Siegfried Raphaelson

Siegfried Raphaelson and his younger brother Paul fled from Germany to Belgium in March 1939. They found a place to live in Schaerbeek and prepared to emigrate to the United States. The war broke out before their visas came through. Siegfried and Paul were detained by the Belgian authorities on 10 May 1940, handed over to the French administration and interned together at Saint-Cyprien. The brothers were separated at the end of June 1941. Paul was assigned to the 352nd Foreign Labour Group, while Siegfried remained in Gurs. They were reunited at Les Milles on 11 March 1942, before being transferred together to Drancy. On 17 August 1942 they were deported via Transport 20 to Auschwitz-Birkenau. There is no further trace of Siegfried (47) or Paul (46) Raphaelson following their arrival. Neither survived deportation.