Nicolaas Frans Dane

Geslacht: Man
Vader: Nicolaas Dane
Moeder: Bastiana Maria Bauman
Geboren: 28 Sept 1909 Rotterdam
Overleden: 14 Jan 1999 onbekend
Religie: Rooms Katholiek
Beroep: supp. Gem. Bibliotheek
Aantekeningen: Last Name: Dane
First Name: Nicolaas Frans
Alias: NICO
Date of Birth: 28/09/1909
Date of death: 14/01/1999
Rescuer's fate: survived
Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS
Gender: Male
Place during the war: Rotterdam, Zuidholland, The Netherlands
Rescue Place: Rotterdam, Zuidholland, The Netherlands
Rescue mode: Hiding
File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/6502)
Izaak Cohen, who worked in the wholesale meat business, lived in Rotterdam with his wife, Bertha, and their son, David Charles. When Berthas’ mother’s big house was confiscated by the Germans and she needed somewhere to live, Izaak turned to Nicolaas (Nico) and Jaighien (Gien) Dane, who had a room for rent. After some time, when Bertha’s mother had gone to live with family in Brussels and David Charles had been sent to stay with half-Jewish relatives, Izaak asked Nico and Gien if he would be able to hide in their spare room with his wife should the need arise. The Danes extended an open invitation to Izaak and even befriended a carpenter who helped improve the hiding place. Nico and Gien also stored some food and clothing in the hideout in preparation for the Cohens’ arrival. In November 1942, Izaak and Bertha were walking in Rotterdam when a neighbor warned them that the Germans had searched their house. The couple returned home briefly to pick up some essential items, and then continued strolling through the streets until it was dark enough for them to sneak into the Danes’ home unnoticed. They did not realize that they would stay there for over two and a half years. The Cohens trained themselves to disappear quickly into their hideout. In the meantime, Nico was summoned for work in the east and the Cohens remained in his home with his wife, four-year-old daughter, Beppie, and a boarder who had rented the dining room and converted it into a bedroom. The boarder did not know that there were Jews hiding in the house. This situation lasted for ten months. To occupy their time, Izaak and Bertha made puppets. Izaak made the heads from firewood and Bertha sewed the clothing. They even gave performances, but a non-Jewish friend would show himself as the puppeteer and take a bow after the show. At the beginning of the war, the Cohens had bought many boxes of good Dutch cigars. These were stored with friends, who sold them whenever the Cohens needed money. With these earnings in their pockets, Gien and Bertha once walked 300km with a pushcart to buy food from farmers.
On May 29, 1995, Yad Vashem recognized Nicolaas Frans Dane and his wife, Jaighien Dane-Verkouter, as Righteous Among the Nations.

Gezin 1

Huwelijkspartner: Jeichien Verkouter geb. 28 Apr 1911
Huwelijk: 13 OKT 1937 Rotterdam