Jacques Weisser BEM was born in Antwerp in February 1942. In August 1942, after his parents' deportation to camps, Jacques was sent to Meisjeshuis orphanage, Sint-Erasmus hospital & then Baron de Castro orphanage, before being hidden in the Ardennes by the Resistance:

I have absolutely no memory of any kind whatsoever about the war other than what I have been told, either by family, but most importantly by the research of other people, especially a young man called Reinier Heinsman who enabled me to find out a lot more about my background. 

I want to educate, and I’m positive. But there are times when the burden of being Jewish is heavy. But how can I educate when I can’t explain to people what I went through but don't remember? You can only tell the story of what you know happened through the mouth of others.

Some things I do remember: these big red goose eiderdowns. Great big things shielded with goose feathers to keep warm. There was no heating. And I remember being wrapped up in brown paper with butter. I think it was at the time I had polio.

Why weren’t all us children sent off to Auschwitz? A German edict said that any children under 3 years old, who did not have living parents, would not be sent to Auschwitz. Babies of 6 months, were sent, we were not. An unbelievable edict that most people cannot understand.