The story of Roelofina Wisse-Borger, known as Fiena, reflects the quiet courage shown by many ordinary Dutch citizens during the Second World War. For her actions in assisting Jewish people during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, she was posthumously recognised as one of the Righteous Among the Nations, an honour awarded by Yad Vashem, Israel’s official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust.
Her life and actions have gained renewed attention through family connections in Australia, where her descendants continue to preserve and share her story.
A Dutch life before the war
Roelofina Borger was born on 30 November 1891 in the Netherlands. She lived through a period of profound change in Europe, witnessing both world wars and the upheavals that shaped Dutch society during the twentieth century.
When German forces invaded the Netherlands in May 1940, the country quickly came under strict occupation. Anti-Jewish measures were introduced step by step. Jewish citizens were excluded from public life, required to register with the authorities and eventually deported to transit camps such as Westerbork before being transported to extermination camps in Eastern Europe.
Helping Jews during this period was extremely dangerous. Anyone providing shelter, food, ration cards or other assistance risked arrest and imprisonment, and in some cases deportation.
Helping those in danger
During the occupation Roelofina Wisse-Borger became involved in assisting Jewish people who were being persecuted by the Nazi regime. Her actions placed her in considerable personal danger, yet she chose to help.
Across the Netherlands such assistance often involved hiding individuals in private homes, arranging safe addresses, providing food or ration cards, or helping people avoid arrest and deportation. These acts required secrecy and courage, as discovery could endanger entire families or neighbourhoods.
Many of those who helped Jews during the war never spoke publicly about their actions afterwards. They regarded what they had done simply as the morally right response to the persecution of fellow citizens.
Roelofina Wisse-Borger belonged to this group of ordinary people who made extraordinary choices.
Recognition of moral courage
In recognition of her wartime actions, Roelofina Wisse-Borger was honoured with the title Righteous Among the Nations. This distinction is awarded by Yad Vashem to non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust without expectation of reward.
The honour places her among thousands of individuals across Europe who acted with courage and compassion at a time when doing so could have fatal consequences.
Although Roelofina herself did not live to see this recognition — she died on 5 January 1983 at the age of ninety-one — the award ensures that her actions are formally recorded and remembered.
A Dutch story with an Australian connection
The recognition of Roelofina Wisse-Borger has particular significance for the Dutch-Australian community. Through migration after the Second World War, many Dutch families established new lives in Australia while carrying with them memories and histories shaped by the war.
Members of the Wisse-Borger family are among those with connections to Australia today. Through them, the story of Roelofina’s wartime courage has become part of the shared heritage of Dutch-Australian communities.
For organisations such as the Dutch Australian Cultural Centre, preserving these stories is an important way of documenting the experiences that Dutch migrants brought with them when they settled in Australia.
Remembering individual choices
The story of Roelofina Wisse-Borger illustrates how individual decisions can have profound consequences. She was not a political leader or a member of an organised resistance movement. She was an ordinary Dutch citizen who chose to help people in danger.
Her actions, carried out quietly during one of the darkest periods of European history, continue to be remembered today. Through recognition of her courage and through the stories preserved by her family, the legacy of Roelofina Wisse-Borger forms part of the wider history linking the Netherlands and Australia.
The DACC is searching for more personal details on Roelofina.
