Elias Koopman, born on 2 April 1862 in Amsterdam, was a son of Isaac Emanuel Machiel Koopman (1813-1875) and Rebekka Elias Pothuis (1825-1881). He was a cigar maker by trade and was approved for the National Militia; Elias was conscripted into the 7th Infantry Regiment on 5 May 1882.
On 27 December 1882, he married Rebecca Abraham in Amsterdam, who was born in there on 25 July 1861, a daughter of Gerrit Pinas Abraham and Sipora Alexander Porceleijn. After the marriage was concluded, they moved into a house at Commelinstraat 47.
The Koopman-Abraham couple had three children, namely: Isaac on 9 October 1885, who died as a newborn baby after 10 days. Their daughter Sippora was born on 6 August 1886. She was not married and worked as an office clerk. She died already before the war on 19 April 1930 and, like her mother, was buried at the Jewish Cemetery in Muiderberg. On 2 August 1888, another daughter was born, Clara, but she also died as a toddler on 16 December 1890.
After living in the Commelinstraat, they moved to different house numbers in the Wagenaarstraat from 1892 onwards and moved to Ruyschstraat 75 in August 1909. Elias remained living there until November 1932, after he became a widower on 1 January 1925. His wife Rebecca Abraham was buried at the Jewish cemetery in Muiderberg. She was 63 years old.
After the passing of his wife and daughter, Elias lived in the Ruyschstraat until November 1932, but after that Elias lived at various addresses in the city, such as the Nieuwe Herengracht, Nieuwe Prinsengracht and the Plantage Franschelaan. But on 13 May 1941 he moved in with his brother Abraham Koopman, who lived at Sarphatistraat 127. On 9 November 1942, both brothers moved to Nieuwe Prinsengracht 90, 1st floor, where their sister Rachel Koopman lived; she was widowed of Jacob Winnik (18 Sep 1863- 29 Mar 1939).
On 14 January 1943, Elias Koopman and his brother Abraham were arrested and sent to the Vught concentration camp. After arriving there, Elias died there on 16 January 1943. He was 80 years old at the time. Elias was the first person to die in Camp Vught. His brother Abraham was sent back to Westerbork on 28 January from where he was deported to Auschwitz on 2 February 1943 and where he was gassed on 5 February 1943.
Sources include the City Archive of Amsterdam, family registration card of Elias Koopman, archive cards of Elias Koopman, Abraham Koopman and Rachel Koopman, The Amsterdam Peoples Registry/various years/Koopman adresses; Amsterdam residence cards with Koopman/Plantage Franschelaan 4 (Henri Polaklaan) and Nieuwe Prinsengracht 90; website stenenarchief.nl/grave Rebecca Koopman-Abraham; website wiewaswie.nl/marriage Koopman x Abraham and the file cabinet of the Jewish Council, registration cards of Elias Koopman and Abraham Koopman.