Grietje Hoogstins

Geslacht:	Vrouw
Vader:	Sjoerd Eelkes Hoogstins
Moeder:	Antje Hermanus Eldering
Geboren:	20 Jan 1892	Garijp, Tietjerksteradeel
Overleden:	4 Nov 1969
Religie:		Ger. K.
Aantekeningen:	Last Name: Hiddema First Name: Grietje Maiden Name: Hoogstins Date of Birth: 20/01/1892 Date of death: 04/11/1969 Rescuer's fate: survived Nationality: THE NETHERLANDS Religion: CALVINIST Gender: Female Profession: farm manager Place during the war: Suameer, Friesland, The Netherlands Rescue Place: Suameer, Friesland, The Netherlands Rescue mode: Hiding File number: File from the Collection of the Righteous Among the Nations Department (M.31.2/11173) Jan and Grietje Hiddema were farmers, living on the edge of the small village of Suameer (prov. Friesland) with their seven children. The family was strictly Calvinist and active members of the local congregation. In the course of 1943, the Hiddemas were approached by their minister, asking if they would be willing to hide a Jewish boy in their home. The boy had been in hiding elsewhere, but had to leave suddenly and needed a new address. Following their religious belief that a fellow man in dire need has to be helped, they agreed to do so. Thus, Moshe Noot (later, Ben Zwi), born on December 22, 1932 in the town of Kampen (prov. Overijssel), was taken to their farm under the name Flip van Dam. Moshe’s father had already been arrested and deported in 1941; his mother, with two other children, tried to find hiding addresses. Eleven-year-old Moshe had a dark complexion, which was unusual for the area. He thus had to stay out of sight as much as possible, being allowed only to move around the farm. Also going to school would have been too dangerous. Just in case someone would ask about him, the Hiddemas said that the boy was sent to them from the western part of the country where there was famine. Moshe adapted soon to farm life and felt as one of the Hiddema children, some of whom were around his age. Like them, he also helped out on the farm where needed. Even though the Hiddema farm was located at the edge of the village, German soldiers were nearby. They built a shooting range close to the farm and soldiers came to the farm unexpectedly on many occasions. Thus, the Hiddemas and Moshe had to be alert at all times, and in cases of unexpected ‘visits’, Moshe had to run into a hiding area or immediately move away by boat along the waters around the farm and hide in the rushes. Moshe stayed with the Hiddemas until the liberation of the area in April 1945. Only then did Moshe see that some young men had also been in hiding on the farm in order to avoid compulsory labor in Germany. It turned out that Moshe’s mother and siblings had been betrayed in their hiding addresses and deported. The Hiddemas immediately suggested that he stay on with them. Yet, after some time, a friend of his parents located the boy. A difficult separation followed, involving the Hiddemas’ minister, who convinced them that Jewish children had to grow up in a Jewish environment. Moshe went to live with the new family and immigrated with them to Israel, taking the last name, Ben Zwi. He stayed in touch with the Hiddemas and then with their children after the parents deaths. On October 28, 2007, Yad Vashem recognized Jan Hiddema and Grietje Hiddema-Hoogstins as Righteous Among the Nations.

Gezin 1

Huwelijkspartner:	Jan Hiddema	geb. 22 MRT 1895 overl. 13 Nov 1960
Huwelijk:	12 MEI 1921	Tietjerksteradeel
Kinderen:
	Tjeerd Hiddema	geb. 10 Nov 1931 overl. 21 Feb 1946
	Hermanus Hiddema	geb. 10 Juli 1933 overl. 8 Apr 1935