A Hesitant Start with an Unusual Twist

Abstract

Hendrik Antonie Kramers was born on December 17, 1894 in the city of Rotterdam, the largest commercial center and the second largest city in The Netherlands. He was the third son of what eventually became a family of five children, all sons. His father was a medical doctor who, in the time honored Dutch Calvinist tradition, was an imposing authoritarian figure. His mother, Suzanna Breukelman, by contrast was very easy-going, unusually kind, and gentle. She reputedly had a special talent for ameliorating conflicts. The combination of a strong, pragmatic father and a sensitive, kind mother produced a warm household, leading to a close-knit family life.