Huynen Martinus

Huynen, Martinus Antonius Jozef Resistance activist Martinus Huynen lived on the same street as Emil and Franzi Weslij in Maastricht, Limburg. Martinus worked at the local income tax office and often visited the Jewish couple and their two young children, Leoni and Léon. When the Germans were about to confiscate Jewish property, the Weslij family entrusted most of their valuables to Martinus, including furniture, silver, and money. In early 1943, the Weslij family decided to go into hiding. Arie van Mansum* found them refuge with Bouwe and Anni de Jonge. When Arie was arrested eight months later, however, it was thought unsafe for them to stay and Anni found them a place with Teunis and Tietje van Manen*. Six-year-old Leoni Weslij was moved to Johannes and Adriana Heijnen*. All three remained in these hiding places until the liberation on September 17, 1944. The Weslijs’ four-year-old son, Léon, who was hidden elsewhere, was betrayed and deported to Auschwitz, where he was gassed to death on February 2, 1944. During their time in hiding, Martinus served as the Weslijs’ contact with the Resistance, bringing them food coupons, books, and other necessities. When the Germans issued an order to hand in all 1,000 florin banknotes, the family feared they would be left without money, but Martinus had already exchanged these notes for smaller denominations. Martinus was a member of the Resistance group based in Maastricht and led by Chief Inspector P.J. Symons. Martinus was involved in finding hiding places and providing for fugitives, particularly Jews. He also cared for Allied pilots who were stranded in the area. After the war, the surviving members of the Weslij family returned to their old house in Maastricht. Martinus was there to comfort them when they learned of the death of their son. As a token of their gratitude, Emil and Franzi gave Martinus the piano that he had kept for them during the war. On February 6, 1986, Yad Vashem recognized Martinus AntoniusJozef Huynen as Righteous Among the Nations.