Truus Wijsmuller

sketchfab

Life-size portrait of Truus Wijsmuller, created by Annet Terberg-Pompe and Lea Wijnhoven, surrounded by 28 kids will be placed on Mient' in Alkmaar, her birthplace. Truus Wijsmuller-Meijer (1896-1978) was a big heroine of the resistance, born in Alkmaar. A normal woman, but with the courage of a lioness when it counted. After Kristallnacht on November 9/10, 1938, Jews were no longer safe in Germany and Austria. The Netherlands allowed no more refugees, only children. So Truus organized many child transports. Her biggest stunt was a trip with 600 kids from Vienna, with permission from fake Adolf Eichmann, who then had to lead the deportation of Jews from Austria. Ultimately, she saves 10,000 kids from Germany, Austria, Poland, and Czechoslovakia with European help organizations. Via Hoek van Holland, they went to England. From there to other safe countries in the world. Many ended up in the US and later in Israel.