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from drowning at sea. Because of this incident, Dorus gained a reputation as a rescuer, which preceded his joining the NZHRM as a volunteer. On the basis of his reputation, he was granted the position of coxswain upon joining the NZHRM without having to prove his qualifications. His rank of coxswain
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During his nearly 30 years service with the NZHRM, Dorus saved hundreds of people from drowning at sea, becoming legendary long before his retirement. In the waters where he served, he saved such a large number of people with such effectiveness that the survival statistics increased dramatically. At
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in size and style. There was music, a big parade, thousands who came to pay their last respects including a large number of Marine
Officers, also high ranking government officials, among them representatives of the Ministry of the Navy. The grandeur of his funeral showed the great public esteem in
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There is a huge statue erected in honor of all the
Netherlands sea-rescuers, opened in 1935 and is sometimes mistakenly assumed to honour Dorus. However, a separate, smaller statue of Dorus was erected in 1939. One of the rescue boats of the KNRM still carries his name with pride.
578:. pp. 111–140. This book forms is volume 9 of the series: Helderse Historische Reeks. (Jan T. Bremer is a well-informed, serious author on especially historical/geographical matters about the Noordkop (the region around Den Helder in The Netherlands).
262:) while still a young man: he had married Neeltje Huisman, a fisherman's widow who already had six children. Shortly after the marriage, the oldest of Neeltje's daughters had a child of her own, and so at only 23 years old Dorus became known as "Opa" in
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Dorus gained most of his fame as a result of his service to the Noord- en Zuid-Hollandsche
Redding Maatschappij (NZHRM), one of the two main Dutch lifeboat-societies at the time. The NZHRM would later become the
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Although Dorus joined the NZHRM as a volunteer, he worked so many hours that it precluded him from taking on other paid work. Dorus and all of his crew members received a sum for each trial and each service.
359:. The Helden der Zee Fonds 'Dorus Rijkers' (Dorus Rijkers Fund for the Heroes of the Sea) was created after Dorus' plight and that of other retired life-savers were chronicled in 'Het Vaderland'.
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During an
October 1922 interview with Dr. L.A. Rademaker, editor of the Hague newspaper 'Het Vaderland', Dorus complained about his situation. He claimed that he had been forced to sell the gold
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which Dorus was held at the time. Dorus
Rijkers had become a national hero and was by far the most popular Dutchman of those years (according to a poll that surveyed many people in the
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where he lived. Although the nickname began as a joke, Dorus soon started acting and looking like a grandpa, and from that time on he became primarily known by his nickname.
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However his life-saving career began in 1872 before he joined the NZHRM, while acting as captain of his own boat. While at sea, he saved all 25 crew members of the
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A 1911 list showing Dorus most important between 1872 and 1911 rescues (including the Renown-rescue). Note that his full name, 'Theodorus', is used here.
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In April 1928, Dorus
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1, plus 6 adopted ones, of which some were so young, that they viewed him as their father
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Bremer, Jan. the chapter: "Dorus
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Dorus is generally acknowledged as one of the greatest rescuers of all time.
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In 1911, Dorus retired at age 64, after which he received only a very small
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the end of his career, although he remained active, his role became more
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Foundation "mrb Dorus
Rijkers" - historical information and photographs
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entitled him to immediately command his own boat and crew.
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Noord- en Zuid-Hollandsche
Redding Maatschappij (NZHRM)
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220:Dorus Rijkers saved the lives of over 500 people.
230:(27 January 1847 – 19 April 1928) was a famous
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277:Koninklijke Nederlandse Redding Maatschappij
583:Dorus Rijkers; De Heldersche Menschenredder
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106:Learn how and when to remove this message
679:National Savior's Museum - Dorus Rijkers
604:"Nationaal Reddingmuseum Dorus Rijkers"
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568:Roeiredders aan het Marsdiep 1824-1923
683:Marine Attraction Park - Cape Holland
191:Neeltje Huisman (widow of Jan Kuiper)
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355:of honour in order to buy himself a
44:adding citations to reliable sources
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392:Streets named after Dorus Rijkers
314:after rescuing sailors from the
310:In 1888, Dorus Rijkers met King
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31:needs additional citations for
312:William III of the Netherlands
208:Foundation "mrb Dorus Rijkers"
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270:Career as a lifeboat captain
250:Dorus received his nickname
306:Honored by King William III
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561:General and cited sources
228:Theodorus "Dorus" Rijkers
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122:Theodorus "Dorus" Rijkers
639:mrb Dorus Rijkers (1923)
628:mrb Dorus Rijkers (1923)
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753:Folklore of the Benelux
452:Theodorus Rijkersstraat
743:People from Den Helder
438:Capelle aan den IJssel
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681:(part of the website
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700:Website of the KNRM
551:Dorus Rijkersstraat
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407:Dorus Rijkersstraat
402:Alphen aan den Rijn
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376:during the 1920s).
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51:Find sources:
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29:This article
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659:. Retrieved
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180:Organisation
156:(1928-04-19)
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38:Please help
33:verification
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723:1928 deaths
718:1847 births
374:Netherlands
302:in nature.
246:'Opa' Dorus
728:Lifesaving
712:Categories
703:(in Dutch)
695:(in Dutch)
687:(in Dutch)
661:2007-04-25
614:2007-04-25
537:Middelburg
492:Genemuiden
465:Dinteloord
456:Den Helder
411:Amersfoort
340:Retirement
328:with him.
264:Den Helder
169:Occupation
162:Den Helder
144:Den Helder
66:newspapers
590:Citations
555:Terneuzen
501:Groningen
474:Dordrecht
447:The Hague
420:Amsterdam
287:Australia
240:folk hero
234:lifeboat
172:Lifeboat
546:Reeuwijk
300:symbolic
279:(KNRM).
196:Children
174:coxswain
357:bicycle
346:pension
318:barque
252:Grandpa
236:captain
204:Website
80:scholar
738:Rescue
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519:Leiden
510:Leiden
380:Legacy
321:Renown
316:German
284:barque
188:Spouse
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528:Lisse
429:Borne
363:Death
353:medal
256:Dutch
232:Dutch
214:Notes
87:JSTOR
73:books
572:ISBN
326:pipe
238:and
151:Died
137:Born
59:news
553:in
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260:Opa
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