Erwin Schwab belonged to the group of young German zionists who came to Assen to prepare themselves among farmers in Zeijerveld (province of Drente) for an existence as a farmer in Palestine. These were the so-called Palestine pioneers.
F.J. Hulst and H.M. Luning, De joodse gemeente Assen. Geschiedenis van een behoorlijke Kille, 1740-1976 (Assen 1993)