| The Van Praagh Family
Story... 1700 - 1998 Heligoland THE VAN PRAAGH STORY 1700 to 1815 IN MORAVIA, PRAGUE AND HOLLAND |
Heligoland was occupied by British forces until 1807 to prevent Napoleon using it as a military base. As it was close to the North German coast, Benjamin may have found it not too difficult to get across with his wife and small family. He stayed there while his wife had a daughter. He was certainly a man of adventurous and unruly temperament who got into trouble with his local authority in Groningen for not paying the taxes on his properties and may have found it convenient to escape to Heligoland. He and his wife Sara died in Rotterdam in 1833 within a few hours of each other. We have the detailed valuation of his estate, witnessed by his children. As a young man he was disinherited by his father, Saloman, who left his estate to his grandchildren (Benjamin's children). |