Trijntje Brolsma

Geslacht: Vrouw
Vader: Pieter Brolsma
Moeder: Gelfske Koning
Geboren: 19 Feb 1911 Groningen
Overleden: 28 Apr 1992 Ede
Religie: Ned. Hervormd
Aantekeningen: Last Name: Eck van
First Name: Trijntje
Maiden Name: Brolsma
Alias: TINE
Date of Birth: 19/02/1911
Date of death: 28/04/1992
Rescuer's fate: survived
Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS
Gender: Female
Place during the war: Ede, Gelderland, The Netherlands
Rescue Place: Ede, Gelderland, The Netherlands
Rescue mode: Hiding
File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/2233)
In the 1930s, Hubert van Eck, like many others, lost his job. After awhile, he found employment as a teacher in the Jewish Secondary School in Amsterdam. Until this time, he had had no contact with Jews and he soon developed a keen interest in the "Jewish problem." He was already an active member of the Socialist Party and during the occupation he joined the underground. Edith Strikovski (later Esther Yellin) was five years old when she was taken on the back of a bicycle to the home of Hubert and Tine (Trijntje) van Eck in Ede, Gelderland. The van Ecks had two daughters, six-month-old Hiltje and three-year-old Gelske, with whom Edith shared a room. "Mrs. van Eck told me that I was going to stay with them and that I could call them aunt and uncle or mom and dad," Esther later recalled in her testimony to Yad Vashem. Edith was not allowed to attend school and so Tine taught her at home. Tine was so thorough in her tutoring that Edith had no problem rejoining her peers after the war. Hubert and Tine's bedroom opened onto a balcony, the floor of which had been badly damaged. Thus, in case of emergency, someone could easily disappear through the balcony floor and into the garden and adjacent woods. The Germans often tried to catch Hubert, so he was usually away from home. Tine therefore took care of her household, which regularly included at least one Jew hiding there temporarily while a permanent shelter was being found. On one occasion, the Germans came to search the house and so Tine instantly woke up Edith and told her: "We are going to visit Aunt Anna." Edith knew the drill and quickly picked up a pre-packed parcel and followed Tine to another hideout where she remained until the danger had subsided. Another time, Edith was compelled to spend a few weeks with Hubert's parents in Hattem, Gelderland. One evening in 1943, there was a knock at the door. Hubert was not at home and so Tine opened it and was confronted by a small, unknown woman who declared that she was Edith's mother. Fearing that this was a trap, Tine hesitated before finally admitting the guest into the house and sheltering her for the night. Early the next morning, the unexpected visitor returned to the psychiatric clinic where she was hiding. She was one of only three survivors of that institute.
On February 18, 1982, Yad Vashem recognized Hubert Johannes van Eck and his wife, Tine van Eck-Brolsma, as Righteous Among the Nations.

Gezin 1

Huwelijkspartner: Hubert Johannes van Eck geb. 7 Apr 1905 overl. 24 Feb 1991
Huwelijk: 8 Juni 1938 Amsterdam