Elsina Johanna Dekker
| Geslacht: | Vrouw | |
| Vader: | ||
| Moeder: | ||
| Aantekeningen: | Last Name: Graff First Name: Elselina Johanna Maiden Name: Dekker Date of Birth: 14/05/1913 Date of death: 08/08/1994 Rescuer's fate: survived Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS Gender: Female Place during the war: Haarlem, Noordholland, The Netherlands Rescue Place: Haarlem, Noordholland, The Netherlands Rescue mode: Hiding File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/6076) Isaac and Rosa Costima and their daughter, Rosette, born in 1940, lived in Haarlem, North Holland. Isaac owned the upholstery department of "Het Westen," a large furniture store. In mid-1942, he decided that his family would have to go into hiding. Isaac turned to the van der Salm* family, people he knew through work, and they took Rosette in. Isaac and Rosa found shelter with Rudie and Elsina Graff, who welcomed the fugitives into their small apartment in downtown Haarlem, where they resided with their child and Elsina's mother. Rudie, who worked at the Zandvoort shipyard, had been born in Germany, but from the age of five he had lived with his mother's sister in Holland. Rudie was called up for German military service three times, but he managed to obtain an exemption by faking a wrist problem with the assistance of a cooperative physician. Rudie and Elsina were both appalled by the inhumanity of the Nazis and decided to help Jews in any way possible. Isaac and Rosa stayed with the Graffs from February 1943 until the liberation. A special hiding place was constructed for them under the living room floor. Isaac and Rosa's presence in the house was especially awkward because a number of collaborators lived on the same street. Consequently, the fugitive couple never left the house. One of Elsina's brothers and a friend of Rudie and Elsina's son were the only people who knew that Jews were being hidden in their home. Before going into hiding, Isaac sold some of his household goods and furniture, allowing him to contribute towards the Graffs' expenses. However, the money did not last the entire period he and his wife remained in hiding. Nevertheless, despite the Graff's financial hardship, as well as the scarcity of food and the crowded living conditions, relations between the two families were good. Rudie and Elsina were also involved in helping other Jews find hiding places or escape to Belgium and Switzerland. After the war Rudie was due to be placed under house arrest because he was German. Isaac turned to the Dutch authorities and told them that Rudie had helped save the lives of Jews during the war and should therefore be left alone. On November 13, 1995, Yad Vashem recognized Rudie Julius Emil Graff and his wife, Elsina Johanna Graff-Dekker, as Righteous Among the Nations. |
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Gezin 1
| Huwelijkspartner: | Rudi Julius Emil Graff | geb. 1909 overl. 25 Jan 1960 |
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