James Catz lived with his family on Heemraadssingel in Rotterdam and owned a country house called 'De Duintop' in Noordwijk aan Zee. He had an insurance brokerage, the firm ‘James Catz’.
During the war, the Catz family attempted to flee to Switzerland. They were captured in France and deported to Auschwitz by way of Drancy. The two children managed to escape from the train and survived the war. This story is included in the book Het oog van de naald (privately published). A third Catz child survived the war in the Dutch East Indies.
Addition of a visitor of the website
In addition, a Jokos file (number 8136) on this family is at the Amsterdam Municipal Archive. Access is subject to authorization from the Stichting Joods Maatschappelijk Werk. The Jokos file reveals that a claim was lodged for compensation for valuables surrendered to the Lippmann-Rosenthal looting bank (L-claim, number 1730/16975).