Aaltje Groendijk

Geslacht:	Vrouw
Vader:	Fokke Groendijk
Moeder:	Hillegonda Nienhuis
Geboren:	25 Juni 1919	Eenum
Aantekeningen:	Personal Information Last Name: Apol First Name: Aaltje Maiden Name: Groendijk Date of Birth: 25/06/1919 Rescuer's fate: survived Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS Gender: Female Rescue Place during the war: Wirdum, Groningen, The Netherlands Rescue Place: Wirdum, Groningen, The Netherlands Rescue mode: Hiding File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/7088) Commemoration Date of Recognition: 25/04/1996 Righteous Commemorated with Tree/Wall of Honor: Wall of Honor Ceremony organized by Israeli diplomatic delegation in: The Hague, Netherlands Rescued Persons Penha de La, David Rescue Story Apol, Johannes Hendrik & Aaltje (Groendijk) Shortly before Herman de la Penha and his wife, Esther (née Stibbe), from Amsterdam were seized and deported, they found a hiding place for their son David, who had been born in May 1942. At the end of June 1943, Gesina van der Molen* and Mien Bouwman (later Vooren*) collected the child in Amsterdam and took him to a temporary hiding place, until a safe, permanent address could be found. On July 17, 1943, David was transferred to the Apols’ home in Wirdum, Groningen, which was located next to the shipyard owned by Johannes, where he employed 20 people. The Apols had come into contact with the Resistance through Aaltje’s elder sister, and while they fully comprehended the danger involved in hiding a Jewish child they still considered it their religious and human duty to give the infant a loving home environment. David was given the name Janneman Apol and remained with his foster parents until January 1946, when he was placed in a Jewish foster home. During his time in hiding in the Apols’ home, Aaltje’s family and most of Johannes’ employees knew they were hiding a Jewish child. David integrated very easily into the family and was treated as a full member. He was given his own bedroom and some toys. Whenever there was danger of an imminent house search, the Apols’ housekeeper would take David to a place where he was sure not to be found. There were no financial arrangements with the Apol family for David’s upkeep. The only support they received were a few ration cards provided by Mien Bouwman, who had brought the baby to them. Fortunately, the Apols grew their own vegetables and had a few sheep, so there was always a supply of food. During the war, Johannes and Aaltje also sheltered a nephew of Aaltje’s who had refused to report to a labor camp and a Dutch Resistance worker. In addition to them, the Apols took in three evacuees from Arcen in Limburg. After the war, when it became apparent that none of David’s family had survived, Johannes and Aaltje decided, in consultation with a friend at the Court of Justice, that the child should be raised in a Jewish environment. Thus, in January 1946, David went to live with the West family. On his 13th birthday, David was told that his entire family had been murdered during the war. In 1954, he moved with the West family to Israel. He temporarily lost touch with the Apols but in 1972 they were reunited and thenceforth remained in close contact. On April 25, 1996, Yad Vashem recognized Johannes Hendrik Apol and his wife, Aaltje Apol-Groendijk, as Righteous Among the Nations.

Gezin 1

Huwelijkspartner:	Johannes Hendrik Apol	geb. 9 Jan 1905 overl. 13 OKT 1982
Huwelijk:	1 Juni 1939	Loppersum