Grada Berendina Stronks
| Geslacht: | Vrouw | |
| Vader: | Derk Jan Stronks | |
| Moeder: | Dela Pennings | |
| Geboren: | 20 Apr 1908 | Dale, Aalten |
| Aantekeningen: | Last Name: Heideman First Name: Grada Maiden Name: Stronks Rescuer's fate: survived Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS Gender: Female Place during the war: Aalten, Gelderland, The Netherlands Rescue Place: Aalten, Gelderland, The Netherlands Rescue mode: Hiding File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/9865) On July 20, 1944, in the middle of the night, Johanna Pennings-Heideman took Joseph and Dina Meijer (née Feitsma) to the home of her brother Martinus and Grada Heideman in Aalten (prov. Gelderland), close to the border with Germany. The Heidemans lived there with their seven children on a small farm. The Meijers, who had been in hiding with Hendrik and Johanna Pennings* in nearby Varsseveld, had been betrayed and an immediate alternative hiding address needed to be found. The Meijers received their own room off the kitchen. The Heideman children were instructed never to mention the names of the Meijer couple to anyone. No one was to know of their presence. Each time a visitor came, the Heidemans shouted a code so that the Meijers would understand to go into their room, so as not to be seen or heard. Once, during a house search throughout the village that had the reputation for being anti-Nazi, police also entered the Heideman home. With pistols directed at Martinus and Grada, the entire home was thoroughly searched. One of the Heideman daughters happened to be playing with her dolls in front of the door of the Meijers room, which may have been the reason this room was not searched. The Meijers daughter, ten-year-old Ida, was in hiding close by in the village with Hendrik and Aleida Rhebergen*. Understanding the urge of Dina and Joseph to see their daughter, the Heidemans allowed Ida to be brought to play with one of their own children from time to time. The Heidemans pastor knew about the Jews in their home and was a great support for them during that period. The Meijers stayed in hiding with the Heidemans until the liberation of the area in March 1945. It turned out that not even the nearest neighbors had any idea the Heidemans had a couple in hiding for nearly a year. On December 8, 2002, Yad Vashem recognized Marinus Heideman and Grada Heideman-Stronks, as Righteous Among the Nations. |
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Gezin 1
| Huwelijkspartner: | Marinus Heideman | geb. 25 MEI 1907 |
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