Johan Benders

Johan Benders (July 1, 1907 – 6 April 1943) was a Dutch teacher who helped protect Jews in Amsterdam during World War II. He killed himself to protect the Jews he was harboring from being discovered and was posthumously named a Righteous Among the Nations.

Biography Benders was born on July 1, 1907 in Bloemendaal. He was a Dutch teacher at the Amsterdams Lyceum. He and his wife sheltered several Jews in their home. In 1943, however, they were betrayed by a neighbor and Johan was arrested by the Gestapo. In prison, he was tortured. Johan Benders had tried to kill himself twice though survived. On 6 April he jumped from the third floor of the prison in which he was held, to avoid giving information under torture. Johan and Gerritdina took in Rosalie and Katie Wijnberg, Lore Polak, another Jewish girl, and Jan Doedens.

A cellmate, who worked in the prison administration, later discovered that Johan was not only suspected of helping Jews, but also of involvement in the attack on the population register in Amsterdam.

A street in Amsterdam has been named in memory of Johan Benders.