Cornelia Johanna de Zwijger
| Geslacht: | Vrouw | |
| Vader: | Abraham de Zwijger | |
| Moeder: | Trijntje Poot | |
| Geboren: | 28 MRT 1914 | Leiden |
| Aantekeningen: | Last Name: Heemskerk First Name: Cornelia Johanna Maiden Name: Zwijger de Date of Birth: 28/03/1914 Rescuer's fate: survived Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS Gender: Female Place during the war: Rijnsburg, Zuidholland, The Netherlands Rescue Place: Rijnsburg, Zuidholland, The Netherlands Rescue mode: Hiding File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/5910) In September 1943, two-and-a-half-year-old Renee Hamel (later Wagenfeld) had to leave her foster family because of the danger that they would be betrayed. Arie and Cornelia Heemskerk of Rijnsburg, South Holland, then welcomed Renee into their home. Arie and Cornelia had two children of their own, one a newborn. They told their neighbors that Renee was the daughter of Cornelia's sister who lived in nearby Leiden. However, when the greengrocer, who had customers in Leiden as well as in Rijnsburg, asked Cornelia's sister about her daughter in Rijnsburg, she completely denied the story. Although the situation thus became precarious, there were no consequences as a result of the revelation. In January 1944, a traitor was shot dead in Rijnsburg and the area became considered so dangerous that all the people hidden in the area, Jews and non-Jews alike, fled the village. However, Arie and Cornelia did not wish to send Renee away and so Arie sawed out part of the floor in the attic and constructed a special hideout for Renee, who fortunately never had to use it. During the war, the Heemskerks also temporarily hid 19-year-old Dirk van Eikel. After the war, Renee was returned to her parents, who took her to the United States. For a long time she did not wish to recall the war years but when she remembered that she had been happy with the Heemskerk family she renewed contact with them. In the meantime, Arie and Cornelia had had three more children, the eldest of whom they named Renee. On January 26, 1994, Yad Vashem recognized Arie Heemskerk and his wife, Cornelia Heemskerk-de Zwijger, as Righteous Among the Nations. |
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Gezin 1
| Huwelijkspartner: | Arie Heemskerk | geb. 1916 |
| Huwelijk: | 19 MEI 1938 | Rijnsburg |