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Henri Max Corwin (Cohen)
Encyclopedia
Henri Max Corwin was a Dutch
businessman, philatelist
and humanitarian
. He became famous both for his efforts to shield Jewish victims of Nazi persecution during World War II
, and later for his efforts to document instruments of propaganda utilized during national conflict.
at Leiden University
, but soon had to return to Oldenzaal to run the family business when his father suffered health problems.
As a youth Cohen had two abiding pastimes, stamp collecting
and the theater. He wrote plays, directed plays and acted in plays.
When the persecution of Jewish people in Germany became apparent in the years before the outbreak of WW2, he began escorting people from that nation to safe havens in the Netherlands. He was often assisted in these trips by his fianceé Geraldine.
Soon after the start of WW2, his nation was invaded and occupied by German troops. At that time he became active in providing hiding places for people who would be arrested and deported under the German antisemitism policies. For this effort, he was arrested on 16 October 1943 by 2 Dutch members of the Sicherheitsdienst
, on the charge of providing "safe houses". He was sentenced to imprisonment at Assen
, but while being transported there, he managed to jump from the train and escaped. He remained in hiding until the war ended, after which he returned to Oldenzaal and resumed managing his family's affairs.
During the Cold War
fears of the 1950s he noted a renewed antisemitism in Europe. He saw many of the Dutch Jews moving to safe areas (usually America
), and considered moving his family away also. In the end he decided to remain in the Netherlands, but changed his name (and thus the family's name) from Cohen to Corwin, hoping that this would buy them a margin of safety if anti-Jewish persecution did resume.
Henri died in January 1962, at the age of 58. A street in Oldenzaal was named in his honor.
became unbearable, he acted as a courier
for the Jewish Refugee Committee in Amsterdam
, taking refugees or their belongings across the Dutch border. For this he was granted membership in the U.N.A.P.E.F. (Union Nationale des Passeurs & Filieristes Benevoles). A letter from Albert Einstein
confirms these activities (a copy is shown on the site). When in 1940 the Germans occupied the Netherlands and began arresting Jewish citizens, Cohen organized (in cooperation with the Resistance
) hiding places for family and friends. This illegal activity led to his arrest by the SD (the Sicherheits Dienst) in 1943. On the way to prison he managed to escape and went into hiding himself until the end of the war.
In the early fifties, when Russian politics threatened European peace, many Dutch Jews fled the country. Mr. Cohen thought best to protect his family by changing his name in Corwin, a name several of his family living in the States already had adopted.
region. The results of this research can be found in the Central Institute for Genealogy in The Hague
, in the Rosentaliana Library and the Jewish Historical Museum in Amsterdam, in periodicals, newspapers and the Yearbook Twente 1962. In 1960 he received the Order of Oranje Nassau.
Corwin died of heart failure at the age of 58 in January 1962. In Oldenzaal a street is named after him.
Detailed information with regard to the collection of H.M. Corwin and his interesting life, including his war diary, photo albums, press articles and more can be found on the personal site, created by his daughters in 2008. A book about his life will appear in 2009.
". This war collection contains 24 albums on various aspects of the period from approximately 1900 until 1945, including the rise of nationalism, the 1936 Olympic Games
, Nazi occupation of various countries, anti-Semitic measures and the massacre of the Jews
. The collection was exhibited in 1959/1964 in the Netherlands and in Israel
at the Yad Vashem
and at the Kibbutz
Lohamei Hagethaot.
These red pages are in no way related to one specific country or ideology, although on first glance it is very easy to recognize in them the signs of national-socialist Germany or communist Russia. In reality, propaganda has many colours and shades: red, brown, orange, green, blue, and not to mention black and even white. Its main aim is to manipulate the minds of the masses. It uses rhetoric, memorable images (books, children...), concepts that are difficult to argue against (fidelity, honesty, kindness, brotherhood...), the notion of a common destiny and of the ultimate goal, and most importantly a charismatic leader who is capable of enticing, stupefying and getting the people to follow him.
The six pages of comparative analysis presented here are only a small, yet nevertheless the most demonstrative example of the documents that constitute this unique collection. They are the concise guide to the methods of propaganda – the recipe for the poisonous potion commonly known as Propaganda. You will find here all the necessary ingredients: the need for order and stability, democracy and demonstration of the “will of the people”, power and greatness, history (the older the better, and it must always be legendary), most definitely a book (though of course, there is only one book- The Book!), and let us not forget the heroes, the martyrs and the spiteful enemies.
Unfortunately, the majority of the documents and facts presented in this collection are not so easy to identify. In this lies their main strength as propaganda items and also their greatest danger, the danger of which the creator of this collection – Henri-Max Corwin – wanted to warn future generations. When studying the documents within this collection, it is crucial to always remember the terrible lessons of history, the price one must pay for gullibility and for the reluctance to analyse and think.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
businessman, philatelist
Philately
Philately is the study of stamps and postal history and other related items. Philately involves more than just stamp collecting, which does not necessarily involve the study of stamps. It is possible to be a philatelist without owning any stamps...
and humanitarian
Humanitarianism
In its most general form, humanitarianism is an ethic of kindness, benevolence and sympathy extended universally and impartially to all human beings. Humanitarianism has been an evolving concept historically but universality is a common element in its evolution...
. He became famous both for his efforts to shield Jewish victims of Nazi persecution during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and later for his efforts to document instruments of propaganda utilized during national conflict.
Biography
Henri Max Cohen was born in 1903, the youngest of four children, in the eastern Netherlands village of Oldenzaal, where his family had lived since at least 1770. After completing secondary schooling Cohen entered the study of LawLawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
at Leiden University
Leiden University
Leiden University , located in the city of Leiden, is the oldest university in the Netherlands. The university was founded in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, leader of the Dutch Revolt in the Eighty Years' War. The royal Dutch House of Orange-Nassau and Leiden University still have a close...
, but soon had to return to Oldenzaal to run the family business when his father suffered health problems.
As a youth Cohen had two abiding pastimes, stamp collecting
Stamp collecting
Stamp collecting is the collecting of postage stamps and related objects. It is one of the world's most popular hobbies, with the number of collectors in the United States alone estimated to be over 20 million.- Collecting :...
and the theater. He wrote plays, directed plays and acted in plays.
When the persecution of Jewish people in Germany became apparent in the years before the outbreak of WW2, he began escorting people from that nation to safe havens in the Netherlands. He was often assisted in these trips by his fianceé Geraldine.
Soon after the start of WW2, his nation was invaded and occupied by German troops. At that time he became active in providing hiding places for people who would be arrested and deported under the German antisemitism policies. For this effort, he was arrested on 16 October 1943 by 2 Dutch members of the Sicherheitsdienst
Sicherheitsdienst
Sicherheitsdienst , full title Sicherheitsdienst des Reichsführers-SS, or SD, was the intelligence agency of the SS and the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany. The organization was the first Nazi Party intelligence organization to be established and was often considered a "sister organization" with the...
, on the charge of providing "safe houses". He was sentenced to imprisonment at Assen
Assen
Assen is a municipality and a city in the north eastern Netherlands, capital of the province of Drenthe. It received city rights in 1809. Assen's main claim to fame is the TT Circuit Assen the motorcycle racing circuit, where on the last Saturday in June the Dutch TT is run...
, but while being transported there, he managed to jump from the train and escaped. He remained in hiding until the war ended, after which he returned to Oldenzaal and resumed managing his family's affairs.
During the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
fears of the 1950s he noted a renewed antisemitism in Europe. He saw many of the Dutch Jews moving to safe areas (usually America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
), and considered moving his family away also. In the end he decided to remain in the Netherlands, but changed his name (and thus the family's name) from Cohen to Corwin, hoping that this would buy them a margin of safety if anti-Jewish persecution did resume.
Henri died in January 1962, at the age of 58. A street in Oldenzaal was named in his honor.
Humanitarian efforts
In the 1930s when the situation for the Jews in GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
became unbearable, he acted as a courier
Courier
A courier is a person or a company who delivers messages, packages, and mail. Couriers are distinguished from ordinary mail services by features such as speed, security, tracking, signature, specialization and individualization of express services, and swift delivery times, which are optional for...
for the Jewish Refugee Committee in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, taking refugees or their belongings across the Dutch border. For this he was granted membership in the U.N.A.P.E.F. (Union Nationale des Passeurs & Filieristes Benevoles). A letter from Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history...
confirms these activities (a copy is shown on the site). When in 1940 the Germans occupied the Netherlands and began arresting Jewish citizens, Cohen organized (in cooperation with the Resistance
Resistance during World War II
Resistance movements during World War II occurred in every occupied country by a variety of means, ranging from non-cooperation, disinformation and propaganda to hiding crashed pilots and even to outright warfare and the recapturing of towns...
) hiding places for family and friends. This illegal activity led to his arrest by the SD (the Sicherheits Dienst) in 1943. On the way to prison he managed to escape and went into hiding himself until the end of the war.
In the early fifties, when Russian politics threatened European peace, many Dutch Jews fled the country. Mr. Cohen thought best to protect his family by changing his name in Corwin, a name several of his family living in the States already had adopted.
Genealogy efforts
In his later years Corwin became an enthusiastic historian and genealogist. He tracked down family trees of Jewish families and gave lectures on the ups and downs of the Jewish population in the TwenteTwente
Twente is a non-administrative region in the eastern Netherlands. It encompasses the most urbanised and easternmost part of the province of Overijssel...
region. The results of this research can be found in the Central Institute for Genealogy in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, in the Rosentaliana Library and the Jewish Historical Museum in Amsterdam, in periodicals, newspapers and the Yearbook Twente 1962. In 1960 he received the Order of Oranje Nassau.
Corwin died of heart failure at the age of 58 in January 1962. In Oldenzaal a street is named after him.
Detailed information with regard to the collection of H.M. Corwin and his interesting life, including his war diary, photo albums, press articles and more can be found on the personal site, created by his daughters in 2008. A book about his life will appear in 2009.
Collection of documents
Corwin assembled a unique collection of documents regarding the Second World War and the Holocaust. Most of the collected items can be categorized under the title of "propagandaPropaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
". This war collection contains 24 albums on various aspects of the period from approximately 1900 until 1945, including the rise of nationalism, the 1936 Olympic Games
1936 Summer Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. Berlin won the bid to host the Games over Barcelona, Spain on April 26, 1931, at the 29th IOC Session in Barcelona...
, Nazi occupation of various countries, anti-Semitic measures and the massacre of the Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
. The collection was exhibited in 1959/1964 in the Netherlands and in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
at the Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem is Israel's official memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, established in 1953 through the Yad Vashem Law passed by the Knesset, Israel's parliament....
and at the Kibbutz
Kibbutz
A kibbutz is a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economic branches, including industrial plants and high-tech enterprises. Kibbutzim began as utopian communities, a combination of socialism and Zionism...
Lohamei Hagethaot.
The Color of Propaganda
The six pages of comparative analysis presented here are only a small, yet nevertheless the most demonstrative example of the documents that constitute this unique collection. They are the concise guide to the methods of propaganda – the recipe for the poisonous potion commonly known as Propaganda. You will find here all the necessary ingredients: the need for order and stability, democracy and demonstration of the “will of the people”, power and greatness, history (the older the better, and it must always be legendary), most definitely a book (though of course, there is only one book- The Book!), and let us not forget the heroes, the martyrs and the spiteful enemies.
Unfortunately, the majority of the documents and facts presented in this collection are not so easy to identify. In this lies their main strength as propaganda items and also their greatest danger, the danger of which the creator of this collection – Henri-Max Corwin – wanted to warn future generations. When studying the documents within this collection, it is crucial to always remember the terrible lessons of history, the price one must pay for gullibility and for the reluctance to analyse and think.