Johanna Wendelina Catharina Heinsius
| Geslacht: | Vrouw | |
| Vader: | Frederik Nicolaas Heinsius | |
| Moeder: | Wendelina Geziena Hilbrands | |
| Geboren: | 16 Feb 1904 | Oosterbeek |
| Overleden: | 10 Jan 2006 | Nijmegen |
| Beroep: | apotheker | |
| Aantekeningen: | Last Name: Heinsius First Name: Johanna Date of Birth: 16/02/1904 Rescuer's fate: survived Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS Gender: Female Profession: PHARMACY OWNER Place during the war: Nijmegen, Gelderland, The Netherlands Rescue Place: Nijmegen, Gelderland, The Netherlands Rescue mode: Hiding Supplying basic goods File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/6561) Until mid-1942, Rita and Julia Mechanicus, Jewish sisters, both in their early twenties, lived with their mother in Amsterdam. In August 1942, their father, Philip, a well-known journalist at the daily newspaper Het Handelsblad, contacted Johanna Heinsius in Nijmegen, Gelderland, and asked for help. He had met Johanna while on vacation with his daughters in 1938. They had been in touch ever since and he knew she was a suitable person to turn to. Julia and Rita stayed with Johanna until the liberation of Nijmegen in September 1944. Johanna had a pharmacy that also served as her home. When the sisters arrived, Johanna constructed a secret hiding place for them to utilize in times of danger. Johannas best friend, Catharina van der Ploeg, became acquainted with Julia and Rita, as did the carpenter who built the hideout, the assistant in the pharmacy, Marga de Jong, a doctor, and several other of Johannas assistants. The pharmacy was located in the city center, opposite the SS post. German soldiers frequented the pharmacy, so Julia and Rita had to be hidden at all times. About once a week, Marga took Julia and Rita for a walk, being especially prudent in the route she chose so as not to be caught. In times of extreme danger, the girls were temporarily sheltered with Catharina, who lived nearby with her mother. While in hiding, Julia and Rita attended to the household chores---Johanna had dismissed her servant after discovering that she was dating a German officer. Julia and Rita were well cared for, and Johanna never took any money from the girls because she felt it was her duty as a human being to help people. In the fall of 1942, Johanna was asked to help find a shelter for a Jewish boy named Menno Lesser. Since space in her own home was scarce, Johanna hid the boy in her parents home. Johannas parents, however, were elderly and so Johanna regularly visited them to help out. On September 27, 1942, Philip Mechanicus was caught while riding on a streetcar without his yellow star. He was taken to Westerbork, where he remained until March 8, 1944. While interned there, Johanna regularly sent him packages and medicine. From Westerbork, Philip was transported to Bergen-Belsen and from there to Auschwitz, where he was shot dead on October 12, 1944. On April 2, 1995, Yad Vashem recognized Johanna Heinsius and Catharina van der Ploeg as Righteous Among the Nations. |
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