Figure 1.--Here is Hélène and (Union générale des israélites de France -- UGIF) children. She was visiting an orphanage at Aubergenville, a village approximately 30 miles west of Paris. He UGIF wa controlled by the Germans and its prphnages were essentiallyarap foir the children. Hélène pf course had no way of knowinhg that. This photograph was pribbly taken just before her arrest.

Hélène Berr has left us a detailed, haunting account describing the horror Jewish life in German occupied Farnce. Hélène was a sweet, lively and observant young student at the Sorbonne studying literture when the Germansd enterd Paris (1940). She like other young people, totally unprepred for what was comimg. She describes what all young women do in the university, only under extrodinary circumstnces. She went to classes and had a specisl interst in poetry and musoc. She played the violin and listened to records with friends. And fell in love. All very normal for a young woman. Only Hélène was Jewish and in German occupied France that made the differene between life and death. Her journal week by week recorded the horific, unfolding tragedy.

Paris (1940-42)

The French Army was hattered by the Germany Offensuve (May 10). he Germans entered Paris (June 14). An armistice uis sinbed (June 22), basically a surrender. The Vich Government colboirted with the Germans abnd had a stoub abti-Semetic streak of it own. Anti-Semnetic regulations followed. At fist they were minor, but becme increasingly severe. Unlike the East, Jews in the West were not ghetioized. Slowly the situation for Jews became worse and worse.

Hélène's Journal

Hélène began keeping a journal (April 1942). It became one of the most moving literary records of the Holocust. And not realizing it, creting an imprtant literary work of inexorably evolving evil. It begins with a girl expressing a passion for life. Wuhin a few weeks the tone darkens.

Yellow Stars

The Germns order Paris Jews to wear the yellow Juif star (May 29). It is at this time the death camps came on line and the transports could begin. The first personl eperiencce is tht her fther was arrested. He had not stitched on the yellow star correctly. The Germans wanted them stuched on securely so that they could not be easily removed. He was held in an inernmeht camp for 3 months. In reference to the yellow star, Hélène wrote, "My God, I would not believe that this would be so hard. I have had a lot of courage all day. I kept my head high, and I looked at peoples’ faces so well as they averted their eyes. But it is hard. Otherwise, the majority of people do not look. The most painful part is meeting other people who wear it." Another entry reads, "10 July 1942: A new order’s been issued today, about the métro [subway]. "I was about to get into the front carriage when I suddenly realized that the harsh words of the inspector were addressed to me: 'You there, in the other carriage.' ” When I got into the last carriage, tears were pouring from my eyes, tears of rage, and of protest against this brutality. [The Préfet of Paris (not the German, issued the order which forbade Jews to ride in trains or the Métro in any car other than the last one. It was issued without any public announcement. And because of the yellow stars, Jew were easily identified.)

Hélène Remains in Paris

Paris Jews began fleeing into the unoccupied Vichy Zone. Hélène remained in Paris to remain close to her parents and elder relatives--a natural tendency which aided the Germans. The arrests began and with them deportations to the East. No one was, however, sure as to what was happening.

Runors

There were rumors of executions, masscres, and gassings--but it ll seemed so unreal. Hélène attempts to cling on to the normality of her pre-War life.

Regulations

The anti-Semrtic regime was notestablished all at once. Rther there was a steady stream nof regultioins designedto isolate Jews anbd make theur lives unbearable. Hélène continued to attended classes, but can only audit them. Jew were no longer able to pursue a degree. It should not be thought that such regultions were all the wotk of the Germans. Vichy issued anti-Semetic reguuilations before the Germans demanded action.

Daily Life

She wites about continuing to play music with friends, hoping that some how she could survive and the rumors were wild exagerations.

Romance

It is at this time that Hélène falls in love. She wites, "What amuddle of joys and misseries my life has become!" Her finance leaves Paris to join the Resistnbce in the countryside.

Union générale des israélites de France

Hélène began working with the charity organization, the Union générale des israélites de France (General Union of French Jews -- UGIF) to care for Jewush children. This was an organization created by the antisemitic Vichy politician Xavier Vallat after the Fall of France in World War II (November 1941). It was the only Jewish group pemitted in France and Jews had no real option, but to work with it. For a time it pursued some humnitarian srvices sych as caring for orphaned childen. But it served the purposes of Vichy and the Germans by concentrating Jews. Unlike the East, there were no ghettoes in the West. The children's homes became traps. Eventually the Germans arrest the entire UGIF office. Hélène avoids arrest only because she was not present that day.

Duty

Begun as a diversion, her journal becomes a daily duty-- arrepossibility of resusrtance. For how will humanity everv beheled unkess all its rottoness is exposed.

Arrest (March 1944)

Hélène was finally arrested (March 1944). This was severl months before D-Dayb(une 1844) and the liberation of Paris (August 1944). She was tranoortdto Auschwitz, but because she was heaklty, she was selected for woirk and survived. As teRedArmy approcged, the SS evcuated the camp (fall 1944). They did not shoot the imates, because they would have had to explain the bodies. They were deported to Bergen-Belsen in northern Germnany near Hamburg. Again she survived for several months. She was beathen to death by a guard, just before the British reached the camp (April 15, 1945). .

The Journal

Hélène's journal survived. Her fuinnce found itaftervParis was liberated. The last passgein thevJournal was ftrom Shakesperres Macbeth, "Horror! Horror! Horror!" He kept it for years. It was finlly bpublished andwasa literry sensation (2008). Hélène istoday jnoin as Franbce'sAnne Frank.

Created: 11:34 PM 6/3/2022
Last updated: 11:34 PM 6/3/2022