Painting of a man in a fez done on pillowcase by Dutch Jew in hiding

Samuel Marcus Vreedenburg was born on April 14, 1904, in Amsterdam, Netherlands to Marcus and Sarah de Vries Vreedenburg. Samuel was a dentist and owned a successful private practice. In 1930, he married Marianne Vet. Marianne was born on May 11, 1903 in Amsterdam, to Joseph Vet and Henriette Emmering Vet. She worked as a graphologist for the Department of Justice. In 1933, they had a son, Max. In May 1940, Germany occupied the Netherlands and anti-Jewish legislation was quickly established. Samuel and Marianne had a Christian housekeeper, and soon it became illegal for Christians to work for Jews. In 1942, the housekeeper agreed to take Max to live with her at her brother’s house near the German border. In the summer of 1942, the German authorities began deporting Jews to concentration camps. In July, Samuel’s former assistant and her husband, Janny and Willem Blom, visited Samuel and Marianne’s home. The Bloms encouraged Samuel and Marianne to move into hiding in their home and gave them a copy of their house key. On July 14, a large round-up of Jews occurred in Samuel and Marianne’s neighborhood and they decided to move into Janny and Willem’s home. The Blom family lived in a suburb that was most easily reached via ferry. They rode their bikes to the ferry and removed their Star of David badges because there were many Germans on the boat. Their housekeeper later picked up their bikes so the neighbors would not be suspicious of the Bloms having two extra bikes. Marianne returned to her house the next day to see if the area was safe. There were many Germans policing the street and it took her seven hours to return to Janny and Willem’s home, as she stopped at friends’ houses when it seemed dangerous on the street. Willem removed the ceiling of a closet and created a 6x6 attic crawl space for Samuel and Marianne to hide in. Their only source of heat was a wooden contraption that held coals and kept their feet warm. Samuel and Marianne wore slippers at all times to avoid making noise. Samuel spent his time painting and Marianne studied graphology. Janny and Willem did not tell their three year old son, Hubert, about Samuel and Marianne hiding in the closet. Janny told him the closet was off limits because her mother’s furniture was there. Janny also locked Hubert in his room at night and told him that he walked in his sleep to allow Samuel and Marianne to go downstairs. During the day, Samuel and Marianne stayed in the guest room while Hubert attended nursing school. Hubert saw Marianne downstairs once, but Marianne told Hubert that she was there helping Janny clean and he did not question her story. Janny and Willem’s neighbors were used to walking into their home at any time, and Marianne once had to hide under the sink when neighbors unexpectedly entered the house. Willem became a captain in the Dutch underground army and was able to obtain ration cards for Samuel and Marianne with false identity papers. Janny shopped at two different stores to avoid suspicion that she was shopping for two extra people. In October 1944, Janny’s mother, Jeneken Steenhagen, moved in with the family to help Janny after the birth of their second son, Edgar. Janny told her mother about Samuel and Marianne, and she helped to keep the family hidden. Samuel and Marianne’s former housekeeper wrote letters to Janny to keep the family informed about Max. Willem also visited Max several times to see that he was safe. After it became too dangerous for Max to stay in the housekeeper’s brother’s home, he was sent to Jeneken’s cousin’s farm, and then to Jeneken’s former bookkeeper’s home in northern Holland. Marianne became very ill, but she refused to see a doctor for fear of being turned into the Germans. Janny persuaded her to allow a family friend, Dr. Schaeffner, to see her. He was the only other person, besides Jeneken, to know about the Samuel and Marianne hiding there during the war. In January 1945, Willem learned from the underground that Germans were planning to raid homes in Amsterdam. He hid in the attic crawl space with Samuel and Marianne because of his leadership role in the underground and to avoid being deported for forced labor. Three Germans entered the house; one went into the garage, another upstairs, and the third held Janny at gun point. Janny told the Germans that Willem was at the firehouse and after searching the house, they left. The Netherlands was liberated by the Canadian Army in May 1945. Samuel and Marianne returned to their apartment and found that it had been emptied of all its contents. Samuel learned that 82 relatives had perished during the Holocaust. Marianne lost 45 relatives; her sister, who lived in hiding in a Christian nursery school during the war, was her only relative that survived. Max returned to Amsterdam and Samuel reestablished his dental practice. In 1983, Janny and Willem were recognized as Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem. In January 1945, Willem learned from the underground that the Germans were planning to raid homes in Amsterdam. He hid in the attic crawl space with Samuel and Marianne because of his leadership role in the underground and to avoid being deported for forced labor. Three Germans entered the house; one went into the garage, another upstairs, and the third held Janny at gun point. Janny told the Germans that Willem was at the firehouse and after searching the house, they left. The Netherlands was liberated by the Canadian Army in May 1945. Samuel and Marianne returned to their apartment and found that it had been emptied of all its contents. Samuel learned that 82 relatives had perished during the Holocaust. Marianne lost 45 relatives; her sister, who lived in hiding in a Christian nursery school during the war, was her only relative that survived. Max returned to Amsterdam and Samuel reestablished his dental practice. In 1983, Janny and Willem were recognized as Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem.

Janny Gerritdina Steenhagen was born in Almelo, Netherlands, on October 16, 1915 to Derk Gerrit ten Brink and Jeneken Steenhagen. Her parents divorced when she was two years old and she lived with seventeen different foster parents growing up. She was raised a devout Protestant. She settled in Amsterdam, and worked as a dental assistant to Dr. Samuel Vreedenburg. In 1937, Janny married Willem Myndert Blom, a firefighter, born on January 26, 1914, in Amsterdam. In 1939, they had a son, Hubert. In May 1940, Germany occupied the Netherlands and the family gradually felt the changes brought by German control. Food was rationed and radios were confiscated, but they were able to keep a radio hidden. In the summer of 1942, the German authorities began deporting Jews to concentration camps. In July, Janny heard on the hidden radio that the Netherlands would be liberated by the fall. She believed that Samuel and his wife, Marianne, could hide in her house until then. Janny and Willem visited Samuel and Marianne’s home on the opposite side of the city and encouraged them to move into hiding in their home and gave them a copy of their house key. Samuel and Marianne had a nine year old son, Max, who they had sent to live with their Christian housekeeper at her brother’s home, near the German border. After a large round-up of Jews occurred in their neighborhood on July 14, Samuel and Marianne moved into Janny and Willem’s home. Willem removed the ceiling of a closet and created a 6x6 attic crawl space for Samuel and Marianne to hide in. Janny and Willem kept the Vreedenburgs a secret from Hubert and to avoid him discovering the family, Janny told him the closet was off limits because her mother’s furniture was there. Janny also locked Hubert in his room at night and told him that he walked in his sleep so that Samuel and Marianne could go downstairs. During the day, Samuel and Marianne stayed in the guest room while Hubert attended nursing school. Hubert saw Marianne downstairs once, but Marianne told Hubert that she was there helping Janny clean and he did not question her story. Willem became a captain in the Dutch underground army. He found homes for Jewish families in the countryside and instructed members of the underground how to operate weapons. He obtained ration cards for Samuel and Marianne with false identity papers. Janny shopped at two different stores to avoid suspicion that she was shopping for two extra people. In October 1944, Janny’s mother, Jeneken, moved in with the family to help Janny after the birth of their second son, Edgar. Janny told her mother about Samuel and Marianne, and she helped to keep the family hidden. Samuel and Marianne’s former housekeeper wrote letters to Janny to keep the family informed about Max. Willem also visited Max several times to see that he was safe. After it became too dangerous for Max to stay in the housekeeper’s brother’s home, he was sent to Jeneken’s cousin’s farm, and then to Jeneken’s former bookkeeper’s home in northern Holland. Marianne became very ill, but she refused to see a doctor for fear of being turned into the Germans. Janny persuaded her to allow a family friend, Dr. Schaeffner, to see her. He was the only other person, besides Jeneken, to know about the Vreedenburgs hiding there during the war. In September 1944, the Germans ceased all civilian transport in the Netherlands and the food shortages were extremely severe. Janny drained sugar beets and made pancakes from the pulp. Willem rode his bike around the countryside for miles with no tires in attempts to obtain more food. In January 1945, Willem learned from the underground that Germans were planning to raid homes in Amsterdam. He hid in the attic crawl space with Samuel and Marianne because of his leadership role in the underground and to avoid being deported for forced labor. Three Germans entered the house; one went into the garage, another upstairs, and the third held Janny at gun point. Janny told the Germans that Willem was at the firehouse and after searching the house, they left. The Netherlands was liberated by the Canadian Army in May 1945. The Blom family emigrated to the United States in 1954. They had a daughter in 1956. In 1983, Janny and Willem were recognized as Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem. Willem passed away, age 74, on November 5, 1988. Janny passed away, age 89, on January 25, 2005.

Willem Myndert Blom was born on January 26, 1914, in Amsterdam, Netherlands. He was raised a devout Protestant and was a firefighter. In 1937, he married Janny Gerritdina Steenhagen, who was born in Almelo, Netherlands, on October 16, 1915 to Derk Gerrit ten Brink and Jeneken Steenhagen. In 1939, they had a son, Hubert. In May 1940, Germany occupied the Netherlands and the family gradually felt the changes brought by German control. Food was rationed and radios were confiscated, but they were able to keep a radio hidden. In the summer of 1942, the German authorities began deporting Jews to concentration camps. In July, Janny heard on the hidden radio that the Netherlands would be liberated by the fall. She believed that her former employer, Dr. Samuel Vreedenburg and his wife, Marianne, could hide in her house until then. Janny and Willem visited Samuel and Marianne’s home on the opposite side of the city and encouraged them to move into hiding in their home and gave them a copy of their house key. Samuel and Marianne had a nine year old son, Max, who they had sent to live with their Christian housekeeper at her brother’s home, near the German border. After a large round-up of Jews occurred in their neighborhood on July 14, Samuel and Marianne moved into Janny and Willem’s home. Willem removed the ceiling of a closet and created a 6x6 attic crawl space for Samuel and Marianne to hide in. Janny and Willem kept the Vreedenburgs a secret from Hubert and to avoid him discovering the family, Janny told him the closet was off limits because her mother’s furniture was there. Janny also locked Hubert in his room at night and told him that he walked in his sleep to allow Samuel and Marianne to go downstairs. During the day, Samuel and Marianne stayed in the guest room while Hubert attended nursing school. Hubert saw Marianne downstairs once, but Marianne told Hubert that she was there helping Janny clean and he did not question her story. Willem became a captain in the Dutch underground army. He found homes for Jewish families in the countryside and instructed members of the underground how to operate weapons. He obtained ration cards for Samuel and Marianne with false identity papers. Janny shopped at two different stores to avoid suspicion that she was shopping for two extra people. In October 1944, Janny’s mother, Jeneken, moved in with the family to help Janny after the birth of their second son, Edgar. Janny told her mother about Samuel and Marianne, and she helped to keep the family hidden. Samuel and Marianne’s former housekeeper wrote letters to Janny to keep the family informed about Max. Willem also visited Max several times to see that he was safe. After it became too dangerous for Max to stay in the housekeeper’s brother’s home, he was sent to Jeneken’s cousin’s farm, and then to Jeneken’s former bookkeeper’s home in northern Holland. In September 1944, the Germans ceased all civilian transport in the Netherlands and the food shortages were extremely severe. Janny drained sugar beets and made pancakes from the pulp. Willem rode his bike around the countryside for miles with no tires in attempts to obtain more food. In January 1945, Willem learned from the underground that Germans were planning to raid homes in Amsterdam. He hid in the attic crawl space with Samuel and Marianne because of his leadership role in the underground and to avoid being deported for forced labor. Three Germans entered the house; one went into the garage, another upstairs, and the third held Janny at gun point. Janny told the Germans that Willem was at the firehouse and after searching the house, they left. The Netherlands was liberated by the Canadian Army in May 1945. The Blom family emigrated to the United States in 1954. They had a daughter in 1956. In 1983, Janny and Willem were recognized as Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem. Willem passed away, age 74, on November 5, 1988. Janny passed away, age 89, on January 25, 2005.

The painting was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2010 by Edgar and Sharon Blom, the son and daughter-in-law of Janny and Willem Blom.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Edgar and Sharon Blom

Funding Note: The cataloging of this artifact has been supported by a grant from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.