Breman Evert & Bertha (Peters)

Breman, Evert Jan & Bertha (Peters) Evert Breman, a blacksmith, and his wife, Bertha, lived in Oosterbeek, Gelderland, near Arnhem, and next door to Marie Berg*, who was hiding Izak de Vries of Delft. In summer 1944 and again after the beginning of the Battle of Arnhem in September of that year, Izak moved into the Bremans’ attic. This was hard for Izak, but the Bremans did everything to make his life more pleasant. Food was taken up to him during the day by their two daughters, Jeane and Roelie, but at night he joined the family downstairs for a little while, Evert providing him with home-grown tobacco. Evert and Bertha sheltered other Jews and even some British soldiers, who asked Izak, on the night of September 25, 1944, to show them where the withdrawal of Allied troops was taking place. Izak left the house with the soldiers, some of whom succeeded in crossing the Rhine River to the liberated part of the Netherlands. He survived the war and was later decorated by the British government for his help to their forces. On June 3, 1982, Yad Vashem recognized Evert Jan Breman and his wife, Bertha Breman-Peters, as Righteous Among the Nations.