A few months ago, I blogged about Miep Gies, the woman who preserved the diary of Anne Frank following the Holocaust.  Miep, who claimed not to be a hero had just been honoured by having a planet named after her in October.  The original article that I referenced can be read here.

I learned last week that Miep Gies had passed away in her 100th year.  She was quoted as saying, “I don’t want to be considered a hero. Imagine young people would grow up with the feeling that you have to be a hero to do your human duty. I am afraid nobody would ever help other people, because who is a hero? I was not. I was just an ordinary housewife and secretary.”

We have lost a true woman of valour.

Many of us have been named after individuals, relatives and influential historical figures – but our names are rarely associated with an asteroid that has a diameter of 7 kilometeres.   In a decision made by The International Astronomical Union (IAU), Miep Gies, the Dutch woman who preserved Anne Frank’s diary after the Holocaust was honoured with an asteroid between Mars and Jupiter being named after her.   How appropriate that the Miep Gies asteroid consists of rock?!

The full article can be viewed here:  http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1118683.html