Here stands a simple granite plaque a quiet testament to a life lived and lost. This is the Plaque commémorative Miron Zlatin. It marks the place where Miron Zlatin lived from 1929 to 1940. His story is one of resilience love and ultimately tragedy.
Miron Zlatin a Russian Jew arrived in France in the 1920s. He met and married Sabine Zlatin. They settled on a poultry farm near Lille a symbol of their hopes for a new life. They embraced French values becoming French citizens in 1939. Their happiness was short-lived. World War II broke out. The Nazis invaded.
Miron and Sabine fled north to the south of France. They found refuge in Montpellier. Sabine worked as a nurse. But anti-Semitic laws forced her to find other work. She became a social worker for OSE a children’s aid organization. They later established a haven a refuge for Jewish children in Izieu.
The Izieu home became a sanctuary a temporary escape from the horrors of war. Children were safe. They learned and played oblivious to the danger. Miron and Sabine provided a sense of normalcy. But their work would not go unnoticed.
In April 1944 tragedy struck. The Gestapo raided Izieu. They arrested Miron and the children. Miron was deported to Auschwitz. He was murdered on August 2 1944 in Revel. The plaque commemorates his sacrifice his life dedicated to protecting others.
This small plaque a quiet tribute speaks volumes. It speaks of a family’s hope and loss. It also speaks of courage during war. It is a reminder of the Holocaust its victims and the enduring fight against injustice. Remember Miron Zlatin’s story. His life and death are an important part of Lille’s history and the history of France.