Petronella Elisabeth de Boer

Geslacht: Vrouw
Vader: Petrus de Boer
Moeder: Wilhelmina Elisabeth Pronk
Geboren: 3 OKT 1911 Hilversum
Religie: geen
Beroep: verkoopster
Aantekeningen: Last Name: Boer de
First Name: Petronella
Date of Birth: 03/10/1911
Rescuer's fate: survived
Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS
Gender: Female
Place during the war: Amsterdam, Noordholland, The Netherlands
Rescue Place: Amsterdam, Noordholland, The Netherlands
Rescue mode: Hiding
File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/10323)
Petronella (Nel) de Boer, born in 1911, lived in Amsterdam, where she was a domestic with a Jewish family. Just before the German occupation, she moved to her own little apartment in one of the Jewish neighborhoods of the city. An eyewitness of the ever-increasing anti-Jewish measures, Petronella was ready to reach out and help. She assisted her companion, Henk Henriët*, a well-known artist in Amsterdam, and was active in the artists underground group of Gerrit van der Veen*. With her consent and full support, Henk brought some of his underground colleagues to her apartment from time to time for temporary shelter. With the start of the deportations of the Jews to the death camps, in the summer of 1942, Henk brought Jo Overste, a Jewish friend and musician, born in 1906, to Petronella’s apartment. Shortly afterwards, Louis Hoepelman, a teacher, born in 1916, another one of Henk’s friends, also needed an urgent place to hide. Again, Petronella agreed for the man to hide in her apartment. Petronella, who by now had two babies with Henk, willingly cooperated in his offer to help both men, despite the personal risk. In November 1942, Henk was betrayed and traced to Petronella’s apartment. On November 18, 1942, the SD entered her home and arrested Louis Hoepelman, Jo Overste, as well as Henk Henriët. Louis and Jo were taken to the Westerbork transit-camp and deported to Auschwitz, where they were murdered. Henk was taken to an Amsterdam prison from where he managed to escape the next day. He subsequently continued with his resistance activities from various hiding places. Petronella was left alone with the two little children. After the arrests, however, she decided to leave her apartment. She first burnt all evidence of Henk’s resistance activities and then went to live temporarily with friends. In 1943, Henk arranged housing for her and the children in the countryside, where he too stayed from time to time until he was again arrested in December 1944.
On August 15, 2004, Yad Vashem recognized Petronella de Boer as Righteous Among the Nations.

Gezin 1

Huwelijkspartner: Hendricus Antonius Henriët geb. 12 Juli 1903 overl. 3 MEI 1945
Huwelijk:

Gezin 2

Huwelijkspartner: Everhardus Amandus Rodijk geb. 6 Feb 1906
Huwelijk: 18 Feb 1931 Bussum
Scheiding: 9 Dec 1937 Amsterdam
Kinderen:
  Gerhardus Hendrikus Rodijk Female geb. 21 Sept 1931