Ferdinand Franciscus Geerlings
| Geslacht: | Man | |
| Vader: | Walterus Geerlings | |
| Moeder: | Maria Johanna Damen | |
| Geboren: | 1904 | Beverwijk |
| Beroep: | gas en waterfitter | |
| Aantekeningen: | Last Name: Geerlings First Name: Ferdinand Franciscus Date of Birth: 1904 Date of death: 22/10/1987 Rescuer's fate: survived Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS Religion: CHRISTIAN CATHOLIC Gender: Male Place during the war: Hoofddorp, Noordholland, The Netherlands Rescue Place: Hoofddorp, Noordholland, The Netherlands Rescue mode: Hiding File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/12228) The Piller family lived in Amsterdam with their six children. They were a religiously observant Jewish family. Despite the ever-increasing anti-Jewish measures culminating in the deportations of the Jews, the Pillers managed to stay at their home until the summer of 1943. In July 1943, soon after a major razzia in Amsterdam, Hannes Bogaard* came to their home, urging them to send their children into hiding. He succeeded in convincing the Piller parents, and during the following few weeks he returned a few times, each time taking two of the Piller children along to his farm in the Haarlemmermeer polder. The entire Bogaard family was actively involved in hiding a large number of children starting in the summer of 1942. Often the children were sent on to addresses that were considered safer. The last of the Piller children taken by Bogaard was their oldest child, eleven-year-old Isaac Piller, born in 1932. Separation from his parents was painful, but his mother promised we will be all back together for your birthday a statement that calmed him down somewhat. Isaac was taken to a family where he could stay for one day only and then on to a farm, where a raid was held soon after his arrival. Isaac had to hide under a roof in the pitch dark. After two weeks under these conditions, without physical activity and only coming out for food, he was moved to Ferdinand and Elizabeth Geerlings in the village of Hoofddorp, close to the Bogaard farm. The Geerlings were both in their forties and had four children in ages six to twelve. They were observant Roman Catholics, and Isaac found it initially difficult to learn the religious rites. However, he adapted soon and felt at ease with them. On his first birthday with them, Isaac was waiting for his mother to come as she had promised they would all be together again then, but she did not, and in his grief, Isaac thought that his mother did not love him anymore. He kept on missing the warmth of his own family, but adjusted well to his new life with the Geerlings who took good care of him. When, from time to time, there were warnings of upcoming razzias, he was taken to relatives for some days, but Ferdinand and Elizabeth always took him back as soon as they considered that the immediate danger had passed. Isaac stayed with the Geerlings until the liberation of the village in May 1945. It then turned out that his mother had perished in Auschwitz. His father survived the ordeal, but since he was severely physically and mentally damaged, he could not take care of his children. The six children were dispersed, some in Jewish homes, others, like Isaac stayed with their rescuers. Isaac immigrated with the Geerlings to Western Australia. On September 9, 2011, Yad Vashem recognized Ferdinand Franciscus Geerlings and Elizabeth Geerlings-Arink as Righteous Among the Nations. |
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Gezin 1
| Huwelijkspartner: | Elisabeth Arink | geb. 12 Apr 1903 overl. 11 Feb 1977 |
| Huwelijk: | 31 MEI 1930 | Heemstede |