Petronella Huberta Smits
| Geslacht: | Vrouw | |
| Vader: | Peter Hubertus Smits | |
| Moeder: | Helena Josephina van der Linden | |
| Geboren: | 22 OKT 1903 | Schaijk |
| Aantekeningen: | Personal Information Last Name: Arts First Name: Nella Maiden Name: Smits Rescuer's fate: survived Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS Gender: Female Profession: FARMERS WIFE Rescue Place during the war: Schaijk, Noordbrabant, The Netherlands Rescue Place: Schaijk, Noordbrabant, The Netherlands Rescue mode: Hiding File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/8807) Commemoration Date of Recognition: 13/02/2000 Righteous Commemorated with Tree/Wall of Honor: Wall of Honor Rescued Persons Frank, Meyer, Betty Frank, Joachim Mok Rescue Story Arts, Richard Arts-Smits, Nella Richard and Nella Arts, small farmers, were living on an isolated farm in the village of Schayik (prov. North Brabant). They had no children. When in July 1942, members of a local underground cell approached them to have a mother and son hide in their home, they agreed. Thus, four-year-old Joachim Frank, from nearby Oss, and his mother arrived at their home after hiding elsewhere for a number of months. They were given their own upstairs bedroom. The mother, Betty Frank (née Mayer), was presented as a domestic servant, who had fled Rotterdam after it was bombed early in the war. On Sundays, Joachim went with the Artses to church. A special hiding place was made in a closet, for possible house searches. When there was an early warning, Betty would flee into the fields. Indeed, during one such raid, mother and son hid in the bushes by a riverbank for some 8 hours so they could be together, a very fearful incident for then five-year-old Joachim. Another time, a German soldier discovered the Franks at the Artses home, but before he could get help to take them away, Arts shot him and buried his body some five kilometers away in the fields. In addition, Richard and Nella Arts gave shelter to A. Mok, from Haarlem, a Jewish bachelor, who slept in the hayloft. Relations between the Artses and mother and son Frank were excellent throughout their stay until the liberation of the area in September 1944. During their time in hiding, no financial arrangements were made, although after the war the Franks paid the Artses for their past expenses. The Artses acted because they could not bear the murderous acts of the Nazi regime towards the Jews and other innocent people. The Franks immigrated to South Africa, but continued to stay in touch with the Artses. On February 13, 2000, Yad Vashem recognized Richard Arts and Nella Arts-Smits, as Righteous Among the Nations. |
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Gezin 1
| Huwelijkspartner: | Richardus Antonius Arts | geb. 3 Nov 1903 |
| Huwelijk: | 29 Jan 1937 | Schaijk |