Frans Houkes

Geslacht: Man
Vader: Eelke Houkes
Moeder: Rinske Adema
Geboren: 1901 Dronrijp
Aantekeningen: Last Name: Houkes
First Name: Frans
Date of Birth: 27/11/1900
Date of death: 28/12/1994
Rescuer's fate: survived
Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS
Gender: Male
Profession: MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEE
Place during the war: Medemblik, Noordholland, The Netherlands
Rescue Place: Medemblik, Noordholland, The Netherlands
Rescue mode: Hiding
File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/1493)
When the war broke out, Emanuel van der Bokke and his wife, Elisabeth Sluys, were living in the Jewish quarter of Amsterdam. When the German raids intensified in the summer of 1942, they decided to go into hiding. They were put in contact with Frans and Geertruida Houkes in Medemblik, North Holland. Frans, the father of three, was a well-known figure in his hometown. He was a member of the local municipality, representing the Social Democratic Labor Party, and a fervent anti-Nazi. Emanuel and Elisabeth arrived at the Houkeses’ home on August 12, 1942. A short time afterwards, Mr. and Mrs. Reens-Zwaaf and their two children joined them there. In October 1943, Jacob Zwaaf, a nephew of Mrs. B. Reens, and his young wife, Martha Sluys, Elisabeth’s sister, also moved in with the Houkeses. Martha had been working at the Jewish hospital in Amsterdam until it was evacuated. Geertruida would have offered more people shelter but she had medical problems, due to which all these fugitives had to leave the Houkeses in February 1944. Frans arranged new hiding places for all of his wards, and they all survived the war. Frans and Geertruida were driven by their humane and moral convictions. They risked their own lives to care for people in their overcrowded house and to procure extra ration cards and food. After the war, the Houkeses maintained good relations with all the people they helped save.
On October 25, 1978, Yad Vashem recognized Frans Houkes and his wife, Geertuida Houkes-Bakker, as Righteous Among the Nations.

Gezin 1

Huwelijkspartner: Geertruida Bakker geb. 1904
Huwelijk: 4 Juni 1925 Menaldumadeel