Righteous unto the nations

The commonly held belief was “that the Dutch were good to the Jews”. But I found, contrary
to that view. For it was the local government authorities, collaborators and the forced
actions of the Joodsche Raad (Jewish Council) in Amsterdam who had directly or indirectly
facilitated the destruction of 8 out of 10 of Holland’s Jewish citizens. While this represented
the worst case of genocide in all of Western Europe, the Dutch people far exceeded their
European neighbour’s efforts when it came to protecting its Jewish citizens.
In the case of my mother’s family, it was the Protestant Christians who followed the teachings of
their bible that (Jews were the chosen people and must be protected) and took a lead. At the risk
of certain death, they facilitated arrangements to locate, transport, hide, comfort and feed many
Jewish people.
I have been fortunate enough to meet the relatives of those that saved my mother’s life. I
make special mention of Wolter Keers who on the 17 May 2012 facilitated an opportunity for
Ruth (my wife) and I to visit the places in Holland where my mother was hidden and to speak
with representatives of those being recognised by Yad Vashem at this ceremony.
At Lemeleveld farm I saw the location where my mother had hidden, to escape capture
under a small straw bale “cubby”. After our walk around the farm we were very fortunate to
enjoy a lunch hosted by Geerhard and Hanneke Kleinlugtebeld. That experience, 70 years
after my mother’s escape from certain death, allowed me to join together the pieces of
information gathered over the past 20 years, formalise nominations and ultimately attend
today’s ceremony with my family.
I acknowledge the work of Steven Spielberg who founded the “Survivors of the Shoah Visual
History Foundation”. In 1996 that organisation visited Perth, Western Australia and recorded
my mother’s story.
Recognising Cornelis and Maria Keers, Piet and Stien Visser, Jan and Gon Keers, Hendrik
and Mina Grootemarsink, Dinnie and Jan van Zutphen as “Righteous Unto the Nations”
brings some closure to my family. It provides me with significant comfort that the deaths of
my Aunty Rebecca and Uncle Harold will never go unnoticed.
Erica and Klaas Moen prospered in Australia and the family has grown from 3 children to
4 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren and with another 2 on the way. This new life
is testament to those who saved Erica and confirms the statement echoed in the opening
words of this booklet “whosoever saves a single life: saves an entire universe”.
Martin Moen
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©2013 Edited and compiled by Martin Moen, Perth, Western Australia.