Oscherowitz family. Collection

Hirsch Oscherowitz was born in Lodz, Poland, on 18 June 1877 as the son of Abraham Oscherowitz and Hana Frankel. He became a furniture dealer and migrated to Paris, France, where he married Golda Korenzowski (born on 21 December 1877 in Lodz, Poland) on 3 August 1899. Their oldest son Philip Oscherowitz was born in London, United Kingdom, on 10 February 1901 and therefore automatically obtained British citizenship although his parents were Polish nationals. In May 1912 the Oscherowitz-Korenzowski family arrived in Belgium where they settled at Van Immerseelstraat 36 in Antwerp. Second son David Oscherowitz was born there on 21 September 1912. The following years the family moved back and forth between France, Poland and Belgium before settling permanently in Antwerp in 1925. Oldest son Philip Oscherowitz became a trade merchant working for his father. He married Anna Silberberg (born on 4 January 1904 in Antwerp, Belgium, as the daughter of Abraham Silberberg and Taube Zechanowsky) on 2 June 1927 in Antwerp. Their daughter Fanny alias Fifi was born in Antwerp in October 1930. Belgian born youngest son David Oscherowitz obtained Belgian nationality in 1934. In 1935-1936 he fulfilled his military service in the Belgian army. In his spare time he was an athlete with the Maccabi sports club in Antwerp. On 20 October 1936 David married the seamstress Clara Risnik, born in Borgerhout, Belgium, on 31 October 1913 as the daughter of Israel Risnik and Esther Zilberman. Their daughter Eva Oscherowitz was born on 13 March 1939 in Antwerp. In May 1940 Nazi-Germany invaded Belgium. Youngest son David Oscherowitz, as a reservist, was called under arms and fought in the Battle of Belgium. He was captured and held as a prisoner of war until his release on 1st August 1940, after which he was able to return to his family in Antwerp. Oldest son Philip was arrested by the Nazis as a British and thus hostile citizen and sent to internment camp Ilag VIII/Z in Kreuzburg. He would survive the war there, while his wife Anna and Fanny remained in Belgium, protected by their British nationality which Anna had obtained after marrying Philip. The family was reunited in Antwerp in 1945. Philip Oscherowitz passed away in 2001, his wife Anna in 2000 and their daughter Fanny in 2007. Meanwhile, the other members of the Oscherowitz family – parents Hirsch and Golda as well as youngest son David and his family – had to obey the anti-Jewish decrees. They registered in the municipal Jewish register, became members of the Association of Jews in Belgium and wore the yellow star. On 23 September 1942 David, his wife Clara and their daughter Eva were arrested. However, their Belgian nationality protected them against deportation and they were released from the Dossin barracks on 26 June 1943. David and his family subsequently moved in with Philip’s wife Anna Silberberg at Lange Kievitstraat 58 in Antwerp. David and Philip’s parents Hirsch Oscherowitz and Golda Korenzowski who didn’t hold Belgian nationality were arrested mid-December 1942 and transferred to the Dossin barracks. Neither survived deportation to Auschwitz-Birkenau via transport XIX on 15 January 1943. David, his wife Clara and their daughter Eva were arrested a second time during Aktion Iltis, the raid directed against Jews with the Belgian nationality. On 4 September 1943 they were registered again at the Dossin barracks. None of them survived deportation to Auschwitz-Birkenau via Transport XXIIB on 20 September 1943.

In 2019 Kazerne Dossin received an anonymous parcel marked "Oscherowitz" which contained the photos in this collection. No additional information was provided in or on the package. The photographed persons were identified based on photo comparison techniques as well as the inscriptions on the back.

Anonymous donation via regular mail, 2019