Rieu's Mother-in-law Helped Jews To Go Into Hiding

André Rieu's Mother-in-law Helped Jews To Go Into Hiding

Nelly Eymael, André Rieu's mother-in-law, rescued several Jews from the Germans during the Second World War

By Kim Noach: Pierre Rieu, grandson of this Maastricht resistance hero, will honor his grandmother with a portrait, which will be broadcast at the end of this year in the popular Rieu TV series 'Welcome to my world'.

Photo

Nelly Eymael has - as far as Pierre Rieu now knows - definitely helped two Jewish people in hiding. During his concert trip to Israel in April, Rieu met the Cohen family. They touched him with the story that Nelly helped their grandmother, Schlomit Cohen, go into hiding in Limburg. "After the death of Schlomit (she was 93 years old) the Cohen family found a photo in her house, where their grandfather and grandmother were prominently present, so during that meeting their grandma was saved by my grandmother. "We are alive thanks to Nelly" the Cohens told me. And that was so moving and beautiful, that together we stood there crying."

Resistant Group
The photo appears to be a group portrait of probably a resistance group from Maastricht. Pierre Rieu hopes to find a name and story behind all the unknown faces. Eight years ago Pierre met the - now retired - businessman Mattie Tugendhaft from Maastricht. As a five-year-old child, he was placed in various hiding addresses under the wings of Nelly and thus stayed out of the hands of the Germans.

Pierre Rieu is now making a portrait of his grandmother Nelly. It will be broadcast as one of the 'Welcome to my world' episodes at the end of this year. A concrete date is not yet known.

Thanks to John for this Article and it's Translation