Anthonia Christina Kop
| Geslacht: | Vrouw | |
| Vader: | Hendrik Willem Kop | |
| Moeder: | Elizabeth van der Spelt | |
| Geboren: | 26 Nov 1907 | Oudshoorn |
| Overleden: | 18 Juli 2001 | |
| Religie: | Ger. Kerk | |
| Aantekeningen: | Last Name: Gent van First Name: Antonia Christiana Maiden Name: Kop Date of Birth: 26/11/1907 Rescuer's fate: survived Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS Religion: PROTESTANT Gender: Female Place during the war: Amersfoort, Utrecht, The Netherlands Rescue Place: Amersfoort, Utrecht, The Netherlands Rescue mode: Hiding File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/9342) Hendrik Ponneker, in his sixties, was a social worker living in Halfweg (prov. North-Holland), not far from Amsterdam, when the Germans invaded. In the summer of 1942, his Jewish companion Judith Kok, asked him to help out with an initial hiding place for a Jewish friend of her son Charles, the 28-year-old Jozef Zilverberg from Amsterdam. Jozef had received a summons for "work in the east" and fearing for the worst, he started to look for a place to hide. Thus, in July 1942, Jozef bleached his hair to better blend into the environment, and arrived at Hendrik's home by bike, thereby circumventing the heavy police controls at the Amsterdam railway station. After resting, he made clear that he wanted to continue in his search for a permanent hiding place. Hendrik and Judith, however, insisted that he stay, saying "outside death is waiting; here you are safe for the time being". Jozef indeed stayed at the Ponneker home for an entire year. Charles Kok, Judith's son, supplied food to Jozef's mother who had stayed behind in Amsterdam, until she was betrayed by a neighbor, arrested and deported. Jozef paid a modest amount to help out with expenses. When the situation at Hendrik's home was no longer considered safe, Jozef Zilverberg as well as Judith Kok, went into hiding in a townhouse in the area. From there, Jozef hoped to join Charles Kok, who himself had gone into hiding in Amersfoort (prov. Utrecht), his hometown. Not sure of the exact address, Jozef nevertheless went to Amersfoort and knocked on a door of a home with a flagpole. Thinking that the inhabitants were good nationalists, he tried his luck. He indeed arrived at the home of Gerrit and Hendrika Kappenberg, where he found Charles. The Kappenbergs were willing to also take in Jozef, fully realizing the risk. Gerrit, a train conductor, was involved with the Protestant resistance group, "Trouw", and the presence of Jews hiding in his home increased the risk to him and his family. The Kappenbergs cared for Jozef until September 1944, and also there, Jozef contributed towards expenses. When the place was no longer considered safe because of Gerrit's participation in a nation-wide railway strike, Jozef was taken to the van Gent family, also in Amersfoort. Jan and Antonia van Gent were a devout Protestant family with three small children. Since Jan was a baker, they did have what to eat during the infamous Hungerwinter of 1944-1945. Once, when Jozef accompanied Jan after curfew to look for wood, they were spotted by a German soldier. Jan managed to escape; Jozef was interrogated but put on a convincing act telling the soldier he desperately needed the wood to heat his home for his children. He made it back home safely to the van Gents. Jozef stayed with the van Gents until the liberation in May 1945. After the war, contact between Jozef Zilverberg and all three families stayed close. On May 7, 2001, Yad Vashem recognized Hendrik Ponneker, Gerrit Kappenberg and Hendrika Kappenberg-Kruit, as well as Jan and Antonia van Gent as Righteous Among the Nations. |
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Gezin 1
| Huwelijkspartner: | Jan van Gent | geb. 12 Juli 1908 overl. 24 Juni 1972 |
| Huwelijk: | 13 Sept 1932 | Amersfoort |