Joseph van West, son of Hartog van West and Bloeme van West, was born on 27 August 1896 at Valkenburgerstraat 184 in Amsterdam. He became a diamond worker, specialized in brilliant cuts. In January 1922 Joseph left for Antwerp; he lived there at Provinciestraat 72 and worked as a diamond polisher at one of the many diamond polishing factories in the city. In April 1923 he returned to Amsterdam, wh…