Three names echo in the heart of Brussels: Youra Livchitz Jean Franklemon and Robert Maistriau. These are the heroes commemorated by Les héros du XXe convoi – De helden van het XXe convooi War memorial.
This memorial honors their brave act during World War II. It stands as a testament to their courage.
Les héros du XXe convoi – De helden van het XXe convooi War memorial serves as a poignant reminder. It reminds us of a unique event in the history of the Holocaust.
On April 19 1943 these three young men attacked the twentieth convoy. This convoy was transporting Jewish deportees to Auschwitz. Their goal was simple. They wanted to liberate as many people as possible.
The twentieth convoy consisted of 1631 Jewish deportees. It left from Malines Belgium destined for Auschwitz. Youra Livchitz Robert Maistriau and Jean Franklemon were childhood friends. They had little experience but they had immense courage.
They forced the train to stop ten kilometers from Malines. Groups of resistance fighters inside the wagons had been preparing to escape. Their efforts and the attack converged. This made an unparalleled feat possible.
The attack occurred on the first evening of Passover Seder. This is a festival celebrating freedom for the Jewish people. Coincidentally the Warsaw ghetto uprising began at the same time. This event was largely ignored outside Belgium.
Between August 1942 and August 1944 the Dossin barracks in Mechelen held 25625 Jews and 351 Roma. They were then deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau. Only 1395 survived.
The secretary general of the Belgian Ministry of Justice Gaston Schuind tried to intervene. He noted that many children were on the list. He also mentioned elderly people who could not work. His pleas were ignored.
The youngest escapee was Simon Gronowski aged 11. His mother pushed him from the train. He survived. The oldest escapee was Alex Cleffmann born in 1878.
By 1943 people knew the truth about the labor transports. Ghert Jospa Mauritz Bolle and Roger Van Praag formulated a plan. They wanted to free the deportees.
Youra Livchitz took charge. He recruited Robert Maistriau and Jean Franklemon. They were former classmates. On April 19 they gathered in Brussels. They biked to the railway line between Malines and Louvain.
They placed a red-covered lamp on the tracks. This signaled the train to stop. Albert Simon the machinist deliberately stopped the train. He was part of the resistance.
The plan was for Livchitz to hold the conductor at gunpoint. Maistriau and Franklemon would open the wagons. They would distribute money to help the escapees.
Two things went wrong. First the Jews were locked in cattle cars. These were harder to open. Second the escort was doubled.
Despite the challenges Robert Maistriau managed to open one wagon. Fifteen to seventeen deportees jumped to freedom.
236 people escaped. Twenty-six were killed and ninety-two were recaptured. One hundred eighteen escapes were successful.
Youra Livchitz was captured and executed. Robert Maistriau was arrested and sent to Buchenwald. He survived. Jean Franklemon was imprisoned in Sonnenburg and Sachsenhausen. He also survived.
Les héros du XXe convoi – De helden van het XXe convooi War memorial stands. It stands as a reminder of their sacrifice.
The City of Brussels honored these heroes. They unveiled commemorative plaques in the Bois de la Cambre.
Visiting Les héros du XXe convoi – De helden van het XXe convooi War memorial. It is a deeply moving experience. It honors those who resisted darkness. It celebrates the resilience of the human spirit. Their story continues to inspire.