![Dirk](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/Dirk.willems.rescue.ncs.jpg)
Dirk Willems (died 16 May 1569; also spelled Durk Willems) was a Dutch
martyred
A martyr (, ''mártys'', "witness", or , ''marturia'', stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an externa ...
Anabaptist
Anabaptism (from New Latin language, Neo-Latin , from the Greek language, Greek : 're-' and 'baptism', german: Täufer, earlier also )Since the middle of the 20th century, the German-speaking world no longer uses the term (translation: "Re- ...
who is most famous for escaping from prison but then turning back to rescue his pursuer—who had fallen through thin ice while chasing Willems—to then be recaptured, tortured and killed for his beliefs.
Life
Willems was born in
Asperen
Asperen is a small city in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It is a part of the municipality of West Betuwe, and lies about 10 km (6 miles) east of Gorinchem on the river Linge. It received city rights in 1313.
History
In Roman times Asper ...
,
Gelderland
Gelderland (), also known as Guelders () in English, is a province of the Netherlands, occupying the centre-east of the country. With a total area of of which is water, it is the largest province of the Netherlands by land area, and second by ...
, Netherlands. He was
rebaptized Rebaptism in Christianity is the baptism of a person who has previously been baptized, usually in association with a denomination that does not recognize the validity of the previous baptism. When a denomination rebaptizes members of another denomi ...
(Anabaptist) as a young man in
Rotterdam
Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Rotte'') is the second largest city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is in the province of South Holland, part of the North Sea mouth of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, via the ''"N ...
,
thus rejecting the
infant baptism
Infant baptism is the practice of baptising infants or young children. Infant baptism is also called christening by some faith traditions.
Most Christians belong to denominations that practice infant baptism. Branches of Christianity that ...
practiced at that time by both Catholics and
established Protestants in the Netherlands, which he would have received previously. This action, plus his continued devotion to his new faith and the baptism of several other people in his home, led to his condemnation by the
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
in the Netherlands and subsequent arrest in Asperen in 1569.
Willems was held in a residential palace turned into a prison, from which he escaped using a rope made out of knotted rags. Using this, he was able to climb out of the prison onto the frozen moat. A guard noticed his escape and gave chase. Willems was able to traverse the thin ice of a frozen pond, the ''Hondegat'', because of his lighter weight after subsisting on prison rations. However, the pursuing guard fell through the ice and yelled for help as he struggled in the icy water.
Willems turned back to save the life of his pursuer, and thus was recaptured. His erstwhile pursuer stated his desire to let Willems go, but the
burgomaster
Burgomaster (alternatively spelled burgermeister, literally "master of the town, master of the borough, master of the fortress, master of the citizens") is the English form of various terms in or derived from Germanic languages for the chief m ...
"reminded the pursuer of his oath", causing the pursuer to seize Willems.
Willems was thereafter held until he was condemned by a group of seven judges, who, quoting Willems' "persisting obstinately in his opinion", ordered that he be
burned at the stake
Death by burning (also known as immolation) is an execution and murder method involving combustion or exposure to extreme heat. It has a long history as a form of public capital punishment, and many societies have employed it as a punishment f ...
on 16 May 1569, as well as that all his property be confiscated "for the benefit of
his royal majesty
Imperial and Royal Majesty (abbreviation, abbreviated as HI&RM) was the style (manner of address), style used by King-Emperors and their consorts as heads of imperial dynasties that were simultaneously Royal family, royal. The style was notably us ...
". Willems was executed in Asperen, and with a strong eastward wind blowing that day, the fire was driven away from the condemned's upper body, thus prolonging his torturous death. It was reported that the wind carried his screams all the way to nearby
Leerdam
Leerdam () is a city and former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht.
The municipality was merged with the municipalities of Vianen and Zederik on 1 January 2019. The name of the new municipality is Vijfheerenlande ...
, where he was heard to have exclaimed things such as "O Lord; my God", etc., over seventy times. The
bailiff
A bailiff (from Middle English baillif, Old French ''baillis'', ''bail'' "custody") is a manager, overseer or custodian – a legal officer to whom some degree of authority or jurisdiction is given. Bailiffs are of various kinds and their offi ...
on horseback nearby was so saddened by Willems' suffering that he said to the executioner, "Dispatch the man with a quick death." Though it isn't known if the executioner obeyed this request, it is known that Willems eventually died there, "with great steadfastness", and "having commended his soul into the hands of God".
Legacy
Today, he is one of the most celebrated martyrs among
Anabaptist
Anabaptism (from New Latin language, Neo-Latin , from the Greek language, Greek : 're-' and 'baptism', german: Täufer, earlier also )Since the middle of the 20th century, the German-speaking world no longer uses the term (translation: "Re- ...
s, which includes
Mennonite
Mennonites are groups of Anabaptist Christian church communities of denominations. The name is derived from the founder of the movement, Menno Simons (1496–1561) of Friesland. Through his writings about Reformed Christianity during the Radic ...
s and
Amish
The Amish (; pdc, Amisch; german: link=no, Amische), formally the Old Order Amish, are a group of traditionalist Anabaptist Christian church fellowships with Swiss German and Alsatian origins. They are closely related to Mennonite churches ...
, as well as a
folk hero
A folk hero or national hero is a type of hero – real, fictional or mythological – with their name, personality and deeds embedded in the popular consciousness of a people, mentioned frequently in folk songs, folk tales and other folklore; an ...
among modern residents of Asperen.
A historical drama based on his life—''Dirk's Exodus''—was written in 1989 by James C. Juhnke. In 2018, a statue of Dirk Willems was unveiled at the
Mennonite Heritage Village
Mennonite Heritage Village is a museum in Steinbach, Manitoba, Canada telling the story of the Russian Mennonites in Canada. The museum contains both an open-air museum open seasonally, and indoor galleries open year-round. Opened in 1967 and ex ...
museum in
Steinbach, Manitoba
Steinbach () ( Plautdietsch: /ˈʃte̞nbah/ or /ˈʃte̞nbax/) is a city located about south-east of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Steinbach is the third-largest city in Manitoba, with a population of 17,806, and the largest community in the Eas ...
.
References
External links
''Martyrs Mirror'' entryDirk Willemsz (d. 1569)at
Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online
The Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online (GAMEO) is an online encyclopedia of topics relating to Mennonites and Anabaptism. The mission of the project is to provide free, reliable, English-language information on Anabaptist-related top ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Willems, Dirk
Year of birth unknown
1569 deaths
People from Lingewaal
16th-century Protestant martyrs
Dutch Anabaptists
Dutch Mennonites
Dutch Christian pacifists
Dutch escapees
Executed Dutch people
People executed by the Netherlands by burning
People executed for heresy