August Willem Goetmakers

Geslacht: Man
Vader: Petrus Wilhelmus Goetmakers
Moeder: Catharina Johanna Rapp
Geboren: 5 OKT 1897 Stad Almelo
Overleden: 14 Sept 1976
Religie: geen
Beroep: landmeter bij het Kadaster
Aantekeningen: Goetmakers August (1897 - 1976 )
Personal Information
Last Name: Goetmakers
First Name: August
Willem
Date of Birth: 05/10/1897
Date of death: 14/09/1976
Rescuer's fate: survived
Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS
Religion: ROMAN CATHOLIC
Gender: Male
Profession: SURVEYOR
Organization/ Religious order: Westerweel Groep
Place during the war: Hoorn, Noordholland, The Netherlands
Rescue Place: Hoorn, Noordholland, The Netherlands
Rescue mode: Hiding
Arranging shelter
Other
File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/127)
Commemoration
Date of Recognition: 09/04/1965
Righteous Commemorated with Tree/Wall of Honor: Tree
Ceremony held in Yad Vashem: Yes
Rescued Persons
Elze, Hadassah
Elze, Joshua
Rescue Story
Goetmakers, August Willem & Elisabeth Catharina Eugenie Jeanne (Verbiest)
August and Elisabeth Goetmakers lived with their two children, aged nine and 12, in Hoorn, North Holland. August was a surveyor and an active member of the local Roman Catholic Church. Early in 1943, one of their acquaintances asked if they would be willing to hide a nine-month-old baby girl who could not join her parents, their Jewish friends, in hiding. August and Elisabeth agreed to take her in and thus Hadassah Elze was escorted to the Goetmakers family by Harry Asscher (later Naphtali Asher), an active member of the Westerweel* group. After only a few months, the Goetmakerses’ home was unexpectedly searched. Shortly afterwards, August and Elisabeth managed to find a new hideout for Hadassah and they began to serve as correspondents between the new family and Hadassah’s parents. In November 1943, the Elzes had a son. The Goetmakerses immediately offered to shelter the baby if he could not remain with his parents. The offer was accepted and, after false papers were arranged, baby Joshua was taken to the Goetmakerses, who represented him as their adopted child. The baby was well taken care of, in the full knowledge that their lives, and the life of the baby, were endangered by his presence. The Goetmakerses simply felt that they had to help. Towards the end of 1944, the hunger winter, the Goetmakerses had to go to great lengths to obtain food and clothing for the baby, but they always managed. August and Elisabeth regularly updated Joshua’s parents about his progress, as they were also doing regarding Hadassah. August and Elisabeth also promised Mr. and Mrs. Elze that should they be caught, August and Elisabeth would ensure that the two children were taken to relatives in Israel. However, they all survived the war and the family was reunited. The Elze family moved to Israel, but still kept in touch with the Goetmakerses.
On April 9, 1965, Yad Vashem recognized August Willem Goetmakers and his wife, Elisabeth Catharina Eugenie Jeanne Goetmakers-Verbiest, as Righteous Among the Nations.

Gezin 1

Huwelijkspartner: Elisabeth Catharina Eugenie Jeanne Verbiest geb. 14 Juni 1901 overl. 25 Apr 1995
Huwelijk: 20 OKT 1932 Amsterdam

Gezin 2

Huwelijkspartner: Niesje de Jong geb. 14 Feb 1904
Huwelijk: 26 Apr 1928 Bergen, N.-H.
Scheiding: 29 Aug 1932 Amsterdam