Thomas Haagsma

Geslacht: Man
Vader: Tjerk Haagsma
Moeder: Trijntje Ringia
Geboren: 6 Juli 1886 Dronrijp, Menaldumadeel
Overleden: 21 Aug 1966 Leeuwarden
Religie: Ned. Hervormd
Beroep: fabrieksarbeider, grondwerker
Aantekeningen: Last Name: Haagsma
First Name: Thomas
Rescuer's fate: survived
Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS
Gender: Male
Profession: STREET SWEEPER
Place during the war: Leeuwarden, Friesland, The Netherlands
Rescue Place: Leeuwarden, Friesland, The Netherlands
Rescue mode: Hiding
File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/7804)
On July 6, 1943, a courier brought four-and-a-half-year-old Joop Gobes to the home of Thomas and Tetje Haagsma in Leeuwarden, Friesland. The Haagsmas were committed socialists who, despite their poor circumstances, considered it their duty to help people in need. Their second son, Meindert, had been a member of the Labor Youth Federation (AJC) and later joined the peace movement of the Mennonites. Through the latter organization, he came into contact with the Work Group against Military Service. Meindert’s task was to find hiding places for refugees. Joop Gobes had been hospitalized in the Jewish Hospital in Amsterdam for three months. His parents, who worked in the hospital, told the Haagsmas not to worry if the boy complained about all sorts of pains, since he had been taught to pretend he was ill. Twenty-three-year-old Wijke Haagsma (later Tichelaar) effectively became Joop’s foster mother while Thomas and Tetje took on the role of grandparents. Although he had a distinctive Jewish appearance, Joop was allowed into the street, where he soon picked up the Friesian language. He could not attend school, but Wijke taught him reading, writing, and arithmetic at home. All the neighbors knew the truth and there was always someone to pull Joop inside if German soldiers appeared in the street. At one point, Thomas and Meindert Haagsma feared that the Germans would draft them for forced labor in Germany. They decided to go into hiding with Thomas’s parents and took Tetje and Joop with them. Thomas Haagsma, who had been working for various local farmers, found a job as a street sweeper, which he kept until his retirement. Joop’s parents were murdered in Auschwitz. After the war, his uncle and aunt took him in and gave him a Jewish upbringing.
On October 9, 1997, Yad Vashem recognized Thomas Haagsma, his wife, Tetje Haagsma-Ringia, and their children, Meindert Haagsma and Wijke Tichelaar-Haagsma, as Righteous Among the Nations.

Gezin 1

Huwelijkspartner: Tetje Ringia geb. 26 Jan 1890
Huwelijk: 20 MEI 1915 Menaldumadeel
Kinderen:
  Meinte Haagsma Male geb. 3 MEI 1928 overl. 29 Feb 2004
  Atte Haagsma Male geb. 7 MRT 1921
  Wijke Haagsma Male geb. 9 OKT 1919 overl. 13 Jan 2016
  Tjerk Haagsma Male geb. 2 Aug 1916
  Meindert Haagsma Male geb. 18 Juni 1918