Parental Homes in Holland
Jan van Osnabrugge (1829-1899) moved to Harmelen in 1857 to work as a contractor for widow Aaltje van Barneveld. They married in 1858. Aaltje lived in the white home on the Old Rhine river (enlarge photo on the right). Willem's father Adriaan and grandfather Jan were born there. They were all contractors and much involved in various functions in the Dutch Reformed Church. Although the house was nice for its time, it was a bit of a challenge to sleep the six brothers and one sister upstairs. Adriaan married Maartje Visser in 1935. The house stayed in the van Osnabrugge family until 1990 when Aaltje (Willem's aunt) passed away. |
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In 1936 Willem's father Adriaan built his own home (see photos below). He was a contractor and built the house for his young family. Willem was born there and lived in the home until he got married and moved to the east of Holland (Arnhem) and later to England and the USA.
When Willem's mother Maartje moved into a nursing home, Jan (the oldest sibling) bought the house and moved in, and still lives there now.
The front
 The back on the "Old Rhine" river. |
 Soffit hiding place for Jewish refugees in WW II |
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We had sliding doors in between the living room ("parlor") and the family room. During WWII we had Jewish refugees hiding and sleeping in the soffit at night. German soldiers were stationed in the property next door. Our parents didn't care. They did it anyway. Saw it as their duty. Some 20 years after the war, my brother Jan found a phosphorus bomb and a 20 lbs tub of soft soap under the living room floorboards and a "Joden Ster" in the soffit. If they only could tell us their stories. The phosphorus bomb was
all corroded and Jan threw it in the Old Rhine River.
We expected another Hiroshima effect,
but nothing happend. It just sank. Maybe it will
go off tomorrow. |
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Kerkhof Harmelen
 Willem's grandparents |
 Willem's parents |