Righteous unto the nations
Over het leven van Erica Moen-Deen
Over het leven van Erica Moen-Deen
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Lemelerveld Farm with Hendrik and Mina Grootemarsink in front (right) of Lemelerveld Farm circa 1940<br />
Lemelerveld Farm 2012 House named “Genista”.<br />
I stayed at <strong>the</strong> farm for a few more days under<br />
enormous pressure and anxiety and was <strong>the</strong>n<br />
moved to ano<strong>the</strong>r hiding address.<br />
The bro<strong>the</strong>r-in-law of <strong>the</strong> Minister who had<br />
placed me on <strong>the</strong> first farm was also a Minister<br />
(Piet Visser) and a member of <strong>the</strong> Resistance.<br />
Under cover of darkness, I was taken to his home<br />
in Apeldoorn and ano<strong>the</strong>r hiding place was<br />
found for me.<br />
This time I was hidden with Piet and Stien<br />
Visser- Keers at Loolaan 18, in <strong>the</strong> town of<br />
Apeldoorn - in ano<strong>the</strong>r tiny attic. The house was<br />
next door to <strong>the</strong> church and on three occasions,<br />
when house searches took place, I had to be<br />
hidden in <strong>the</strong> vaults below <strong>the</strong> church. Each<br />
time I had to remain <strong>the</strong>re for more than a day<br />
and it was a horrible experience. The vaults<br />
were only about a half-meter high and I had to<br />
crouch or lie, while <strong>the</strong> rats crawled around, and<br />
sometimes over me. The air was close and it was<br />
damp and difficult to brea<strong>the</strong>.<br />
Lemelerveld Farm after <strong>the</strong> War<br />
I remained with this family for some months,<br />
until <strong>the</strong> searches became more frequent.<br />
In fact, soon after I left, <strong>the</strong> Nazis came<br />
to search <strong>the</strong> house and <strong>the</strong>y searched <strong>the</strong><br />
vaults where I had been hidden, looking for<br />
valuables, which <strong>the</strong>y believed may have been<br />
stored <strong>the</strong>re.<br />
A bro<strong>the</strong>r of <strong>the</strong> Minister (Jan Keers) from<br />
Lemele lived in a small town nearby, called<br />
Sibculo. He was also a lay preacher and<br />
a rescuer of Jewish people. To travel from<br />
Apeldoorn to Sibculo, I was dressed as a<br />
nurse and <strong>the</strong>n hidden in <strong>the</strong> home of <strong>the</strong><br />
minister, who had four little boys. Again I<br />
was hidden in an attic and I helped to look<br />
after <strong>the</strong> children. The children did not know<br />
that I was Jewish and I remained with this<br />
family until <strong>the</strong> liberation, in May 1945.<br />
PAGE 24<br />
©2013 Edited and compiled by Martin Moen, Perth, Western Australia.