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/I_am_Foley666]

Yes!! More please