Vel d'Hiv

Many people know about Kristallnacht and the tragedies that took place during those two horrible days in Germany but few know about the Vélodrome d’hiver round-up that took place in France.

I just recently finished reading Sarah's Key. It takes place in France during the Vel d'Hiv and in the present. It follows the story of a fictional character named Sarah that lived during the Holocaust and was taken during the round up. The other half of the book is about a journalist that has to write an article on the Vel d'Hiv and winds up getting caught up in the story and learning some horrible dark secrets about the apartment she is moving into and about her in-laws. Throughout the story the journalist's story becomes intertwined with Sarah's story.

The book is terribly sad, but very good. I had never thought much about what happened in France during Holocaust, but after reading this book I decided to do some research.

The Vel 'd Hiv was the biggest roundup of Jews in France. It took place on July 16th and 17, 1942. The round up was carried out by the French police, and not the Nazis. Over 13,000 Parisian Jews were dragged from their homes and placed in the Vel d'Hiv to wait. The Vel 'd Hiv was an old stadium building for motorcycle races. It has recently been torn down.

Vélodrome d’hiver

For two days all the Jews that were in the Vel d'Hiv waiting to know what would happen to them next. Finally they were taken from the building and put on trains. They were taken to a concentration camp called Drancy. While there the women and children were separated from the men. For several weeks they lived in horrible conditions in the camp. Finally the women were sent "ahead" of the children to Auschwitz. They were promised that their children would meet up with them a little later. Finally the children were sent as well.

Drancy Concentration Camp

None of them that made it to Auschwitz lived.

Auschwitz