Emile was born on April 16, 1887 in Torhout. He was the husband of Maria Vandecaveye and father of seven children. A farmer, he worked hard to support his family.
On Tuesday, August 8, 1944, Emile was arrested during the raid. He was suspected of:
- Aiding resistance fighters in hiding
- Providing shelter to work refusers, including his two sons
- Distributing clandestine press
After his arrest, he was imprisoned at the Minor Seminary in Roeselare and transferred to Ghent the same day. He arrived at Neuengamme concentration camp in early September 1944, but after that, every trace of him disappeared.
After recent research in the archives, Emile’s death certificate was found. He died in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp on November 19, 1944. Despite the chaos at the end of the war, Emile was registered there and given a grave.
In 1961, his body was repatriated and reburied in the crypt of the Zonnebeke municipal cemetery.
