Jacques Ochs

Jacques Ochs born at Nice, February 18, 1883 and died April 3, 1971 (age 88) in Liege. He was a Jewish-Belgian fencing champion who became world champion in 1914. He was also a portrait painter of French origin. In addition, he drew, illustrated magazines, made caricatures and designed posters. He collaborated on several magazines such as; Le figaro, Pourquoi pas?, La Nation Belge, Le Petit Parisien,... He was then a well-known caricaturist and made many paintings of statesmen. But that was not all. He was also a war volunteer during World War I.

When Jacques was 10 years old his parents moved to Liege. He then studied at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Liege as with Evariste Carpentier (a Belgian painter). He graduated in 1903. He then won the Prix Auguste Donnay prize. After graduating, he decided to continue studying at the Académie Julian in Paris until 1905. In 1920 he decided to become a teacher at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Liege and in 1934 he became director at the same school.

Jacques Ochs (himself of Jewish descent) had depicted Hitler on the cover of "Pourquoi pas?" in early April 1938 with a swastika (a symbol stemming from Indus civilization) on his forehead, blood dripping from his hands and a scepter (a kind of staff) in the shape of a beheaded Jew. This is what people who sided with Hitler saw as a threatening and hateful message toward them. As a result, an artist who sided with Hitler reported Jacques Ochs to the German government. Jacques Ochs was immediately arrested not long after, after the invasion of the Germans in May 1940 on November 17, 1940. 2 months later he was imprisoned in the Fortress of Breendonk. As Jacques Ochs was unable to walk stably anymore due to his accident, he was not allowed to work and was allowed to help clean the non-commissioned officers' rooms or assist in the camp's blacksmith's shop. When the camp commander of the Fortress of Breendonk named Philipp Schmitt noticed his artistic talent, he got permission to draw, which was very unusual and confusing for the prisoner. He sketched many drawings of fellow prisoners and not so nice drawings of his SS guards. He then drew his guards in a sitting position so that they would leave their fellow prisoners alone for the time being.

The German military administration intervened on Jacques Ochs' behalf for fear of upsetting the Belgian top brass. Jacques Ochs who was in a sad situation was allowed to rehabilitate in the military hospital of Antwerp. Two months later he had to return to the Fortress of Breendonk. Shortly thereafter he was released. With the help of a Flemish SS officer he managed to smuggle his drawings out of the camp. He did not have much choice, he was not allowed to do much except stay at home. But that's better than nothing of course.

In July 1944 he was first imprisoned in the famous citadel of Liège and then in the famous Dossin Barracks in Mechelen, which can now be visited. It is highly recommended to visit it and learn more about how it was. The liberation army, including the Germans and the British,... were able to prevent Jacques Ochs from being deported to a concentration camp just in time. Together with the watercolor paintings by Willem Pauwels (alias Wilchar), the drawings/sketches capture the hard life and pain of life in captivity at the Fort of Breendonk.

My opinion

I admire Jacques Ochs for all that he did for the fellow prisoners at the Fort of Breendonk. He was a man with a heart as I can read. Who would want to go to war voluntarily, well he did. I also chose him because he was in several prisons in Belgium that you can go visit. That's a nice plus for the exchange students that would come to us. He had a lot of nice character traits and was very creative and artistic in different parts like art, sports,.... Even though he was of Jewish descent himself he didn't agree with how that Hitler operated and made cartoons. So I think this is great. I think this man should definitely be on a game card and that other people should definitely start getting to know him.