de Coster Jean-Baptiste

De Coster, Father Jean-Baptiste Father Jean-Baptiste de Coster was a member of the Jesuit Society (Compagnie de Jésus) and headed the College of Saint Jean Berchmans, in Brussels. At the request of the Benedykt Grynpas* network, he agreed to shelter large groups of Jews in his college. The hidden Jews ran their lives quite independently of the rest of the college. Among them were many young people who were allowed to take part in the classes held in the college thereby minimizing the damage to their education during the war years. He helped forge baptism certificates and other false papers, thereby safeguarding many Jews from deportation. Alexander Blinder and his wife were among the families helped by Father de Coster. On June 24, 1975, Yad Vashem recognized Father Jean-Baptiste de Coster as Righteous Among the Nations.