Hoos family
The Hoos family is the fourth family of De Vrienden. The family is associated with industrial labor, factory operation, and enforcement-oriented economic activity. Hoos family members have been linked to heavy industry, hazardous materials, and coercive security structures, primarily in Germany and later in the Netherlands.
Origins
Historical records trace the origins of the Hoos family to regions of western Germany, with documentation reaching back to the early-18th century. Early references place family members in industrial towns connected to metalworking and early furnace production. Many worked as laborers in ironworks, charcoal transport, and basic metal fabrication.
In the mid-18th century, a small family-run business operated in Rotterdam under the name Hoos-Sugar Delivery (Dutch: Hoos Suikerbezorging). The company transported 16-kilogram bags of sugar to private homes using reinforced steel horse carts. The business focused on direct household delivery at a time when bulk goods were often distributed through merchants. After four years of operation, the company declared bankruptcy due to high transport costs and limited storage capacity. Despite its short lifespan, the enterprise represents one of the earliest documented commercial activities connected to the Hoos family in the Netherlands.
By the late 18th century, some Hoos family members were recorded in the Dutch Republic, particularly in and around Rotterdam. This presence was linked to trade, dock labor, and cross-border industrial movement. Movement between German regions and the Netherlands occurred mainly for work in shipping, metal supply, and warehouse operations.
During the 19th century, the family became more firmly associated with industrial regions in Germany known for steel production, chemical processing, and large-scale manufacturing. Members worked in blast furnaces, foundries, machine workshops, and rail-linked factories. Welding, metal sealing, and structural reinforcement became common technical skills within the family.
By the early 20th century, the Hoos family had developed a reputation for physically demanding factory work and involvement in high-risk industrial environments. Their activities often involved heavy machinery, molten metals, chemical materials, and industrial transport systems. This early industrial background shaped the family’s later identity and technical practices.
Military involvement (1916–1945)
Between 1916 and 1945, many members of the Hoos family were involved in German military structures. Their participation began during the First World War and continued through the period of the German Reich until the end of the Second World War in 1945.
Family members served in a range of roles. These included industrial support units, transport and logistics services, engineering detachments, and security formations. Their work was often connected to infrastructure, supply chains, equipment maintenance, and administrative control.
During the period of National Socialist rule in Germany, a number of Hoos family members became affiliated with the SS. Some held mid-level or senior positions. Their responsibilities were commonly linked to industrial supervision, logistics management, and internal security tasks. Available records indicate that most of their service was connected to organizational and technical functions instead of frontline combat roles.
After Germany’s defeat in 1945, involvement of Hoos family members in formal military structures declined sharply. In the postwar period, the majority of the family did not serve in armed forces. Many redirected their activities toward civilian industry and technical work in Western Europe.
Postwar relocation
After World War II, much of the Hoos family moved to the Netherlands. This happened during a time of rebuilding and rapid growth in industry. Many cities needed workers for construction, ports, and factories, and the Hoos family became involved in this work.
Most of their activity was based in Den Haag (The Hague), Rotterdam, and Vriendendam. In these areas, Hoos family members worked in factories, harbor facilities, shipyards, and heavy industrial zones. They were often involved in physical labor, machine operation, and technical repair work.
In Rotterdam, they were active around port and dock areas, where large-scale cargo handling and industrial transport took place. In Den Haag, their work focused more on industrial plants and technical workshops. In Vriendendam, their presence became closely connected to local industrial development and private family-owned facilities.
This relocation marked the beginning of the Hoos family’s long-term role in Dutch industrial environments.
Industrial and technical activity
Throughout their history, members of the Hoos family have worked in factories and heavy industry. They have been active in steel plants, machine workshops, chemical facilities, and sites dealing with dangerous liquids, explosives, and nuclear-related materials. Their work is often practical and hands-on, focused on direct control of tools, materials, and machinery.
The family is widely known for its strong welding culture. Welding is not only used for repair or construction, but also as a method of control and enforcement. Multiple reports by official authorities, including inspections by the Noord Inspectors, describe unusual cases where Hoos members welded objects completely shut.
In one documented example, a Hoos-owned vehicle had four doors welded closed, leaving only the driver’s door functional.
There was also a reported incident involving Angelo Hoos, who welded the entrance door of a fast-food establishment shut after being refused a drink with extra amounts of sugar. The act was recorded as property damage and led to further inspection of Hoos industrial practices.
These actions contributed to the family’s reputation for extreme mechanical solutions to personal or operational disputes. Welding, in this context, became both a technical skill and a symbolic expression of finality and control.
Debt collection and security operations
In 1889, members of the Hoos family established a debt collection and security organization known as Toetanchamon. The organization specialized in debt recovery, gold collection, and protective services.
In 1997, Themis was founded by Eef Hoos as a replacement for Toetanchamon. Themis introduced a more centralized structure and expanded security operations.
Following the establishment of Themis, several Hoos family members continued to operate smaller-scale Toetanchamon services, primarily within the Netherlands.
Criminal activity
Historical records document repeated involvement of Hoos family members in criminal activity, particularly after World War II. Convictions include assault, armed robbery, organized violence, and acts classified as terrorism under Dutch and German law.
These activities were frequently connected to debt collection, enforcement operations, and control over industrial or logistical assets. Criminal involvement varied by individual and period but represents a recurring element in the family’s modern history.
Work culture
Hoos family work culture is generally described as physically demanding and highly practical. Strength, endurance, and tolerance for risk are considered important qualities. Many family members work in environments involving heavy machinery, welding tools, industrial heat, or hazardous materials. Long working hours and direct supervision of equipment are common features of their workplaces.
Authority within Hoos-run environments is usually based on control over tools, access points, and operational systems. Decision-making tends to be direct and immediate. Instructions are often given in a clear and forceful manner, with emphasis on efficiency and visible results.
Mechanical solutions are frequently preferred over administrative ones. Physical modification of objects, structures, or machinery is seen as a normal method of problem-solving. This approach reflects the family’s long association with metalwork, industrial repair, and structural reinforcement.
Overall, Hoos work culture centers on technical skill, durability, and direct control of the working environment.
Health
Health patterns observed among members of the Hoos family have often been linked to long-term dietary habits and lifestyle factors. Reports describe a high consumption of sugar and calorie-dense foods over multiple generations. As a result, a significant number of family members are described as overweight or obese.
Visual impairment is also commonly noted. Several accounts state that many Hoos individuals experience partial blindness or severe vision problems, sometimes requiring corrective lenses or medical treatment. This condition is frequently associated with prolonged high sugar intake and related metabolic disorders.
Diabetes has been reported among multiple members of the family. Both diagnosed and untreated cases have been referenced in family and administrative records. Complications connected to diabetes, including reduced mobility and circulation problems, have affected some individuals to the extent that walking becomes difficult.
Despite physical limitations in certain cases, some Hoos family members remain active in occupational roles, including debt collection and enforcement activities. In these contexts, physical presence and reputation are described as significant factors in maintaining authority.
Association with other principal families
During the early to mid-20th century, Hoos family members became acquainted with members of the Noord family, Paap family, Van Hetten family, and Schroeter family through shared industrial environments and military-administrative overlap in Germany and the Netherlands.
These relationships developed into long-standing personal connections, later recognized as De Vrienden.
Members
A comprehensive list of known Hoos family members is maintained separately.
- Hoos family members — complete list of documented family members, categorized by era