Gerrit Broere

Geslacht:	Man
Vader:	Pieter Jan Broere
Moeder:	Cornelia Jacoba Riedé
Geboren:	1910	Bergambacht
Aantekeningen:	Last Name: Broere First Name: Gerrit Date of Birth: 26/02/1910 Rescuer's fate: survived Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS Gender: Male Profession: LIVESTOCK DEALER Organization/ Religious order: LO - Landelijke Organisatie Place during the war: Bergambacht, Zuidholland, The Netherlands Rescue Place: Bergambacht, Zuidholland, The Netherlands Rescue mode: Hiding Supplying basic goods File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/7944) Siegfried Gillis and his wife, Bertha Gillis-Jonas, were originally from Germany, but during the war they lived in Amsterdam with their infant daughter, Ruth. They remained in the city until April 1944, when Siegfried was seized and transported to Auschwitz, where he died on October 1, 1944. A minister from the Protestant (Gereformeerde) Church and member of the NV, Teunis Oostenbrug*, brought little Ruth to an address in Utrecht. Her mother was taken to a temporary hiding place in the minister’s hometown of Groot-Ammers, South Holland. After a short time, a more permanent address was secured for Bertha Gillis at the home of Gerrit and Corrie Broere in nearby Bergambacht, South Holland. Gerrit Broere was a big livestock dealer, but the German invasion had seriously hurt his business. He lived in a spacious house, “Gorzen,” with his wife, Corrie, and their two children aged nine and six. In 1942, Gerrit agreed to distribute illegal pamphlets and later he became a member of the LO. He was involved in supplying those in hiding with food coupons and with the safekeeping of jewelry owned by Jews. Bertha Gillis was given her own room on the top floor and called “auntie” while her real name remained a mystery. A special hiding place behind a double wall in a cabinet was prepared for emergencies. Gerrit traveled to Utrecht a number of times to visit Bertha’s daughter and report back on her well-being. Towards the end of the war, German soldiers were billeted in the Broeres’ home and Bertha was moved to the Molenaar family in nearby Berkenwoude. Gerrit and Corrie were motivated by human compassion. After the war Bertha and Ruth Gillis stayed in touch with their rescuers, even after the mother and daughter immigrated to Israel. On January 26, 1998, Yad Vashem recognized Gerrit Broere and his wife, Corrie Broere-van Wijnen, as Righteous Among the Nations

Gezin 1

Huwelijkspartner:	Cornelia van Wijnen	geb. 1910
Huwelijk:	6 Apr 1932	Lekkerkerk