Pessel Schöngross

Eintrag im »Gedenkbuch« des Bundesarchivs:

• Schöngross, Pesel Pessel Pesl
• geb. Pariser
• geboren am 15. März 1887
• in Rzeszow/Galizien
• wohnhaft in Oberhausen / Rheinprovinz
• EMIGRATION
• 00.00.1933, Niederlande
• DEPORTATION
• ab Niederlande
• 00.00.1943, Auschwitz, Konzentrations- und Vernichtungslager
• TODESDATUM
• 19. Februar 1943
• TODESORT
• Auschwitz, Vernichtungslager
• für tot erklärt

The family had moved from Poland to Germany for economic reasons, where the father worked in the shoe industry in Stuttgart. The father had been captured by the Russians in World War I and was in permanent ill health. The whole family moved from Germany on 2 May 1933 from Oberhausen (Germany) to 47 Rechtstraat, Maastricht. The choice for Maastricht is probably because Samuel Isak's sister, Amalia, already lived in Maastricht. Samuel Isak was a drapery merchant in Maastricht and they remained stateless in the Netherlands due to their flight from Germany.

They lived in the Rechtstraat for almost ten years, but they were arrested on October 25, 1942 and then deported to Auschwitz on February 16, 1943. They could still escape the earlier arrest because on August 25, 1942, they were not deported from Maastricht to Westerbork on the grounds of "insanity" of Pessel Schöngross-Pariser. Her doctor had declared her "insane" according to the police officer who issued the call. (source: Van Rens, p. 261) Some time later on October 25, 1942, they were still arrested near Eindhoven when they were traveling without a permit. Then they were put in the 50th train with 1108 persons from Westerbork to Deported to Auschwitz on February 16, 1943. Three days later, immediately after their arrival, they were murdered on February 19, 1943. Samuel Isak was 56 years old while his wife Pessel turned 55 years old.