Raphael Alexander Montezinos, son of Abraham Raphael Montezinos and Emma Meyer, was deported 27 August 1942 from Mechelen to Auschwitz with Convoy VI (6), together with his mother. This convoy contained 1000 persons and it was the first Belgian convoy which stopped at Kozel, about 80 km. West from Auschwitz, were 280 boys and men between 15 and 50 year forcedly had to leave the train, to do hard labor in the surrounding camps. The rest of Convoy VI arrived in Auschwitz on 30 Augustus 1942, consisting only 720 women, who were immediately killed in the gas chamber at that same day.
The official certificate of death for Emma Meyer (Meijer), issued by the Municipality of Berchem (Year 1957 nr. II BR) shows as date- and place of death “29 August 1942 at an unknown place”. But it is rather certain that Raphael Alexander's mother was killed immediately upon arrival of the remaining convoy VI in Auschwitz on 30 August 1942.
But Raphael Alexander Montezinos did not belong to the “women”who werd killed upon arrival of the remaining convoy in Auschwitz. It is more likely that he belonged to the group of 280 boys and men who were forced to leave the train at Kozel. It is therefore unclear where and when he lost his life. His official certificate of death (Year 1957 Nr. II BR), issued by the Municipality of Berchem shows that Raphael Alexander Montzinos has died “on 29 August 1942 in an unknown place”.
Municipal Archive of Berchem, bulletins nr. 20913 and 20914; Municipal Archive of Den Haag, family registration card of Abraham Raphael Montezinos; Certificates of death II BR of 28 January 1957 Raphael Alexander Montezinos, issued by the Municipality of Berchem and the Memorial of the deportation of the Belgian Jews, pages 388, 382, 29 en 23.