Hendrik Arij Bovenkerk
| Geslacht: | Man | |
| Vader: | Hendrik Bovenkerk | |
| Moeder: | Elisabeth Magdalena Jeannette Wissink | |
| Geboren: | 19 Juni 1916 | Den Haag |
| Religie: | Ned. Hervormd | |
| Aantekeningen: | Last Name: Bovenkerk First Name: Hendrik Ary Date of Birth: 15/06/1916 Rescuer's fate: survived Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS Gender: Male Place during the war: Zutphen, Gelderland, The Netherlands Rescue Place: Zutphen, Gelderland, The Netherlands Rescue mode: Hiding File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/1190) On September 22, 1944, Erwin Juhl, his wife, Aenne, and his sister-in-law, Ilse Schwaab, were forced to flee their hiding place with the Gies-de Haas* family in Zutphen, Gelderland because of the heavy bombardment. In the middle of the night, with nowhere to go, they knocked in desperation on Hendrik and Berendina Bovenkerk's door asking for shelter for just one night, after which they were hoping that the underground would find them a more permanent hiding place. After their initial surprise, Hendrik and Berendina took all three of them in, and the fugitives ended up staying with the Bovenkerks until the liberation of Zutphen on April 7, 1945. Hendrik and Berendina knew they were endangering their lives and the lives of their two young children by taking in the Juhls and Ilse Swaab, but they felt it was their human duty to help desperate people fleeing for their lives. During the severe hunger winter of 1944--1945, they shared every morsel of food with their hidden guests, surviving on only the family's official food coupons, which were barely enough to feed the four of them. Hendrik managed to steal some food from the Germans in the area to supplement their supply. The Bovenkerks prepared a hiding place in their home that proved to be very effective when there was a house search a little while after the Jews arrived. After the search, the Juhls and Ilse immediately suggested that they look for another hiding place, but the Bovenkerks would not hear of it: "If this place was good enough this time, it will be good enough next time too. Trying to find a new address would involve greater danger." Thus, they stayed and they all survived the war. On June 26, 1977, Yad Vashem recognized Hendrik Bovenkerk and his wife, Berendina Bovenkerk-Schoemaker, as Righteous Among the Nations. |
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Gezin 1
| Huwelijkspartner: | Berendina Schoenmaker | geb. 30 Juni 1916 |
| Huwelijk: | XXXX | onbekend |