Anielewicz family. Collection

Hersz alias Harry Anielewicz was born on 24 July 1919 in Rawa, Poland, as the sixth son of Abram Anielewicz (born on 3 March 1882 in Mogielnica, Poland) and his wife Mirla Juzefowicz (born on 6 June 1882 in Nowe Miasto, Poland). Hersz had eight brothers: Moszek Anszel (born in 1906), Fiszel Josek (born in 1908), Mendel (born in 1911), Chaim (born in 1913), Szulim (born in 1914), Lajb (born in 1917), Israel Ezryl (born in 1921) and David (born in 1925). Between 1929 and 1931 all Anielewicz family members migrated from Poland to Belgium and settled in Antwerp. Father Abram travelled the markets and worked as a shoemaker. Hersz and four of his brothers worked in the textile industry, while his other siblings found jobs in the diamond industry. When Nazi-Germany invaded Belgium on 10 May 1940, most members of the Anielewicz family still lived in Antwerp. Only Chaim with his wife Itte Topper and their son Sigismond, and Mendel with his wife Cypra Rozenblatt and their children Leon and Suzanne had relocated to Brussels. In June 1941 Lajb followed his brothers to the capital where he married Eva Glasrot. Back in Antwerp, Hersz Anielewicz religiously married Roza Bronsztajn (born on 15 June 1921 in Tomaszowo, Poland) and found living quarters at Korte Kievitstraat. During the occupation, the Anielewicz family obeyed the anti-Jewish decrees by registering in the Jewish Register of Belgium, by becoming members of the Association of Jews in Belgium and by wearing the yellow Star of David. In the summer of 1942, Hersz and his younger brother Israel Ezryl were claimed by the Arbeidsambt as forced labourers for Organisation Todt. On 4 August 1942, a few days before his departure, Hersz officially married Roza Bronsztajn. Six weeks earlier, on 27 June 1942, Israel Ezryl had also married his girlfriend: hairdresser Maria Lea Maschkivitzan (born on 27 July 1923 in Antwerp, Belgium). Hersz was sent to the Dannes and Condette labour camp where he received several letters from his wife Roza. Although he himself was able to escape from the work camp, return to Belgium and survive the war, Roza was killed after deportation from the Dossin barracks to Auschwitz-Birkenau via Transport VIII on 8 September 1942. Younger brother Israel Ezryl Anielewicz was sent to Calais and was deported from France to Auschwitz-Birkenau via Transport XVII on 31 October 1942. Although he was able to send a postcard to his wife in October 1943 while being detained at Auschwitz sub-camp Jawischowitz, Israel Ezryl did not survive deportation, tragically passing away a few days after being liberated. Maria Lea survived the war and married Viliam Herskovic who had successfully escaped from the Peiskretscham labour camp and published an account about Auschwitz in Unzer Kampf, an underground Yiddish newspaper, in June 1943. Of all Anielewicz family members only a few survived: Hersz who escaped from the French labour camp but lost his wife, Lajb who was hospitalised, Mendel who was repatriated after deportation but lost his wife and daughter, and Chaim who survived the war in hiding but lost his wife and son. Parents Abram Anielewicz and Mirla Juzefowicz as well as their sons Szulim, David, Moszek Anszel with his family, Fiszel Joszek with his family and Israel Ezryl were all killed. Post-war some of the family members changed their name to Aniel. Some emigrated to the United States, others such as Hersz remained in Belgium. He married Henriette Ouziel, had children and grandchildren. Hersz passed away in Brussels on 5 August 1998.

Martine and Albert Aniel found the items in this collection among the belongings of their father Hersz alias Harry Anielewicz. They kindly donated the original documents to Kazerne Dossin in 2018.

Martine and Albert Aniel, children of Hersch (Harry) Anielewicz, 2018