Jan Burger

Geslacht:	Man
Vader:	Jacob Burger
Moeder:	Marijtje Bruin
Geboren:	27 MEI 1882	Venhuizen
Religie:		Ned. Hervormd
Aantekeningen:	Last Name: Burger First Name: Jan Rescuer's fate: survived Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS Gender: Male Profession: WORKSHOP OWNER Place during the war: Dordrecht, Zuidholland, The Netherlands Rescue Place: Dordrecht, Zuidholland, The Netherlands Rescue mode: Hiding File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/1069) Before the war, Emmanuel and Greta Benedictus and their two children, Suze (Shoshana), in her early twenties, and 13-year-old Jules lived next door to Jan and Cornelia Burger in Dordrecht, South Holland. The two families were very friendly. In early 1942, after the laws oppressing Jews had been introduced but before the future extent of the persecution was obvious, Jan visited his neighbors and told them that he had built a hideaway above his workshop where they could live undetected. On October 9, 1942, after the searches for Jews intensified, the Benedictus family moved into the hiding place. The family did not even have to go into the street because Jan had built a tunnel connecting their homes. The hiding place was in the back of Jan’s workshop and was concealed by a false wall that was raised by ropes. To enter it, the fugitive Jewish family had to crawl through a hallway on their knees, through the coal storage area, and then climb a ladder to the attic. Jan had equipped the hideout with electricity, water, and toilet facilities in order to make the family’s life as comfortable as possible. In the evenings, after his workers had gone home, Jan would tap on the ladder and the hidden family would come downstairs and spent the evening in the warmth of Jan and Cornelia’s living room. In the living room, the families played cards and talked and occasionally listened to the illegal radio. Whenever visitors knocked at the front door, the hidden family rushed upstairs into their hideaway. Eventually, the Burgers stopped inviting guests and the Benedictuses and Burgers became even closer friends. The Benedictuses always felt welcome in the Burgers’ home. One day Jan asked the Benedictus family if they were willing to share the hiding place with one or two more refugees. The space was large and almost impossible to detect, so the family agreed. Thus, on May 24, 1943, Bets van der Berg, a young lawyer, joined the Benedictuses in their hiding place. Shortly after, Stijntje den Hartog, an assistant pharmacist who knew the Burgers well, also joined them. In October 1944, another fugitive, a non-Jewish police inspector named G. J. van Zeben, also moved into the hideout. All these hidden wards remained with the Burgers until the end of the war. They each paid a nominal amount towards their food and Jan acquired extra ration cards from the underground. While people were hidden in their home, the Burgers’ 18-year-old daughter Marie (later van der Waal) was especially helpful. She assisted with whatever was needed by the fugitives, including the shopping. On June 22, 1976, Yad Vashem recognized Jan Burger, his wife, Cornelia Aleida Burger-Koomans, and their daughter Marie Aleida van der Waal-Burger as Righteous Among the Nations.

Gezin 1

Huwelijkspartner:	Cornelia Lijdia Koomans	geb. 18 Feb 1886
Huwelijk:	3 Apr 1913	Willemstad
Kinderen:
	Abraham Jacob Burger	geb. 6 Feb 1914
	Maria Alida Burger	geb. 29 Aug 1924 overl. 2004