Berend Gustaaf Cohen, the fifth child of Hartog Cohen and Marianne Sitters, was born on 6 February 1907 in Leiden. He was educated at the craft and technical school as cabinet maker. He possessed his school diploma and diploma handicraft and since 15 May 1931 he was a teacher in crafts.
Berend was married on 11 May 1937 in Berchem (Antwerp-Belgium) to Jeannette Frieda Hirschel, a daughter of Jozef Hirschel and Emma Aptroot. On 2 October 1938 their first son Hartog Izak was born, followed by Jozef who was born 21 January 1941, both born in Apeldoorn.
Since 11 May 1931, Berend Gustaaf Cohen lived in Apeldoorn at the addres Bas Backerlaan 16. On 29 May 1937 he and his newly wed wife moved to Abrikozenweg 19 and on 30 June 1940 with his wife and two children to Deventerstraat 129 in Apeldoorn. He had a so-called “Sperre” because of function – an exemption from deportation – issued by the Jewish Council with ID nr. 45, and also his family was exempted from deportation for the time being.
The Cohen family was carried off to Westerbork on 22 January 1943 and accommodated in barrack 70; his wife Jeannete was in the last months of pregnancy of her third child. On 28 January the family was granted deferral of deportation till the birth of the child. Also was noted that “employment of Berend G. Cohen still was not possible”.
On 3 February 1943, a message was sent to the Salomon Cohen family in the Daltonstraat 31 in Amersfoort (brother of Berend), which read: Nachricht das Ruckstellung bis zur Geburt des Kindes. (postponement of deportation till childbirth). And on 11 April 1943 their daughter Marianne was born.
On 24 August 1943 the Cohen family was deported to Auschwitz where on arrival on 27 August 1943, Jeannette Frieda Cohen-Hirschel and her children Hartog Izak, Jozef and Marianne were immediately killed in the gas chambers of Auschwtiz-Birkenau.
However, Berend Gustaaf has been selected there as a slave labourer and he was sent to the Bunawerke in Monowitz, where he ended up several times in the camp hospital (Krankenbau). On 27 September 1943, again on 30 November till 4 December 1943 and the last time from 11 December till 23 December 1943. Unclear is whether he was there as a patient or as worker. In the end, Berend Gustaaf Cohen lost his life in the “Auschwitz region” on 24 January 1944.
Sourcea include the file cabinet of the Jewish Council, registration cards of Berend Gustaaf Cohen, Jeannette Frieda Cohen-Hirschel, Hartog Izak and Jozef Cohen and of Marianne Cohen; the archive of Middle Drenthe/ personal card of Berend Gustaaf Cohen and the birth certificate for Marianne Cohen, nr. 31 dated 13 April 1943 made out by the Municipality of Westerbork; additions of visitors of the website and the certificate of death nr. 105 of 1 February 1952 for Berend Gustaaf Cohen, made out in the Municipality of Apeldoorn by order of the Ministry of Justice,