Father Koets
During the Second World War, the Mariakerk (St Mary’s Church) in Dieren was led by Father Koets. During this period, he maintained close contacts with Father Anton (Antonius Johannes) Schaars, who is known for his involvement in the Dieren resistance and his commitment to providing help and shelter to Jewish refugees. In 1942, he was arrested by the Germans and imprisoned in various camps, including Dachau. Father Johannes Campan also played an important role within the resistance. He was arrested by the occupying forces, was first held in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, and was later transferred to Dachau, where he died. In addition, Father Uijtewaal from Doesburg was also actively involved in resistance activities.
No direct documentation has been found that explicitly describes Father Koets’s role in the resistance. However, given his close cooperation and contacts with the clergy mentioned above—who are known to have been active in the resistance—it may be assumed that Father Koets, in addition to helping Nathan and Else Wijnperle, was more often involved in resistance work.
No direct documentation has been found that explicitly describes Father Koets’s role in the resistance. However, given his close cooperation and contacts with the clergy mentioned above—who are known to have been active in the resistance—it may be assumed that Father Koets, in addition to helping Nathan and Else Wijnperle, was more often involved in resistance work.
Father Koets at the reburial of resistance fighter Theo Dobbe.
Dr D.J.H. Vermeer
During the Second World War, Dr D. J. H. Vermeer played an important but largely hidden role in the resistance in Dieren. As a trusted physician, he provided medical care to sick people in hiding and maintained contacts with other resistance members, including Tieme Beuving and Reverend G. Ch. H. Plantagie. In his practice, he took photographs for forged identity papers, which he developed himself and had distributed via couriers. His assistant Maria unknowingly served for years as a courier of parcels, medicines, and documents. Vermeer was also involved in caring for the wounded and identifying victims after fighting, including at the Grebbeberg. His position as a doctor, combined with his medical work, provided an effective cover for his resistance activities.
Dr D.J.H. Vermeer
Toon and Dien Smulders
Around the corner from the emergency hospital was the café “Het Anker”, run by Toon and Dien Smulders. When Nathan and Else Silbernberg knocked on Father Koets’s door after their leap from the train, he took them almost immediately—via the rectory—in the middle of the night to the café, where Toon and Dien hid them until Twan Maintz of the Limburg resistance group MaZwaKo came to collect them. It is said that Toon and Dien more often sheltered people for short periods who were fleeing the Germans, but unfortunately there is no verifiable evidence for this.
Toon and Dien Smulders