Nico Albert Kan was a son of Izak Kan and Rachel Kaufman. He was born 16 November 1911 in Goor (province of Overijssel) and was the eldest of the two children of Izak and Rachel Kan. Two years later, in 1913, Nico’s sister Johanna Julia was born. Nico’s parents lived in Goor till they moved to Rotterdam in 1930.
Nico’s father was a merchant but travelled also for Messrs. Disco import and export to Germany. Prior to the move from Goor to Rotterdam, he stayed for some time in Berlin. Nico’s fater arrived in Rotterdam in May 1930 and Nico, his mother and sister followed in September 1930. They lived among others in the Adrien Mildersstraat, Beatrijsstraat and at Kruiskade.
Meantime, Nico earned his money as a merchant and his sister had become a laboratory worker. She stayed from March 1935 till January 1936 at Maria-Oord health centre in Gennep, but it is not knonw, whether she stayed there as a tuberculosis patient or as an employee. In January 1936 she returned to her parents, who lived already in Amsterdam at Scheldestraat 127 1st floor, after their removal from Rotterdam in December 1935.
At the other hand, Nico Albert had moved already on 6 February 1933 from Rotterdam to Groningen and lived there at Zuiderdiep 112 and per May 1938 he moved to Heerestraat 63. On 4 February 1937 he was married in Amsterdam to Hendrina (Hennie) Vles, who was born in Hilversum on 2 April 1912 and who was a daughter of Joseph Vles and Lea Kiek. Afther the wedding, Nico and Hennie left for Groningen but per 5 March 1942 followed a forced removal from Groningen to Amsterdam, where they were registered again at Roompotstraat 9, whers since 1936 Hennie's mother Lea Kiek, her 2nd spouse Levie Drielsma and her brother Joseph Vles lived.
In 1936, Nico’s father had become the proprietor of a diary shop in the Kuipersstraat 97 in Amsterdam. When Nico and Hennie arrived in Amsterdam in March 1942, Nico became store manager and manager of food and milk products. In addition to that, he became also in charge of the production of foodstuffs, because his father has expanded his business with the Gravy- and Sause factory Messrs I. Kan, who received permission in July 1942 from the rabbinate of the N.I.H.S. (Dutch Israëlitic Main Synagogue) to produce victuals under strict conditions under rabbinical supervision.
As well his parents and sister, as also he himself and his wife Hennie were therefore “exempted from deportation until further notice”. Moreover, the chairman of the Jewish Council, Mr. Abraham Asscher issued a so-called “indispensability statement” for him, whereby his business was classified as a “Jewish business” (Joods Lokaal).
Nico Albert kan and his wife Hendrina (Hennie) Vles were eventually arrested during the large-scale and secretly prepared raids from 20 June 1943 and taken to Westerbork, were they ended up in the barracks 65 and 66. Nico’s parents, Izak Kan and Rachel Kaufman were registered in Westerbork on 6 July and stayed in barrack 57. Nico’s sister Johanna Julia arrived there 10 July and had to stay in barrack 97.
On 13 July 1943, all were deported to Sobibor and upon arrival there on 16 July 1943, immediately killed.
Sources among others: City Archive of Amsterdam, archive cards of Nico Albert Kan and Hendrina Vles, family registration card of Izak Kan; the file cabinet of the Jewish Council, registration cards of van Nico Albert Kan, Hendrina Kan-Vles, Izak Kan, Rachel Kan-Kaufman en Johanna Julia Kan and additions of a visitor of the website.