Holocaust odysseys : the Jews of Saint-Martin-Vésubie and their flight through France and Italy

The chilling, nuanced story of nine Jewish families, unwanted refugees in France and Italy during the Holocaust, and how they struggled in the face of persecution This book describes the ever-escalating dangers to which Jewish refugees and recent immigrants were subjected in France and Italy as the Holocaust marched forward. Susan Zuccotti uncovers a grueling yet complex history of suffering and resilience through historical documents and personal testimonies from members of nine central and eastern European Jewish families, displaced to France in the opening years of the Second World War. The chronicle of their lives reveals clearly that these Jewish families experienced persecution of far greater intensity than citizen Jews or long-time resident immigrants. The odyssey of the nine families took them from hostile Vichy France to the Alpine village of Saint-Martin-Vsubie and on to Italy, where German soldiers rather than hoped-for Allied troops awaited. Those who crossed over to Italy were either deported to Auschwitz or forced to scatter in desperate flight. Zuccotti brings to light the agonies of the refugees unstable lives, the evolution of French policies toward Jews, the reasons behind the flight from the relative idyll of Saint-Martin-Vsubie, and the choices that confronted those who arrived in Italy. Powerful archival evidence frames this history, while firsthand reports underscore the human cost of the nightmarish years of persecution. This Book Describes The Ever-escalating Dangers To Which Jewish Refugees And Recent Immigrants Were Subjected In France And Italy As The Holocaust Intensified. Susan Zuccotti Uncovers A Grueling Yet Complex History Of Suffering And Resilience Through Historical Documents And Personal Testimonies From Members Of Nine Central And Eastern European Jewish Families, Displaced To France Just Before Or During The First Year Of The Second World War. The Chronicle Of Their Lives Reveals Clearly That These Jewish Families Experienced Persecution Of Far Greater Intensity Than Citizen Jews Or Long-time Resident Immigrants. The Odyssey Of The Nine Families Took Them, With About One Thousand Others, From Hostile Vichy France To The Peaceful Alpine Village Of Saint-martin-vesubie And From There, After A Harrowing Trek On Foot Over The Mountains, To Northern Italy. There, In September 1943, German Soldiers Rather Than Hoped-for Allied Troops Awaited. Those Who Crossed Over To Italy Were Either Arrested And Deported To Auschwitz Or Forced To Scatter In A Desperate Fight For Survival. Zuccotti Brings To Light The Agonies Of The Refugees' Unstable Lives, The Evolution Of French Policies Toward Jews, The Reasons Behind The Flight From The Relative Idyll Of Saint-martin-vesubie, And The Choices That Confronted Those Who Arrived In Italy. Powerful Archival Evidence Frames This History, While Firsthand Reports Underscore The Human Cost Of The Nightmarish Years Of Persecution.--jacket. Jewish Immigrants And Political Refugees In France, 1933-1939 : Jacques And Paulette Samson, Lya Haberman, William Blye, And Charles Roman -- Jewish Immigrants And Political Refugees In Belgium And Luxembourg Before The War : Menahem Marienberg, Miriam Löwenwirth, Sigi Hart, Boris Carmeli, And Walter Marx -- Flight To Southern France, May And June 1940 : Sigi Hart, Menahem Marienberg, Boris Carmeli, Miriam Löwenwirth, Lya Haberman, And Walter Marx -- Jewish Refugees In The Unoccupied Zone, May 1940-august 1942 : Sigi Hart, Charles Roman, Menahem Marienberg, Walter Marx, Miriam Löwenwirth, And Boris Carmeli -- Arrests In The Occupied Zone, 1941-1942 : Jacques And Paulette Samson -- Arrests In The Unoccupied Zone, August 1942 : William Blye, Charles Roman, And Menahem Marienberg -- Narrow Escapes And Subsequent Arrests In The Unoccupied Zone, August-november 1942 : Miriam Löwenwirth, Boris Carmeli, Sigi Hart, Charles Roman, And Walter Marx --^ Saint-martin-vésubie, November 1942-september 1943 -- Crossing The Alps After September 8, 1943 -- Those Who Stayed Behind -- The First Week In Italy, September 11-17, 1943 -- The Roundup In Valdieri And Borgo San Dalmazzo, September 18, 1943 -- Deportation From Borgo San Dalmazzo : The Marx And Marienberg Families And Boris Carmeli -- Hiding In The Province Of Cuneo : William Blye, Charles Roman, Walter Marx, And Menahem Marienberg -- Resistance : Walter Marx And William Blye -- Traveling To And Hiding In Florence, September And October 1943 : Miriam Löwenwirth, Sigi Hart, And Lya Haberman -- Arrests And Narrow Escapes In Florence, November 1943 : Sigi Hart, Miriam Löwenwirth, And Lya Haberman -- Traveling To And Hiding In Rome, January-june 1944 : Charles Roman And Jacques Samson -- Auschwitz : Sigi Hart And Boris Carmeli -- After The War : Jacques And Paulette Samson, Charles Roman, Lya Haberman, And Miriam Löwenwirth --^ After The War : William Blye, Walter Marx, Menahem Marienberg, Sigi Hart, And Boris Carmeli -- Journeys Back. Susan Zuccotti. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 233-271) And Index. Jewish immigrants and political refugees in France, 1933-1939 : Jacques and Paulette Samson, Lya Haberman, William Blye, and Charles Roman -- Jewish immigrants and political refugees in Belgium and Luxembourg before the War : Menahem Marienberg, Miriam Löwenwirth, Sigi Hart, Boris Carmeli, and Walter Marx -- Flight to Southern France, May and June 1940 : Sigi Hart, Menahem Marienberg, Boris Carmeli, Miriam Löwenwirth, Lya Haberman, and Walter Marx -- Jewish refugees in the Unoccupied Zone, May 1940-August 1942 : Sigi Hart, Charles Roman, Menahem Marienberg, Walter Marx, Miriam Löwenwirth, and Boris Carmeli -- Arrests in the Occupied Zone, 1941-1942 : Jacques and Paulette Samson -- Arrests in the Unoccupied Zone, August 1942 : William Blye, Charles Roman, and Menahem Marienberg -- Narrow escapes and subsequent arrests in the Unoccupied Zone, August-November 1942 : Miriam Löwenwirth, Boris Carmeli, Sigi Hart, Charles Roman, and Walter Marx -- Saint-Martin-Vésubie, November 1942-September 1943 -- Crossing the Alps, September 9-11, 1943 -- Those who stayed behind -- The first week in Italy, September 11-17, 1943 -- The roundup in Valdieri and Borgo San Dalmazzo, September 18, 1943 -- Deportation from Borgo San Dalmazzo : the Marx and Marienberg families and Boris Carmeli -- Hiding in the province of Cuneo : William Blye, Charles Roman, Walter Marx, and Menahem Marienberg -- Resistance : Walter Marx and William Blye -- Traveling to and hiding in Florence, September and October 1943 : Miriam Löwenwirth, Sigi Hart, and Lya Haberman -- Arrests and narrow escapes in Florence, November 1943 : Sigi Hart, Miriam Löwenwirth, and Lya Haberman -- Traveling to and hiding in Rome, January-June 1944 : Charles Roman and Jacques Samson -- Auschwitz : Sigi Hart and Boris Carmeli -- After the War : Jacques and Paulette Samson, Charles Roman, Lya Haberman, and Miriam Löwenwirth -- After the War : William Blye, Walter Marx, Menahem Marienberg, Sigi Hart, and Boris Carmeli -- Journeys back This book describes the ever-escalating dangers to which Jewish refugees and recent immigrants were subjected in France and Italy as the Holocaust marched forward. Susan Zuccotti uncovers a gruelling yet complex history of suffering and resilience through historical documents and personal testimonies from members of nine central and eastern European Jewish families, displaced to France in the opening years of the Second World War. The chronicle of their lives reveals clearly that these Jewish families experienced persecution of far greater intensity than citizen Jews or longtime resident immigrants. The odyssey of the nine families took them from hostile Vichy France to the Alpine village of Saint-Martin-Vesubie and on to Italy, where German soldiers rather than hoped-for Allied troops awaited. Those who crossed over to Italy were either deported to Auschwitz or forced to scatter in desperate flight. Zuccotti brings to light the agonies of the refugees' unstable lives, the evolution of French policies toward Jews, the reasons behind the flight from the relative idyll of Saint-Martin-Vesubie, and the choices that confronted those who arrived in Italy. Powerful archival evidence frames this history, while firsthand reports underscore the human cost of the nightmarish years of persecution This book describes the ever-escalating dangers to which Jewish refugees and recent immigrants were subjected in France and Italy as the Holocaust marched forward. Susan Zuccotti uncovers a grueling yet complex history of suffering and resilience through historical documents and personal testimonies from members of nine central and eastern European Jewish families, displaced to France in the opening years of the Second World War. The chronicle of their lives reveals clearly that these Jewish families experienced persecution of far greater intensity than citizen Jews or long-time resident immigrants.The odyssey of the nine families took them from hostile Vichy France to the Alpine village of Saint-Martin-Vésubie and on to Italy, where German soldiers rather than hoped-for Allied troops awaited. Those who crossed over to Italy were either deported to Auschwitz or forced to scatter in desperate flight. Zuccotti brings to light the agonies of the refugees' unstable lives, the evolution of French policies toward Jews, the reasons behind the flight from the relative idyll ofSaint-Martin-Vésubie, and the choices that confronted those who arrived in Italy. Powerful archival evidence frames this history, while firsthand reports underscore the human cost of the nightmarish years of persecution This book describes the ever-escalating dangers to which Jewish refugees and recent immigrants were subjected in France and Italy as the Holocaust marched forward. Susan Zuccotti uncovers a grueling yet complex history of suffering and resilience through historical documents and personal testimonies from members of nine central and eastern European Jewish families, displaced to France in the opening years of the Second World War. The chronicle of their lives reveals clearly that these Jewish families experienced persecution of far greater intensity than citizen Jews or long-time resident immigrants.The odyssey of the nine families took them from hostile Vichy France to the Alpine village of Saint-Martin-Vésubie and on to Italy, where German soldiers rather than hoped-for Allied troops awaited. Those who crossed over to Italy were either deported to Auschwitz or forced to scatter in desperate flight. Zuccotti brings to light the agonies of the refugees'unstable lives, the evolution of French policies toward Jews, the reasons behind the flight from the relative idyll of Saint-Martin-Vésubie, and the choices that confronted those who arrived in Italy. Powerful archival evidence frames this history, while firsthand reports underscore the human cost of the nightmarish years of persecution. In this memoir of life aboard aircraft carriers during World War II, Alvin Kernan combines vivid recollections of his experience as a young enlisted sailor with a rich historical account of the Pacific war. Kernan served in many battles and was aboard the Hornet when it was sunk by torpedoes in the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands. One of the most arresting naval autobiographies yet published.--Sir John Keegan An honest story of collective courage, evocative, well-written, and fixed before the colors fade.--Kirkus Reviews Kernan] recounts a wonderful and exciting American story about a poor farm boy from Wyoming who enlisted in the Navy. . . . He] has written eight other books. I will go back and read them all.--John Lehman, Air & Space Details . . . make the moment vivid; that is what it was like, on the Hornet in its last hours.--Samuel Hynes, New York Times Book Review Susan Zuccotti Describes The Ever-escalating Dangers To Which Jewish Refugees And Recent Immigrants Were Subjected To In France And Italy As The Holocaust Marched Forward. She Chronicles The Lives Of Nine Central And Eastern European Jewish Families, Through Historical Documents And Personal Testimonies.