Rengelink Jan

Rengelink, Jan Willem Jan Willem (Wim) Rengelink was a journalist and the office manager of the Social Democratic Worker’s Party (SDAP). In 1940 Wim resigned and commenced his activities against the German occupiers. Initially, he produced and distributed forged papers to Jews and non-Jews and took part in sabotage and espionage. In July 1941, he was arrested and sentenced to nine months in prison, first in Scheveningen and then in Coesfeld, in Germany. After his release from prison, Wim began working for a brewery distribution agency. However, before long he had become so involved with dangerous Resistance activities that the director of the agency gave him sick leave for the duration of the war. Wim found shelter for his Jewish wife and their daughter, leaving them in order to work full-time for the underground, including giving assistance to Jews. Wim became a member of a group that obtained large quantities of identity cards, hundreds of thousands of ration cards, and also some money. Most of his friends did not hesitate to put every single ration card they could spare at the disposal of the Resistance, but even this supply was not enough. In order to satisfy the huge demands, a more effective solution had to be found. In this effort, Wim’s assistance to the Resistance was invaluable. Through him, the Resistance learned which communities were due to receive the quantity of ration cards they needed for any specific month and on what day the consignment was due to arrive. A team of fighters then intercepted the delivery and seized the lot. In September 1944, when the southern part of the Netherlands was liberated, the group to which Wim belonged decided to concentrate its efforts on military intelligence work. Howwever, it was decided that Wim should concentrate on supporting the victims of the persecution. On the request of the underground movement, Wim joined the inter-church aid organization and the Nationaal Steun Fonds. Thus, he obtained food for thevictims of the German suppression, including the Jews, and in particular Jewish children. Meanwhile, using an office in a small pharmaceutical firm in Amsterdam, Wim continued to produce and distribute forged documents. During the course of the war, Wim personally took care of Ben Bromet, Roza Bloeme-Goudeket, Nanny Dresden, Mr. Goudsmit, Jack and Cora Aa, and two women, Sara and Joe Lelie, as well as many others. Wim also provided Jack Velleman with documents that enabled him to flee into Belgium, then France, and from there to escape to England. After the war, Wim was appointed director of the information service of the Ministry for Reconstruction. He later became a member of the board of management of the Netherlands Broadcasting Foundation, where he was in charge of television programming. Wim was also nominated Officer in the Order of Orange-Nassau and Knight in the Order of the Dutch Lion. On July 5, 1983, Yad Vashem recognized Jan Willem Rengelink as Righteous Among the Nations.