Willy van der Blom
| Geslacht: | Vrouw | |
| Vader: | Willem Johannes Frederik van der Blom | |
| Moeder: | Nennij Caspara Everharda Carsten | |
| Geboren: | 21 Juli 1881 | Amsterdam |
| Overleden: | 9 Dec 1974 | |
| Religie: | geen | |
| Aantekeningen: | Blom van der Willy (1881 - 1974 ) Personal Information Last Name: Blom van der First Name: Willy Alias: AUNT WILLY Date of Birth: 21/07/1881 Date of death: 09/12/1974 Rescuer's fate: survived tried/interrogated Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS Gender: Female Place during the war: Bennekom, Gelderland, The Netherlands Rescue Place: Bennekom, Gelderland, The Netherlands Rescue mode: Hiding Providing false evidence Supplying basic goods File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/787) Commemoration Date of Recognition: 22/06/1973 Righteous Commemorated with Tree/Wall of Honor: Tree Ceremony organized by Israeli diplomatic delegation in: The Hague, Netherlands Ceremony held in Yad Vashem: Yes Rescued Persons Hermans, First name unknown de Lange, Rosa van Gelderen, Margaret Hermans, First name unknown Fernandes, John Rescue Story Blom van der, Willy When the war broke out, 60-year-old Willy van der Blom was living by herself in Bennekom, Gelderland. On the grounds of her estate was a townhouse. Early on in the war she put it at the disposal of the underground to use to hide Jews and other persecuted people temporarily. On October 17, 1942, Ida van Dogteren, an active underground worker originally from Arnhem but living in Rotterdam, and a friend of Willys, brought Bernard and Margaret van Gelderen to the townhouse. There the couple joined Siegfried Bachrach, who had been hidden there since August 1942, and others waiting for placement in permanent hideouts. Several days after the van Gelderens arrival, most of the charges were moved out, but they were caught soon afterwards. As a result, other potential hosts became too frightened to take fugitives into their homes and the van Gelderens and Siegfried Bachrach ended up staying with Aunt Willy, as they affectionately called her, until nine months before the end of the war. Towards the end of October 1942, Ida van Dogteren brought Rob van Cleef, of Arnhem to the townhouse. In May 1943, John Fernandes joined the fugitives in the hideout, staying there until October 1944. This group, along with Rosa de Lange, formed a core of six wards who hid on Willys property on a long-term basis, frequently joined temporarily by other fugitives. In order to keep the illegal residents from the preying eyes of the Nazi authorities a special cellar was constructed under the townhouse where the fugitives hid for much of their stay. For the duration of the war, Willy looked after her wards with great devotion. She took care of all the needs of her illegal guests, including the complicated business of finding, preparing, and bringing food to the townhouse, which was located about 200 yards from her home. Occasionally, Willy managed to obtain food coupons, but she generally financed the enterprise out of her own savings and by selling off her stocks and valuables. In October 1944, the Germans raided Willys home. For some time they had suspected her of hiding Jews and students who had refused to sign the declaration of loyalty. Those hidden managed to escape in time and flee to another hideout in the fields which had been specially prepared for use in times of emergency. However, Willy was apprehended and subjected to interrogation, but did not betray her wards. She was then put up against a wall to be executed, but when a soldier found her extensive wine cellar the soldiers said that they were willing to trade her life for its contents. In fact, everything in her home was confiscated and Willy had to flee after the incident. She immediately contacted Ida and told her to warn those still in the emergency hideaway, unaware of what had happened. Ida did so and also arranged new hideouts for them. Altruism and indignation at the Nazi occupation motivated Willys wartime activities. She became the mother of all those she helped until the day she died. On June 22,1973, Yad Vashem recognized Willy van der Blom as Righteous Among the Nations. |
|