




Plot Location | 2D19 |
Surname | Landau |
Given Name(s) | Emile |
Place of Birth | Calcutta |
Date of Birth (Eng) | 1905 |
Date of Birth (Heb) | |
Date of Death (Eng) | June 30, 1968 |
Date of Death (Heb) | |
Age at Death | 63 |
Hebrew Name | |
Spouse’s Name | Rose (Rosie) Brasilevsky |
Father’s Name | Aaron Landau (2E33) |
Mother’s Name | Amelia Pauline Landau (2D21) |
Other Surnames | |
Sex | M |
Marital Status | M |
Maiden Name | |
Title (e.g., Dr) | |
Religious Status (כ/ל/י) | |
Cause of Death | |
Other Family Data | Brothers and sister: Harry (2E34), Pauline (Polly) Hughes and Leo; Sons: Harry and Alexander (2E32); Daughter: Vonnick; Father-in-law: David Brasilevsky (2E30); Nieces: Dolores Hughes (Polly’s daughter) and Barbara Ann Harding (Leo’s daughter). |
Inscription (Eng) | EMILE LANDAU DIED 30TH JUNE 1968 AGED 63 YEARS ALWAYS REMEMBERED BY HIS WIFE ROSE AND HIS CHILDREN |
Inscription (Heb) | |
Inscription (Other) | |
Historical | In 1941, Emile applied for a liquor license for the Parisian Grill, G/F, 10 Queen’s Road Central. During the war, it was believed that he was lending money to the British. The Japanese tortured both him and Rose (who was Russian) for three months in 1944 but they failed to extract any information from them. Emile was subsequently sentenced to five years in prison (reduced to three years) and he served the remainder of the war in Stanley Prison. In a 1941 jurors’ list, he is listed at the manager of the Parisian Grill and living at 25 Blue Pool Road, Top floor. Barbara Ann Harding wrote on July 15, 2017: “During the Japanese occupation of HK, both Emile and Rosie were in prison. Somehow their two boys survived for weeks on the streets.” Daughter Vonnick was adopted. She died in tragic circumstances around 1972-74. According to Barbara Harding, “Poor Vonnick, didn’t have an easy start in life. Dr. Ramler went to Europe after the war to try to find a Jewish child that Rosie and Emile could adopt. Rosie had been tortured in prison and could not have any more children. I think she badly wanted one as Alex had died. Vonnick was found in a Catholic orphanage and the Landaus had to agree that she had to be brought up as Catholic in order to get her. (She was 3 years old at the time.) This just added to Vonnick’s feelings of rejection. She was like a little pet to Rosie, Emile and Ram — always dressed like a doll. She did ballet very seriously and the family moved to England so she could go to the best ballet school. “Emile, Rosie and Ram [Dr. Ramler] lived as a group of three in Hong Kong (which caused quite a stir at the Jewish Club) and later in Sevenoaks in England. Ram arrived in Hong Kong from Austria-Hungary with his mother, Lotte Ramler (2E29), possibly in 1939. I think they just made it out. Ram used to tell me that when the Japanese saw his Austrian passport, they treated him as an honoured guest, especially as he was a doctor. He treated the Japanese and then in 1944 went to the prison. After the war, Rosie and Ram wanted to marry but Emile was sick so they waited. They had always been in love from when they met in prison in 1944. Many years later, some eight years after Rosie’s death, Ram had a relationship with a lovely lady named Barbara [Moyle]. They lived in and out of Israel and Canada. Ram had an accident in Israel — he was hit by a car and died shortly after.” Rosie died in Vancouver, Canada, and was cremated there, as was Siegfried Ramler. Emile and the Parisian Grill are mentioned in Emily Hann’s book, China To Me. |
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