Arie Bergwerff
| Geslacht: | Man | |
| Vader: | Frederik Bergwerff | |
| Moeder: | Anna van Aarde | |
| Geboren: | 10 Apr 1907 | Utrecht |
| Overleden: | 8 MEI 1955 | |
| Religie: | Ned. Hervormd | |
| Aantekeningen: | Bergwerff Arie (1907 - 1955 ) Personal Information Last Name: Bergwerff First Name: Arie Date of Birth: 10/04/1907 Date of death: 08/05/1955 Rescuer's fate: survived imprisoned Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS Gender: Male Profession: BICYCLE REPAIRMAN Place during the war: Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands Rescue Place: Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands Rescue mode: Hiding Arranging shelter Other File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/776) Commemoration Date of Recognition: 11/12/1973 Righteous Commemorated with Tree/Wall of Honor: Tree Ceremony organized by Israeli diplomatic delegation in: The Hague, Netherlands Ceremony held in Yad Vashem: Yes Rescued Persons Pam, Betsy Cohen, First name unknown Cohen, Surname unknown, First name unknown Pam, First name unknown Kinsbergen, Issaak Rescue Story Bergwerff, Arie & Maria Hendrika (Rodrigo) In September 1940 Arie Bergwerff, a bicycle repairman with a high level of religious and cultural awareness, began to organize a small group of people to resist the Germans. Included in the group were Wopke and Heiltje Kooistra* and occasionally, Arie cooperated with the Reverend Overduin* and Ad van Schuppen*. Arie and Wopke Kooistra were often asked to accompany Jews, who were forbidden to travel, from Amsterdam to the city of Utrecht, where the Jewish Council took care of them. Although Arie and Maria had four young children, they never shied away from helping as many Jews as possible, without receiving financial compensation. In July 1944, when Mrs. Cohen-Pareira was in the hospital with scarlet fever and her husband needed a new hiding place, he was welcomed into the Bergwerffs home, as a temporary arrangement. When Mr. Cohen fell ill with scarlet fever, Arie and Marie nursed him for six weeks and his wife joined him in their home. After his recovery Cohen, with blue eyes and blond hair, decided to move into a boarding house and go about his business as usual. Two weeks before the railroad strike, the Cohen family was arrested and deported. They never returned. After the war, Arie had to tell their daughter Martha what had happened. Machiel and Betsy Pam, a Jewish couple, had known Arie since 1940. In 1942, when their son Avi turned 16 Arie invited him to take part in underground activities. On July 18, 1942, the members of the Pam family were forced to go into hiding with various colleagues of Aries. Machiel found refuge with the Kooistras, Betsy and Avi went to Rotterdam and their daughter Judy moved to an address that soon became unsuitable. In December 1942, when she was compelled to leave, Arie transferred her to the Heuzer* family. In September 1943, Arie traveled to Amsterdam to help Avis grandparents, Mr. And Mrs. Abraham Pam and Mr. and Mrs. Issaak Kinsberge. He led them to a safe place in Utrecht. The Kinsbergens joined the te Gussinklos* and the Pams were taken in by the Kooistras. In early 1944 Arie was apprehended by the Germans and imprisoned in Utrecht. With the assistance of a policeman, a member of Aries small Resistance group, he was soon set free. However, the Germans had maltreated him and he never fully recovered. On December 11, 1973, Yad Vashem recognized Arie Bergwerff and his wife, Maria Hendrika Bergwerff-Rodrigo, as Righteous Among the Nations. |
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Gezin 1
| Huwelijkspartner: | Maria Hendrika Rodrigo | geb. 27 Dec 1906 overl. 28 MEI 1997 |
| Huwelijk: | 22 Dec 1932 | Utrecht |