Levie Blitz, born 16 June 1870 in Amsterdam, diamond cleaver and diamond polisher, was one of the nine children of Jonas Blitz and Marianna Loeza. He married Elisabeth Wessel in Weesp, 4 May 1893. She was born 25 March 1869 in Amsterdam as the youngest of seven children of Jacob Isaac Wessel and Leentje Barmes. The couple had three children, namely Marianna in 1894, Jacob Jonas in 1898 and Helena in 1904. Only their son Jacob Jonas was killed in Auschwitz, together with his wife Clara Meijer. It is not known whether they had offspring. Of Marianna is known that she left Amsterdam for Antwerp in 1919 but further details about her are not available. Helena, born in Antwerp married in 1925 Izrael Beck from Sanok in Poland; they, as well their three children survived the Shoah.
After their marriage, Levie and his wife lived at Nieuwe Kerkstraat 106 in Amsterdam, where two of their children were born. At the end of October 1898 they move to Antwerp. Their son Jacob Jonas was just two months old then.
Levie Blitz and his wife Elisabeth Wessel were deported from Mechelen to Auschwitz with Convoy 14, leaving 24 October 1942. From the Memorial of the Deportation of the Belgian Jews, it appeared at page 27 and 28 that also the 15th Convoy left that same date and that both convoys were merged to one transport, including 1471 persons, which arrived in Auschwitz 26 October 1942. However, not all persons were killed upon arrival there; this transport comprised many “workers”. More than half of the male deportees were not sent to the gas-chamber. The most of 895 prisoners, who were killed immediately upon arrival were women. Of the other 576 persons who were registered in the actual concentration camp, only 41 survived and were released at the liberation of the camp.
The date of death of Elisabeth Wessel was established as 27 October 1942. She was 73 years of age then. Of her husband Levie Blitz no exact date of death is known. However, upon arrival in Auschwitz Levie was 72 years of age, and because of his age it seems not plausible that Levie would belong to the group of 576 “workers” who were registered in the camp. More likely is that Levie Blitz has been killed that same 27 October 1942 in Auschwitz, together with his wife Elisabeth Wessel.
Sources: City Archive of Amsterdam, certificates of birth of Levie Blitz and Elisabeth Wessel; Peoples Registry Amsterdam, volumes (overgenomen delen) 1892-1920; website www.wiewaswie.nl, wedding of Levie Blitz to Elisabeth Wessel and the Memorial of the Deportation of the Belgian Jews, pages among others 27 and 28.