Fischler-Fischler family. Collection

Wolf Fischler was born on 23 October 1900 in Oleszyce, Poland, as the son of Kovsky Fischler and Sosia Rottenberg. He became a diamond worker and later on a diamond dealer. In October 1925, Wolf came to Belgium where he officially married Chenke alias Anna Fischler on 8 December 1925. Chenke had been born on 5 July 1902 in Neu Sandez, Poland, as the daughter of Hirsch Fischler and Chaja Hollander, and had emigrated from Poland to Belgium with her parents in 1908. After their marriage, Wolf and Chenke Fischler-Fischler settled at Mechelsesteenweg 58 in Antwerp. They had six children together: Jacob Copillus alias Capi, born on 21 December 1926, Sosia Lea alias Sonia born on 29 April 1929, Rachel born on 4 April 1931, Abraham Aron alias Abi born on 1 August 1932, Baroch alias ‘Baby’ born on 1 January 1934, and Hilda alias Henny born on 26 February 1938. The family changed addresses multiple times, before settling at Thaliastraat 76 in Berchem in January 1935. Wolf Fischler also purchased a holiday home in Kalmthout, located at Thillostraat 10. The Fischler-Fischler family still lived at Thaliastraat 76 when Nazi-Germany invaded Belgium on 10 May 1940. In the months that followed, Wolf and Chenke were forced to obey the growing number of anti-Jewish decrees. They registered in the municipal Jewish register in December 1940 and became members of the Association of Jews in Belgium as of Spring 1942. As of June 1942, they wore the yellow star of David. Wolf was arrested several times by the Nazis. Being a well-known diamond dealer, the German Devisenschutzkommando was after his diamond stock. They also raided the home of Wolf’s parents-in-law, located at Pretoriastraat 78 in Berchem, where Wolf stored and sorted his diamonds. Even though he was imprisoned multiple times, the Nazis always had to let him go as Wolf had been able to buy falsified Bolivian passports protecting him and his family. During his last imprisonment in Summer 1942, Wolf’s wife Chenke started organizing the family’s flight to France. Children Jacob Copillus, Rachel and Baroch left first. In early September 1942, a human trafficker named Jean helped them cross into France. The children reached Mérignac, where they joined their maternal aunt Alina Fischler (married Strassberg) who had fled Belgium earlier on. In late September 1942, smuggler Jean led Sosia Lea and her maternal grandmother Chaja Hollander across the border. They also safely reached Mérignac. The last to leave were Wolf and Chenke Fischler-Fischler and their children Abraham and Hilda. Trusting a different smuggler this time, their new ‘aid’ left them standing at the border. All four family members were arrested. A German officer then decided to bring Abraham and Hilda to a Red Cross post. Both children were sent to an orphanage and ended up in Nice at the end of 1944, where they rejoined their four siblings, their aunt Alina and their maternal grandmother Chaja at Boulevard Victor Hugo 44. After their arrest at the border, Wolf and Chenke Fischler-Fischler were interned in Chalon, before being deported from the Drancy internment camp to Auschwitz-Birkenau via transport 45 on 11 November 1942. Both were murdered. Their six children survived the war and returned to Belgium in late July 1945. They were then raised by their maternal aunt Alina Fischler (married Strassberg). Eldest daughter Sosia Lea alias Sonia Fischler later married camp survivor Tobias Schiff.

On 22 May 1995, Jacob Copillus alias Capi Fischler kindly donated the original items in this collection to the Jewish Museum of Deportation and Resistance, predecessor of Kazerne Dossin.

Capi Fischler, 1995