Righteous unto the nations

Ik mocht niet weten wie zij was en waar zij
zich verborgen hield. Na de bevrijding heeft
mijn moeder mij wel veel over haar verteld en
tot in lengte van dagen heeft moeder mij op
de hoogte gehouden van Erica’s wel en wee in
Australië. Daarom hoort Erica ook een beetje
bij onze familie.
Mijn hartelijke groet aan de familie Moen-Deen
Translation
“I was very touched when I heard that the
Yad Vashem recognition would be bestowed
upon my parents. Especially that Erica Deen
and her family had gone to so much trouble
for those who had rescued Jewish people.
Through their actions the conscientious
attitude and courage of Erica’s rescuers
becomes relevant again after seventy years.
Such an attitude is essential today to rescue
and support those suffering from persecution.
The State of Israel reinforces that message
through the Yad Vashem Awards.
Of course, I never met Erica during that
time in Lemelerveld. I was just five years
old then. I wasn’t allowed to know who
she was or where she was hidden. After
the Liberation my mother told me a great
deal about her and for many years kept
me informed of how Erica was doing in
Australia. In that sense, Erica has always
been part of our family.
My kindest regards to the Moen-Deen Family.”
Elly Bos Visser (daughter of and Minister
Piet and Stien Visser-Keers)
I was very surprised when I read that Erica
Moen-Deen had nominated my parents
Christina Sophia (Stein) Visser Keers and
Petrus (Piet) Visser, vicar af the Reformed
Church, from Apeldoorn. It is fantastic and
touching that this will be recognised now.
After World War II it was almost not done to
talk about persons in hiding . It was not an
issue. The general feeling that hiding people
was what you do when you are asked to do
so. Looking back, at this time, I realise how
much courage one must have to do so.
When the war began there were already two
children in our family. Jan was 8 and Laura
was 6 years old. They were told, and think
about this, “don’t ever tell any one” ”, and
my family kept their word!
I was the 3rd child born in 1942 and we were
hiding people with the family. Hetty Schaap
was 14 years old and one of them. She stayed
during the war and after that time because
her parents did not come back from the
extermination camp.
I was born in Apeldoorn, at Loolaan 18, just
next to the Grote Kerk (the Great Church).
Under the church was a big cellar and a lot
of people safely hidden there. Our house
had 18 rooms and was claimed by the
Germans for there operations. We moved to
the Koning Lodewijklaan. The old lady who
lived there was forced to leave the house.
My Mother, Sophia (Stien), used a carrier
cycle to try to get some food and milk from
the farmers in the neighbourhood.
My brother Jan died three years ago. Till the
very end he still had nightmares about the war
especially about the great secret of the people
in hiding. He dreamt everytime that my
father, Piet, would be shot , just like Reverend
Borgers the father of one of his friends.
I am proud of my parents who were so brave
in World War II. I am grateful that they
survivied the War. It is a very special event
that our parents, so many years later, are
honoured. It is a pity, that they are not here
anymore, but I believe and I am sure that
somehow they will see us all here together
and see what is happening here!”
PAGE 14
©2013 Edited and compiled by Martin Moen, Perth, Western Australia.