Hendrika Theodora Johanna van Haeren
| Geslacht: | Vrouw | |
| Vader: | Johannes Bernardus van Haeren | |
| Moeder: | Johanna Christina de Ruijter | |
| Geboren: | 1898 | Arnhem |
| Aantekeningen: | Last Name: Holthaus First Name: Hendrika Maiden Name: Haeren van Alias: RIEK Rescuer's fate: survived Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS Gender: Female Place during the war: Arnhem, Gelderland, The Netherlands ; Hilversum, Noordholland, The Netherlands Rescue Place: Arnhem, Gelderland, The Netherlands ; Hilversum, Noordholland, The Netherlands Rescue mode: Hiding File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/10746) Johan (Jo) and Hendrika (Riek) Holthaus lived with their four children -- one working, two in high school and a three year old -- in Arnhem (prov. Gelderland). Johan was a clerk in a local building company. Hendrika was at home, full time, taking care of the children and the house. In September 1942, soon after the start of the deportations of the Jews to the death camps, they accepted seven-year-old Arnold van der Horst, also from Arnhem, into their home. He was taken there by his mother, Judith (née Cousin), who took his two-year-old sister Theodora (Doortje) elsewhere. Both she and her husband Jacob, eventually did not manage to find themselves a safe haven, and were deported and perished in Auschwitz in 1944. Arnold soon felt at home at the Holthauses, and became a natural part of the family. For the outside world he was a nephew, whose parents could not take care of him. The youngest Holthaus child, Ben, was especially happy, since now he had an instant brother to play with. Going to school was too dangerous for Arnold, as he had no valid papers. He could only play outside after school hours and during school vacation, in order not to arouse suspicions among the neighbors. Danger was close-by at all times, since further down the street, German soldiers were billeted in a school building. One night, a few of them rang the bell of the Holthaus residence, and Arnold was quickly spirited to the attic. As it turned out that the soldiers were specifically looking for bicycles, the attic was not searched. In the fall of 1944, with the war coming close to the city, all residents of Arnhem were ordered to evacuate. After a short stay in huts in the areas woods, the Holthauses moved to a sister of Hendrika in Hilversum, taking Arnold with them. After the war, when they could return to Arnhem, they found their home completely destroyed. Arnold survived the war in the care of the Holthauses. His sister and maternal grandmother also survived, immigrated to the United States in 1946 with them and contact was lost. Only around 2005, through the intervention of Yad Vashem and Archives in the Netherlands, did Arnold trace the children of his rescuers. On February 5, 2006, Yad Vashem recognized Johan Holthaus and Hendrika Holthaus-van Haeren as Righteous among the Nations. |
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Gezin 1
| Huwelijkspartner: | Johann Everhard Stephan Holthaus | geb. 1895 |
| Huwelijk: | 21 MEI 1919 | Arnhem |