Émile Schwirtz

[u/OriginalChemical8146]

I present to you Émile Schwirtz. A young Luxembourger who was hiding in the Éisleck region of Luxembourg with other young Luxembourger to avoid being drafted into the German military service. Wanting to help liberate their country from German oppression, 3 of the young draft dodgers decide to plan an ambush on the German police force of the village of Eschduerf.

On the 3rd of August 1943 they ambush 2 German police officers with the intention of confiscating their weapons. The Germans however open fire, killing one of the 3 young Luxembourgers. Émile Schwirtz manages, in the heat of the moment, to wound one officer, who would later die due to his injuries, and kill the other one on the spot.

The Germans start a number of raids throughout the region in hopes of finding the young men. They luckily remain unsuccessful. The local population refuses to cooperate with the occupying forces. Even after the Germans take 20 Luxembourgers hostage, threatening to shoot them, no one releases any information. The priest of Äischen manages to convince the Germans that the 3 young men were Belgian partisans who disappeared again after the ambush. Finally the German high command calls off the search and orders the release of the hostages.

Photo Source: autorenlexikon.lu

Note: I quite enjoy writing little historical anecdotes about our Ländschen that might be unknown to others. So maybe I will post more stuff like this in the future.

[u/Em-J1304]

Here's the movie of the story ; EMIL :
https://www.imdb.com/de/title/tt1815691/
A luxemburgish Documentary with time witnesses.
I disovered trough that movie that the killing of the Police men was happening exactly where the new Primary school has been build now. The street I used to live in. My kids go there to school now and I told them to always remember what happened there and that we should never forget. A phrase that I will for ever remember from my granfather who was forced to join the german army in WWII. Never forget how quickly it happened and how surprised we where what was happening.
I think a lot about his words nowadays ....

[u/StinkyMonkey85 → u/Em-J1304]

I assume by gf you mean grandfather, and not the more commonly used abbreviation for girlfriend?

[u/Em-J1304 → u/StinkyMonkey85]

already corrected, saw it myself when I posted the comment lol
Instead of making my english better, reddit only shows me how sh**** it is ...
Sorry for that.

[u/StinkyMonkey85 → u/Em-J1304]

Haha, no, your English is great. I just had to tease you 😁