In Memoriam Bart de Cort
We are deeply shocked and saddened by the death of our former colleague Bart de Cort. Bart joined the IISH in 1990 and until he left for Canada in 2006, he worked for almost every department of the Institute.
One could find him behind the reception desk at the Cruquiusweg or the ESSHC, in the Reading Room, the secretariat but also as member of digital project teams. He was accurate and cooperative, genuinely kind and good-humored. Trained as film director, Bart more and more developed his writing skills as historian, writing about women and men – often Jewish socialist émigrés- who fought for freedom and justice. In his work he used the IISH collections but he also acquired various (additions to) IISH collections. Only a month ago he added biographical data of 100 Jewish communists to the Digital Jewish Monument, based on a list made by the Dutch Communist Party (CPN). The list – part of the CPN archives of the Institute - was meant to be made into a commemorative book the CPN never made. It is typical of Bart that he did accomplish this task. Our thoughts are with his partner Petra Rethmann, his family and friends.
