Might it be reasonable to expect that during the Nazi era in Cadenberge, a persecuted Jewish man and his wife would receive genuine help and effective support?

Historical accounts and records from the period between 1933 and 1945 frequently recount stories of people who took great risks to provide Jewish children, women and men with food and with shelter, or to hide them. Clearly, however, it was only a small minority who possessed the necessary compassion and courage. In Cadenberge we would not necessarily have expected this; but there seems to have been an astonishing number of citizens who provided Arthur and Eugenie Samuel with significant assistance to ensure their survival.

After the revocation of his livestock trading license in November 1937, Arthur's income had deteriorated dramatically. The situation was tantamount to a ban on the couple’s business, and they were abruptly faced with the problem of instantly being unable to afford even the most essential provisions. Arthur Samuel was assigned forced labor at local construction companies and sawmills. His "earnings" there amounted to 100 Reichsmarks a month, which was not enough to live on. Eugenie was forced to undertake harsh labor-intensive work in fish processing in Cuxhaven to earn additional income; however, this supplementary income proved inadequate to meet their basic needs.

Support develops

In this difficult situation, there was secret support from citizens, and from businessmen from Cadenberge.
Contemporary witness Jonny Tiedemann (born 1925 in Steinau), with whom we were able to conduct an interview in October 2021, reported on one of these instances of assistance.

During his teenage years, Mr. Tiedemann worked as a delivery man for the Tönjes bakery from 1938 to 1939. Every week he delivered an order of bread rolls to the Samuels who, at that time, lived above the Vagst sawmill (in Wingst). Arthur Samuel was employed there for a time as an unskilled worker/forced laborer.

The bread roll deliveries were paid for by the couple. But every now and then the delivery included wrapped up packages, the contents of which Jonny Tiedemann was unaware of and for which there was no payment. There were no instructions or comments on these "extra packages" from the bakery. Jonny Tiedemann, however, suspected that the proprietors provided the Samuels with bread or other food items as a charitable contribution in these "free" parcels.

(Jonny Tiedemann unfortunately passed away in 2022. The complete text of our interview with him can be found in the Exhibits.)

There is additional information about other businessmen and persons who provided support. It is well known that Arthur Samuel often visited René Zahrte's general store in Langenstraße after work. He used the back entrance to collect the food, and after some time, he made his way home equipped with carriers and other bags. Similar assistance was provided by other business owners also located in Langenstraße.

In a separate eyewitness survey conducted by another party, additional supportive individuals were identified.

We have the impression that the living conditions of Arthur and Eugenie Samuel were recognized at the time and may still be remembered by several Cadenberge families. It would be interesting to discover whether great-grandparents, grandparents or parents have shared any insights regarding this matter. And, by means of conversations and interviews, this could facilitate the acquisition of additional details about assistance provided.

How great was the risk for people who provided help?

It is striking that the businessmen did not implement a particularly elaborate subterfuge when handing over food and providing the Samuel couple with supplies, but rather only a "simple camouflage" of their actions.

Were they frivolous, courageous or did they realistically assess the political situation?

If the Nazi mayor Klein, the police or the local group of the NSDAP in Cadenberge had been willing, or if a neighbor had reported this support, it would have been easy to identify all those involved and have them punished in line with the then current racist Nazi laws.

Presumably, however, at the time, the support of the Samuel couple by the local population was considered to be genuinely important. Consequently, it may have seemed too risky to the local Nazi leadership to intervene against it. It seems unlikely that the political leaders in a "governable" municipality like Cadenberge were not aware of the aid. It is more likely that it was merely tolerated.

Why did so many Cadenberge citizens so determinedly support Arthur and Eugenie without being asked?

After more than 80 years, it is not easy to identify and define the motives for this assistance. There are very few contemporary witnesses alive who might be available for interviews and only a handful of written records which relate to this subject.

Perhaps this short biographical consideration comes closer to an answer:

Arthur and Eugenie Samuel had lived and worked in Cadenberge for over 20 years, up to the point where they received crucial assistance. Through his business endeavors, Arthur had built up an extensive network of contacts with a large number of farmers, traders, merchants and citizens. His amicable disposition and equitable business practices were highly valued by all. In addition, he was interested in the community, was a member of the marksman club (1930 “Schützenkönig”) and supported the young people in Cadenberge. The Samuel couple warmly welcomed guests into their home and were excellent hosts.

This memorial plaque was affixed to the current pharmacy building as part of a private initiative. Since, as far as we know, the building was acquired in 1939 by the veterinarian Dr. Warnecke, it is reasonable to assume that Arthur and Eugenie resided there until that time.
(Photo: Private)

It is fair to say that Arthur and Eugenie were well-established members of the village community. Arthur's Jewish heritage was acknowledged and did not affect his acceptance in any way.

Apparently, such trusting relationships, founded on mutual respect, tend to be sustainable over extended periods and typically remain stable even during challenging times, such as when a new violent political system such as that of the Nazi regime is imposed.

In Cadenberge, humanity and civil courage prevailed.

Arthur and Eugenie belonged to Cadenberge and consequently received considerable support, which was in direct opposition to the objectives of the Nazi regime. This is the first answer to the central question: How was the Jewish Arthur Samuel able to survive the Nazi era in Cadenberge? Additional aspects will be covered in later chapters.