Vissers Cornelis & Amanda (Linden van der)

Vissers, Cornelis & Amanda Petronella (van der Linden) After the last major razzia in Amsterdam at the end of September 1943, Andries and Helene Hoffman desperately needed to find a hiding place. Andries Hoffman contacted an acquaintance who was active in the Resistance and got in touch with Reverend van der Weg of Bussum, North Holland. A member of van der Weg’s parish, Cornelis (Cees) Visser, who was known to be opposed to the Nazi regime, agreed to shelter the Hoffman couple. Cees Vissers, a teacher in a religious school, and his wife, Amanda, welcomed Andries and Helene Hoffman into their home in October 1943. The couple was given two rooms in their apartment, where they were compelled to remain at all times. Amanda shopped in different stores so as not to arouse suspicion. When Helene Hoffman became pregnant in early 1944, the Visserses arranged a false identity card for her so that she could deliver the baby at a local hospital. After the birth, mother and baby daughter, Miah-Amanda (named after Amanda Visser), returned to their hosts. From then on, Helene and the baby could no longer be confined to their room. The neighbors were told that the Visserses were taking care of Helene and her baby because Helene’s husband was working in Germany. The Germans searched the house three times. The Hoffmans contributed 60 guilders a month towards their living expenses. During the hunger winter of 1944--1945, the Visserses walked long distances to find food. Cees grew some vegetables at home but also worked for a local farmer so that he could provide extra food for the Jewish fugitives. After the liberation, the three Hoffmans and Andries’s mother stayed for a few more months with Cees and Amanda until they could find their own place to live. The two families remained in close touch even after the Hoffmans emigrated to Israel. On May 31, 1966, Yad Vashem recognized Cornelis Vissers and his wife, Amanda Petronella Vissers-van der Linden, as Righteous Among theNations.