Gerritje van der Veen

Geslacht: Vrouw
Vader: Beerd van der Veen
Moeder: Betje van Olst
Geboren: 25 Juli 1899 Oldebroek
Aantekeningen: Last Name: Flier
First Name: Gerritje
Maiden Name: van der Veen
Date of Birth: 25/07/1899
Date of death: 07/03/1962
Rescuer's fate: survived
Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS
Religion: CHRISTIAN
Gender: Female
Profession: FARMERS WIFE
Place during the war: Oldebroek, Gelderland, The Netherlands
Rescue Place: Oldebroek, Gelderland, The Netherlands
Rescue mode: Hiding
File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/8399)
Meier Vieyra and his wife, Blanche (née Nabarro), a young couple, were living in Amsterdam when Meier was apprehended during the first major razzia in February 1941. He was sent to Mauthausen, where he was murdered soon afterwards. In October of that year, Blanche gave birth to their daughter, Rachel (Ella). In May 1943, when the situation of the Jews in Amsterdam became unbearable, Blanche and Ella joined Blanche's sister Annie Bromet, her husband, Jacques, and their two-year-old daughter, Bertha, who were hiding in Oldebroek, Gelderland. Since it became too crowded in the house, the two young children and Blanche moved to the Flier family, also in Oldebroek. Helmig and Gerritje Flier had five children aged one to 16. They lived on an isolated farm in the village and grew most of their own food. They were devout Christians and believed that helping Jews in their time of need was a religious and human duty, no matter what personal risks were involved. Before long, it became clear that having three children all around the same age in the same household was somewhat suspicious and so Bertha was relocated to the van Essen* family in Elburg. Blanche remained with the Fliers. The Fliers prepared three different hiding places around the farm for the fugitives---one in the back of the house, one in a haystack, and one in the pigsty. Every time the Fliers were warned about an imminent raid, Blanche slept in one of these places. After some time, an underground contact arranged a false identity card for Blanche in the name of Marie van Dorp. With this, she could receive monthly food rations. In the autumn of 1944, the Grüne Polizei entered the Fliers' home in search of Jews. They found no one. However, Blanche and her daughter were sent to friends from the village, until the searches were over. They then returned to the Flier family home and remained with them. From early 1945, Blanche and Ella were confined to a small room in the attic. Ella stayed with the Fliers until the area was liberated in April 1945. Throughout their time there, the Fliers shared everything with their wards---food, anxiety, and danger. After the war, Blanche's sister Annie returned from Bergen-Belsen and the Fliers took her in while she regained her strength. Blanche and Ella remained in touch with the Fliers afterwards.
On February 17, 1999, Yad Vashem recognized Helmig Flier and his wife, Gerritje Flier-van der Veen, as Righteous Among the Nations.

Gezin 1

Huwelijkspartner: Helmig Flier geb. 9 Apr 1878 overl. 4 Juli 1952
Huwelijk: 1927 Oldebroek ??