Tjeerd Radsma was born on 20 February 1772 in Harlingen, the son of Hermanus Radsma and Aafke Steffanij. He married Anna Dina Kniphorst on 11 August 1799 in Meppel. Following her death in 1805, Radsma remarried on 6 October 1808 in Leeuwarden to Doedtje Nieuwenhuis, who had previously been married to Heert Jans Kingma.
In 1812, Tjeerd Radsma was registered as a resident of Hempens, near Leeuwarden. He was the minister of Hempens and Teerns at the time. It is also noted that he had four children at that point. Three have been identified, all from his first marriage:
Johanna (Hempens, 1800 – Aalten, 1847)
Aafke (Hempens, 1801 – Aalten, 1824)
Anna Dina (Hempens, 1805 – Meppel, 1806)
To Aalten
In 1817, at the age of 45, Radsma moved to Aalten as a minister. Five years later, on 11 August 1822, he commemorated his 25th anniversary in the ministry. On this occasion, he delivered a sermon based on 2 Corinthians 5:9. The opening sentence of the sermon read: “Every individual’s life presents times and days that are more remarkable than others and to commemorate these – provided their multitude does not weaken the impression too much – can be very useful.”
Tjeerd Radsma passed away on 4 December 1839 in Aalten, at the age of 67. He was buried in the Old Cemetery on the Varsseveldsestraatweg. His gravestone is one of the oldest remaining funerary monuments there. Also interred in the same grave are his widow, Doedtje, who died in 1855, and her granddaughter, Maria Elizabeth Dodina Bianka Lans, who died in 1835 at the age of eight. Maria’s mother was Janke Kingma, a daughter of Doedtje from her first marriage.
Grave Tjeerd Radsma
Banns of marriage for Tjeerd Radsma & Anna Dina Kniphorst, 1799Death of Rev. Tjeerd Radsma, 4 December 1839
Pastor Christianus Franciscus Bonifatius van Rooijen (1876–1945) was a well-loved figure. He commanded great respect not only among his parishioners but also among the Jewish residents of Aalten. During his walks with his loyal German Shepherd, Frits, he would tip his hat and greet Jewish fellow citizens with a slight bow.
Bombing Raid
On the afternoon of Sunday, 28 January 1945, many people were gathered in the Roman Catholic Church for the Benediction (Lof). Suddenly, a number of ‘Jabos’ (Allied fighter-bombers) broke through the cloud cover and dropped their bomb load. On the Kemena, Admiraal de Ruijterstraat, and Stationsstraat, the damage was limited to property.
At the Roman Catholic Church, however, the consequences were more severe. One bomb fell in front of the church, and another struck the rectory. Panic ensued, and the blast pressure caused statues to fall from their niches and walls to collapse.
The churchgoers escaped unharmed, though they were covered in dust and many suffered bruises and abrasions. There was a massive bomb crater in front of the main entrance to the church. However, the bomb that had struck the rectory had more tragic consequences.
The pastor’s housekeeper, 57-year-old Johanna Maria Klein Rouweler, was severely injured and passed away a few days later in the emergency hospital in Harreveld. Pastor Van Rooijen also lost his life and was not discovered until hours later that night. His death touched the hearts of residents of all denominations, and his funeral at the Roman Catholic cemetery on Piet Heinstraat was attended by a great many people.
20th Anniversary of Priesthood
In 1936, Pastor Van Rooijen celebrated 20 years in the priesthood, and De Graafschapbode newspaper devoted an article to this anniversary:
“Tuesday, 8 December, will mark 20 years since the Reverend Pastor Van Rooijen was installed here as successor to Pastor Wubbels, who departed for Dalfsen. On this milestone in the pastoral life of Pastor Van Rooijen, we requested him to tell us a little about the past two decades. Although His Reverence did not consider 20 years an official milestone usually celebrated, he was kindly prepared to provide us with some information and to pose for our illustrator.
Pastor Van Rooijen was born on 13 February 1876 in Utrecht. After attending school there, he completed his studies at the Seminaries in Culemborg and Rijssenburg. His first post as curate was Oosterhout (Gelderland), a position he later exchanged for the Twente industrial centre of Enschede. From there, Curate Van Rooijen was installed as Parish Priest here on 8 December 1916.
Over the past 20 years, the jubilarian has experienced all the ups and downs—in recent years, especially many ‘downs’. He worked here alone until 23 August 1935. On that date, he received the assistance of Curate J. Snoeren.
When we speak of the ‘downs’, we know we have touched upon a subject very dear to His Reverence’s heart. It is well known, even among those of other faiths, that Pastor Van Rooijen personally does a great deal to alleviate the suffering of his parishioners, but also how indignant he often is when young people, who earn a decent wage, show so little willingness to contribute.
A well-known example is the daily provision of a free glass of milk to children at the Roman Catholic school who are in need. This milk distribution has been running for two years now and is undoubtedly of great benefit to the general health of the younger generation. The ‘Hulp in Nood’ (Help in Need) fund of the Roman Catholic Workers’ Association, to which members contribute a small weekly amount to assist one another in emergencies (childbirth, illness, etc.), is also an initiative of the jubilarian. In the previous financial year, 385 guilders were raised in this manner.
Pastor Van Rooijen was particularly satisfied with the house visits he and the curate have made over the past 14 days, with the twofold purpose of assessing the situation in various households and collecting donations for the provision of clothing, blankets, and, if possible, a Christmas gift for needy families. To date, these visits have already raised over 800 guilders—more than His Reverence had dared to hope. That this should be so successful precisely in this 20th year will undoubtedly bring the jubilarian great satisfaction.
We shall suffice by mentioning that in these 20 years, the Roman Catholic Church has received a hot-air heating system, and during this time, the fashion vocational school and various sports associations have flourished.”
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