Maria Henriette Groothand
| Geslacht: | Vrouw | |
| Vader: | Jan Groothand | |
| Moeder: | Maria Jeannette Louise Pols | |
| Geboren: | 21 Sept 1906 | Amsterdam |
| Religie: | Ned. Hervormd | |
| Beroep: | assistente archeologisch instituut | |
| Aantekeningen: | Last Name: Groothand First Name: Maria Maiden Name: Groothand Alias: IEP Rescuer's fate: survived Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS Gender: Female Place during the war: Amsterdam, Noordholland, The Netherlands ; Ravensbrück, Camp, Germany ; Dachau, Camp, Germany ; Oranienburg, Camp, Germany Rescue Place: Amsterdam, Noordholland, The Netherlands Rescue mode: Hiding Arranging shelter File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/716) With the onset of the deportations of the Jews in 1942, Maria (Iep) and Johanna (Bob) Groothand, their sister, Hendrika (later Schoonderbeek), and their friend Cornelia Los*, from Amsterdam, were already looking for foster families for Jewish children. When Rabbi Abraham Prins, his wife, two sisters, Frederika and Sara, and Mrs. Prins's parents, Kalman and Hanna Drucker, felt compelled to go into hiding, one of the Groothand sisters rented an apartment in her own name and placed it at the disposal of the extended Prins family. Another woman furnished the house and a third escorted the family to the address, hidden in a horse-drawn cart camouflaged as if carrying a load of goods. A fourth woman procured forged identity papers and ration cards for the Prinses. In addition, one of the women took the Prinses' two-year-old daughter to a Protestant family, who took excellent care of her until the end of the war. During the two years that the Prins family lived in hiding, the Groothand sisters and Cornelia Los visited them regularly, encouraging them and providing them with food and clothing. In the meantime, they also rescued dozens of Jewish children, sometimes snatching a Jewish child away from his or her parents the moment they were placed on a transport. The women took the children to hiding places that they had secured and provided the wards and their foster families with food, clothing, and medical assistance whenever necessary. The women also served as intermediaries between children and their parents. The women were motivated by humanitarian principles to help the Jews. They refused to accept any money both during and after the war. Toward the end of the war, the Germans caught the three Groothand sisters and Gerrit Schoonderbeek, Hendrika's husband and took them to Ravensbrück, then Dachau, and finally Oranienburg. Hendrika was condemned to death. Gerrit Schoonderbeek died in Bergen-Belsen a short time before the camp was liberated. After the war Cornelia considered herself the grandmother of her wards. Her health suffered a great deal during the war and she received a special pension from the Dutch government. On January 30, 1972, Yad Vashem recognized Maria Groothand and her sisters, Johanna Groothand and Hendrika Albertina Schoonderbeek-Groothand, and Cornelia Frederika Louise Los as Righteous Among the Nations. |
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