Kutnowski-Kupferminc family. Collection

Jankiel Kutnowski, husband of Anna (Chana) Kupferminc, was registered on 17 September 1942 at the Dossin barracks as person 1066 on transport list XI. This train left Mechelen on 26 September 1942 and arrived at Auschwitz-Birkenau on 28 September 1942. On arrival, Jankiel was selected as a forced labourer. The number 66265 was tattooed on his arm. Jankiel was transferred to Birkenau in October 1942 and to Warsaw in October 1943. On 6 August 1944 he arrived in Dachau and was then sent to Mühldorf, where he was liberated by the American army on 30 April 1945. Jankiel was repatriated to Belgium on 16 May 1945. In 1951 he was awarded the title of political prisoner for his patriotic activities. Hersz Zelman Kutnowski followed the same path as his brother Jankiel. He was deported to France in 1942 as an OT-worker before being registered as person 451 on transport list XVII. This train left northern France on 31 October 1942 and arrived at Auschwitz-Birkenau on 3 November 1942. On arrival, Hersz Zilman Kutnowski was selected as a forced labourer. The number 72597 was tattooed on his arm. After that, all trace of Hersz was lost. He died in a place, on a date and in circumstances unknown to us. Lajbus Kupferminc, his wife Sara Kupferminc, their daughter Anna (Chana) Kupferminc, their son Aron Kupferminc, his wife Chawa Laja Ajzenfisz and their daughter Hilda Kupferminc were arrested at the beginning of April 1943 in Brussels in circumstances unknown to us. They were registered at the Dossin barracks on 7 April 1943, where they were given the numbers 1414 to 1419 on the transport XX list. This train left Mechelen on 19 April 1943 and arrived at Auschwitz-Birkenau on 22 April 1943. Unfortunately, we do not know what happened to Lajbus and Sara Kupferminc after their arrival. Given that Hilda Kupferminc was only 4 years old, it is likely that she and her mother Chawa Laja Ajzenfisz were sent directly to the gas chamber. Anna (Chana) and Aron Kupferminc were selected as forced labourers. The number 42623 was tattooed on Anna's arm. She was interned in Birkenau and survived the death march to Ravensbrück in early 1945. She was later interned in Retzof and Neustadt, where she was liberated by the American army on 8 May 1945. On 16 July 1945, she was repatriated to Belgium. Anna was recognised as a political prisoner in 1958. Aron Kupferminc also survived deportation. The number 117581 was tattooed on his arm. Aron survived 20 months in Auschwitz-Monowitz and the death marches to Buchenwald and Dora, where he was liberated by the American army on 11 April 1945. Aron was repatriated to Belgium on 12 May 1945. He emigrated to Israel in 1946. Leon Kutnowski was also deported by transport XX. He was registered at the Dossin barracks on 2 February 1943 as person 383 on the deportation list. However, he was able to jump from the train. Leo was recaptured on 29 March 1944 under the false name of Leib Silberstein. He was transferred to Breendonk and from there deported to Buchenwald on 6 May 1944, where he was executed as a terrorist.

On 15 June 2023, Maximilien Kutnowski permitted Kazerne Dossin to digitally archive 9 photos, 1 military court ruling, 23 letters, 3 envelopes, 19 identification cards, 8 articles, 23 attestations/certificates, 7 decisions, 1 invitation, 3 transcripts, 1 paper-art card, 1 in memoriam, 17 archive copies, 1 brevet and 6 pins/lanyards in this collection.

Maximilien Kutnowski