Truus Wijsmuller

Dutch resistance hero who rescued 10,000+ Jewish children during the Holocaust

Truus Wijsmuller-Meijer, a lesser-known but pivotal figure in WWII resistance, organized Kindertransport missions to save Jewish children from Nazi-occupied Europe. Defying Gestapo officers, she negotiated the release of 600 children from Vienna in 1938 through sheer audacity.

Using forged documents and bribes, Wijsmuller arranged trains and boats to transport children to England. Her most daring operation occurred days before WWII erupted, smuggling 1,500 children via the last ferry from IJmuiden. She continued rescuing children even after the Netherlands fell, using Red Cross vehicles for covert operations.

Unlike Oskar Schindler, Wijsmuller focused exclusively on children, often personally accompanying transports under bombardment. Post-war, she cared for Holocaust survivors and advocated for refugee rights. Her story remained obscure until recent years, overshadowed by male counterparts in resistance narratives.