Ben Ali Libi: Dutch magician murdered at Sobibor
Dutch poet and writer Willem Wilmink's most famous poem was Ben Ali Libi. It was inspired by a Dutch-Jewish magician, murdered by Nazi Germany during World War Two. But, was Ben Ali Libi a fictional character, or did he really exist? Read on, to find out... On a list of artists, all killed in the war, I spotted a name I'd not heard of before, intrigued and excited, I looked up each fact, about Ben Ali Libi, the magical act... – Willem Wilmink Professor Ben Ali Libi was indeed a real person. He was born Michel Velleman, on 5 January 1895 in The Netherlands. He came from a poor Jewish family and grew up in Amsterdam’s Koestraat, a slum area for ‘second-class citizens.’ Little is known of Velleman’s early life. He probably started off as a young marketplace performer, which was a common trade. He may also have been mobilised as a soldier during World War One. (Although he wouldn't have seen any fighting as The Netherlands remained neutral throughout the war...