On November 7, 2020, the regional television magazine "Hallo Niedersachsen" of the Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) featured a report by editor Christina von Sass. The report covered the story of Arthur Samuel, a Jewish individual who, together with his wife Eugenie, managed to survive the Nazi era in Cadenberge, a small town not far from Cuxhaven. Shortly thereafter, the regional daily newspaper "Niederelbe Zeitung" published initial research conducted by the Zimmeck brothers who, as youngsters, had known Arthur as their neighbor in the 1960s.

A little more than half a year later, in an almost unbelievable coincidence, Arthur Samuel's great-nephew Henry Irwig stumbled upon an English translation of the NDR manuscript during a casual online search. In Boston, USA.

Astounded and delighted by the fact that almost 6000 kilometers away, in Germany, a relative of his had become the focus of reflections on the struggle for survival in the Nazi era, Henry turned to the NDR. And things moved quickly from there. The resulting interaction between Dietmar, Rüdiger and Henry was seamless.

After just a few emails and Zoom conferences, the three elderly gentlemen had decided:

Let’s jointly go search for traces!

The results are summarized on this website.

Henry Irwig

Born in 1943 in Johannesburg, South Africa, Henry moved to the USA and in 1980 settled in Boston with his wife and two children. In South Africa, he trained as an architect and in the summer of 1964, during a practicum year in Europe, he visited his great-uncle Arthur Samuel in Cadenberge.

Advanced studies after graduation, completed while working as an architect, led Henry into academia, most recently at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Here he taught and conducted research in the fields of construction management and real estate development. Thus prompted, he transitioned to an integrated Boston real estate company, Beacon, where he has been involved in a wide range of the firm's activities since 1985. Now retired, he continues to be consulted by the firm as well as by several of his former students who now run their own businesses.

Henry enjoys a wide array of interests, ranging from urban design to classic cars, from woodworking to traveling, and especially spending time with his family in Italy.

Dietmar Zimmeck

Born in Geversdorf in 1949, Dietmar spent his childhood years on the banks of the Oste River in Geversdorf and his adolescence on the edge of the Wingst forest in Cadenberge.

Following his graduation from secondary school in 1966, he trained as a banker at the Kreissparkasse Land Hadeln. In 1970 he commenced his studies at the State University of Applied Sciences for Social Work and Social Pedagogy in Berlin. Following his initial professional experience in Berlin, he began his decades long career as a dedicated community youth development specialist in Lehrte near Hanover in 1978, with responsibility for youth facilities, holiday programs and youth protection.

Dietmar Zimmeck, now widowed after many happy years of marriage, has one son. Long-distance cycling and nature photography are foremost among his many interests.

Rüdiger (Rudi) Zimmeck

Born in 1953 in Geversdorf, Rudi spent his childhood and adolescent years in Cadenberge (in the neighborhood of Arthur Samuel). He obtained his qualification as a publishing manager at the "Stader Tageblatt" and resided in Hanover since the early 1970s.

Following his studies in social work and social pedagogy, he held multiple roles within the administrative sector at the Hanover University of Music as well as at independent theatres. Thereafter, Rudi Zimmeck worked for over 20 years as press spokesman for the Greens in the Lower Saxony state parliament. He then pursued further training as a communications manager through distance learning. From 2013 until his retirement in 2017, he served as press spokesman at the Lower Saxony Ministry for the Environment, Energy and Climate Protection.

Rudi Zimmeck war Rudi married his childhood sweetheart Sabine, and they have two children. After retiring, he worked part-time at Green Party MP Stefan Wenzel's constituency office in Cuxhaven. He also engaged in studying regional history and continued playing guitar in a band known as the "Oldest School Band in the World".

After a brief and serious illness, Rudi Zimmeck passed away at the age of 70 on March 6, 2023.