Bertha Wilhelmina Halkema

Geslacht: Vrouw
Vader: Frederik Halkema
Moeder: Eugenie Westerkamp
Geboren: 22 MRT 1898 Meester Cornelis
Overleden: 19 Dec 1983 Den Haag
Religie: Ned. Hervormd, geen
Aantekeningen: Beckman Bertha (1898 - 1983 )
Personal Information
Last Name: Beckman
First Name: Bertha
Wilhelmina
Maiden Name: Halkema
Date of Birth: 22/03/1898
Date of death: 19/12/1983
Rescuer's fate: survived
Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS
Gender: Female
Place during the war: Zeist, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Rescue Place: Zeist, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Rescue mode: Hiding
Arranging shelter
File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/3291)
Commemoration
Date of Recognition: 20/01/1987
Righteous Commemorated with Tree/Wall of Honor: Wall of Honor
Ceremony organized by Israeli diplomatic delegation in: The Hague, Netherlands
Rescued Persons
Meijer, Someren van, Hetty
Someren van, Harry
Rescue Story
Beckman, Bertha Wilhelmina (Halkema)
Bertha Beckman of Zeist, Utrecht, her husband, and sons were very active in the Resistance movement from the start of the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. They saved the lives of many Jews, despite suffering serious personal tragedy during the war: In August 1940, the Beckmans’ home was bombed and Bertha’s 18-year-old daughter was killed. In December of that year, Bertha’s husband was arrested and imprisoned. He was eventually killed in December 1944. Her two elder sons, Johan Beckman and Robert, were also arrested. Her youngest son, Jan Francois, then 17, was arrested and was about to be executed in March 1945 in reprisal for the attempt on the life of Rauter, head of the SS and German Police in Holland, but he was eventually released and returned home. Among those that Bertha saved were the children Hetty and Harry Someren of Hilversum, North Holland, whom she hid in her home from December 1942 to July 1944, when she took Harry to another safe place in The Hague, where he survived the war. Hetty went into hiding somewhere else. On May 5, 1982, Bertha Beckman-Halkema received one of the highest honors of The Netherlands, the Resistance Memorial Cross.
On January 20, 1987, Yad Vashem recognized Bertha Wilhelmina Beckman-Halkema as Righteous Among the Nations.
Johan, Bertha's son, who was deported to Auschwitz in 1942, was recognized as Righteous Among the Nations in 1985 for his help to Jewish inmates in the camp.

Gezin 1

Huwelijkspartner: Karel Johannes Cornelis Beckman geb. 18 Aug 1888 overl. 20 Nov 1944
Huwelijk: 15 OKT 1918 Soerabaja
Kinderen:
  Robert Frans Richard Beckman Female geb. 16 OKT 1923
  Johan Frederik Beckman Female geb. 28 Dec 1919 overl. 13 Feb 2011
  Karel Willem Beckman Female geb. 4 Jan 1921
  Eugenie Christine Beckman Female geb. 25 Feb 1922
  Jan François Beckman Female geb. 1 Juli 1927