Gerard Hoekman
| Geslacht: | Man | |
| Vader: | Jacob Wilhelm Hoekman | |
| Moeder: | Gerarda Cornelia Mirandolle | |
| Geboren: | 24 OKT 1907 | Tjimahi afd Bandoeng, N.O.I. |
| Religie: | geen | |
| Beroep: | kantoorbediende | |
| Aantekeningen: | Last Name: Hoekman First Name: Gerard Date of Birth: 24/10/1907 Rescuer's fate: survived Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS Gender: Male Profession: FINANCIAL ADVISER Place during the war: The Hague, Zuidholland, The Netherlands Rescue Place: The Hague, Zuidholland, The Netherlands Rescue mode: Hiding ; Arranging shelter ; Supplying basic goods File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/6790) Gerard and Elisabeth Hoekman lived in England for many years. There they welcomed Hans Rosenthal, a German Jewish boy brought to England on the Kindertransport by Truus Wijsmuller*, into their family. In January 1940, the family returned to The Hague in the Netherlands, after arranging a home for Hans. Gerard took up a post as a financial advisor to the Unilever Company. Once there, GerardÂ’s sister, a nurse, asked them to hide a two-year-old child whose mother had been in her care. The Hoekmans agreed and this child, Paul Ronald Cok, the son of Leonard and Deborah Cok-de la Fuente, was a welcome addition to their growing family. Paul, who was dark and slight, was a descendant of Portuguese Jews from Amsterdam. He looked distinctively different from his foster brothers and the neighborsÂ’ suspicions about him were aroused. When it became too risky for him to remain with the Hoekmans, he was relocated to other hiding places. The Hoekmans kept in touch with Paul and continued to provide him with ration cards and to look out for his safety. In the spring of 1944, Paul was sent to an address in the north of Holland. He remained there until the end of the war, returning to the Hoekmans afterwards. Leonard Cok, having feared the worst when his wife was arrested at her hiding place and transported to Auschwitz, wrote a will in which he requested that the Hoekmans look after his son if he and his wife perished. Leonard died in Bergen-Belsen in 1944 and his wife died too. Thus, Paul adopted the Hoekman name and moved with the family to England in 1948. Paul Hoekman immigrated to Israel in 1967. During the war, the Hoekmans also saved an elderly lady, Jeanette de Jong-van Gelderen, the mother of a friend of theirs. Gerard had been her supplier of food coupons for a number of years and in November 1944, when her hiding place became unsafe, Gerard brought her to his own home. She stayed with the Hoekmans for the duration of the hunger winter of 1944--1945 and then moved to Voorburg, a suburb of The Hague after they were all evacuated following Allied bombardments. In June 1945, Jeanette was reunited with her daughters in Amsterdam, accompanied by the Hoekmans. During the war years, the Hoekmans employed Hendrina Boeren to help raise the three children. She was a truly faithful addition to the family. On September 27, 1995, Yad Vashem recognized Gerard Hoekman and his wife, Johanna Elisabeth Hoekman-Mynarends, as Righteous Among the Nations. |
|
Gezin 1
| Huwelijkspartner: | Johanna Elisabeth Mijnarends | geb. 22 Nov 1906 |
| Huwelijk: | 25 Juli 1935 | Heemstede |