Maria Wijgergangs

Geslacht:	Vrouw
Vader:	Johannes Wijgergangs
Moeder:	Christina van den Boogaard
Geboren:	1 Juli 1917	Berlicum
Aantekeningen:	Last Name: Heerkens First Name: Marietje Maiden Name: Wijgergangs Rescuer's fate: survived Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS Gender: Female Profession: HOUSEKEEPER Place during the war: Dinther, Noordbrabant, The Netherlands Rescue Place: Dinther, Noordbrabant, The Netherlands Rescue mode: Hiding File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/2949) When the war broke out, Babeth Andriesse-Meijer was living with her husband Mozes Maurits, and daughter, Rosa, aged 11, in Veghel, North Brabant. They went into hiding in Jos and Marietje Heerkens attic on April 7, 1943. The Heerkens lived together with Jos's parents in a house adjoining a pub on Dolvert Street in the village of Dinther, only a few kilometers from Veghel. Although the Andriesses warned Jos and Marietje that helping Jews in 1943 could lead to their being sent to a concentration camp, they chose to risk their lives and those of their two-year-old daughter and one-month-old son in order to hide the family. Marietje had worked for the Andriesses as a housekeeper from 1932 until 1939. When she heard about the deportation of Jews in 1943, she offered them shelter. Babeth's four-year-old son, Barend Jozef, was sent to the Bienfait-van Osselen* family in Eindhoven because it was considered too dangerous to hide him in the village. Babeth, Mozes Maurits, and their daughter had only a small window in the attic through which to see the world. They were never discovered, despite the comings and goings of people to the nearby pub. When the food that the Andriesses had brought with them ran out, they paid the Heerkenses for food with the food stamps given to them by the Dutch underground. Jos and Marietje never accepted any compensation for their courageous deeds. They saved the lives of the Andriesse family because of their friendship and out of humanitarian motives. The Andriesse family left the Heerkenses' home on September 29, 1944, when Dinther was liberated. A year after the liberation, Jos, who was a diabetic, passed away at the age of 32. On November 13, 1984, Yad Vashem recognized Jos Heerkens and his wife, Marietje Heerkens-Wijgergangs, as Righteous Among the Nations.

Gezin 1

Huwelijkspartner:	Christiaan Heerkens	geb. 12 Apr 1913 overl. 11 OKT 1945
Huwelijk:	23 Jan 1939	Veghel