Hedwig (Hedy) Bercu registered as a Jew in October 1940 and was summoned on 16 January 1942 to College House, the German civil affairs headquarters – to further check the extent of her Jewish heritage. 

Remarkably, Hedy, as she was known, obtained employment as an interpreter in the transport department of the German NSKK (National Socialist Motor Corps). In this capacity, she had access to petrol coupons which she took to give to Jersey doctors so that they could visit their sick patients. Hedy was approached by a British lorry driver who demanded petrol coupons – when she refused, he threatened to inform the German authorities.  

Realising that she was in danger, Hedy went into hiding on 4 November 1943. She was first hidden in Trinity by Bozena Kotyzova, a Czech national, before moving to 7 West Park Avenue, the home of Dorothea Weber, who received extra food from a German officer named Kurt Rümmele. Hedy remained there until the Liberation. She left Jersey in 1947 to live in England near the Prisoner of War camp where Kurt was interned. They later had three children together. 

 Dorothea’s brave action almost certainly saved Hedy’s life, and in 2016 she was posthumously awarded the honour of Righteous Among the Nations by the State of Israel.