Petronella Maria Catharina van Tillo
| Geslacht: | Vrouw | |
| Vader: | Paulus van Tillo | |
| Moeder: | Johanna Lanen | |
| Geboren: | 1914 | Steenbergen |
| Aantekeningen: | Last Name: Helmer First Name: Petronella Maria Catharina Maiden Name: Tillo van Alias: NELI Date of Birth: 21/01/1914 Rescuer's fate: survived Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS Religion: ROMAN CATHOLIC Gender: Female Place during the war: Treebeek, Limburg, The Netherlands Rescue Place: Treebeek, Limburg, The Netherlands Rescue mode: Hiding File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/183) In June 1943, two sisters from Amsterdam, Chaya-Sara and Shaula van der Ham, aged seven and four, respectively, were offered shelter with Anton and Petronella (Neli) Helmer in the village of Treebeek, Limburg. The Helmers, a mineworker's family, hid the girls until the liberation of southern Limburg in September 1944, but since the girls' parents had perished during the war they remained with the Helmers until other relatives who were liberated in May 1945 could accommodate them, in November 1945. If these relatives had not adopted Chaya and Shaula, they would have been welcome to stay with the Helmers for as long as necessary. Anton and Neli were not affluent and the girls could not compensate them financially for their upkeep or obtain food coupons on more than a sporadic basis. Nevertheless, the Helmers embraced the two sisters enthusiastically and with exceptionally loving care. The Helmers were childless after seven years of marriage and regarded the arrival of Chaya and Shaula as a gift. Furthermore, when Neli actually did become pregnant, while the two girls were hidden in her home, she believed the pregnancy was a reward from heaven for having helped fugitives. Despite the fact that the Helmers were devout Catholics, they were especially respectful of the girls' Orthodox Jewish background and never attempted to change the girls' religion. Chaya and Shaula were not obligated to go to church, but they did occasionally---out of curiosity! During the course of the war, there were some especially close calls when Germans were searching everywhere for Jews. Each time, the local policeman, who collaborated with the underground, warned the Helmers in advance of the search and the girls were hidden in the nearby convent until the danger passed. On July 28, 1967, Yad Vashem recognized Anton Helmer and his wife, Petronella Maria Catharina Helmer-van Tillo, as Righteous Among the Nations. |
|
Gezin 1
| Huwelijkspartner: | Antonius Helmer | geb. 8 Juni 1911 |
| Huwelijk: | 12 Aug 1937 | Heerlen |