Rients Bruinsma

Geslacht: Man
Vader: Watte Bruinsma
Moeder: Sybrigje de Vries
Geboren: 7 Jan 1912 Wymbritseradeel
Overleden: 8 Aug 1995
Aantekeningen: Last Name: Bruinsma
First Name: Rients
Rescuer's fate: survived
Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS
Gender: Male
Profession: FARMER
Place during the war: Abbega, Friesland, The Netherlands
Rescue Place: Abbega, Friesland, The Netherlands
Rescue mode: Hiding
File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/5906)
Eleven-year-old Daniel Polk was arrested in 1942 together with his brother and parents and detained in the Hollandsche Schouwburg in Amsterdam. Daniel and his brother later escaped from the crèche and it was decided that they should split up in order to improve their chances of survival. Daniel's brother was caught and deported to Westerbork. He ultimately perished. In October 1943, Daniel came across a priest who put him in touch with the Resistance. After finding shelter at various locations in Friesland, he was eventually brought to the house of Rients and Tjitske Bruinsma, who lived on a farm with their five children. Rients and Tjitske were also hiding a Jewish woman and four young Dutch men who were avoiding forced labor in Germany. Daniel was renamed Adriaan Beekman and the neighbors were told that he was a refugee from Rotterdam. After the liberation, Rients wanted the boy to stay with them but he also insisted on finding out if any of Daniel's relatives had survived. The Red Cross told Rients that two aunts had returned from the camps and Rients escorted Daniel to Amsterdam to see if he would be able to live with his relatives. The families remained in touch after 1945, and even after Daniel immigrated to Israel in 1949. Four of the five Bruinsma children visited him in Jerusalem and, in September 1993, Rients Bruinsma himself went to see Daniel in Israel.
On December 30, 1993, Yad Vashem recognized Rients Bruinsma and his wife, Tjitske Bruinsma, as Righteous Among the Nations.

Gezin 1

Huwelijkspartner: Tjitske Nauta geb. 10 Aug 1915 overl. 5 MRT 1972
Huwelijk: 1937 Wymbritseradeel