Betty-Prins Haytt Papers, 1900-1945 | Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust

The Hyatt family of Antwerp, Belgium secured passage to a Dutch protectorate Surinam via Marseille, France. Owing to unfavorable conditions they were unable to realize their visas and remained in Vichy France. They settled in Lamastre, a village in southern France.

Nathaniel Prins, the father of Betty was informed by the French Resistance of the German plans to round up all non-French residents of the village. The French Resistance provided Nathaniel Prins with false papers allowing him to work and live in Pyrenees Mountains. While living in the Mountains German police arrested him on the accusation of posing under false identity (French).

With the help of the villagers, Betty’s mother had collected money to get her husband released, and they released him from a local prison. His freedom, indeed, did not last long, for the very same day the Gestapo arrested him, as a Jew. They deported him to the Drancy transit camp and then to Auschwitz. Nathaniel Prins did not survive Auschwitz.

The local neighbors remained sympathetic to Betty and her mother, especially Mr. Chambron. Nathaniel Prins in prison wrote a letter addressed to Mr. Chambron, adding a postscript in pencil while awaiting deportation to Drancy. Mr. Chambron had received this letter and since then kept in his house.

In 1976, the daughter of Mr. Chambron, while on the visit to Los Angeles, gave this letter to Ms. Prins-Hyatt, the daughter.

RG-51.01.01, Esther Prins (mother of Betty Prins-Hyatt passport) issued in the Netherlands with the marks of entering and living in France in 1942

RG-51.01.02, Food rationing stamps on two pages

RG-51.01.03, Letter from mayoral office of Lamastre certifying arrest and deportation of Nathan Prins

RG-51.01.04, Letter of Nathaniel Prins from prison dated 31 January 1943

RG-51.01.05, Postcard, Lisbon 1

RG-51.01.06, Postcard, Lisbon

RG-51.01.07, Provenance text written by Ms. Prins-Hyatt

RG-51.01.08, Wedding photograph, Nathaniel Prins and Esther Prins, the parents of Betty Prins-Hyatt