received a Papal decoration
Johannes Josephus (“Jans”) Betting was born on 15 May 1871 at ‘house no. 139’ in Bredevoort, the son of Johannes Josephus Betting (a weaver) and Johanna Willemina Gördes. On 4 June 1903, he married Grada Hendrika Ubbink in Aalten. The couple went to live with her parents at ’t Zand. At that time, Jans worked as a ‘packer’ at H. van Eijck & Zoon in Bredevoort. Jans passed away on 28 January 1956 in Winterswijk.
A Life Devoted to Faith and Music
The Roman Catholic faith was a constant thread throughout Jans’ life. He was a deeply religious man: a faithful churchgoer, choir singer, and organist. He attended Mass every Sunday without ever missing a single service—even when he was ill.
From the age of fourteen, he sang in the men’s choir of the Roman Catholic church in Bredevoort. In addition, he served as the church organist for many decades. In the past, playing the organ required the use of bellows that were operated manually. This task was often performed by young boys who occasionally lost concentration… When the organ music faltered, Jans would whisper: “Keep treading, boys!”
Papal Decoration
In May 1949, Jans Betting received a Papal decoration. The Aaltensche Courant reported:
Last Sunday, our fellow townsman, Mr J. J. Betting, commemorated both his birthday and the fact that he has been permitted to play the organ in the Roman Catholic church here for 55 years.
Following the church service, a ceremony took place in „Ons Gebouw”. The „Wilskracht” wind band first performed a serenade for the jubilarian. Subsequently, the Reverend Father Pierik took the floor, expressing his heartfelt gratitude to Mr Betting for everything he has done for the parish in the field of music. The speaker said he was delighted to be able to present the high decoration Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice on behalf of His Holiness the Pope.
After a performance by a choir, the many attendees were given the opportunity to personally congratulate the jubilarian on his birthday.
Burglaries
After Jans’ death, the family kept the decoration in a safe. They cherished the valuable heirloom with a sense of fitting pride. Thirty or forty years later, three burglaries occurred. During one of these incidents, the safe was stolen, containing approximately ƒ1,500 and several securities. However, the family’s greatest sorrow was the loss of their grandfather’s Papal decoration.
Years later, a suspicious car was stopped during a check in the west of the country. The occupants confessed to several burglaries, including the one at the Betting residence in Bredevoort. They also admitted to having taken a safe and stated that they had thrown it into the Rhine from a bridge near Arnhem.
A diving team managed to recover the safe from the water. Although the money and papers were gone, grandfather Jans’ Papal decoration was, miraculously, still inside! The family was exceptionally overjoyed at the return of this precious treasure.
