Willem Frederik Burlage
| Geslacht: | Man | |
| Vader: | Willem Frederik Burlage | |
| Moeder: | Elizabeth Frederika van Essen | |
| Geboren: | 6 OKT 1887 | Menado |
| Overleden: | 29 OKT 1972 | Oegstgeest |
| Beroep: | Oostindisch Ambtenaar | |
| Aantekeningen: | Last Name: Burlage First Name: Willie Date of Birth: 01/01/1887 Rescuer's fate: survived Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS Gender: Male Profession: PENSIONER Place during the war: Oegstgeest, Zuidholland, The Netherlands Rescue Place: Oegstgeest, Zuidholland, The Netherlands Rescue mode: Hiding File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/10102) Willie and Lous Burlage had settled in Oegstgeest (prov. South-Holland) with their two children, Frits, 15, and Lous, 9, before the outbreak of the war. Willie, then 55 years old, had taken retirement from a high government position after many years of service in the Dutch East Indies (today, Indonesia), and was home most of the time. Lous was a housewife. In October 1942, they were approached by their neighbors to hide three Jewish children from the Struch family. The Struchs were originally from Aachen, Germany, but had fled to Breda in the Netherlands after the Kristallnacht pogrom in November 1938. After father Struch was caught in July 1942, mother and three children fled to Leiden, to an earlier acquaintance, from where the children were taken to Willie and Lous Burlage through a chain of resistance workers. When asked, they were to be children of friends from the East Indies, who could not return to their parents because of the war. Thus, by the end of 1942, the Burlage family was taking care of Helga, 13, Bernd, 10, and Peter Struch, 7. The Burlages lived in a large semi-detached home, where the Struch children quickly integrated into their new family. From mid-May 1943, their son Frits became eligible for forced labor, and thus stayed indoors most of the time. The two younger Struch children were allowed outside from time to time. Helga, however, who had a darker complexion, was to stay indoors at all times. None of the children could go to school, and some tutoring in the home was arranged whenever possible. The five children in the expanded Burlage family kept each other company and read a lot. Down the street lived a known collaborator and a number of German soldiers billeted one of the neighboring houses. In spite of such increased danger, the Burlages decided to keep the Struch children in their care. Hiding areas were created in a closet, behind a double door, in case of house searches. In addition, a flight route via neighbors was arranged. From time to time, extra ration cards for food were supplied by local underground couriers, but the family still had a need for extra food. During the infamous Hungerwinter of 1944-1945, when the western parts of the Netherlands were left without electricity, gas but most of all without food supplies, it was Bernd Struchs task to get the allowed ration at the local soup kitchen, whenever possible. In addition, the Burlage parents went on treks to farmers to get extra food. The family often ate soup made from flower bulbs as their main meal. The three Struch children stayed with the Burlages until the liberation of the area in May 1945. When it became clear that their parents had perished, the children stayed on with the Burlages until the early fifties when the brothers went off to study and Helga immigrated to Israel, later followed by Bernd. All stayed in touch with their rescuers. On August 25, 2003, Yad Vashem recognized Willie Burlage and Lous Burlage-Nat, as Righteous Among the Nations. |
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Gezin 1
| Huwelijkspartner: | Louise Dirkje Nat | geb. 1 Sept 1901 |
| Huwelijk: | 15 MEI 1926 | Bandoeng |
Gezin 2
| Huwelijkspartner: | Maria van Lidth de Jeude | geb. 5 Sept 1886 overl. 27 Mei 1945 |
| Huwelijk: | 7 Apr 1914 | Alkmaar |
| Scheiding: | 15 Apr 1926 |