Yvonne Nevéjean
Encyclopedia
Yvonne Feyerick Nevéjean (1900 - 1987) was one of the leaders of an organisation that helped hide Jewish children in Nazi
-occupied Belgium
during World War II
. She was instrumental in hiding about 4000 children, many with Catholic families and institutions. After the war she was honoured inside and outside Belgium. In 1965, she was designated as Righteous Among the Nations
by Yad Vashem
, the Holocaust Remembrance Authority in Jerusalem, and in 1996 a stamp was issued in Belgium bearing her image.
Born on November 15 1900, in Gentbrugge, Nevéjean studied at the University of Ghent (Gand) and then in the USA where she was awarded a Master of Arts in Social and Political sciences at New York State University . After her return to Belgium in 1928, she started to work at the National Agency for Children (Oeuvre Nationale de l'Enfance; ONE), an organization that operated a network of children's homes throughout Belgium. She subsequently rose to head this organisation.
The Nazis began to deport Belgian Jews in the summer of 1942. At that time Nevéjean was approached by the Comité de Défence des Juifs en Belgique, Belgium's main Jewish underground organization (founded in 1942 by Hertz Jospa), and asked to rescue Jewish children separated from their parents. Acting essentially on her own, Nevéjean agreed to have ONE place children with families and in institutions in order to protect them. Ultimately, she saved the lives of some 4,000 Jewish children.
The Jewish underground financed Nevéjean's extensive rescue operation, but when their funds were not sufficient, Nevéjean found funding from banks and from the London based Belgian government in exile and the Joint (American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee). The Gestapo
tried to stop Nevejean's operations, and arrested some rescuers and rescuees, but they were generally unsuccessful due to the brave stand made by
Nevéjean and other Belgians, such as the Queen Mother Elizabeth and Leon Platteau of the Belgian Ministry of Justice, also designated "Righteous Among The Nations" by Yad Vashem.
A Belgian priest, Father Joseph André
, of Namur was also prominent in this movement.
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
-occupied Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. She was instrumental in hiding about 4000 children, many with Catholic families and institutions. After the war she was honoured inside and outside Belgium. In 1965, she was designated as Righteous Among the Nations
Righteous Among the Nations
Righteous among the Nations of the world's nations"), also translated as Righteous Gentiles is an honorific used by the State of Israel to describe non-Jews who risked their lives during the Holocaust to save Jews from extermination by the Nazis....
by Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem is Israel's official memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, established in 1953 through the Yad Vashem Law passed by the Knesset, Israel's parliament....
, the Holocaust Remembrance Authority in Jerusalem, and in 1996 a stamp was issued in Belgium bearing her image.
Born on November 15 1900, in Gentbrugge, Nevéjean studied at the University of Ghent (Gand) and then in the USA where she was awarded a Master of Arts in Social and Political sciences at New York State University . After her return to Belgium in 1928, she started to work at the National Agency for Children (Oeuvre Nationale de l'Enfance; ONE), an organization that operated a network of children's homes throughout Belgium. She subsequently rose to head this organisation.
The Nazis began to deport Belgian Jews in the summer of 1942. At that time Nevéjean was approached by the Comité de Défence des Juifs en Belgique, Belgium's main Jewish underground organization (founded in 1942 by Hertz Jospa), and asked to rescue Jewish children separated from their parents. Acting essentially on her own, Nevéjean agreed to have ONE place children with families and in institutions in order to protect them. Ultimately, she saved the lives of some 4,000 Jewish children.
The Jewish underground financed Nevéjean's extensive rescue operation, but when their funds were not sufficient, Nevéjean found funding from banks and from the London based Belgian government in exile and the Joint (American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee). The Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
tried to stop Nevejean's operations, and arrested some rescuers and rescuees, but they were generally unsuccessful due to the brave stand made by
Nevéjean and other Belgians, such as the Queen Mother Elizabeth and Leon Platteau of the Belgian Ministry of Justice, also designated "Righteous Among The Nations" by Yad Vashem.
A Belgian priest, Father Joseph André
Joseph André
Joseph André was a Catholic priest of the diocese of Namur, Belgium. He was declared Righteous among the Nations by the government of Israel in 1968.- Early life :...
, of Namur was also prominent in this movement.