Helene Bernstein

Geslacht: Vrouw
Vader: Moritz Bernstein
Moeder: Johanna Otto
Geboren: 18 MRT 1891 onbekend
Overleden: 28 MRT 1990
Aantekeningen: Last Name: Derksen
First Name: Helene
Maiden Name: Bernstein
Rescuer's fate: survived
Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS
Gender: Female
Profession: FARMERS WIFE
Place during the war: Lobith, Gelderland, The Netherlands, Angerlo, Gelderland, The Netherlands
Rescue Place: Lobith, Gelderland, The Netherlands, Angerlo, Gelderland, The Netherlands
Rescue mode: Hiding
File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/8403)
At the outbreak of the war, Carl and Helene Derksen were living on their farm, the "Geerlingshof," in Lobith, Gelderland, with three of their six daughters. Helene was the granddaughter of baptized Jews from Germany and her Aryan credentials were thus considered suspect. In the village, she was often spoken of as being Jewish despite the fact that she had been baptized and raised as a Protestant. When the Derksens decided to shelter Jewish refugee Doris Bloch in September 1943, they knew they were taking an enormous risk. Doris had immigrated to the Netherlands from Germany in 1939, together with her parents and sister. She was initially hidden by the Lohuizen* family in Epe and was brought to the Derksens through the efforts of two of the Lohuizen daughters and the son-in-law who were active in the Resistance. Although Doris's stay was meant to be relatively brief, she remained with the Derksens until the end of the war. Doris was given a room of her own and treated like a daughter. In return, she helped around the house as much as she could. A special hiding place, including a makeshift bed, was built for her in one of the walls. Once, in November 1944, Doris hid there with Helene, who was also wanted on suspicion of being a Jew. On February 22, 1945, the Derksens were evacuated to Angerlo, Gelderland, and Doris accompanied her rescuers under the noses of two German soldiers. They returned to the farm when Lobith was liberated in April 1945. During the war, the Derksens also hid a young Dutchman, Herman (Hans) Iordens and two Allied pilots, a Canadian and an American, who had been shot down over Holland.
On February 17, 1999, Yad Vashem recognized Carl Johann Derksen and his wife, Helene Derksen-Bernstein, as Righteous Among the Nations

Gezin 1

Huwelijkspartner: Carl Johann Derksen geb. 12 Apr 1876 overl. 19 Juli 1954
Huwelijk: 24 OKT 1914 Mönchengladbach
Kinderen:
  Helena Wilhelmina Derksen Female geb. 1917