Willem Dekker

Geslacht: Man
Vader: Matthijs Dekker
Moeder: Neeltje Baas
Geboren: 23 MEI 1904 Zaandam
Religie: Ger. Kerk
Aantekeningen: Last Name: Dekker
First Name: Willem
Rescuer's fate: survived
Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS
Gender: Male
Profession: OFFICE WORK
Place during the war: Zaandam, Noordholland, The Netherlands
Rescue Place: Zaandam, Noordholland, The Netherlands
Rescue mode: Hiding Supplying basic goods
File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/2875)
The Dekkers were a young couple living in Zaandam, North Holland. They belonged to Piet Bosboom’s* group, which excelled in saving children’s lives. The Dekkers’ house was used as a hospital where sick Jewish adults and children who had been hiding were looked after. Geertje, a nurse, took care of the patients. Her husband, Willem, who worked in a ration card distribution office, managed to arrange ration cards for many hidden Jews. In 1944, a Jewish child called Beppie Ephraim came down with scarlet fever, an infectious disease, for a second time, and could not stay in her hiding place. The Dekkers took her in and Geertje nursed her back to health. In June 1944, Piet Bosboom brought Isaac Crost to the Dekker’s home. Crost had been hastily removed from the hospital by his children right after complicated stomach surgery because they were informed that the name of the family---the patient, his wife, his daughter, her husband, and his son---had been passed onto the German security services. Geertje slept by his side for weeks and gave him special injections three times a day. (Ironically the needles and the rest of the equipment were stolen from the Germans.) Willem Dekker managed to get him a dietetic food ration card for those with stomach problems. After he recovered, Isaac and his wife, Lena, stayed with Willem and Geertje until February 1945. During the war, the Dekkers also hid other Jews for two to three days until a more permanent hiding place was found for them.
On May 3, 1984, Yad Vashem recognized Willem Dekker and his wife, Geertje Dekker-Visser, as Righteous Among the Nations.

Gezin 1

Huwelijkspartner: Geertje Visser geb. 31 Jan 1907
Huwelijk: 30 Sept 1943 Zaandam