Philipp Harf was a sales representative, selling shoes. He was the widower of Meta Stein. In 1932/1933, he moved to Dortmund and lived and worked there from 1935 at Hochofenstrasse 7. His future second wife Betty Blitz, who had likewise been widowed since 1933, also lived at this address.

Following the “Pogrom night”, Philipp Harf was held in custody at Steinwache police station from 12 November to 1 December 1938.

On 17 July 1939, Philipp Harf emigrated to the Netherlands, where he was interned in Westerbork camp from 23 April 1940 onwards. Here, he met Betty Blitz once more, who had previously also emigrated to Amsterdam, and married her on 3 April 1943. Philipp Harf was deported together with his wife Betty on 21 April 1943 to Theresienstadt. On 9 October 1944, the couple were deported from there to Auschwitz, where they were murdered on 11 October 1944