Aid and Rescue: Communities

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  Postcard with View of Protestant Temple, Chambon-Sur-Lignon, France

  2014.1.466

  Front: Black and white photograph of a small church, titled, "Le Chambon-sur-Lignong Hte-Loire -- Le Temple Protestant."Back: Message written in blue ink.

  Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash:

  From 1940 to 1944 the villagers of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon had provided shelter in their homes and farms, saving more than 3000 Jewish children fleeing the Nazis and their Vichy collaborators. This extraordinary effort was guided by the Protestant pastor of the village, André Trochmé and his wife Magda. Despite continued threats by Vichy collaborators, the villagers did not betray their charges. This effort did not go seamlessly. Five children were arrested in school in 1943 and deported to Auschwitz where they were murdered. Trochmé’s cousin Daniel was arrested and deported, and the town physician was shot. André Trochmé himself was forced to go into hiding, while Magda continued the work of sheltering Jews.

  The entire community of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon has been honored by Yad Vashem as Righteous Gentiles, the first community to be so honored.

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  Postcard with View of Chambon-Sur-Lignon, France

  2014.1.465

  Front: Black and white photograph of a forest.Back: Message written in blue ink.

  Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash:

  While the Nazis and their Vichy collaborators delivered 83,000 Jews - including 10,000 children - to concentration camps, the ordinary citizens of the town of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon, in the hills of southeastern France, took in and protected Jews at great peril to their own lives. Approximately 5,000 Jews were saved, sheltered, educated, or, with the help of the underground, spirited to Spain or Switzerland. Jews were housed in private homes, on farms and public institutions, and when Gestapo or their Vichy French collaborators approached, villagers would hide the children in the forest. As soon as they left, villagers would sing a song signaling that it was safe to emerge from hiding. This extraordinary effort involving the entire village was guided by the Protestant pastor of the village, André Trochmé, and his wife Magda. Despite being threatened by Vichy collaborators, he would not betray his charges. His cousin Daniel Trochmé, however, was arrested and sent to the concentration camp Majdanek, where he perished. When André Trochmé was finally forced to go into hiding, his wife Magda continued his work of sheltering the Jews of Le Chambon until the end of the war. The entire community of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon has been honored by Yad Vashem as Righteous Gentiles, the first community to be so honored.

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  Postcard with View of Beach, Chambon-Sur-Lignon, France

  2014.1.467

  Front: Black and white photograph of people on a beach.Back: Message written in black ink.

  Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash:

  While the Nazis and their Vichy collaborators delivered 83,000 Jews - including 10,000 children - to concentration camps, the ordinary citizens of the town of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon, in the hills of southeastern France, took in and protected Jews at great peril to their own lives. Approximately 5,000 Jews were saved, sheltered, educated, or, with the help of the underground, spirited to Spain or Switzerland. Jews were housed in private homes, on farms and public institutions, and when Gestapo or their Vichy French collaborators approached, villagers would hide the children in the forest. As soon as they left, villagers would sing a song signaling that it was safe to emerge from hiding. This extraordinary effort involving the entire village was guided by the Protestant pastor of the village, André Trochmé, and his wife Magda. Despite being threatened by Vichy collaborators, he would not betray his charges. His cousin Daniel Trochmé, however, was arrested and sent to the concentration camp Majdanek, where he perished. When André Trochmé was finally forced to go into hiding, his wife Magda continued his work of sheltering the Jews of Le Chambon until the end of the war. The entire community of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon has been honored by Yad Vashem as Righteous Gentiles, the first community to be so honored.

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  Postcard, "Le Chambon-sur-Lignon -- Le Pic du Lizieux vu des Barandons"

  2014.1.468

  Front: Black and white photograph of a forest.Back: Message written in blue ink.

  Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash:

  Postcard to Lyon by resident of Chambon during the years Jewish children were kept safe from Nazis. On February 23, 1943, Pastors Trochmé and Theis, along with the headmaster of the local primary school, were arrested by French police and interned near Limoges. They were eventually released, but continued rescue operations until late in the year. On June 29, 1943, Nazis raided a local school and arrested eighteen students, five of whom were identified as Jews. They were sent to Auschwitz where they were murdered. Their teacher, Daniel Trochmé, the cousin of Pastor Trochmé, was also arrested and deported to Majdanek, where he perished. Roger Le Forestier, the village physician who helped Jews obtain false documents, was arrested and shot on August 20, 1944 in Lyon on Gestapo orders.

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  Seigneur Ouvre mes Levres [Lord Open my Lips, Psalms 51:15] Mimeographed Prayer Book in French and Hebrew

  2016.1.24

  Cover: Image of two men reading Torah; Interior: 41 acidic pages typewritten in French and Hebrew with some illustrations.

  Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash:

  A book of prayers and meditative texts, some from secular and non-Jewish sources for use by children cared for after WWII in the home run by the French-Jewish Scouts Movement (EIF). These children had been saved from deportation to the death camps by the villagers of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon and residents of surrounding villages, led by Pastor André Trochmé and his wife Magda. These villagers provided shelter, forged IDs and helped some escape to Switzerland, ultimately providing refuge for approximately 3,000 Jewish children in flight from the Nazis and their Vichy minions during 1940-1944. This communal effort was not without tragedy: the Germans raided one school in 1943 and sent five Jewish children to Auschwitz where they were murdered. André Trochmé’s cousin Daniel, a teacher was also arrested and deported to Majdanek where he was murdered. And the town’s physician who was active in securing false papers for Jews was arrested and shot in August 1944. The villagers were recognized by Yad Vashem collectively as Righteous Among the Nations.

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  Photograph of André Trocmé

  2014.1.463

  A photograph of an older man wearing a striped suit and glasses.

  Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash:

  From 1940 to 1944 the villagers of Le Chambon had provided shelter in their homes and farms, forged IDs, and facilitated escape for some children to Switzerland or Spain, ultimately saving more than 3000 Jewish children fleeing the Nazis and their Vichy collaborators. This extraordinary effort was guided by the Protestant pastor of the village, André Trochmé and his wife Magda. Despite continued threats by Vichy collaborators, none of the villagers betrayed their charges. The entire community of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon has been honored by Yad Vashem as Righteous Gentiles, the first community to be so honored.