Jacques Presser wrote about Michael (Micha) in his book Ondergang : “Willem Mengelberg, who failed in so many respects, broke a lance for Michael Hillesum, ‘the greatest pianistic talent, that was seen at the Academy of Music in the last years.’ This appears from the preserved copy of a letter with ‘Herr Generalleutnant Rauter’.” For a couple of years Presser was the teacher of Michael on the grammar school.
Addition of a visitor of the website
Philip Mechanicus wrote on tuesday 6 September 1943 in his diary about Mischa Hillesum:
''Every transport has his special tragic cases. With the latest transport a young brilliant pianist with the name Mischa Hillesum disppeared. He stood under the high protection of Willem Mengelberg himself, who had written a letter to Rauter, in which he draw attention to the fact that Hillesum was a brilliant student (...) and that it would be very necessary for the artistic life in the Netherlands to hold on to this brilliant young man. Rauter offered the musician a place in Barneveld, but he preferred to follow his parents to Westerbork to protect them as much as he could (...). On Monday there suddenly came an order from The Hague, which said that Mischa Hillesum had to be deported, together with his family.
Philip Mechanicus, In dépôt. Dagboek uit Westerbork. Vierde druk, Amsterdam 1989) 152