Schiff and Fischler families. Collection.

Identifier
KD_00025
Language of Description
English
Level of Description
Collection
Languages
  • -
Source
EHRI Partner

Creator(s)

Biographical History

Tobias Schiff emigrated from Poland to Belgium in 1928, with his mother, Rywa Templer, and his older sister Bajla Basia (Lunia). Tobias' father, Mojzesz, had already been employed in Antwerp for several years as a diamond sorter. The Schiff family were living there when war broke out on 10 May 1940. Identified as a Jew, Lunia was arrested in July 1942 and deported via the Dossin Barracks. Tobias and his parents fled, attempting to cross the frontier between occupied and unoccupied France on 13 August 1942. They were detained by German Feldgendarmen and interned successively at Bourges, Pithiviers and Drancy. The family was deported via Transport 25 on 28 August 1942. Tobias and his father were ordered off the train in Cosel, while his mother continued the journey to Auschwitz-Birkenau. Rywa Templer did not survive deportation. Tobias and Mojzesz stayed together. For a year and a half they worked as slave labourers at camps including Sakrau, Spitkowice and Trzebinia. Mojzesz Schiff was examined at Auschwitz-Birkenau on 18 January 1944 and found to be too weak to continue working. He was held at Barrack 6 for three days and four nights, during which time Tobias visited his father every day and brought him food. On 21 January 1944, Mozes was sent to the gas chamber. Tobias had to continue alone, surviving a series of camps, including Buna-Monowitz, Dora and Gleiwitz. He was liberated by the British army at Bergen-Belsen on 15 April 1945. Tobias Schiff returned to Belgium two weeks later, where he went on to marry twice and father four children. He passed away in 1999.

Archival History

Tobias Schiff and his daughter Annie Schiff investigated their family history, collecting old family photos and family trees, and creating copies of administrative documents.

Acquisition

SCHIFF, Tobias. Digitisation permitted.Tobias Schiff and his daughter Annie Schiff

Scope and Content

This collection contains digital copies of portraits of Mojzesz Schiff and his wife Rywa Templer; Wolf Fischler and Schenka Fischler (parents of Sonia (Sosia) Fischler, wife of Tobias Schiff); birth and death certificates; a Schiff family tree (pedigree).

Accruals

No further accruals are to be expected.

Conditions Governing Access

Contact Kazerne Dossin Documentation Centre: archives@kazernedossin.eu

Conditions Governing Reproduction

Contact Kazerne Dossin Documentation Centre: archives@kazernedossin.eu

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Digitally stored at Kazerne Dossin

Existence and Location of Originals

  • Annie Schiff, Private collection, Antwerp

Subjects

This description is derived directly from structured data provided to EHRI by a partner institution. This collection holding institution considers this description as an accurate reflection of the archival holdings to which it refers at the moment of data transfer.