Hendrika Schotkamp

Geslacht:	Vrouw
Vader:	Jan Schotkamp
Moeder:	Jantien Kortman
Geboren:	16 Jan 1917	Gramsbergen
Aantekeningen:	Last Name: Gossen First Name: Hendrika Maiden Name: Schotkamp Date of Birth: 16/01/1917 Date of death: 22/12/2007 Rescuer's fate: survived Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS Religion: CALVINIST Gender: Female Profession: HOUSEWIFE Place during the war: Apeldoorn, Gelderland, The Netherlands Rescue Place: Apeldoorn, Gelderland, The Netherlands Rescue mode: Hiding Arranging shelter File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/11175) At the end of 1942, the Jewish Swelheim family from Almelo (prov. Overijssel) consisting of father Joseph (born 15.5.1901), mother Stientje (née van Amerongen, born 19.6.1906) and their four children in ages from two to ten, was forced by the German occupation authorities to move to a Jewish quarter in Amsterdam. Once there, the Swelheims decided not to answer orders for ‘work in the East’ and instead started looking for places to hide, first for their children. Through contacts with a local underground cell, the three older children were temporarily put in a children’s home in Rockanje (prov. South-Holland), the youngest was placed with a family in Hilversum (prov. North-Holland) and the parents found places elsewhere, each separately. However, on his way to his designated hiding address in the summer of 1943 Joseph was caught and immediately deported to Sobibor, where he was murdered on July 16, 1943. Half a year into hiding, Stientje was betrayed and deported to Auschwitz, but luckily survived. As a result, the children’s home was no longer a safe place, and other addresses had to be found. Hans Swelheim, born 24.2.1937, was moved between a number of temporary homes, until in early 1944 he was taken to Gerrit and Hendrika Gossen in Apeldoorn (prov. Gelderland) by ‘Aunt Dien’, a sister of Gerrit. The Gossens had two small daughters, Joke and Jeanette. Hans was introduced as Hans Smulders, a distant cousin from The Hague where there was a serious shortage of food, thus calling the Gossens, ‘Aunt Riek’ and ‘Uncle Gerrit’. He soon felt part of the family as the big brother of the two girls. The superintendant of the school that Hans attended knew his real identity and took him in without listing him as a student in the official school records. Gerrit Gossen owned a transport business, thus also using his tenders for the secret transport of Jews as well as Allied pilots whose planes had been shot down. The German authorities suspected illegal use of the tenders, and frequently came to the house to check. On such occasions Hans was instructed to continue playing, looking down, so as not to show his face. When the searches became more frequent and intensive, Hans was temporarily sent to Hendrika’s mother, a hazardous journey since bridges had to be passed that were heavily guarded by the German Army. Hans, who had a dark complexion, would be suspect. Thus, in order not arouse any suspicion, the Gossens covered Hans’ entire head with bandages and argued at the check posts that they were taking the child urgently to a hospital. It worked. Some time later, Hans returned to the Gossens and stayed with them until the liberation of the city in April 1945. During Hans’ stay with the Gossens, daughter Joke passed away. When another daughter was born after the war, Hans’ name was listed on the birth announcement as the brother. His name was also listed on the death announcement of Hendrika in 2007, as one of her children. Hans stayed on with the Gossens until February 1946, when his mother, who had survived Auschwitz, was able to come and pick him up. Separation from Gerrit and Hendrika was very difficult, but they were all able to stay in touch. On October 28, 2007, Yad Vashem recognized Gerrit Gossen and Hendrika Gossen-Schotkamp as Righteous Among the Nations.

Gezin 1

Huwelijkspartner:	Gerrit Gossen	geb. 2 Jan 1915 overl. 23 Sept 1964
Huwelijk:	23 OKT 1936	Gramsbergen
Kinderen:
	Johanna Harmina Gossen	geb. 1940 overl. 25 Nov 1944