On May 5, 2009 (the Dutch National Liberation Day) the 85 years old Jonny Levy, surviving WW II with his younger brothers Leon and Helmut as Jewish boys on the farm of my parents, Willem Geurink and Dina (Wisselink) Geurink, from 1943 until their final liberation on March 31, 1945, unveiled a new street name “Willem Geurinkstraat” or “Willem Geurink Street” – right on the corner of the former Geurink farm. Jonny Levy unveiled this plate together with an alderman of the Lichtenvoorde town counsil, Mr. Gerrits, and a other manager of the Lichtenvoorde counsil. Since 1998 Jonny Levy was occupied to realize this, asking the Lichtenvoorde town counsil for a “remembrance of the hiding efforts of Willem and Dina (Wisselink) Geurink”. Jonny really was happy that he succeeded in it during his liefe time. Jonny also hopes to unveil the new “Onderduikerbrug” (“Underdivers Bridge”), which will be built in the next year halfway a side road of this new Geurink Street.

All the ten Geurink children were invited to be there, including their partners and some of their (grand)children, the children and grandchildren of Jonny Levy (except daughter Elvira, who lives in Kenia), the widow of Helmut Levy and her 3 children and some grandchilden, Jonny’s cousin Joop Levy and wife, some Geurink and Wisselink cousins, other war resistance members and guests, neighbors, members of the local historical society, and the writer of the book of “Lichtenvoorde in wartime”, Henny Bennink, who wrote a chapter in this book about the hiding and war experiences on the farm of Willem and Dina Geurink.

It was a very memorable day, especially for the Levy family and the (grand)children of the honored Willem and Dina Geurink. Probably the town counsil will realize the suggestion also to add later the name of Dina (Wisselink) Geurink on this street-plate while she was an important partner of Willem Geurink in their resistance activities, even the most important part.

A side road: This unveiled street is the second Geurink Street in this East-Gelderland area, while there is an older one in the town of Silvolde – about 10 miles southwest of this street - called to another Geurink farm/house/spot there.

Just under the Geurink name-plate is our 85 years old “underdiver,” Jonny Levy, and beside him, with white hair, is Mr. Henny Bennink, the writer of the book “Lichtenvoorde in wartime”(in which he wrote the warstory of my parents Willem and Dina Geurink).

Because Willem and Dina had hidden Jewish people from the Germans in WW II they received the Yad Vashem decoration. This is an israelian decoration. The Certificate of Honour shown in row four was awarded posthumously. It is given by a Jewish organization that honours people (Non-Jews) who helped the Jews in the war. As a token of remembrance they also plant an olive tree in the Olive Wood of Yad Vashem. When you visit Israel and you want to see the Olive wood you have to walk through “the lane of the righteous among the nations”.

For a pictoral history of the farm and events that occurred during WW II see Willem and Dina Farm Events