Biographical information

Adolf Emile (Dolf) Cohen (1913-2004) was born in Rotterdam. He studied History at Leiden University from 1932 onwards and he obtained his doctorate in 1941 as last Jewish doctoral student in Leiden in the Second World War and the last doctoral student of Johan Huizinga. Between 1945 and 1959 he worked at the Netherlands Institute for War Documentation (NIOD). In 1960 he was appointed as the first professor of medieval history at Leiden University and between 1972 and 1976 he was Rector Magnificus. During his rectorate he became increasingly interested in the history of the university.