Imagine Parisian Jews forced to wear yellow stars. It happened right here near Division 141. This place bears silent witness to a dark chapter in Paris’s history during World War II. Let me tell you about Paris under Nazi occupation.
In 1940, German forces invaded France. About 175,000 Jews lived in Paris at the time. Many fled initially. They returned after the armistice when Paris became the German military headquarters. Most Parisian Jews lived in the 4th, 11th, 18th, and 20th districts. A German census in late September 1940 recorded 150,000 Jews. This number included 64,000 foreigners.
Persecution began in October 1941. Nazis bombed six synagogues and one Jewish prayer house. SS Jewish expert Theodor Dannecker centralized Jewish organizations. He ordered the transfer of Jewish businesses to non-Jewish owners. From 1940 to 1941 Germans arrested 10,000 Jews in Paris. About the same number fled to the unoccupied zone in the south.
In 1942, the Germans began systematic deportations. They targeted foreign and stateless Jews. They were deported from Paris to Drancy, Beaune-la-Rolande, and Pithiviers transit camps. French police helped with these roundups. From these camps, German authorities deported Jews to killing centers.
In June 1942, Jews in Paris had to wear yellow Star of David badges. It made them easy to identify. In mid-July, French police concentrated 13,000 Jews. They were held in the Vélodrome d’Hiver sports arena. This arena was in south-central Paris. They were held for days without food or water. Then, they were deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau via Drancy.
Thousands of Jews went into hiding. Nearly 30,000 Jews were deported from Paris in 1942. By mid-1943, 60,000 Jews remained in the city. The Germans began deporting residents of orphanages, nursing homes, and hospitals. In early 1944, they began deporting Jewish citizens of France too.
Thousands hid in Paris. Others fled to hiding places in the French provinces. Still more fled to neutral Spain, Portugal, or Switzerland. At least 3,000 Turkish, Hungarian, and Italian Jews were repatriated. Many Jews joined the French Resistance. Jewish organizations aided Parisian Jews. These included Solidarite, Amelot, OSE, and underground Zionist groups.
Allied forces liberated Paris on August 25, 1944. At least 50,000 Parisian Jews had been deported and murdered. Most were foreign-born.
Consider the pressures that led individuals to collaborate with the Germans. Think about the motivations of Parisians who rescued Jews. Remember the lives of Jews in Paris before World War II. Division 141 serves as a reminder of these times. It encourages reflection on the events and decisions made during the war. It stands as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.