EN

W.S.H. Elte

W.S.H. Elte Elte was a maths and physics teacher at the Jewish Lyceum in Amsterdam. He was also the school's headmaster.

Person

  • Willem Salomon Hijman Elte
  • Born on: July 28, 1888
  • Born in: Den Helder, Nederland
  • Died in: Haifa, Israël

W.S.H. Elte[1] was a maths and physics teacher at the Jewish Lyceum in Amsterdam. He was also the school's headmaster.[2] Elte married Rassa Riwlin in 1928 in Jerusalem. She died in 1931 in Amsterdam. Elte went on to marry Esther van Zon in 1935.[3] In 1941 David Cohen recommended him as headmaster of the new Jewish Lyceum in Amsterdam. He got the appointment.[4] As headmaster, Elte demanded discipline and civility, but he cautioned the teachers against giving the pupils too much homework, because of the unusual circumstances in which they found themselves.[5]

Headmaster Elte asked the alderman of education to give the pupils permission to come into the school building several days a week during the summer holidays so they could meet up to play chess, volleyball and table tennis. They were after all not permitted to leave the city or play sports outside. The alderman did not object to the initiative.[6]

At the end of the first school year, the Jewish Lyceum organised a public graduaton ceremony, which was customary for grammar schools and high schools. On 1 June 1942 Elte asked the alderman of education to permit the ceremony to take place on 3 July 1942 at the Jewish Theatre, which had made itself available for the occasion.[7] The alderman made it known that he had no objection.[8]

In June 1947 Otto Frank sent Elte a copy of Het Achterhuis, with a letter in which he wrote that Anne and Margot really enjoyed going to his school. Elte replied with a thank-you letter on 30 June 1947. He said that he remembered Anne and Margot well.[9] 

In 1963 Elte moved to Haifa.[3] In the mid-sixties he discussed the role of David Cohen and the Jewish Council with Jacques Presser and Lou de Jong. He was convinced of his good intentions.[10]

Source personal data [11] Addresses: Zaandam; Willemsparkweg 61 bovenhuis, Amsterdam (1934).[3]

Footnotes

  1. ^ Anne refers to him as: Mr Elte. Anne Frank, Diary Version B, 5 July 1942, in: The Collected Works, transl. from the Dutch by Susan Massotty, London [etc.]: Bloomsbury Continuum, 2019.
  2. ^ Dienke Hondius, Absent. Herinneringen aan het Joods Lyceum Amsterdam 1941 – 1943, Amsterdam: Vassallucci, 2001, p. 70.
  3. a, b, c Stadsarchief Amsterdam (SAA), Dienst Bevolkingsregister, Archiefkaarten (toegangsnummer 30238): Archiefkaart W.S.H. Elte.
  4. ^ Hondius, Absent, p. 70-71.
  5. ^ Hondius, Absent, p. 106-109.
  6. ^ SAA, Archief van de Secreatrie; Afdeling Onderwijs en rechtsvoorganger (toegang 5191), inv. nr. 7589, indicateurnr. 2361 O, Elte aan de wethouder, 1 juni 1942 en (concept-)antwoord van de wethouder aan Elte, 16 juni 1942.
  7. ^ SAA, Secretarie, Afdeling Onderwijs, inv. nr. 7589, indicateurnr. 2360 O, Elte aan de wethouder, 1 juni 1942.
  8. ^ NIOD Instituut voor Oorlogs-, Holocaust- en Genocidestudie: W.S.H. Elte, inv. nr. 1, wethouder van onderwijs aan de Elte, 16 juni 1942.
  9. ^ Anne Frank Stichting, Anne Frank Collectie, Otto Frank Archief, reg. code OFA_100: Willem Elte aan Otto Frank, 30 juni 1947.
  10. ^ Hondius, Absent, p. 176-177.  
  11. ^ SAA, Dienst Bevolkingsregister, Archiefkaarten (toegangsnummer 30238): Archiefkaart W.S.H. Elte; Geni: Willem Salomon Hijman Elte.