Jan Gijsbertus Koppe was born on February 10, 1899, and his life was marked by courage and dedication to justice. During World War II, he chose to resist the Nazi regime not with weapons, but with information. He smuggled microfilms containing secret data about the Westwall, the Nazi defense line, to Switzerland so they were taken to England, knowing the immense danger involved. His bravery did not go unnoticed; he was arrested on March 21, 1944, and eventually transported to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, where he died on February 6, 1945, just three months before liberation. Posthumously, he was awarded the Resistance Commemoration Cross for his heroic efforts. Today, a Stolperstein is placed at his former address, Minervaplein 7-1, to honor his memory and remind us of the values he fought for: democracy, legal authority, freedom, and justice. His legacy calls us to continue defending these principles in both grand and small acts, ensuring history does not repeat itself.
