Destructed Lives

In the summer of 1942, several Jewish families from Winterswijk, the Netherlands, decided to hide in the Korenburgerveen nature reserve. With the help of farmers, barracks were built in the peat, and local residents provided water and food. A total of 23 people found refuge in the bog, including five children. On November 27, 1942, the bog’s supervisor and two of his superiors from Natuurmonumenten discovered the hiding place. Later that day, the Winterswijk police and military police took action. The group was held overnight in the Feestgebouw and taken to Westerbork by the SD the next day. Some escaped during the action, but only three people survived the war. The rest died in concentration camps, the youngest victim was nine months old. The only exception was Philip Schwarz, he was taken off the train in Kosel to go to A work camp. A letter from him that he wrote from the camp has been preserved. Philip did not know the fate of his wife and children. Philip also did not survive the camp. The sad thing about this story is it was a group arrested by the Dutch.

His Daughter:
Mathilde Rosette Schwarz, born in Winterswijk on 24 March 1934. She was murdered at Auschwitz on 11 December 1942 at the age of 8.

His Son:
Robert Louis Schwarz was born in Winterswijk on 25 June 1938. He was murdered at Auschwitz on 11 December 1942. He was 4 years old.

His wife:
Madelene Henriette Schwarz-Meijers wasborn in Arnhem on 25 October 1905. She was murdered at Auschwitz on 11 December 1942. She was 37.

Philip Schwarz was born in Winterswijk on 9 October 1905. He was murdered somewhere in middle Europe on 21 January 1945, although there is another date on a 1951-issued document. He reached the age of 42 years.