us-005578-irn89249-irn3182
title: Commemorative medal issued to a Dutch resistance leader
has or had holder: us-005578
has record set type: Item
conditions of use: No restrictions on use
conditions of access: No restrictions on access
type: RecordSet
archival history: The medal was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1990 by Felix and Flory Van Beek.
is or was included in: us-005578-irn89249
has or had some members with language: nld
has or had identifier: http://lod.ehri-project-test.eu/units/us-005578-irn89249-irn3182/alternateIDs/1
physical characteristics and technical requirements: Heavy, circular, bronze-colored metal medal depicting a kneeling man with his arms tied behind his back and his head turned to the left. He is wearing a blindfold and has cloth draped over his waist. On the left is a rounded shield with a Dutch lion, a left facing lion with a crown on its head, standing on its rear legs with a sword raised in one paw and a bundle of 7 arrows held in the other. On the right, two gun barrels are pointed at the man. On the back, there is an embossed Dutch lion with broken shackles around its front legs and a broken swastika below. The edge is smooth, with a small stamped oval marker’s mark. The medal is embossed with a Roman numeral and a lyric of the Dutch national anthem Wilhelmus on the front and the motto of the Dutch royal family on the back.
results or resulted from: http://lod.ehri-project-test.eu/units/us-005578-irn89249-irn3182/acquisitions/1
record resource extent: overall: | Depth: 0.125 inches (0.318 cm) | Diameter: 2.375 inches (6.033 cm)
biographical history: Petrus Franciscus (Piet) Brandsen was born on December 29, 1903, in the Netherlands. He married Alberdina Johanna Geertruida (Dina) Truyers, who was born on September 1, 1902. The couple settled in Amersfoort and had four daughters. etherlands was invaded by Nazi Germany on May 10, 1940. The Germans set up a civil occupation administration under the auspices of the SS. Piet and Dina joined the resistance. Piet arranged hiding places for Jewish persons persecuted by the new regime. He also provided them with supplies and false documents. In June 1942, Piet found Flora Cohen, a young Jewish woman, crying while walking to the train station to report in to German authorities. He stopped her, had her remove her Star of David badge, and tld her that he would help her. He offered to hide her in his home. At her request, he found Flora’s boyfriend, Felix Levi, and brought Felix to his home as well. He also arranged a hiding place for Felix’s sister, Nelli, and mother, Jette, with Jacobus and Gezina van der Hoevens. In July, Piet went to Amsterdam to retrieve Nelli’s fiancé, Curt Gutsmuth, and his mother Bertha. He gave both couples and their mothers false identity cards. Because Piet and Jacobus were devout Christians, Piet arranged for Felix and Flora and Nelli and Curt to be married before they lived together in hiding. Piet was active in the Landelijke Knokploeg (National Assault Group), called the LKP. He delivered arms for raids on distribution centers and supplied Allied forces with secret documents about German targets. He got Felix and Flora involved with Het Parool, an illegal resistance newspaper that brought world news to the Dutch people. Felix was born in Germany and could pass as a German soldier, so Piet found him a Dutch mailman’s uniform and added insignia so it looked like a German uniform. Felix could then safely leave the home. On January 21, 1944, Piet was arrested by the Gestapo. He was imprisoned for nine months, spending the first six weeks in Amersf…
scope and content: Commemorative medal, one of six, awarded to Piet Brandsen by Stichting 1940-1945 for his bravery and resistance activities during the German occupation of the Netherlands from May 1940-May 1945. Stichting 1940-1945 was a foundation created during the war to provide aid to resistance members and their families. After Netherlands was invaded by Germany in May 1940, Piet and his wife Dina, devout Christians, joined the resistance. Piet helped many Jewish people go into hiding, in his own home and with other resistance members. He also provided false identities and food coupons. He was arrested by the Gestapo on January 21, 1944. He was jailed, often in solitary confinement, and was tortured and starved. He gave up no information and was released for lack of evidence after nine months, and continued his resistance work. After Piet passed away in 1978, his medals were given to Felix and Flory Van Beek, a Jewish couple that Piet and Dina hid, so the Van Beeks could donate them to a Jewish museum. Piet found Flora crying on the street and convinced her to go into hiding in his home. He found her boyfriend Felix and married the couple so they could live together in hiding. After Piet's arrest, they hid with Hank Hornsveld and family. The Netherlands was liberated in May 1945.
date: 1940 May-1945 May
identifier: irn3182