Gerardus Hensels

Geslacht:	Man
Vader:	Joseph Hensels
Moeder:	Maria Paanakker
Geboren:	14 Juli 1904	Den Bosch
Overleden:	29 Apr 1995	Den Bosch
Aantekeningen:	Last Name: Hensels First Name: Gerardus Date of Birth: 14/07/1904 Date of death: 29/04/1995 Rescuer's fate: survived Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS Gender: Male Profession: CIGAR FACTORY WORKER Place during the war: Den Bosch, Noordbrabant, The Netherlands Rescue Place: Den Bosch, Noordbrabant, The Netherlands Rescue mode: Hiding File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/2319) The Hensels couple and their son lived in the town of Den Bosch, North Brabant, where Gerardus worked in a cigar factory and Antonia worked for a Jewish family named van Zwanenberg who lived nearby. In 1942, the van Zwanenbergs, who had two sons, Lou and Alfred, asked the Henselses if they could hide with them. Antonia and Gerardus agreed and on September 10, 1942, the four of them moved in and took the three rooms on the second floor of the house. A cousin of the van Zwanenbergs, Ernst Keizer, joined them in 1943, and another cousin, seven-year-old Frido (David Frits) Schoenbach, came to live with them a while later. The Henselses asked the family for 40 florins a week for food, a very small amount. They kept everything secret and lit an electric warning light when people came to visit to caution those in hiding to be quiet. This arrangement, which understandably led to friction and difficulties, continued until October 15, 1944, when the fighting approached Den Bosch and a bomb hit the house. At that point, all the tenants moved to the apartment of Mrs. Dorenbosch*, a former neighbor of the van Zwanenbergs. Antonia and Gerardus were motivated by their desire to help those in need and they looked after their “guests” very well. David Schoenbach kept in touch with his rescuers and even attended their golden wedding anniversary celebrations. On July 8, 1982, Yad Vashem recognized Gerardus Hensels and his wife, Antonia Johanna Hensels-Mangé, as Righteous Among the Nations.

Gezin 1

Huwelijkspartner:	Antonia Johanna Mangé	geb. 25 Apr 1909 overl. 7 Apr 1988
Huwelijk:	13 Aug 1930	Den Bosch