Cornelis Flokstra
| Geslacht: | Man | |
| Vader: | Jan Flokstra | |
| Moeder: | Jantje Nijsingh | |
| Geboren: | 23 Jan 1877 | Dwingeloo |
| Overleden: | 2 Feb 1960 | Hoogeveen |
| Beroep: | landbouwer | |
| Aantekeningen: | Last Name: Flokstra First Name: Cornelis Date of Birth: 23/01/1877 Date of death: 02/02/1960 Rescuer's fate: survived tried/interrogated imprisoned Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS Gender: Male Profession: FARMER Place during the war: Hoogeveen, Drenthe, The Netherlands Rescue Place: Hoogeveen, Drenthe, The Netherlands Rescue mode: Hiding File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/406) In the town of Hoogeveen, Drenthe, there was a small Jewish community consisting of people principally employed in farming. One such family was the Cohens, who knew their neighbors, including Cornelis and Jentje Flokstra, and traded with them. When the Jews received an order to report for deportation to Westerbork, which was near their town, Cornelis, who had an adult son and a 15-year-old daughter, pleaded with Avraham Cohen and his wife not to report but to hide in one of his haylofts. They agreed. For two months they shared the hiding place, which at any one time held between ten and 13 people, with Salomon Jo Braaf, Avrahams son-in-law, who had managed to escape from Westerbork, and other Jews escaping deportation. In April 1943, Cornelis took in Salomons uncle and aunt, who had been forced to leave their hiding place. The area was rich in peat and Cornelis filled his cart with large sacks of peat and hid the fugitives in the spaces between the sacks for the ten-kilometer journey. On March 3, 1944, the Germans discovered that Cornelis and Jentje were hiding people when someone informed on them, and 17 German policemen stormed the house. They threatened Corneliss daughter and beat Cornelis and Jentje to try to force them to give away the Jews in hiding. Finally, they went to the hayloft nearest the house and tore it apart, but they did not find anything. Fortunately, the Jews were hiding in the farthest hayloft. Cornelis and his sons were arrested but released. After this incident, the farmer, who did not wish the fugitives to feel he was throwing them out, turned to those in hiding and told them to decide whether to stay or go. He told them that he did not wish to tempt fate because there was the risk of another search. He simply said: God did look out for us today not to deliver us into the hands of the enemy tomorrow. Those in hiding decided to stay. Cornelis took in another two Jews, one of whom had been in the hospital for a long time and was brought by Cornelis and Jentje to their home when the Germans evacuated the hospital residents. The Flokstra family was motivated by deep-seated religious beliefs. Cornelis believed that the Jews were the Chosen People and should be protected. He did not wish to take any money, and when he was beseeched to do so he agreed to an arrangement whereby his wards would pay him after the war. The treatment of those in hiding was excellent and despite the food shortages they ate well. At the end of the war, when the Flokstra family had to cook for 30 FOD activists within the framework of Einkwartierung, they still did not stop concerning themselves with the people they were hiding. On December 12, 1967, Yad Vashem recognized Cornelis Flokstra and his wife, Jentje Flokstra-Doggen, as Righteous Among the Nations. |
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Gezin 1
| Huwelijkspartner: | Jentje Doggen | geb. 28 Aug 1899 overl. 17 Apr 1971 |
| Huwelijk: | 30 OKT 1920 | Ruinerwold |
Gezin 2
| Huwelijkspartner: | Grietje Venema | geb. 3 Juni 1879 overl. 31 Dec 1918 |
| Huwelijk: | 28 Apr 1906 | Diever |