Everdina Smits
| Geslacht: | Vrouw | |
| Vader: | Dirk Johannes Smits | |
| Moeder: | Everdina van Haselen | |
| Geboren: | 5 Jan 1916 | Leusden |
| Overleden: | 11 Aug 1951 | Amersfoort |
| Aantekeningen: | Boerwinkel Everdina (1916 - 1951 ) Personal Information Last Name: Boerwinkel First Name: Everdina Maiden Name: Smits Date of Birth: 05/01/1916 Date of death: 11/08/1951 Rescuer's fate: survived Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS Gender: Female Profession: BUTCHERY OWNER Place during the war: Amersfoort, Utrecht, The Netherlands Rescue Place: Amersfoort, Utrecht, The Netherlands Rescue mode: Hiding Other File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/11637) Commemoration Date of Recognition: 30/08/2009 Ceremony organized by Israeli diplomatic delegation in: The Hague, Netherlands Rescued Persons Keizer, Betty Berets, Gimnicher, Hilde Berets, Otto Berets, Ralph Kamp, Berets, Marion Rescue Story Boerwinkel, Jacob Boerwinkel-Smits, Everdina Jacob and Everdina Boerwinkel were a young couple in Amersfoort (prov. Utrecht) when the Netherlands were invaded in May 1940. They lived above the family butchery store where Jacob worked. Their first three children were born during the war. During the first two years of the war, the Boerwinkels followed the ever increasing anti-Jewish measures, and felt that they had to come forward and help. Through contacts with the local underground, in which a brother of Jacob was active, they opened their home in 1943 for the Jewish Berets family, parents Otto and Hilde (née Gimnicher) and their two young children, Marion (later, Kamp), born in 1937, and her younger brother Ralph, born in 1939. They had been in hiding in a summer house with Hildes parents Sal and Claire Gimnicher, where they were betrayed. Desperately in search for a new hiding place, they were taken to the Boerwinkels whereas the Gimnichers were taken to Andre and Aaltje Reeders*. The Berets family received a room in the attic. An extra hiding area was used under the floor as well, in case of a house search, or even when visitors would come by, as one never knew whom they might take along. Mrs. Berets could not stay cooped up in one room days on end, and sometimes she roamed around the house. This caused serious tension for the Boerwinkels, who were afraid of her being seen by neighbors, some of whom were collaborators. Yet, they also took in a young woman, Betty Keizer, born in 1920, who was the so-called domestic help. Her sister and brother-in-law, Sijes, were in hiding elsewhere in Amersfoort with the van der Weij* family, being taken there by Jacob Boerwinkel in November 1943. The home of the Boerwinkels was along a main street leading to the infamous Amersfoort concentration camp. Often they could see people taken to the camp marching along their shop. From time to time, they succeeded in grabbing one of the men out of the rows of march and hide him in the cellar of their butchery. At night, Everdina would then hide him elsewhere. In 1944, Jacob was caught for illegal slaughter and arrested, but later released. At that point, the presence of the Berets family became too dangerous, and they were taken elsewhere. Betty Keizer stayed until shortly before the liberation of the town in May 1945. Everdinas health had suffered greatly from stress and tension during those years, and her untimely death is thought to be related. On August 30, 2009, Yad Vashem recognized Jacob Boerwinkel and Everdina Boerwinkel-Smits as Righteous Among the Nations. Reeders, Andre Reeders-Wittermans, Aaltje In the summer of 1942, the Sal Gimnicher (born 1878) and his wife Claire née Hirsch (born 1888) were in hiding in a summer house in the woods with their daughter Hilde, who was married to Otto Berets, and their two small children, Marion (b. 1937) and Ralph (b. 1939). In the course of 1943 they were betrayed but managed to flee. In need of an immediate shelter, the Gimnichers were put in touch with Andre and Aaltje Reeders in Amersfoort by a local underground group. The Berets family was taken to the Boerwinkels* in the same town. Andre and Aaltje Reeders lived with their five children in Amersfoort (prov. Utrecht). Andre worked for a heating company whereas Aaltje was at home taking care of the children. Taking in the Gimnicher parents was not only a personal risk for the family, but also a burden on the food situation, as items could only be bought with official food coupons, which the two Gimnichers did not have. Yet, the Reeders family shared what it had with them. Especially during the last winter of 1944-1945, the infamous Hungerwinter, when there was no food supply to the western parts of the country, the Reeders couple was willing to keep the Gimnichers and share the very little they had. The Gimnichers were allotted a room in the attic, where they stayed during the day, until the children went to sleep. Then they were allowed to come down and be with Andre and Aaltje in the living quarters. This was something they looked forward to, especially during the winters, as this was the only heated area of the house. Andres mother lived by herself in a big house right next door. It was there that the Gimnicher couple hid from time to time when house searches were expected. Contact with the Berets family at the Boerwinkels was kept up as much as possible. The Gimnichers stayed with the Reeders family until the liberation of the town in May 1945. Contact continued even after the Gimnichers immigrated to the United States. On July 8, 2009, Yad Vashem recognized Andre Reeders and Aaltje Reeders-Wittermans as Righteous Among the Nations. |
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Gezin 1
| Huwelijkspartner: | Jacob Boerwinkel | geb. 28 MEI 1915 overl. 4 Dec 1997 |
| Huwelijk: | 1 Nov 1938 | Amersfoort |