At last summer’s Acton University conference, one of the evening key note lectures included Diet Eman, a Grand Rapids resident and one of the leaders of the World War II Dutch resistance. As a 20-year-old bank teller in the Netherlands in 1940, Diet dove into underground activities, doing anything she could to protect Jews from the deadly Nazi advance. She, along with a small minority of ordinary Dutch citizens, bravely put their lives on the line to preserve human life and dignity.
This week, Diet will be speaking in Grand Rapids once again. On Thursday, February 2 at 7:30pm in the Wege Ballroom at Aquinas College, the documentary, The Reckoning: Remembering the Dutch Resistance will be shown, followed by a Q&A session with Diet. The event is part of the Aquinas College Social Justice Series, which is a compilation of public events featuring guest speakers and service projects that encourge community involvement and awareness of social issues.
Through their selfless and courageous efforts, the Dutch resistance provided perhaps the greatest service of all, upholding the dignity of the human person. We welcome you to come learn about this important part of history and dialogue with a woman who helped make it possible.
