Biography

About Simon Isaac Eliasar

Simon Isaac Eliasar married Lea Christina Elze on 30 April 1913 in Brussels. Their only child was born on 4 April 1918. Lea Elze died in Schevingen in 1939.
Simon Eliasar was an entrepeneur. Around 1918 he was a tobacconist with a shop in the vicinity of the Grote Markt in Brussels. In the early twenties the family moved from Brussels to Rotterdam. Together with his companion Emanuel Brandel, Simon Eliasar set up in business business firm Mercurius. Some while later they also set up the credit bank VOKARO (Voorschots Kas Rotterdam). In the mid-twenties Simon Eliasar moved from Rotterdam to Scheveningen. Emanuel Brandel followed his example, the men became neighbours.
In the summer of 1942, Simon Eliasar decided to flee to Switzerland with his child. Father and son arrived in Lyon and were in contact with the leader of the Dutch-Paris resistance movement. During an attempt to cross the border, Simon Eliasar and his son were arrested by French customs officers. On 3 November 1942 Simon Eliasar arrived in camp Rivesaltes only to be transfered to camp Gurs where he arrived on 26 November 1942.
In January 1943 Simon Eliasar submitted an application to be transfered to camp Chateauneuf-Les-Bains. According to Simon Eliasar he was a protestant instead of a Jew. His application resulted in his release on 31 May 1943. Simon Eliasar subsequently established himself in Landry, a village in the Savoy. He established and maintained contact with his child who managed to cross the border to Switzerland in a second attempt. On 1 December 1943 Simon Eliasar was arrested and brought to Drancy. On 17 December 1943 he was deported to Auschwitz.
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