Helena Kanis was a divorcee with two children. She had no profession. She lived at 150 Herengracht in Amsterdam. Before the start of the war, she helped refugees coming from Germany. She fought the nazi-regime in the thirties, for example by publishing anti-German pamphlets which she printed on her own printing press.
Helena Kanis lent a hand to German deserters. At the point of her arrest, on 12 January 1943, she took her own life. She reached the age of 53.
NIOD, Erelijst Verzet en Koopvaardij, database made by J.W. de Leeuw;
NIOD, Records Joodse Raad, box 36d, letter d.d. 18 February 1943;
B. Braber, Zelfs als wij zullen verliezen. Joden in verzet en illegaliteit in Nederland 1940-1945 (Amsterdam, 1990) 37, 162
Helena Kanis was a daughter of Fina Eva Mulder Canter. She was first married to David Degen, a fashions wholesale dealer. They had a son together. After the divorce Helena Kanis got married in London to Louis de Leeuwe. They had a son Antoin de Leeuwe. When Louis de Leeuwe died Helena Kanis started relations with Jacob van Messel. The child from the first marriage survived the war.
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