Righteous unto the nations

Ceremony Speech
from Martin Moen
Good morning ladies and gentlemen.
I am very pleased to be here today. Before we start with the ceremony, I would like to share with you
my journey was has culminated in this important ceremony today.
It has been a long journey ...and I am not talking about the 24 hours it took for my family to get here
from Australia….rather, I am referring to the journey of discovery that started almost 24 years ago. It
began in 1990 with finding the names of Erica’s siblings on a limestone war memorial in Loosdrecht
…which was very unusual and to this day I am unable to find out why….the memorial is opposite the
building, previously the townthe town hall, where my parents were married…
The journey has been exciting and emotional. In the early days of my research, I vividly remember
asking the Dutch Red Cross and the Jewish Historical Museum for information about mum’s family. I
received information on where and when they died. I spoke to my mum on several occasions sharing
with her what I had discovered. Up unto then, my mum simply did not know of what had happened
to her family. No one talked about it. I discovered that Erica was and to this day is deeply traumatised
about what happened during the war. …Gradually and notwithstanding my constant prodding she
talked, with tears in her eyes, about her own experiences…initially to me. In the following years she
has talked to schoolchildren and to Steven Spielberg’s representatives. Telling her story of survival has
helped her cope but the pain endures and the memories continue to torment her.
Since 1990, I have gathered lots of information on my mum’s story and the righteous gentiles (non
Jews) that saved her. I tried on a few occasions for Yad Vashem to recognise the families that hidden
my mum during the war. However it wasn’t until May 2012 that I really made some progress when
Wolter Keers (here today) suggested he take Ruth (my wife) and I to the places where Erica had hidden.
This gesture was significant. I was able to join all the pieces together and make a robust submission to
Yad Vashem… which you all know was accepted. As you can imagine…I was very pleased that all the
nominations were recognised.
Hatred and violence are not new phenomenon and while the horrors of WW2 will never be forgotten,
we still witness atrocities around the world. The history and the birth of the State of Israel is where at
least the Jewish people can feel some degree of safety from persecution…they are surrounded by many
obstacles and challenges, but yet they prosper…and how! …. Yad Vashem (the hand of g-d) has set the
world benchmark for recognising people who will stand up for the persecuted and the vulnerable…in
this case the Jewish people during WW2. What really sticks in my mind is why the Dutch far exceeded
any other western power for protecting the Jewish people …why was this so?
It his hard to comprehend that if it wasn’t for the actions of your families and risking their lives to
save my mum…neither family, nor myself would be here today. As you can understand, words cannot
explain my gratitude for your family’s actions.
I want to also recognise Hans Sittig and his children who are here today. Their father was instrumental
in saving Erica. This was a man Erica describes as having blond features that were typically Arian or
unJewish. Whilst this ceremony is about recognising non-Jews, it is important to also recognise Hans,
who risked his life to save fellow Jews.
The booklet that you have in front of you provides some of the history behind today’s event …this
was also in the making over the past 24 years. Its finalisation came to life when so many of you here
today submitted material to be included… The journey of discovery must continue… If any of you
have further material or know of someone who should be recognised please let me know. On page 12, I
mention a serviette ring that was passed from Tante Wil to Erica …here it is…
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©2013 Edited and compiled by Martin Moen, Perth, Western Australia.