Maistriau Robert

Maistriau, Robert The Goldsteinas family, parents Mendelis and Hinde (née Vistinieski) and their two young children, had settled in Brussels before the war. They were arrested by the Gestapo in February 1943 and immediately transferred to the Dossin barracks in Mechelen/Malines. They were subsequently put on the twentieth transport to Auschwitz, on April 19 of that year, together with about 1,400 other Jews. At nine thirty that evening, before passing the village of Boortmeerbeek, in the province of Brabant, the train suddenly came to a halt. The door to their wagon was flung open by a young man, Robert Maistriau, who was shouting for them to jump out. The Goldsteinases, together with some others immediately jumped out and ran into a nearby forest. Others were startled, and initially hesitated. Maistriau managed to return to the train to open yet another wagon. While the fleeing persons ran for cover, the Germans were shooting at them from every direction, killing and wounding some of those who had fled from the train. In total, 231 Jews jumped out, of whom seventeen escaped unharmed. Robert Maistriau was in his early twenties and fiercely opposed to the Nazi regime for its persecution of innocent people. He felt the need to act, and together with two others, Georges Livschitz, (Jewish), and Jean Franklemon, an attack on a train was planned: Livshitz was to stop the train, and Franklemon and Maistriau were each to try and open up the wagon doors. Livschitz was outfitted with a small gauge pistol and a big flashlight covered with red paper. It was dark when he lit the red light and placed it on the rails, which made the approaching train stop. Livshitz kept the conductor at bay with his pistol. Franklemon and Maistriau immediately moved into action, with Maistriau picking up where Franklemon ran into difficulties. Franklemon then took it upon himself to direct the escapees to the closest safe haven. They even managed to hand out some money forthe escapees’ immediate sustenance. Simon Gronowski, then eleven years old, was in one of the wagons, with fifty other Jews. When the door of his wagon opened, some people, including Simon jumped out. Before he could find his mother, German soldiers started to shoot and he ran for cover in the nearby bushes. He managed to escape, but his mother did not. Among others who were rescued in this daring operation were Braune Goldwasser, Wolf Piekarz and Hena Wasyng. Livschitz was later caught and executed. The three young men acted mainly on their own initiative. As far as is known, this was a unique rescue operation of its kind in Belgium, and even in Europe, and consequently became legendary. The accurate story was described in part 2 of historian Maxime Steinberg’s book: L’Etoile et le fusil: la Traque des Juifs, 1942-1944, and in two documentary films. On August 31, 1994, Yad Vashem recognized Robert Maistriau as Righteous Among the Nations.