Across the ringwater stands the Aat Breur-Hibmabrug. A simple bridge it may seem. Yet its story echoes with courage and resilience.
This unassuming concrete structure in Amsterdam Nieuw-West wasn’t always named for a hero. It was designed by Cornelis Johannes Henke. He created around 37 bridges for Amsterdam. Built in 1954-1955 the bridge is about 11 50 meters long. It’s a pedestrian and cyclist bridge approximately 3 60 meters wide. The bridge spans a ring canal. It connects the Frans Bastiaansestraat to the Krijn Breurstraat.
But the real story lies in its namesake Aat Breur-Hibma. This remarkable woman was a draftswoman and painter. During World War II she joined the Dutch resistance. She even forged identity cards. She and her husband Krijn hid Jewish people. They were betrayed and arrested in 1942. Krijn was executed in 1943.
Aat became a Nacht und Nebel prisoner in Ravensbrück concentration camp. Nacht und Nebel prisoners were subjected to the harshest regime. Aat initially endured grueling road construction. Her drawing skills saved her. She worked in the bookbindery creating birth announcements. She secretly used leftover paper. She created poignant pencil drawings. These drawings depicted her fellow prisoners.
These drawings were almost lost. Fellow prisoners hid them before the camp commander found them. They were later rescued. Her drawings and memoir I live because you remember powerfully depict her experience. The drawings reside in the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam.
After the war Aat remained silent about her ordeal for years. Her daughter Dunya Breur helped bring her mother’s story to light. Dunya published Aat’s drawings and stories. This created a historical document. It shows the gruesome life of Ravensbrück women’s concentration camp.
In 1998 Aat and her late husband were posthumously recognized as Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem. In 2022 Amsterdam renamed this bridge in her honour. It’s a small gesture. It’s a powerful recognition of a brave woman’s legacy. So next time you cross the Aat Breur-Hibmabrug remember Aat’s story. Remember her resilience. Remember her art. Remember her courage.