Wilhelmina Veronica Johanna Petronella van 't Walderveen
| Geslacht: | Vrouw | |
| Vader: | Willem van 't Walderveen | |
| Moeder: | Froukje Fekkes | |
| Geboren: | 9 Apr 1903 | Amsterdam |
| Aantekeningen: | Last Name: Hamstra First Name: Wilhelmina Veronica Johanna Petronella Maiden Name: Walderveen van t Alias: Miep Date of Birth: 1903 Date of death: 07/01/2000 Rescuer's fate: survived Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS Religion: ROMAN CATHOLIC Gender: Female Place during the war: Amsterdam, Noordholland, The Netherlands Rescue Place: Amsterdam, Noordholland, The Netherlands Rescue mode: Hiding File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/12561) Benjamin Manassen was born in 1939, exactly one year before the start of the German occupation of Holland. His parents had moved from Tiel, in the east of Holland, to Amsterdam, where little Benjamin grew up. When the Germans started deporting the Jewish population of Holland, Benjamin's parents understood the danger and looked for hiding places. They found shelter for themselves, but finding a safe place for their 3-year-old son, Benjamin, was harder. When they contacted some former acquaintances from their former residence Tiel, they were told about the Hamstras, a wonderful family in Amsterdam who would be willing to hide the little boy. Gerrit Hamstra (b. 1891) and his wife, Wilhelmina Veronica Johanna Petronella (née van 't Walderveen, called Miep, b. 1903), opened their house and hearts to Benjamin Manassen. They agreed that Benjamin would be taken to the Central Railway Station in Amsterdam, where his family would leave him next to a certain pillar. Miep Hamstra would take him home from there. Benjamin was taken into the Hamstras' home and had a pleasant childhood there. The Hamstra couple had one daughter, Veronica. They raised Benjamin as a Catholic: he went to church with them and sang in a choir. He was given a new name-Bennie Bommel. During the time he was in hiding, he had some contact with his parents, and he even went to stay with them for two weeks in the south of Holland. Benjamin stayed with the Hamstras until the war was over. The day the war ended, it was Benjamin's sixth birthday. He saw all the Dutch flags outside and wondered if they were in honor of his birthday. When his father came to fetch him, he immediately recognized him and exclaimed, "This is my daddy Manassen!" Benjamin was reunited with his family, and shortly after the war, another son was born to the family. Benjamin never forgot the Hamstra family, and they remained in warm contact. On April 2, 2013, Yad Vashem recognized Gerrit and Wilhelmina Veronica Johanna Petronella (van 't Walderveen) Hamstra as Righteous Among the Nations. |
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Gezin 1
| Huwelijkspartner: | Gerrit Hamstra | geb. 26 Aug 1891 overl. 2 Sept 1959 |
| Huwelijk: | 1 Dec 1921 | Amsterdam |