Introduction
Hartog Cohen was arrested on 9 October 1941, 51 years old. Being a Jew and as a political opponent of the German national socialism he was deported to the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria, together with six Jewish fellow citizens: Louis Samuel Koppel, Eduard Cohen, Leo Philips, Leon Philips, Marcus Turksma, and Adolf de Winter. He died by exhaustion, only 12 days later. Those seven persons were the first ones of more than 450 Jewish inhabitants of the town of Zutphen in the Netherlands that disappeared in the camps, and were never to return.
Personal information
Hartog Cohen was a quiet person. As a father and husband he was a sweet man. Besides he could be severe when it was needed. His profession was merchant in waste, together with his companion Gerson Vromen, in Zutphen. The people’s neighbourhood ‘De Polsbroek’, where Hartog lived at number 79A, was an area of poor people. He had an eye for the circumstances of those people and helped them, supporting them in a material way.
Hartog respected the Sabbath. Being married to a non-Jewish wife he was retracted from Friday till Saturday late afternoon, always igniting two candles. The Soccer club Z.V.V. Zutphania was his favorite club. It was said that he never missed a home match.
You could hear him humming or whistling the melody Serenade of Toselli. He loved light classical music. Further on he enjoyed radio artists like Lou Bandy, Bob Scholte, Willy Derby and Louis Davids.
Family tree
Children
Hartog Cohen married Arnolda Maria Wouters on 10 November 1915 in his place of residence Zutphen. They had seven children, all born in Zutphen too: Salomon (30-03-1916), Maria Petronella (13-06-1919), Johannes Cornelis (29-09-1923), Jacob (13-02-1926), Johanna Mathilda (06-07-1930), Betje (14-09-1932), and Herman (24-11-1936).
Parents
Hartog Cohen’s father was Salomon Cohen, born in Zutphen on 20 November 1843. The latter died in 1915. His mother was Betje Leraar, also born in Zutphen on 14 January 1848. She passed away in 1921. Hartog’s sisters were: Rachel, Sara, Lena, and Mina. His brothers: Lazarus, Isak and Elias.
Grandparents
Hartog Cohen’s grandfather was Lazarus Eliezer Cohen, born in Germany (Frankfurt) on 24 June 1792, and the latter died in 1865. His grandmother was Rachel Levij-Schlosser, born in Germany (Ahaus-Munster) on 9 December 1813. She died in 1864. Both were buried in Zutphen, at the Jewish Cemetery. On the tombstone (matsieva) there is an image of the sacred hands of the priest gender. Their daughters were: Alida, Mina, Saartje, and Lea. And their sons: Salomon and Sholomo.
Final word from Hartog Kerkdijk
I received the personal information written above from my mother, Maria Petronella Cohen, second child of Hartog and Arnolda. In de decades after World War Two I felt the sadness of the children about the loss of their father, my grandfather. Over the years the family shared this loss with each other. As a grandson I didn’t have the opportunity to get to known Hartog Cohen. But he is still alive in my heart. I have recorded this after having visited the Mauthausen Memorial in August 2017. I am grateful to Mrs. Teres Stockinger for all her information. And many thanks to André Beltman for styling the text.
Hartog Kerkdijk
Zuphen, 30 October 2017
