Alida van Soest

Geslacht: Vrouw
Vader: Dirk Jacobus van Soest
Moeder: Johanna Hol
Geboren: 6 MEI 1905 Wamel
Overleden: 31 OKT 1970
Religie: Ned. Hervormd
Aantekeningen: Berg van den Alida (1905 - 1970 )
Personal Information
Last Name: Berg van den
First Name: Alida
Maiden Name: Soest van
Alias: ALI
Date of Birth: 06/05/1905
Date of death: 31/10/1970
Rescuer's fate: survived
Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS
Gender: Female
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.31.2/5292)
Commemoration
Date of Recognition: 20/05/1992
Righteous Commemorated with Tree/Wall of Honor: Wall of Honor
Ceremony organized by Israeli diplomatic delegation in: The Hague, Netherlands
Rescued Persons
Gruenwald, Karin
Rescue Story
Berg van den, Hendrik Adolf & Alida (van Soest)
The German authorities ordered Evert Nijhuis to go to work in Germany, but he refused to. Consequently, there was a possibility that the Germans would search the home of his parents, Evert Sr. and Johanna Nijhuis*, where Carolien Grünwald and her five-year-old daughter Karin were hiding. Kees van Soest* promptly took Karin to his sister and brother-in-law, Adolf (known as Henk) and Alida (known as Ali) van den Berg, in Dordrecht, South Holland. Henk and Ali had no children. Carolien had demanded that Kees tell the van den Bergs that Karin was Jewish, adding that if they were not prepared to take the risk of hiding her she would return with her daughter to Amsterdam. Kees returned from Dordrecht without Karin, confessing to Carolien that he had not actually told the van den Bergs that Karin was Jewish and that he had made up a story about Carolien’s taking care of an old woman and Karin’s being bored all day. Carolien gave Kees some money and demanded that he return to Dordrecht and tell the van den Bergs the truth. When he did this Ali responded: “When all the Jews in Dordrecht had to leave their homes and go and live with their families in a closed sector of Amsterdam, I cried… now I have been given the opportunity to save a Jewish child, and I will do it, together with Henk.” Henk was in complete agreement with her sentiments. Karin was very happy with “Aunt” Ali and “Uncle” Henk and they loved the girl dearly. Karin knew that she was forbidden to reveal to anyone that she was Jewish and, despite her young age, she kept the secret. Karin played in the street with the other children from the neighborhood without arousing any suspicions. Ali and Henk even traveled to Amsterdam to meet Carolien and keep her informed about Karin’s well-being. After the war, Carolien, Ali, and Henk remained very close friends. In 1948, Ali and Henk had a daughter of their own.
On May 20, 1992, Yad Vashem recognized Hendrik Adolf van den Berg and his wife, Alida van den Berg-van Soest, as Righteous Among the Nations.

Gezin 1

Huwelijkspartner: Hendrik Adolf van den Berg geb. 3 MRT 1901 overl. 15 Feb 1982
Huwelijk: 19 Feb 1930 Rotterdam