Schuitemaker Frida

Schuitemaker, Frida In late 1942, the Namenwirths, a Jewish family, began looking for a place where they could go into hiding. Various contacts led them to get in touch with Frida Schuitemaker, who lived with her two teenage daughters in a large house in Oosterbeek, Gelderland. Frida earned her living by renting out rooms to several elderly, mentally ill women. In March 1943, Frida offered to shelter the Namenwirth’s eldest son, ten-year-old Joseph Zwi, who had fallen ill with diabetes. A few months later, Mr. and Mrs. Namenwirth also came to stay. Their youngest son, Simon Michael, who had been in hiding at another location, joined them in April 1944. Although the Namenwirths had obtained forged papers from the Resistance, Frida Schuitemaker knew full well that they were Jewish. She continued to provide them with food and shelter at a very reasonable price. During the Battle of Arnhem in September 1944, the whole house was evacuated. The Namenwirth family was able to find new hiding places, as paying guests, in other parts of Holland. On November 29, 1979, Yad Vashem recognized Frida Schuitemaker as Righteous Among the Nations.