Jewish Children in France during Holocaust: Survivors Tell Stories in Paris about World War II

The City Council of Paris has gathered objects and exclusive documents in order to diplay the journeys and stories of Jewish children from Paris during World War II. Some of these children were hidden and saved. Others were deported and never came back. This exhibition aims at reminding us of the horrible sufferings that French Jews had to face between 1939 and 1945. Something that we should never forget. This year is the 70th anniversary of the rounding-up of Jews in the Paris Vélodrome d'Hiver in 1942. The exhibition « They were children » is the result of an extensive work conducted for over 15 years in Parisian schools, which enabled the city of Paris to identify and honor deported Jewish children and survivors. Teachers, hidden children during the war and survivors formed a committee to start a long search in order to find the name of each missing Jewish child. « They were children » presents official documents, letters, drawings and pictures of Jewish children during and after the war. Almost 80% of Jewish children that were living in Paris in 1939 survived thanks to the mobilization of their parents, the Jewish resistance networks and the solidarity of many Parisians. But the survivors took years before bringing out documents and objects that reminded them of the terrible events they had to go through at such a young age. They only understood late that all these documents can help young generations understand what exactly happened and how they felt during the Holocaust. Before the Second World War, there were about 320 000 Jews in France. In June 1940, when the German soldiers arrived, almost 200 000 Jews lived in Paris. During the war, if almost 80% of Jewish children were saved, it is because children were hidden by friends, neighbours or family members. This is the case of Louise Lubliner. This exhibition will take place until the 27th of October. It represents and incredible source of stories which can stimulate the memory of each single person in order not to repeat the past devastating errors and tremendous atrocities of human history. Frédéric Darmuzey, Jewish News One, Paris.