after their return from Westerbork, Ilse and twins arrested and sent back to the camp. Karl comes out of hiding, goes to Germans and pleads to be permitted to go to Westerbork. He joins Ilse and children three days later.