Dutch Cardinal Johannes de Jong (1885-1955) is posthumously honored by Yad Vashem as ” Righteous Among the Nations “.
The Israeli Ambassador to the Netherlands Modi Ephraim presented the clergyman’s family with the relevant certificate.
De Jong, Archbishop of Utrecht from 1936 until his death, played a central role in the Catholic Church’s resistance to the Nazi regime in the Netherlands. From the beginning he spoke out clearly against the persecution of the Jews.
In 1942, together with other bishops, he wrote a much-noticed pastoral letter denouncing the crimes of the Germans.
In addition, the Archbishop tried to influence Pope Pius XII. This took him in 1946 to the College of Cardinals.
The Yad Vashem memorial has recognized around 28,000 people from around 50 countries as “Righteous Among the Nations” since it was founded.
