Schwarz family. Collection

Born in Antwerp, Belgium, Emile Schwarz faced the harsh realities of World War II and the persecution of Jewish families during the German occupation. In January 1941, Salomon and Esther Birenzweig, along with their son Idel, were forced to evacuate Antwerp to Alken, a province in Limburg, in line with German policy to relocate non-naturalised Belgian Jews. During their stay in Alken, they sought refuge with Liz Knaepen. When they were allowed to return to Antwerp, they sent their daughter Toni Schwarz, her husband Herman and their two children, five-year-old Edith and three-year-old Emile, to Alken in 1942, hoping to find a permanent hiding place there. And indeed, Toni and Herman got the place the parents had previously occupied with Liz Knaepen. Toni contributed by helping to mend clothes for the extended Knaepen family, while Herman helped out in the fields. Emile and Edith were looked after by Liz Knaepen's brother Joseph and his wife Elizabeth Knaepen. They had a large family of nine children. The Knaepen family, known for their generosity, lovingly took in Edith and Emile, integrating them into their household with enthusiasm. The children became playmates of the younger members of the Knaepen family, which brought joy to the family despite the challenges of the war, especially to Remi and Louis who were about the same age as Edith and Emile. Their older sons had been taken by the Germans for forced labour. Edith slept with the girls and shared the bed with the youngest. To ensure Edith and Emile's safety, they were officially registered in the adoptive parents' marriage book under the names of two deceased Knaepen children. Although Emile and Edith's parents lived next door, this was kept secret from them and the family was reunited mere after the liberation. Jozef Knaepen, his wife Elizabeth Knaepen-Achten and his sister Liz Knaepen were recognised as Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem on 3 January 1996 for their courageous and compassionate acts during the Holocaust. The Knaepen family's selfless commitment played a crucial role in ensuring the survival and eventual reunification of the Schwarz family after the war.

On 4 October 2023 Emile Schwarz kindly permitted Kazerne Dossin to digitise several documents and photos from his family archive. Emile had come to Kazerne Dossin that day to record the name of his nephew Léon Badler for the Every Name Matters project.

Emile Schwarz