Fije Danen, an Anabaptist martyr of Amsterdam, was a native of Loenen, Dutch province of Utrecht. She had lived for many years in Woerden, Dutch province of South Holland, and had been (re) baptized by Gerrit van Benschop in his own house at Benschop near Woerden. In March 1534 she had joined the group which sailed from Amsterdam to Hasselt, en route to Münster in Westphalia. With a large number of other Anabaptists she was arrested at Bergklooster, but escaped or was set free. Back in Amsterdam, she took part in the meetings of the Anabaptists and had contacts with many Anabaptist leaders. She often brought letters or messages to Jacob van Campen, bishop of the congregation at Amsterdam; at the time van Campen was wanted by the police (2 March 1535) and had hidden, Fije daily brought him food. She was arrested in May 1535 and because she refused to recant, she was sentenced to death on 10 July 1535, and on that very day executed at Amsterdam by being hanged and strangled, which was an unusual execution for women. Her few goods were confiscated.

Bibliography

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, p. 328. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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