Ph.H. Fiedeldij Dop (Dutch Resistance WWII)
A Mark of Courage: The Bookplate of Ph. H.
Fiedeldij Dop
Tucked inside a beautifully illustrated
French edition of Shakespeare’s The Tempest lies a small but striking bookplate
bearing the name Ph. H. Fiedeldij Dop. Its intricate design; books stacked
beside a quill and globe hints at a scholarly mind with a deep appreciation for
art and literature. But the man behind this ex libris was far more than a
bibliophile. He was a pediatrician, educator, translator, and an unsung hero of
the Dutch resistance during World War II.
Resistance in White Coats
Born 31 January 1911, Philip Hendrik (Hein)
Fiedeldij Dop rose to prominence not only for his contributions to child
medicine but also for his extraordinary wartime bravery. As the Nazi regime
tightened its grip on Amsterdam, Dop risked everything to shield its most
vulnerable inhabitants; the children. His medical practice gave him access to families and
information, and he used it to warn parents, coordinate escapes, and arrange
hiding places.
Working closely with the Amsterdam Student
Group, he helped hide between 100 and 200 Jewish children, often personally
placing them in safe homes. When Jewish colleagues were forced into hiding, or
worse, Dop stepped in to continue care for their patients without hesitation.
His most harrowing feat came in 1943, when he rescued a four-year-old girl from
a Nazi-run institution, smuggling her to safety under the watchful eyes of
occupiers.
The Rescue Operation
In September 1943, Fiedeldij Dop carried
out one of his most daring acts of resistance: he rescued a four-year-old
Jewish girl from the CIZ (Centraal Israëlitisch Ziekenhuis) in Amsterdam, which
was being cleared by Nazi forces.
The CIZ, a Jewish hospital, had become a
target for deportation as part of the Nazi regime’s systematic removal of
Jewish children and patients. Fiedeldij Dop, already deeply involved in the
Amsterdam Student Group; a resistance network helping Jewish children go into
hiding learned of the imminent raid.
In this case, no time remained for
coordination. Acting alone, he entered the institution and smuggled the child
out, risking arrest or execution. He then transported her to Sneek, a town in
Friesland, where she was hidden safely with a non-Jewish family.
In 1976, his actions were formally
recognized when Yad Vashem honored him as a Righteous Among the Nations rare accolade reserved for non-Jews who risked their lives to save others
during the Holocaust.
After the war, Dop redirected his passion toward reforming pediatric care in the Netherlands: He served as medical director of the Emma Kinderziekenhuis, helping shape modern Dutch child medicine. Dop became one of the first in the country to prescribe Ritalin for ADHD as part of a holistic treatment approach. In 1950, he translated Benjamin Spock’s seminal book Baby and Child Care into Dutch, making it a staple in homes nationwide.
Alongside his wife Jo Fiedeldij Dop-Phaff,
a translator, Dop also championed cultural and educational initiatives. They
helped launch the Filmtheater Kriterion, empowering students to work their way
through university, and promoted international understanding through the
Experiment in International Living.
The volume that bears Dop’s bookplate is a
finely crafted Parisian edition of The Tempest, translated by Robert Le Franc
and illustrated by Edmond Dulac. Inside, a handwritten note dated 6 FEB. 1949
and initialed J.H.I. raises tantalizing questions: Was this a gift? A
cataloging note? A tribute? While the identity of “J.H.I.” remains elusive, the
date places it just before Dop’s landmark translation of Spock’s parenting
guide, signaling a period of intense intellectual activity.
Legacy in Ink and Deed
From rescuing children under the shadow of war to reshaping pediatric care for generations, Ph. H. Fiedeldij Dop lived a life defined by compassion, courage, and conviction. His bookplate, so modest in appearance, serves as a quiet yet powerful testament to a man who made the world safer, wiser, and kinder, one child at a time.
Text Sources
Additional biographical details are supported by:
Wikipedia (Dutch) – Hein Fiedeldij Dop
Yad Vashem’s registry of Righteous Among the Nations (entry for Philip Hendrik Fiedeldij Dop, 1976)
These sources confirm his wartime activities, medical career, and cultural contributions.
Image Sources
Wikipedia
