by Steven Dotsch*
On 17 July 1913, as a 24-year-old, Barend Vos married Rachel Kinsbergen (born 8 January 1886), in Amsterdam. Within a month they lived at Groenburgwal 20, in Amsterdam. Unfortunately, no photos remain of them as a pair.
Barend’s parents Aron Barend Vos and Anna Citroen, as well as his uncle Jacob Barend signed as his witnesses. For Rachel, her mother Sara de Jong as well her second husband Jozef Benjamin van Geldere and Rachel’s younger brother Jacques Kinsbergen signed. Rachel’s father Aron Kinsbergen had died in 1891. Whether Barend was still working in the diamond processing industry in 1913 is unknown. The only thing his “ANDB” membership card disclosed is that he had terminated his membership on October 31st, 1915, due to ‘long unemployment’. At some stage, Barend decided to change profession.
Firma Kinsbergen
With Rachel’s family involvement in the printing industry, it must have been one of the first places for Barend to consider. Printing “Firma” (company) Kinsbergen was founded in 1885, in Amsterdam, I assume by her father Aron Kinsbergen, who died six years later. He left four children, including one son: Jacques. Three years later, his widow Sara de Jong married Jozef Benjamin van Geldere. Unclear is who owned the business since. However, when his stepson Jacques reached the age of 25, in 1914, terms were agreed, regarding a partnership, between him and his stepfather Jozef van Geldere regarding the continuation of the various parts of Firma Kinsbergen. Barend was not part in this transaction. Likely, because he had no experience in the printing industry, nor had any funds to financially participate. At the end of 1914, a contract between Jacques Kinsbergen and Jozef van Geldere was drawn up, and some of the details were published on 31 December 1914:
“By a deed dated 28 December 1914, a partnership was entered into between Jozef Benjamin van Geldere and Jacques Kinsbergen, two merchants and residing in Amsterdam, under the name “Kinsbergen” the object of which is the continuation of the printing, stamping and engraving plant as it is currently carried out by Mr van Geldere for his own account. The company is established in Amsterdam. It was entered into for 9 years, starting January 1, 1915, and ending December 31, 1923, which duration is extended for a period of 5 years, …”
With the Kinsbergen printing businesses based in Amsterdam, the reason why Barend and Rachel moved to Haarlem remain unclear. Officially they were registered in Haarlem on June 3rd, 1915, residing at Zijlstraat 66. At the same address, Barend is described as a ‘Filiaalhouder stempelfabriek’ (branch holder of a [printing] stamp factory). This would indicate that he was operating as a sales agent for “Firma” Kinsbergen.
Kinsbergen agency
Having set up the sales office for Kinsbergen at home in Zijlstraat 66, Barend started an extensive advertising campaign in the Haarlems Dagblad offering Kinsbergen’s various printing and engraving services to the public and businesses. The first such advert was published on June 16th, 1915. Following which Barend advertised once almost every week in the newspaper, like this one on June 21st:
And this one, on September 20th, 1915:
During their time in Haarlem, Barend and Rachel, and the sales office moved once. Having moved, the familiar advert for a daygirl soon reappeared again in the Haarlems Dagblad, the last one on 29 January 1918. However, at the end of the year, they seemed to have decided to return to Amsterdam, at least temporarily. Barend’s sales activities on behalf of ‘Kinsbergen’ in Haarlem wound down and eventually discontinued some time, early 1919. There is no mention any more of the firm in Haarlem in 1919 or thereafter.
When exactly Barend and Rachel returned to Amsterdam, nor where they resided and for how long is unclear. No Amsterdam Municipal record indicates that they were registered in Amsterdam in 1919. However, wherever they were residing at the time, they did not intend to stay for long. Both had applied for a Dutch passport. Barend’s passport was issued on June 6th, 1919. Almost two months later they departed for Antwerp. On August 17th, 1919, Barend and Rachel were officially deregistered from the Haarlem Municipal persons register. The next 21 years Barend would live in Antwerp, returning occasionally to the Netherlands. The last time during the spring of 1940, a few weeks before the German invasion of the Netherlands.
And what about Firma Kinsbergen?
In December 1920, Firma Kinsbergen merged its various activities in Amsterdam and relocated within Amsterdam, basing itself in one location, as per the add, below:
Rachel’s brother, the mixed married Jacques Kinsbergen, survived the Second World war, whilst his business partner, his stepfather Joseph Benjamin van Geldere, was murdered following his deportation to extermination camp Sobibor on May 21st, 1943, aged 72.
After the end of the Second World war, Jacques, as the only surviving owner, reclaimed the business, which had been ‘Aryanised’ (expropriated) by the German occupying authorities. He re-launched it as a commercial printing business. Jacques Kinsbergen passed away on October 4th, 1964, in Amsterdam.
bron:
Steven Dotsch, Ordinary People in Extraordinary Times (unpublished publication)
Stadsarchief Amsterdam, wedding certificate, Amsterdam municipal marriages register
contract, Algemeen Handelsblad (Amsterdam, 31 december 1914) 8.
Algemeen Handelsblad”. Amsterdam (Amsterdam, 24 december 1920) 11.
Advertenties, Krantenviewer Noord-Hollands Archief, Haarlems Dagblad.
Benjamin van Geldere, https://www.joodsmonument.nl/nl/page/159653/joseph-benjamin-van-geldere.
Jacques Kinsbergen, Het Parool, “Familieberichten”v (Amsterdam, 6 oktober 1964) 4.
© Steven Dotsch, met vriendelijke toestemming voor publicatie op deze website d.d. 28 november 2024.
illustraties:
contract, Algemeen Handelsblad (Amsterdam, 31 december 1914) 8.
Algemeen Handelsblad”. Amsterdam (Amsterdam, 24 december 1920) 11.
Advertenties, Krantenviewer Noord-Hollands Archief, Haarlems Dagblad.
gepubliceerd:
27 november 2024
laatst bijgewerkt:
28 november 2024