Dirk Borst

Geslacht: Man
Vader: Jacob Borst
Moeder: Jansjen Boeve
Geboren: 11 MEI 1886 Oldebroek
Overleden: 14 Jan 1949 Hattem
Beroep: tichelbaas
Aantekeningen: Borst Dirk (1886 - 1949 )
Personal Information
Last Name: Borst
First Name: Dirk
Date of Birth: 10/05/1886
Date of death: 14/01/1949
Rescuer's fate: survived
Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS
Religion: CALVINIST
Gender: Male
Place during the war: Hattem, Gelderland, The Netherlands
Rescue Place: Hattem, Gelderland, The Netherlands
Rescue mode: Hiding
File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/5708)
Commemoration
Date of Recognition: 31/05/1993
Righteous Commemorated with Tree/Wall of Honor: Wall of Honor
Rescued Persons
Levita de, David
Rescue Story
Borst, Dirk & Jennigje (van Raalte) & Jacob
When the war broke out, 14-year-old David de Levita was living with his mother and three siblings in Amsterdam. On May 26, 1943, David escaped a razzia by chance when he was staying with friends. His family was arrested, however, and taken via Westerbork to Sobibor, where they perished. David was put in contact with 21-year-old Jacob Borst, a medical student active in the LO. On September 17, 1943, Jacob took David, then aged 17, to the home of his parents, Dirk and Jennigje Borst, in Hattem, Gelderland, where he was living with his siblings. David stayed with them until the liberation in May 1945. Hattem was a small village where everyone knew everyone else’s business. Even though most locals were trustworthy, Jacob obtained a false identity for David. He was introduced to visitors as a distant relative who was temporarily staying with them. As proof, a family picture showing the Borst family with David in it was placed on top of the organ in the living room. Despite these precautions, the Borsts nevertheless prepared a crate under the floor that could be used as a hiding place in case of emergency. This crate was also used to store illegal weapons. David did have to use it a few times. However, Dirk was active in the local Resistance and usually well informed about the movement of Germans in the area. When house searches were expected, Dirk often tried to move David to a hiding place with friends of his. The Borst family treated David as one of their own and made his stay with them as comfortable as possible. Even though David ran out of money soon after his arrival at the Borsts, they never stopped caring for him and never sought financial remuneration. As Reformed Christians, the Borsts acted purely out of religious conviction, considering the Jews to be the Chosen People who had to be protected at any cost. David survived the war and later became a well-known professor of psychology. He always maintained a warm relationship with the Borst family. After the Battle of Arnhem in 1944, the Borsts also temporarily hid a downed English pilot.
On May 31, 1993, Yad Vashem recognized Dirk Borst, his wife, Jennigje Borst-Van Raalte, and their son, Jacob Borst, as Righteous Among the Nations.

Gezin 1

Huwelijkspartner: Jennigje van Raalte geb. 28 Feb 1893 overl. 5 Nov 1982
Huwelijk: 7 MEI 1914 Oldebroek
Kinderen:
  Jacob Borst Male geb. 10 OKT 1922 overl. 2 MRT 2009
  Jansjen Borst Male geb. 1915 overl. 16 Nov 1926
  Hendrik Borst Male geb. 1917 overl. 10 Apr 1945
  Evertje Borst Male geb. 1925
  Jansjen Borst Male geb. 1929