Borgerhout - Stolpersteine

Information: Wikipedia

A Stolperstein literally "stumbling stone", metaphorically a "stumbling block" is a sett-size, 10 by 10 centimetres (3.9 in × 3.9 in) concrete cube bearing a brass plate inscribed with the name and life dates of victims of Nazi extermination or persecution.

 

The Stolpersteine project, initiated by the German artist Gunter Demnig in 1992, aims to commemorate individuals at exactly the last place of residency—or, sometimes, work—which was freely chosen by the person before he or she fell victim to Nazi terror, euthanasia, eugenics, was deported to a concentration or extermination camp, or escaped persecution by emigration or suicide. As of 29 March 2018, over 67,000 Stolpersteine have been laid in 22 countries, making the Stolpersteine project the world's largest decentralized memorial.

 

The majority of Stolpersteine commemorate Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Others have been placed for Sinti and Romani people (then also called "gypsies"), homosexuals, the physically or mentally disabled, Jehovah's Witnesses, black people, members of the Communist Party, the Social Democratic Party, and the anti-Nazi Resistance, the Christian opposition (both Protestants and Catholics), and Freemasons, along with International Brigade soldiers in the Spanish Civil War, military deserters, conscientious objectors, escape helpers, capitulators, "habitual criminals", looters, and others charged with treason, military disobedience, or undermining the Nazi military, as well as Allied soldiers.

 

Tuesday 5 March 2019, Gunter Demnig, the German artists and creator of the Stolpersteine, was in Antwerp to lay 26 stones with the names of victims of Nazism.

 

List of Stolpersteine in the district of Borgerhout

Cruyslei 22: CHAIM JUSZK-SZAFRAN

                      HELENE SZAFRAN-RUTZKI

Gitschotellei 305: JAKOB SAKS

                               DORA SAKS-RUTZKI

Kroonstraat 189: ROSA WOLF-MARINOWER

                               NATHAN ARON WOLF

                               RENEE WOLF

Kroonstraat 205: HEYNOCH SMIETANA

                               HANA TAUBA SMIETANASTEINKELER

Leescorfstraat 55: MENDEL FISHEL

                                 EMILY FISHEL-BLACK

                                 LEON FISHEL

Marinisstraat 3: MARCEL MERMELSTEIN

                             PAULA MERMELSTEIN

Marinisstraat 4: PERLA LAUB-BRANDSTATTER

                             BLIME GRYNBERG-LAUB

                             ITSHAK MOÏSHE GRYNBERG

                             MANIA GRYNBERG

Moorkensplein 2: ELIEZER (LEON) HELFGOTT

                                SIMON HELFGOTT

Van Der Meydenstraat 25: DAVID SZLAMA GUTKIND


Cruyslei 22

hier woonde

CHAIM JUSZK

SZAFRAN

geb. 1905 Polen

aangehouden 10.9.1942

Todt organisatie

geïnterneerd Mechelen

gedeporteerd 1942

Auschwitz

vermoord

Cruyslei 22

here lived

CHAIM JUSZK

SZAFRAN

born 1905 in Poland

arrested 10.9.1942

Todt organisation

interned Mechelen

deported 1942

Auschwitz

murdered

Cruyslei 22

hier woonde

HELENE

SZAFRAN-RUTZKI

geb. 1910

aangehouden 10.9.1942

geïnterneerd Mechelen

gedeporteerd 1942

Auschwitz

vermoord

Cruyslei 22

here lived

HELENE

SZAFRAN-RUTZKI

born 1910

arrested 10.9.1942

interned Mechelen

deported 1942

Auschwitz

murdered

Hélène Rutzki, wife of Chaim Jusek Szafran, was born on January 29, 1910 in Antwerp, her husband Chaïm was born on May 5, 1905 in Zembrow in Poland and worked as a diamond cutter. Helena was arrested in Deurne on 10 September 1942, then transferred to the Kazerne Dossin in Mechelen and, together with other members of her family (Dora Saks), with the IX transport deported to Auschwitz, where she was murdered.

Her husband Chaim was arrested and sent as a forced laborer for Todt to the Atlantic Wall and deported on 24 October 1942 with the XV transport from Mechelen to Auschwitz. On arrival he was selected for work two days later, but he did not survive.


Gitschotellei 305

hier woonde

JACOB SAKS

geb. 1908 GB

aangehouden 1942

geïnterneerd Drancy

gedeporteerd 1942

Auschwitz

vermoord

Gitschotellei 305

here lived

JACOB SAKS

born 1908 GB

arrested 1942

interned Drancy

deported 1942

Auschwitz

murdered

Gitschotellei 305

hier woonde

DORA SAKS-RUTZKI

geb. 1907

aangehouden 1942

geïnterneerd Drancy

gedeporteerd

Auschwitz

vermoord 26.9.1942

Gitschotellei 305

here lived

DORA SAKS-RUTZKI

born 1907

arrested 1942

interned Drancy

deported

Auschwitz

murdered 26.9.1942

Dora Rutzki was born in Antwerp as the daughter of Elias and Sara Née Mermelstein, on April 28,1907 and married to Jacob Saks. Jacob was born on May 28, 1906 in Leeds, Great Britain, son of Gahim and Devorah. He was a diamond cutter.

During the war the couple fled to Paris and was arrested and locked up in the Drancy camp. They were then deported with the IX transport that left Drancy for Auschwitz on July 22, 1942. Dora and Jacob were selected for work and did not return.


Kroonstraat 189

hier woonde

ROSA WOLF-

MARINOWER

geb. 1914

aangehouden 16.8.1942

geïnterneerd Mechelen

gedeporteerd 1942

Auschwitz

vermoord 20.8.1942

Kroonstraat 189

here lived

ROSA WOLF-

MARINOWER

born 1914

arrested 16.8.1942

interned Mechelen

deported 1942

Auschwitz

murdered 20.8.1942

Kroonstraat 189

hier woonde

NATHAN ARON WOLF

geb. 1939

aangehouden 16.8.1942

geïnterneerd Mechelen

gedeporteerd 1942

Auschwitz

vermoord 20.8.1942

Kroonstraat 189

here lived

NATHAN ARON WOLF

born 1939

arrested 16.8.1942

interned Mechelen

deported 1942

Auschwitz

murdered 20.8.1942

Kroonstraat 189

hier woonde

RENEE WOLF

geb. 1937

aangehouden 16.8.1942

geïnterneerd Mechelen

gedeporteerd 1942

Auschwitz

vermoord 20.8.1942

Kroonstraat 189

here lived

RENEE WOLF

born 1937

arrested 16.8.1942

interned Mechelen

deported 1942

Auschwitz

murdered 20.8.1942

Rosa Wolf- Marinower was born on November 9, 1914 and deported at the age of 28 with her two very young children, Renée 5 years and Nathan 3 years, by the IVth convoy on August 18, 1942, this convoy was the only one where there were no survivors.

Their father was taken as a forced laborer on the Atlantic Wall and then was deported to Auschwitz. Only survivor of the family having lost everything, his dear wife and children.


Kroonstraat 205

hier woonde

HEYNOCH SMIETANA

geb. 1889 Polen

aangehouden 1.8.1942

geinterneerd Mechelen

gedeporteerd 1942

Auschwitz

vermoord

Kroonstraat 205

here lived

HEYNOCH SMIETANA

born 1889 Polen

arrested 1.8.1942

interned Mechelen

deported 1942

Auschwitz

murdered

Kroonstraat 205

hier woonde

HANA TAUBA

SMIETANA-STEINKELER

geb. 1899 Polen

aangehouden 1.8.1942

geinterneerd Mechelen

gedeporteerd 1942

Auschwitz

vermoord

Kroonstraat 205

here lived

HANA TAUBA

SMIETANA-STEINKELER

born 1899 Polen

arrested 1.8.1942

interned Mechelen

deported 1942

Auschwitz

murdered

Hanna Tauba Smietana - Schteinkeler born on 01/03/1899 (Poland) and her husband Heynoch Smietana born on 25/03/1889 (Poland) deported by the 2nd convoy.


Leescorfstraat 55

hier woonde

MENDEL FISHEL

geb. 1888

geïnterneerd

gedeporteerd 25.8.1942

uit Kazerne Dossin

vermoord 27.8.1942

Auschwitz

Leescorfstraat 55

here lived

MENDEL FISHEL

born 1888

interned

deported 25.8.1942

from Kazerne Dossin

murdered 27.8.1942

Auschwitz

Leescorfstraat 55

hier woonde

EMILY

FISHEL-BLACK

geb. 1889

geïnterneerd

gedeporteerd 25.8.1942

uit Kazerne Dossin

vermoord 27.8.1942

Auschwitz

Leescorfstraat 55

here lived

EMILY

FISHEL-BLACK

born 1889

interned

deported 25.8.1942

from Kazerne Dossin

murdered 27.8.1942

Auschwitz

Leescorfstraat 55

hier woonde

LEON FISHEL

geb. 1921

gearresteerd juni-1942

dwangarbeid

Noord-Frankrijk

gedeporteerd 31.10.1942

uit Kazerne Dossin

vermoord 3.11.1942

Auschwitz

Leescorfstraat 55

here lived

LEON FISHEL

born 1921

arrested june-1942

forced labour

North- France

deported 31.10.1942

from Kazerne Dossin

murdered 3.11.1942

Auschwitz

Mendel Fishel was born in Kedainlai in Lithuania in 1888. He established himself as a cloth manufacturer in the United Kingdom and married Emily Black, born in 1887 in Liverpool, in 1915. His two eldest sons were born in Liverpool, Maurice Bernard in 1916 and Léonard in 1920. Not long after, the family moved to Antwerp. Their third son, Léon, was born there in December 1921. Mendel focuses on importing English textiles in Belgium. His sons are extremely sporty. For example, Léon is part of the football team Maccabi.

 

When war broke out in May 1940, the two eldest sons, Maurice and Léonard, had British nationality. They are arrested by the German occupiers as citizens of an enemy state. They are housed in internment camps in Poland and Austria. Both survive the war.  Two years later, in June 1942, the Nazis arrested youngest son Léon Fishel and sentenced him to forced labour in northern France for Organization Todt.

 

In August, parents Mendel Fishel and Emily Black received a summons to work (Arbeitseinsatzbefehl). They present themselves at the Dossin barracks on August 24, 1942 and are registered on the list of the fifth Transport. Mendel and Emily are deported together to Auschwitz-Birkenau, they are given registration numbers 995 and 996.  In October 1942 Léon is transferred from the labor camp in northern France to the Dossin barracks. There he is put on Transport XVII on October 31, 1942. He also did not survive the deportation.

 

The two eldest sons survive their time in an internment camp. After the war, the eldest son Maurice emigrated to the United Kingdom, but Léonard remained in Belgium. He married Dora Brunner, who helped Maurice's niece, Mimi Balken, write letters in English during his imprisonment. Dora manages to hide during the occupation and thus escapes deportation. Léonard and Dora have two children : Shirley and Melvyn. Melvyn still lives in Belgium and tries to ascertain the fate of his family.


Marinisstraat 3

hier woonde

MARCEL

MERMELSTEIN

geb. 1937

aangehouden 1944

Izieu

gevangen Montluc, Drancy

weggevoerd 1944

vermoord

Auschwitz

Marinisstraat 3

here lived

MARCEL

MERMELSTEIN

born 1937

arrested 1944

Izieu

imprisoned Montluc, Drancy

deported 1944

murdered

Auschwitz

Marinisstraat 3

hier woonde

PAULA

MERMELSTEIN

geb.1934

aangehouden 6.4.1944

Izieu

gevangen Montluc, Drancy

weggevoerd 20.5.1944

vermoord

Auschwitz

Marinisstraat 3

here lived

PAULA

MERMELSTEIN

born 1934

arrested 6.4.1944

Izieu

imprisoned Montluc, Drancy

deported 20.5.1944

murdered

Auschwitz

Paula or Paulette Mermelstein (January 10, 1934, Borgerhout, Antwerp, Belgium-May 23, 1944, Auschwitz) is one of the 44 Children of Izieu arrested during the April 6, 1944 Rafle, deported and murdered at Auschwitz. Her younger brother, Marcel Mermelstein, deported by the same convoy No. 74, dated May 20, 1944, knows the same fate. Their mother, Frieda Mermelstein, is also deported by Convoy No. 74.

 

Paula is the daughter of Max Mermelstein and Frieda Mermelstein (née Gutmann), born March 6, 1912, in Warsaw, Poland. Max Mermelstein is a butcher. Paula Mermelstein has a younger brother, Marcel Mermelstein.  Marcel  was born on January 14, 1937, in Borgerhout, Antwerp, Belgium. 

 

With the invasion of Belgium in the spring of 1940, the Mermelstein family fled to France on May 14, 19404. On June 28, 19424, the Mermelstein family was arrested and interned for a short time at Camp de Rivesaltes. The father, Max Mermelstein, manages to flee and joins the Resistance. The mother, Frieda Mermelstein, hides in the South of France.

 

Marcel Mermelstein is released from Camp Rivesaltes, September 9, 1942. On the official document, the Camp is named Accommodation Center Rivesaltes (Pyrénées-Orientales)

 

Arrested with the other Children of Izieu, during the Rafle of April 6, 1944, but unlike the majority of them, deported by Convoy No. 71, Paula was deported by Convoy No. 74, dated May 20, 1944, from the Drancy Camp to Auschwitz. Her brother, Marcel Mermelstein, is part of the same convoy. Marcel is 7 years old, Paula is 10 years old. They are murdered on May 23, 1944.  The death of the Mermelstein children is evoked by the American rabbi Shmuley Boteach, who mentions that Max Mermelstein was a great-uncle of his wife.

 

Shortly after the Rafle d'Izieu, the mother, Frieda Mermelstein, was arrested in Pau.  She joins her children at Camp de Drancy. She is deported to Auschwitz by Convoy No. 74, with her children.


Marinisstraat 4

hier woonde

MANIA GRYNBERG

geb. 1919

gearresteerd 15.12.1942

geïnterneerd

gedeporteerd 1943

uit Kazerne Dossin

vermoord

Auschwitz

Marinisstraat 4

here lived

MANIA GRYNBERG

born 1919

arrested 15.121942

interned

deported 1943

from Kazerne Dossin

murdered

Auschwitz

Marinisstraat 4

hier woonde

PERLA

LAUB-BRANDSTATTER

geb. 1869

gearresteerd 16.8.1942

geïnterneerd

gedeporteerd

uit Kazerne Dossin

vermoord

Auschwitz

Marinisstraat 4

here lived

PERLA

LAUB-BRANDSTATTER

born 1869

arrested 16.8.1942

interned

deported

from Kazerne Dossin

murdered

Auschwitz

Marinisstraat 4

hier woonde

BLIME

GRYNBERG-LAUB

geb. 1897

gearresteerd 16.8.1942

geïnterneerd

gedeporteerd 1942

uit Kazerne Dossin

vermoord

Auschwitz

Marinisstraat 4

here lived

BLIME

GRYNBERG-LAUB

born 1897

arrested 16.8.1942

interned

deported 1942

from Kazerne Dossin

murdered

Auschwitz

Marinisstraat 4

hier woonde

ITSHAK MOÏSHE

GRYNBERG

geb. 1898

gearresteerd 1942

dwangarbeid Frankrijk

geïnterneerd

gedeporteerd 1942

uit Kazerne Dossin

vermoord

Auschwitz

Marinisstraat 4

here lived

ITSHAK MOÏSHE

GRYNBERG

born 1898

arrested 1942

forced labor France

interned

deported 1942

from Kazerne Dossin

murdered

Auschwitz

Perla, Blime, Itshak Moïshe and Mania were all arrested and deported to Kazerne Dossin and from there put on transport to the extermination camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau and murdered there.


Moorkensplein 2

hier woonde

ELIEZER (LEON)

HELFGOTT

geb. 1919

weerstander

gearresteerd 8.1942

gedeporteerd

vermoord mei 1943

Auschwitz

Moorkensplein 2

here lived

ELIEZER (LEON)

HELFGOTT

born 1919

resistance

arrested 8.1942

deported

murdered mai 1943

Auschwitz

Moorkensplein 2

hier woonde

SIMON HELFGOTT

geb. 1920

weerstander

vermoord 23.4.1943

Deurne

Moorkensplein 2

here lived

SIMON HELFGOTT

born 1920

resistance

murdered 23.4.1943

Deurne

Helfgott Eliezer

Esther alias Hana Pschetizki (b. 10/02/1894 in Mlawa, Poland) had been widowed before the war. Esther and her deceased husband Joseph Helfgott had four sons :

Abraham (b. 06/04/1913 in Borgerhout, Antwerp), Isaak (b. 09/07/1916 in Antwerp), Eliezer (alias Leon, b. 09/03/1919 in The Hague, the Netherlands) and Israel (alias Simon, b. 10/05/1920 in Antwerp).

 

Although Esther Pschetizki survived the war in Belgium, she lost all of her sons.  Isaak Helfgott was able to flee to the United Kingdom and became a sailor in the British navy. He was killed when the St. Elwyn was attacked by a German U-boat on 28 November 1940.  Israel alias Simon Helfgott, member of the communist party before 1939, became a leading figure among the armed partisans in Antwerp known as “Rikske”. He was killed in action in April 1943.  Abraham and Eliezer were both deported from Drancy, France, in 1944 : Abraham Helfgott to Auschwitz-Birkenau via Transport 66, Eliezer Helfgott to Kaunas via Transport 73. Both perished.


Van Der Meydenstraat 25

hier woonde

DAVID SZLAMA

GUTKIND

geb. 1878

gevlucht 1940

Frankrijk

gearresteerd 21.3.1944

geïnterneerd

gedeporteerd 27.3.1944

uit Drancy

vermoord

Auschwitz-Birkenau

Van Der Meydenstraat 25

here lived

DAVID SZLAMA

GUTKIND

born 1878

escaped 1940

France

arrested 21.3.1944

interned

deported 27.3.1944

from Drancy

murdered

Auschwitz-Birkenau

David Szlama Gutkind was born in 1878 in Witkithi, Poland.