More Research and Study

After finishing Sarah's Key I started another book about the Holocaust. The book was The Mascot. Unlike Sarah's Key this book is non-fiction. And when they say life is stranger than fiction this book proves it. Starting with a Jewish boy that became the mascot of Nazi soldiers to finding a half-brother he never knew existed. If you want to read something truly incredible and filled with great history read The Mascot.

With that book now finished I'm reading a book called Neighbors. Hitler was so intent on ridding the world of Jews he was at first very successful. In Poland many, many of the Jewish communities were completely wiped out. If you were to travel to the places where these communities used to be and asked around about the Jews who lived their before World War II chances are not many people, if any, would remember them and be able to tell you about them. How sad for so many people and their history to be almost, if not completely destroyed!

Imagine, this: People are trying to wipe out the history of the Holocaust. Wiping out this history would not only erase the history of something so tragic but also erase the memory of so many people that shouldn't be forgotten. This should never happen.

Ellery Queen

It may only had 22 episodes, but it was well worth it.

Ellery Queen was started in 1975. It's about an absent minded mystery writer who solves cases with his inspector father. The show takes place in the 40s right after World War II.

Why it only went 22 episodes, I will never know. Mom and I watch other mystery shows together, such as Psych, Monk, Magnum, PI., Murder, She Wrote but this is different. I've never been able to solve the case before the end of any of the episodes like I can in those other mystery shows.

Starring Jim Hutton and David Wayne this show is a must see for all who enjoy a good mystery.

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

Adding to the Ads of the World (Part 3)

Adding to the Ads of the World (Part 2)