Maria Catharina van den Berg

Geslacht: Vrouw
Vader: Everhardus Johannes Franciscus van den Berg
Moeder: Kaatje van Nierop
Geboren: 15 Aug 1868 Stad Vollenhove
Overleden: 23 Jan 1944 Amsterdam
Religie: Rooms Katholiek
Aantekeningen: Last Name: Habes
First Name: Maria Catharina
Maiden Name: Berg van den
Date of Birth: 15/08/1868
Date of death: 23/01/1944
Rescuer's fate: died (rescuer)
Cause of Death: DISEASE
Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS
Religion: ROMAN CATHOLIC
Gender: Female
Profession: HOUSEWIFE
Place during the war: Amsterdam, Noordholland, The Netherlands
Rescue Place: Amsterdam, Noordholland, The Netherlands
Rescue mode: Hiding
File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/11548)
Louis Peereboom and Betsy van Praag, both from Amsterdam, married in the summer of 1942, just as the deportations to ’work in the East’ started, “so that they would be able to stay together in Poland”. At the beginning of 1943, they were arrested at home, and taken to the collection point for Jews at the Hollandsche Schouwburg in Amsterdam. They succeeded in fleeing and returned home. However, a few days later, Louis received the official summons to report through the Jewish Council, and he did (as was the usual practice at the time). He was sent to the Westerbork transit camp, from where he also managed to escape. In the meantime, Betsy had located a place to hide in Amsterdam with Maria Habes, who had been a customer in the butcher store of Betsy’s father. Earlier on she had suggested to Betsy that she would be willing to help out in case of need. Maria was a widow with three grown daughters living at home. One son was married and another had been taken off to forced labor in Germany. After his escape, Louis joined Betsy at Maria’s home, a situation that became unsafe when the Habes son refused to return to Germany to work at the end of his home leave towards the end of 1943. The Peerebooms, therefore, found an address in the town of Amersfoort (prov. Utrecht) with Marinus and Paula Hoogmoed. Louis, who had a dark complexion, was moved to Amersfoort, with his face fully covered in bandages. A ‘good’ police officer took Betsy there by train.
Marinus and Paula Hoogmoed were a young couple, whose first child was born in 1943. A second followed in February 1945 while the Peerebooms were with them in hiding. They lived a very frugal life. Marinus worked for the railroad company, and had been a forced laborer in Germany earlier, where he was wounded in Allied bombings. He was thus returned to the Netherlands for treatment. Louis and Betsy were to be in doors at all times, as no one was to know about their presence. A special hiding area was created in the living room behind furniture. They were able to contribute financially somewhat and from time to time food coupons were brought by an underground group. Betsy helped out in the house, and Louis did little things around the house to keep busy. During the winter of 1944-1945, the infamous Hungerwinter, the Peerebooms were allowed to stay, even though there was hardly enough to eat for the Hoogmoeds themselves. They had to live without electricity or heat, but endured it all in good spirits.
The Peerebooms stayed with the Hoogmoeds until the liberation of Amersfoort in May 1945.
Maria Habes passed away at the beginning of 1944, after a short illness. The Peerebooms stayed in touch with her children as well as with the Hoogmoed family after the war.
On February 11, 2009, Yad Vashem recognized Maria Catharina Habes-van den Berg, as well as Marinus Hoogmoed and Paula Hoogmoed-Sprong as Righteous Among the Nations.

Gezin 1

Huwelijkspartner: Wilhelmus Johannes Jozephus Habes geb. 1 OKT 1865 overl. 12 OKT 1942
Huwelijk: 24 Feb 1897 Amsterdam
Kinderen:
  Maria Cornelia Josephina Habes Female geb. 31 MRT 1898
  Catharina Susanna Maria Habes Female geb. 20 MEI 1900
  Hermanus Reinierus Maria Habes Female geb. 23 Aug 1902
  Everhardus Antonius Josephus Habes Female geb. 21 Feb 1905
  Johanna Suzanna Alphonsa Habes Female geb. 19 Dec 1907
  Geertruida Margaretha Maria Habes Female geb. 3 Juni 1910
  Leonardus Josephus Georgius Habes Female geb. 23 Apr 1913