Pompen Johannes ; Daughter: Geertruida (Jansen)

Pompen, Johannes Theodorus Jansen, Geertuida Maria (Pompen) During the war, Clara Groenhijm-Jacobs and her 70-year-old mother, Rosalie Jacobs-Spits, found shelter with the Pompen family in Hengelo, Overijssel. Mrs. Pompen was deceased and her daughter Geertuida (Truus) looked after the fugitives with her father, Johannes. Truus and Johannes cared for their wards with dedication and love. Truus often went out to local farms to search for extra food. Both Truus and Johannes courageously stood up against the Nazi regime and, with great presence of mind, frequently avoided the efforts of the authorities to search the house. However, despite their brave efforts, Clara and her mother were betrayed and sent to the prison in Scheveningen, and later to the Westerbork transit camp, from where they were deported on the last train to Auschwitz, on September 3, 1944. Rosalia was killed immediately, on September 6, 1944, but Clara survived and returned to Hengelo after the liberation. In the meantime, Truus and Johannes had taken in another Jewish couple, Machiel and Johanna (Blumenthal) Wallega. On November 20, 1980, Yad Vashem recognized Johannes Theodorus Pompen and his daughter, Geertruida Maria Jansen-Pompen, as Righteous Among the Nations.