Maria Smallenbroek

Geslacht:	Vrouw
Vader:	Harm Smallenbroek
Moeder:	Janna Mennega
Geboren:	9 MRT 1901	Assen
Overleden:	3 Juli 1997
Aantekeningen:	Last Name: Houten van First Name: Maria Rescuer's fate: survived Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS Religion: CALVINIST Gender: Female Place during the war: Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands Rescue Place: Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands Rescue mode: Hiding File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/9653) Hendrik and Maria van Houten lived with their five young children in the northern city of Groningen (prov. Groningen). One of Hendrik's daughters from his first marriage, Jannie, was active in a resistance group and arranged a new hiding address with her parents for five-year-old Nathan Elsas, originally from Amsterdam. When Nathan reached the van Houtens home some time in 1943, after a long and arduous journey from Amsterdam, he was in bad physical condition being covered with sores all over his body. Even so, the van Houtens took him in and nursed him back to health. Initially Nathan, now called Nicky, was a frightened boy, fearful of any stranger, but soon the loving care of all the van Houtens made him feel at ease. Since the van Houtens had children in Nathan's age group, he soon felt a full member of the family. However, he had to stay at home at all times and could not go to school. Even the immediate neighbours were not aware that the van Houtens had an extra child in their home. The family members were devout Calvinists. They acted according to their religious beliefs, regardless of the personal risk involved. Nathan stayed with the van Houtens until the liberation of the area in April 1945. It then was learned that his father Isaac Elsas had perished in the Janina sub-camp of Auschwitz. His mother, Henrica Elsas-Moers, had survived and took him to her native Antwerp. She never spoke to Nathan about his life during the war. Only after her death did Nathan succeed in tracing the van Houtens. By that time the van Houten parents had died, but Nathan renewed contact with their children. On March 24, 2002, Yad Vashem recognized Hendrik van Houten and Maria Houten van-Smallenbroek, as Righteous Among the Nations.

Gezin 1

Huwelijkspartner:	Hendrik van Houten	geb. 19 Juni 1892 overl. 22 Juli 1952
Huwelijk:	29 Jan 1929	Assen