Cohen, David, 1882-1967

Envelope 4/129 ; microfilm reel 056 ; Frames 1001 - 1002

1 newspaper clipping

David Cohen was a Jewish Dutch professor of ancient history and active in Jewish and Zionist affairs from early age. Following the German occupation of the Netherlands in May 1940, Cohen was among the sponsors of the Jewish Co-ordinating Committee set up in that year. During the occupation the Jewish Council was under severe attack from Jews and from Dutch government –in-exile for its policy of co-operation with the Germans. In 1943 Cohen was arrested with the other members of the Jewish Council and taken to concentration camps. When he returned to the Netherlands after the war, the Dutch government instituted judicial proceedings against him, charging him with collaborating with the enemy and he was imprisoned for a short time. He was judged also by the Jewish Community tribunal, and after being found guilty was barred from holding office in any Jewish institution -- (Holocaust Education & Archive Research Team).

David Cohen together with Alfred Wiener set up in Amsterdam the Jewish Central Information Office, collecting and disseminating information about events happening in Nazi Germany. The collection was transferred to london in 1939 and it was the basis of the "Wiener library" in London -- (Wikipedia)