have
made even more difference, for then the Germans occupied Belgium and
plenty of expert cutters came flooding into Britain for sanctuary. Like
other refugees they were permitted to remain and ply their trade on
condition that they return to their own country as soon as the war was
over. In the meantime they taught their craft to others. Bernard
Oppenheimer, late brother to Sir Ernest of Anglo American, was so
active in rehabilitating disabled soldiers in his diamond-polishing
works that he was rewarded by the Crown with a baronetcy, and these
ex-soldiers carried on the good work.
When
Germany was preparing for World War II her authorities early saw the
great possibilities of industrial diamonds in armament manufacture, and
they rapidly set up a strong competition to the workers of Belgium and
Holland. In those days industrial diamonds hadn't been generally
recognized for the important articles they later became, and Germany
continued to buy rough stones from Britain as easily as if they were
not very strategic material. As soon as war was declared, however,
Britain put an embargo on rough diamonds. Apart from all other
accusations that the diamond-cutting community of the Low Countries can
justly make against the Germans, there is the one that this prewar
activity of the Nazis rendered life very hard for cutters who remained
in their traditional strongholds. Soon, of course, they had more tragic
grievances to add to the account. When German troops invaded Belgium
and Holland the Jewish cutters attempted to escape. Most of the
Belgians made their way to France. Save for a few exceptions the Dutch
were not so fortunate and were condemned to concentration camps or
quicker means of extermination. A few refugees from both countries
arrived in England, and again the Oppenheimer
