Izak Manheim was born on 13 October 1880, at 5 a.m. in the Zandstraat in Rotterdam. Although the streetname can still be found today, the buildings can't. On 14 May 1940 Rotterdam was bombed after which little remained of the Zandstraat.
Izak Manheim married Saartje d'Ancona. The couple lived in the neighbourhood 'Het Witte Dorp' in Oud-Mathenesse, Rotterdam. Their neighbourhood, designed by the renowned architect J.J.P.Oud, provided the inhabitants with modern, social housing. Izak Manheim and Saartje d'Ancona sold piece goods from their shop located in the 'Witte Dorp'. After two children were born, Izak Manheim and his family moved to Eerste Staringstraat 7 in Spangen, Rotterdam.
Izak Manheim earned a living at various ways. Among other things he worked as a warehouseman and a porter. Izak Manheim also played the clarinet. He thought some of his neighbours the theory of harmony, composed his own pieces and performed at cinemas. Izak Manheim used a piano to compose his pieces. He was able to buy this piano with a payment-settelement. On 1 May 1941 Izak Manheim wrote that he had completed his 24th piece. He also asked his son if he was able to obtain music paper. In November 1941 Izak Manheim wrote:"I'm still writing new pieces among which are a solo in three parts for flute and piano, a sonata for violin and piano and some ballads." On 1 April 1942, the piano was moved to a non-Jewish friend for savekeeping. Untill contact between Jews and non-Jews was prohibited by the German authorities, Izak Manheim was able to play the piano.
Before the war, Izak Manheim was also an active member of the Workers Esperantists Union (Arbeiders Esperantisten Bond) an international organisation with the goal to encourage the study and spread of Esperanto. It was thought that this would contribute to world-peace. Izak Manheim and his wife were also members of the International Order of Good-Templars (Internationale Orde van Goede Tempeliers) an organisation that propagated against alcohol(-abuse).
Izak Manheim had a broad field of interest. He owned books on animals, geography, geology and mechanics. He also read poetry. He collected a selection of his choice in a book.
On 30 July 1942 his son Jacob Manheim was arrested and on 20 September 1942 other Jewish acquitances were also taken away. On 5 October 1942 Izak Manheim wrote:" At the moment, at around seven thirty in the evening, for Jews Rotterdam is a miserable place to live". Three days later Izak Manheim and Saartje d'Ancona were arrested and brought to a hangar at the Stieltjesplein. From there Saartje d'Ancona and Izak Manheim managed to write a letter. Two days later they were brought to camp Westerbork.
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