Catharina Margaretha Burger
| Geslacht: | Vrouw | |
| Vader: | Hendrik Burger | |
| Moeder: | Gesina Maria Pleijte | |
| Geboren: | 17 Apr 1896 | Amsterdam |
| Overleden: | 28 MEI 1978 | Zeist |
| Beroep: | dra. Franse taal en letteren, dir. MMS Tempeliersstraat te Haarlem | |
| Aantekeningen: | Last Name: Burgher First Name: Katharina Margaretha Rescuer's fate: survived Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS Gender: Female Profession: PRINCIPAL OF HIGH SCHOOL Place during the war: Haarlem, Noordholland, The Netherlands Rescue Place: Haarlem, Noordholland, The Netherlands Rescue mode: Hiding Supplying basic goods Providing forged documents Arranging shelter File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/61) Forced by the Germans to retire as principal of a high school in Haarlem, Katharina Burgher focused her attention on rescuing Jewish girls whom she came to regard as her daughters. One of these women was Channa Levy (later Hefetz), who, in 1942, was a 21-year-old student nurse at the CIZ (Jewish hospital) in Amsterdam. The Jewish employees at the hospital were gradually being deported and Channa began to look for a hiding place. Through her friend she was put in touch with Katharina Burgher, who had been van Blankensteins teacher. During the war, Katharina arranged hiding places for many young Jewish women and provided them and other Jews with food and identity cards. She personally escorted Channa Levy from one hiding place to another. Her house in Haarlem was open to fugitives, with whom she shared her little food. Channa van Blankenstein was also hidden there with false papers from May 1943 until the liberation. Katharina Burgher helped keep Channa in touch with her sisters, who were hidden elsewhere. Channa Levy writes about the great moral support that Katharina gave the whole group. She used to bring them together once a week in her house, despite the enormous risk, and encourage them to continue their struggle to live. After the liberation, when it seemed that none of the womens relatives had survived the war, two of the rescued girls were married from Katharinas house to soldiers from the Jewish Brigade. Katharina, who was a member of the International Esperanto Movement, was motivated by religious and humanitarian principles. After the war, some of the rescued girls immigrated to Israel and invited Katharina to visit them. On May 5, 1964, Yad Vashem recognized Katharina Margaretha Burgher as Righteous Among the Nations. |
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