In 2026, Museum Pass will organize the second edition of the Belgian Museum Week. From May 17 to 24, museums across the country will host special events, culminating in the announcement of the Museum Object of the Year. This year, Kazerne Dossin is nominating a very special object: Mona and Norbert’s teddy bear.
This soft toy symbolizes the extraordinary bond between a Jewish toddler and his “hiding sister.” During the Second World War, little Norbert and his mother sought a place to go into hiding. They found refuge with the Verhage family. Mona, the Verhages’ only daughter, formed a unique connection with Norbert. Despite the harrowing circumstances, they became like brother and sister, a bond that has lasted a lifetime.
Thanks to the courage of the Verhage family, Norbert and his mother escaped deportation. After the war, Norbert returned to Antwerp with his mother, but they remained in close contact with the family that had protected them. For years, the teddy bear traveled back and forth between Kortrijk and Antwerp, until Mona and Norbert decided to donate it to Kazerne Dossin. Today, it is part of the permanent exhibition—a witness to the moving story of two brave children, scarred by war, but supported and comforted by each other and their teddy bear.
Vote for Mona and Norbert's teddy bear
