Joke Polling

Geslacht:	Vrouw
Vader:	Roelof Polling
Moeder:	Hillechien Eggens
Geboren:	8 Sept 1918	Groningen
Aantekeningen:	Last Name: Blom First Name: Joke Maiden Name: Polling Rescuer's fate: survived Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS Gender: Female Organization/ Religious order: Vrij Nederland Place during the war: Zuilen, Utrecht, The Netherlands Rescue Place: Zuilen, Utrecht, The Netherlands Rescue mode: Hiding File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/5961) Sigmund Ichenhauser, a German Jewish refugee, was living under a false name in the summer of 1944, when the Jews of Holland had already been deported to the camps. Working in a small toy factory in Utrecht, Sigmund (later Reuben Eshel), or Henk Ponsioen as he was known, met Barend Blom, a young man of a similar age, with whom he became friendly. Barend Blom was a carpenter who lived with his wife, Joke, and their one-year-old child in Zuilen, north of Utrecht. In the late summer of 1944, Sigmund told Barend that he had been dismissed by the owner of the factory, thrown out of his home and had nowhere to live. Barend, who had previously suspected that Sigmund was a Jew, immediately offered him a hiding place with his family. Sigmund had no income to pay for his stay with the Bloms. In addition, when the factory owner heard that Barend was hiding Sigmund in his home, he gave Barend the choice of throwing out the fugitive or being fired. Barend chose the latter. The four of them had to survive with food coupons for only two people. Although Sigmund managed to get some money from a family connection, the main source of income was the Vrij Nederland Resistance group which provided 20 guilders a week for the Bloms and nine for Sigmund. With the onset of the hunger winter, Sigmund and Barend ventured out daily on their bicycles to find a cup of milk for the baby and some potatoes for themselves. As the food situation deteriorated even further, Sigmund decided to leave and look for work with a farmer. In January 1945, he traveled to Tienhoven, Utrecht, where he found a job on a farm, staying there until August 1945, when he immigrated to the Land of Israel. On December 30, 1993, Yad Vashem recognized Barend M.J. Blom and his wife, Joke Blom-Polling, as Righteous Among the Nations.

Gezin 1

Huwelijkspartner:	Barend Marinus Jan Blom	geb. 14 OKT 1917
Huwelijk:	4 MEI 1942	Groningen