Preservation of the grave site

In June 2001, the then local heritage curator Erich Müller sent a letter to the council of the municipality of Cadenberge informing them that the church council had indicated that the grave of the Samuel couple in the local cemetery would have to be abandoned (i.e. levelled) as, after 30 years of occupancy there had been no application for an extension. The local heritage curator reminded the council meeting of the special circumstances that enabled Arthur Samuel, a Jewish individual, to survive the Nazi era in Cadenberge. His message continued: "In view of this situation, it would in my opinion be appropriate, at a minimum, to aim to preserve the gravestone as a reminder of this remarkable history and potentially move it to the Wingster Jewish cemetery".

The council members expressed their support for the preservation proposal. And so, we owe it to the initiative of the local historian at the time that the gravestone of Arthur and Eugenie Samuel can still be visited today in the cemetery in Cadenberge. (Via the path from the entrance/chapel through the cemetery gate only a few meters to the left of the main path.)

A transfer to the Jewish cemetery on Alter Postweg in Wingst-Kiebitzmoor, where there are 26 gravestones, obviously did not occur. The last burial in this cemetery was in 1926.

The grave of the Samuel couple remains preserved to this day in the Cadenberge cemetery located on the Stader Straße/B73.
(Photo: Private)

Remembering the two-time Schützenkönig

Arthur Samuel's civic spirit, his involvement with the community and especially with various associations, showed his exceptional connection to Cadenberge. Early on, he became a member of the "Schützenverein Cadenberge von 1787 e.V.". The minutes of a board meeting held in July 1929 name him as a member of the purchasing commission for the Schützenfest that same year.

Arthur was twice given the honor of being proclaimed Cadenberge Schützenkönig. He was thus acclaimed in 1930 and again in 1961. The plaques of honor struck for these occasions are still on display in a showcase in the hall of the Schützenverein which is located in the manor park.

Commemorative plaque at Bahnhofstraße 2

In March 2021, a memorial panel was placed on the former residence cum commercial building of the Samuel couple at Bahnhofstraße 2. (We reported on this in Chapter 6 – Citizens of Cadenberge help Arthur and Eugenie.) This private action was initiated by Dr. Rolf Geffken in consultation with the owner of the Kronen pharmacy located in this building.

Our viewpoint is that the house at Bahnhofstraße 2 was likely inhabited by the Samuel couple until its sale in 1938. After the Nazis took power, Arthur Samuel was initially able to continue his work as a cattle dealer, but the interference and harassment by the regime steadily intensified until his license was finally officially revoked in 1937. Arthur was then pressed into forced labor in road construction and additionally in a sawmill. Eugenie was forced to do heavy work in the Cuxhaven fishing industry.
We have not discovered any information or come across any clues regarding a planned Gestapo action for Arthur’s arrest and deportation, neither in official statements nor in the biographical accounts of Arthur and Eugenie Samuel.

On the other hand, there is extensive evidence of the substantial assistance and solidarity that the couple received from many Cadenberge citizens.

Osterstraße Residential Building

The final shared residence of the Samuel couple at Osterstraße 3 (formerly Ostermoor 32) remains intact today, having undergone only minimal renovations in recent years.

Arthur-Samuel-Straße

After correspondence and discussions with the mayor and the municipal director of Cadenberge, which also involved Henry Irwig (Arthur Samuel's great-nephew in Boston, USA), it was made known that an Arthur Samuel Street would be included in the naming plan for the next development area.

Cooperation with the school ‘Schule am Dobrock’

An initiative to collaborate with ninth-grade students and their teachers on the topic " Auf den Spuren von Arthur und Eugenie Samuel" was put in place for the 2023 academic year. The specific aim of this was to engage more young people in commemoration activities and provide additional impetus to educational efforts addressing anti-Semitism and racism. Texts, photos or films resulting from this initiative could be included on our website to encourage further engagement by all concerned.

Supporters of commemorative work

From its very beginning, the project of searching for traces has relied on the assistance of various institutions and individuals. We have compiled, under the heading THANKS, a list of those who in a variety of ways provided valuable support during the months of research and text work. To all of them: Thank you!

Gravestones at the Jewish cemetery in Cadenberge/Wingst-Kiebitzmoor, Am alten Postweg, which was in use until 1926.
(Photo: Private)