Jan Giliam
| Geslacht: | Man | |
| Vader: | Pier Giliam | |
| Moeder: | Hieke van der Veen | |
| Geboren: | 4 MEI 1906 | Baarderadeel |
| Aantekeningen: | Last Name: Giliam First Name: Jan Date of Birth: 04/05/1906 Date of death: 11/01/1990 Rescuer's fate: survived camp inmate imprisoned tried/interrogated Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS Religion: CHRISTIAN Gender: Male Profession: POLICE OFFICER Place during the war: Haarlem, Noordholland, The Netherlands ; Amersfoort, Camp, The Netherlands Rescue Place: Haarlem, Noordholland, The Netherlands Rescue mode: Hiding Supplying basic goods Arranging shelter File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/1187) By mid-1942, it became clear to Jan Giliam, a police detective from Haarlem, that the Germans were serious about removing all the Jews from Holland. He had been opposed to the persecution of the Jews from the very beginning, and when he had to fill out a form, declaring that he had no Jewish anscestry, he added a comment expressing his opposition. Lenie de Vries Slosser told Yad Vashem that by 1942 Giliam had remained the only non-Jewish client of their father's store. In July 1942, Lenie's father, Jacques de Vries received an order from the German authorities to report for labor in the east. Jan urged him and his family to go into hiding. He also offered his home as a temporary way station. In 2013 Klaas Giliam, Jan's son visited Yad Vashem and said that he was 6 years old when he came home one day and when he entered his room, he saw two strangers sitting on his bed. His mother immediately pulled him out of the room and he spent the next nights at the neighbors home. Jans modest apartment, already inhabited by himself, his wife, and three sons agedf 6, 4, and one year, was simply too small to shelter Jacques de Vries, his wife Sien, and their three daughters Dinie, Lenie and Liesje permanently. Within a few days, Jan managed to arrange permanent hideouts for the fugitive family: some were to remain in Haarlem and one daughter was sent to Jans nephew in Friesland. Several months later, the fiancé of one of the de Vries daughters, Simcha van Frank, came to Jan, also seeking a place to hide. He stayed with Jan for two nights before relocating to a permanent shelter where he remained until the end of the war. Jan helped many other people in the same way. In February 1943, Jan was betrayed, arrested by the Gestapo, and taken to the Euterpestraat, the SS-headquarters in Amsterdam and then to the Amersfoort internment camp. While there, he succeeded in sending out a warning to the de Vries family and the members of the van Frank family for whom he had also found a safe shelter. Only after he heard that they had received this message and had moved to safety did Jan succumb to torture and admit to having helped Jews. For unknown reasons, he was released. Upon his discharge, he immediately contacted those in hiding to check if they were still safe. He remained in contact with them until the end of the war. Jan provided those in hiding with food and food coupons, as well as being a regular visitor and providing emotional support. Also, as a member of the local police force, he passed on information about imminent razzias. Jan, a devout Christian, knew that during all the time he was involved in illegal activities, he was putting his life and the life of his family in jeopardy. He never received financial compensation for his perilous activities. All the members of the de Vries and van Frank families survived the war and remained in contact with Jan afterwards. On September 7, 1977, Yad Vashem recognized Jan Giliam as Righteous Among the Nations |
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Gezin 1
| Huwelijkspartner: | Jacoba van der Hoef | geb. 23 Sept 1906 overl. 2 MEI 1949 |
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