The march of the world

“We are leaving tomorrow”, letters from deportees from the Drancy camp

Audio 48:30

Postcard exhibited at the Shoah Memorial in Drancy, with a stamp representing Marshal Pétain, the stamp of the Censorship office and "return to sender".

© Shoah Memorial/Coll.

André Weisman (royalty free)

By: Véronique Gaymard Follow

2 mins

On the occasion of the day of remembrance of the victims of the deportation, this April 24, 2022, 80 years after the Vel d'Hiv roundup and the turning point that was the year 1942 with the implementation of the "Solution Finale”, the extermination of the Jews, La Marche du Monde is at the Shoah Memorial in Drancy, in the Paris suburbs, where poignant letters from internees and deportees are exhibited.

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These letters, in neat handwriting or scribbled hastily with an ink pen, a piece of pencil lead or even blood, describe the daily life, the hunger and the hell of what they lived in Drancy which was a hub for the deportation of Jews from France.

These intimate stories of these last letters from internees sent to their relatives shed light on the daily life of the Drancy camp, before their deportation to the death camps of Auschwitz-Birkenau, most of which will not return.

A fragile heritage to keep and pass on to preserve this memory.

Participants:

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Head of Archives at the Shoah Memorial 

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Daniel Baron, son of Abraham Baron deported in 1941;

Jacqueline Reznik-Elgrably, daughter of Motel Reznik, arrested and deported in 1941;

Philippe Nahman, grandson of Joseph Nahman deported in 1942

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director of the documentary "I would like something to remain"

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, documentalist at the Shoah Memorial

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teacher (accompanied by several secondary school classes).

Karen Taïeb, head of archives at the Shoah Memorial.

© Véronique Gaymard/RFI

Last postcard sent by Joseph Nahman before his deportation to Auschwitz-Birkenau from the Drancy camp.

A card kept by his grandson Philippe Nahman.

© Maxime Grember

Letter sent to Abraham Baron while he was interned in Compiègne, the envelope indicates "return to sender", he will be transferred to the Camp de Drancy then deported in 1941 and assassinated in Auschwitz.

© Maxime Grember

Monument to the deportees in front of the U-shaped building that was the Drancy camp, the hub of the deportation of Jews from France between 1941 and 1944. © Véronique Gaymard/RFI

Internet link :

Exhibition "It's tomorrow that we leave" at the Shoah Memorial in Drancy

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