[4] In World War I, he served as an officer in the German army, fighting first on the Western front in Belgium and later in the East.
After the war, he travelled to Japan on the Trans-Siberia Express and fell in love with Japanese culture.
When things became worse for the Jews, the Dutch Resistance helped find them hiding places.
The family survived but Tikotin's art collection, which had been hidden by his neighbours, was stolen.
In 1955 he organised the first overseas exhibition of the origami by Akira Yoshizawa (in the Stedelijk Museum of Amsterdam).