Harley's article...

Hi ! Harley is back !

Today, I have an other article for you !

Mrs. P asked us to be a 95 person and to speak about our childhood. 

For that I'll tell you some of the many things I did but as if I was 95 in 2017. 

My childhood took place during World War 2.

At the beginnig of WW2 , in Paris.

The war didn't concern us directly. 

No bomb, no death, no blood, just peace.

Everything changed on June,14th 1940 : the German entered in Paris . 

My father worked in a restaurant called «  A la mère Catherine ». 

He was the chef, everything was delicious ! 

He made everything himself with quality products.

As for my mother, she didn't work. 

She couldn't because she was a woman. 

She stayed at home taking care about my little brothers.

On june 1940, all the North of the country was occupied by German army. 

Quickly, persons were forced to wear a yellow star such as us, jews. 

Everyone older than 6 had to do it.

I remember one night in particular, the night of the 17 July 1942. 

That night a woman screamed so loud that we thought she was just next to us. 

She was our concierge, everybody called her Aby but she was called Abigaëlle. 

Men were with her, screaming something like « SCHENL ! SCHNEL ! » 

Their accent and their speech were hard, they screamed like rabid dogs.

 

My parents directlly came in my bedroom, they wanted to hide us. 

But it was to late, men entered suddenly in the appartment, they took us. 

We were thrown in a van. 

They didn't stop  shouting. 

Many other persons came, all of my jew neighbours were with us. 

We didn't know where we were going. 

The wait was not long, only a few minutes. 

When we descended I recognized the Vel d'Hiv. 

We were victim of the Vel d'Hiv Roundup we didn't know what would happen next would be so cruel. 

We were separated, children under 12 and old persons were executed in front of us. 

They were shot… 

My little brothers were shot… 

My parents and I were driven far from Paris, in Alsace.

We were in the same van, some died during the way because of the heat, the thirst or the hunger. 

Directly, we were separated. 

My father refused to be separated from us. 

He was beaten by SS soldiers and bitten by their dogs to death. 

My mom and I were forced to work late at night. 

This lasted for many days, many weeks, many months, 2 years !

One day, my mom came close to me and told me thats she had a plan to escape. 

She told me exactly these words 

« Anna, I know how it's complicated to survive here for a young girl like you. That's why I want you to escape, I'll try to take them away from you thanks to others prisoners. 

You only have to go to the big building below the mountain, we'll do the rest ». 

These words still resound in my head today. 

That's what I did. 

All the prisoners rebelled against the SS. 

I had the opportunity to escape when all the SS came to beat them. 

Before leaving I turned around and my mum with five SS beating her, she was bleeding so much.

I ran as fast as I could to a little village and I hid in a little farm. 

The inhabitants discovered me, I was afraid but they were nice with me. 

They gave me food, I could have a hot shower, warm clothes. 

The best is that I could sleep a long night in a real bed with a blanket. 

They behaved as if I was their daughter. 

The longer time passed the more I felt in love with their son Georges, we were the same age. 

He was a tall blond man with blue eyes. 

We married two years later, and we had 3 sons and 4 daughters.