[Second World War] Extensive personal archive of vice-consul Aratoon Zorab

From an Armenian family, born at Surabaya on 27 August 1923, later emigrated to the Netherlands. During the war he paused his study of the law at Leiden to flee to England via Spain. After the war he worked at the court martial in Indonesia. In the 1950s, Zorab worked as an attaché to the Dutch embassy at Tokyo and as vice-consul to the consulate at Kobe. His life-long interest in Japan is special considering his history in Indonesia. In 1967 Zorab married his friend Christina Zietse (see lot 316). Zorab died in The Hague in 1973/1974.

Archive comprises diary and notes, dated 1939-1946 and 1955-1960 with extensive passages on among other things the bombings of The Hague; letters from family and friends to Zorab during 1933-1949, incl. several letters from Zorab's days with the Temporainen Krijgsraad at Jakarta; study materials, dissertation, etc.; personal and business correspondence incl. correspondence related to Zorab's work for the Dutch embassy; and several objects related to his professional life.