Pieter Bosboom
Geslacht: | Man | |
Vader: | Wolf Bosboom | |
Moeder: | Marianne Hartog | |
Geboren: | 1 MRT 1915 | Zaandam |
Overleden: | 5 Dec 1998 | onbekend |
Aantekeningen: | Last Name: Bosboom First Name: Pieter Alias: PIET Date of Birth: 01/03/1915 Date of death: 05/12/1998 Rescuer's fate: survived Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS Religion: CALVINIST Gender: Male Place during the war: Zaandam, Noordholland, The Netherlands Rescue Place: Zaandam, Noordholland, The Netherlands Rescue mode: Providing forged documents Arranging shelter Other File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/619) Pieter (Piet) Bosboom was responsible for rescuing around 1,000 people, Jews as well as Allied airmen and other fugitives. He was born in Zaandam, North Holland, to a religious Calvinist mother and socialist father, from both of whom he got his deeply humanistic character. As the Nazis tightened their grip on power in Germany, Piet became involved in bringing illegal refugees over the border to Holland. He quickly learned laundering techniques to provide escapees with new identities and visas to third countries. In May 1940, he began organizing Resistance cells in and around Zaandam and prepared the local community to host Jewish fugitives. In August 1943, the director of the Bergstichting, a home for wayward children, was warned of an impending raid. The institution, which was run by a non-Jewish couple, the Reitsemas*, was home to many Jewish children and counselors. The director turned to the Resistance group run by Piet and Marietje Overduin* and hiding places were found for the Jews. Among those in danger was Ruth Donath (later Neuberger), an immigrant from Vienna whose entire family had been deported. She was determined to leave her fate to chance and refused to go into hiding. Piet did his utmost to persuade her to change her mind, although she pointed out that nobody would have her because of her Jewish looks. Ruth finally gave in and was found a hiding place in Friesland and survived the war. On November 3, 1970, Yad Vashem recognized Pieter Bosboom as Righteous Among the Nations. |