Our Last Days & Final Impressions of the Trip

Mel and me getting into the ALBI spirit!

The last two days in Albi included more time with Francine & Jo, as well as with Laurent, Ghislaine and Emilie. On Monday, Evelyne went back to Paris, and we got to see Zaza, who took her back to Toulouse.

After lunch with Francine & Jo, again at the vegetarian restaurant Le Tournesol, we went to the cemetery to pay our respects to Lucette, who is buried with her husband, sister, and parents in the same tomb. In a beautiful gesture, Laurent had found a heart-shaped rock that my mother could lay on the grave, which was very touching. It was also nice to be able to say “adieu” to Lucette more formally – although I felt her presence a lot during this trip, and we definitely missed her.

my mother laying the rock on the Fedou family tomb

Afterwards, we went back into Albi, where Mel and I walked across a new pedestrian bridge, which was built under the railway bridge, while my mom and Jo did some shopping.

The footbridge is so cool, as it is attached underneath, without cables.

The view from under the bridge of the cathedral

We also were able to see some beautiful medieval homes that were tucked away in the old part of the town, with hidden courtyards and beautiful gardens!

On Tuesday, we went back to Toulouse to stay at the airport for our flight home. We were able to have Jenny & David join us for dinner at the hotel, which was a nice way to end the trip. Wednesday September 10 was a LOOOONG day – Toulouse to CDG (which is NO fun for people who have mobility issues), but the flight from Paris to Newark went without incident and we were treated well again.

After saying goodbye to my mother (and our family friend Phyllis came to get her and surprised her with Barry in the car!), I had another 3 hours before my flight home to Salt Lake City.

My overall impressions of this trip, after I have been home for 2 weeks

I feel like I have so much to say, and I am not sure how to give my thoughts justice on paper. First, here are the main takeaways:

• As always, visiting with the Fedou family descendants always feels like a trip home – they treat us like family. Their warmth, kindness, generosity and LOVE shows through in everything they did for us: Laurent taking 10 days off to be with us, driving – driving – driving!, the meals, insistence on paying for things – those are just the ones I can think of right now!
  
• Seeing Hidden in Albi, which is so close to where most of the stories in the show take place, was emotionally overwhelming (but also in a good way).
  • The impact of the songs, especially “I’m Not a Hero” and “Never Again”, was thought provoking for sure. I wondered if I would be able to act in the same way for strangers if doing so put our lives in danger.
  • The writing and production team – kudos to Jenny, David, Linda, Roy and Finley – did an excellent job with translations and subtitles (as did my mom and Esther, David’s mom to be sure they made sense)
  • I appreciated seeing the show with French eyes – and speaking with the audience afterwards was so rewarding! People really appreciated Hidden and the message that it brought. There were over 50 people there, and they all wanted to speak with us.
    
• Even though we were with people who think like we do, it was a bit jarring to take in world events while we were in a small town – and there were some big ones:
  • The French government collapsed – PM Francois Bayrou tried a no confidence vote and failed. There were threats of strikes, but luckily they didn’t happen before we left.
  • At the same time, people often asked us what we thought about what was going on in the US – the French are just baffled by it.
  • Finally, there is an undercurrent of antisemitism, which we didn’t experience while we were there, and Laurent told us we didn’t need to worry. However, it is real and scary. Unfortunately, it is happening in the US as well.

Finally, here is my closing key thought: it is the people who speak up, act when needed, and DO THE RIGHT THING, even on a small level, who can make a huge difference in other people’s lives. Based on the actions of a couple in France in 1942, my mother, me, my brother, and our six combined children are all alive today. I am a miracle, and I want to be sure to continue to use that fact as a guide in my life. Even in my corner of the world, I know that I can make a difference, even if it is for one person, one family, or one group of people.

Our Visit to Soreze, or The French Against the French 😉

Today we went back to Soreze to visit the convent and see the plaque again. We had made a reservation for lunch at the restaurant across the street from the convent museum – Pub St. Martin. We had had some nice meals there in the past, so we were looking forward to eating there again. We got inside and the owner claimed that they didn’t have our reservation (for 17 people), even though Emilie, Francine and we had ALL called and confirmed. In addition, we knew that they didn’t take credit cards, so we had gotten cash to pay. The owner was very nasty (vive la France!) and kicked us out. I did leave a one-star Google review in response, what a jerk!

Where we were welcomed – and the food was great!

So—it is a Sunday in a small, sleepy village, and the eating options were slim! However, we found a delightful restaurant, Café des Promenades, where they were more than accommodating. They have a fixed menu which was NOT vegetarian friendly, yet they easily made wonderful salads for us, with frites, which were AMAZING and fresh. The owner and the staff could not have been nicer, including our server, who was called in because of our crowd. I do have to laugh, as Roy (the producer of Hidden) make the very American mistake of asking for “glace” in his water, which in french is ice cream, vs. glacons, which are ice cubes. So much for Google Translate. The server also had a great t-shirt on: “I may not always be right, but I am NEVER wrong!”

Some of the older homes in Soreze

After our delightful lunch, we went to the convent to visit where we had put the plaque in 2017, and it is there and still in excellent condition. We walked around the courtyard and stumbled upon a small photo exhibition there. We talked to the woman inside about my mother’s story, and she was so touched she cried. She asked my mom to sign the registry so that she can remember her and her connection to Soreze.

My mom, Sam & Mel in front of the plaque

Sam, Mom & Mel right near the spot my mom was dropped off at the convent.

We then went to see the chapel, where the Mother Superior had hidden the Jewish children, but it is now part of the museum, and they wouldn’t let us in without paying. Laurent was furious – he was shouting that all we wanted to do was see the chapel, and not the museum (which we have visited in the past and is genuinely nice), but the clerk wouldn’t budge, claiming she had no authority to let people in – a perfect example of someone who cannot see outside of their little box. So, part of the group went in (I didn’t, as I had seen it before), and she at least comped my mom.

In the courtyard of the convent

In front of the chapel

On our way back to Albi, we stopped in Lautrec, a hilltop medieval village, known for its special plant-based blue dye called “pastel.” We walked around the old village and couldn’t resist making a few purchases in the tourist shops. I got Art some local whiskey and had to get some of the local pink garlic. The buildings are beyond beautiful, so it was a worthwhile stop.

The village of Lautrec

Evelyn & Sam looking at the wares

This monument included the war dead from WWII, which is unusual. They were probably in the Resistance

We got back to Albi and had a chance to have some leftovers from Saturday night, and we said goodbye to Finley, who was leaving the next day. We took some group photos, including one with “poopy face” a la Hartz, to say we were sad to leave. Luckily, we have two more days on the trip!

We are sad the trip is nearing its end!

It is always emotional to go back to Soreze, as that was the darkest time in my mother’s story – having been left in an orphanage to save her life. Knowing that she was a little girl in these exact same locations is both inspiring and chilling. Again, here is a beautiful little village, with so much history, and yet it holds some very dark secrets. Seeing my mother come back and not be fearful is also a powerful lesson. She understands that it is a place that helped save her life, and for that she is grateful!

Le Jour de Gloire Est Arrivé

September 6:

Another beautiful day in Albi, and we had breakfast, and then got ready for the day. We had lunch at a restaurant called Ma Biche Audacieuse (My Adventurous Doe) – and another wonderful meal! The restaurant is housed in a craft shop, and EVERYTHING is for sale. We even saw a woman purchase a mirror off the wall! I have to say that we had the best bread I have ever had!

Getting ready to have a great meal

Beautiful

I then took a walk, first to see the monument to the Deported, and then the park near where the program for Hidden will take place, and then IT WAS TIME!

We entered the room where everything was set up, and there were over 50 people there. Laurent started with introductions of some of the more illustrious guests: Francine Theodore-Leveque, the Yad Vashem liaison in Toulouse, Jean Esquire from the town of Albi, and of course, the Fedou and Hartz families. Since there are others who spoke so much better than I can write here, I have their words below:

The first invited speaker was M. Eric Coupaye, who is the past director of the National Office of Veterans and War Victims of the Tarn.

M. Coupaye

It is with deep emotion that I am here today to speak to you, to share and remember significant memories of the past, in a time where in our society, facd with new challenges,m calls on us to never forget. After serving 20 years as the director of the Office for Veterans and Victims of War of the Tarn, I could not miss this unique event.  Hidden is more than a musical. I could not miss this event and see Ruth Hartz, a woman whose destiny embodies both tragedy and hope.

The period we are currently living through invites us more than ever to pay tribute to the light of humanity, which can shine through the darkness. The Fedou family’s act of bravery, guided by a strong sense of humanity, allowed Ruth to survive the unspeakable.

Hidden is a work that brings Ruth’s experience to a global audience. It celebrates her resilience and “elan de solidarité” the deep commitment of others that saved her life.

With music and words, Hidden reminds us that humanity, courage, and resistance must continue to guide us. To you, Ruth, to your family, to the descendants of the Righteous Among the Nations, and to all those who keep this memory alive, I would like to express my deepest gratitude. Thank you for being here – your presence and your story remind us that even in times of profound inhumanity, hope and solidarity can triumph.

And then my mother spoke.

I am so honored to be here in beautiful Albi, which is so close to the places where I was hidden. My dear Lucette Fedou Comary, is no longer beside me. She took care of me in Arthes while her parents helped mine to hide. Neither I nor my family would be here today without these very brave people.

How can one explain the special treatment we received from the people with whom we came in contact? Why were some of them willing to put their own lives on the line to work with the Resistance and to hide Jewish families?

When my beloved husband, Harry, and I returned to Albi & Arthès in 1969, we were able to find out where the Fedous lived. At the time, the village hadn’t changed much since the war, and Lucette lived in St. Juéry, right next to Arthès. She was now married with a family, and was even a grandmother, as Laurent—who made all the arrangements for today— was just a baby, which made Mme Fedou a great-grandmother.

We didn’t discuss the past, only the things that hd happened since They were so happy for me with my American husband and my own family. It never occurred to them to explain their actions, why they risked their lives to save our family – to them, it was a natural thing to do. They themselves didn’t understand why so many people were indifferent to what was happening and so many others collaborated with the Nazis and Vichy France.

I spent most of the last year of the war in an orphanage in Sorèze where the Mother Superior secretly hid Jewish children – no one else knew. We will be going there tomorrow.

Many years later, two talented musicians, Jenny & David Heitler-Klevans called me and said they wanted to write a musical piece about my experience as a hidden child. They wanted my permission, which of course I gave, and after six years of work, consultations and research, the result is the musical, Hidden. It was performed live in September 2024, and they also created a one-hour version that they hope will be able to travel around the US and elsewhere…

And now, here are the five artists with us today: David, Jenny, Linda, Finley, and Roy on the piano.

The show consisted of both video clips of the full production from September 2024, as well as some live songs.

Roy on keyboard

Linda, Finley, Jenny & David

The audience

The show went very well, and it was so emotional to see the music and the images from Hidden in the area where it happened, with the people who saved my family. After the show, Emilie (the granddaughter of Lucette) and I sobbed in each other’s arms, as did Laurent and I. It was so powerful and overwhelming – yet so beautiful. Everyone was impressed with the show and the presentation, and my mother was so proud.

After the show, Laurent had arranged a wonderful reception with vegetarian options, local wine and yummy desserts. All in all, it was definitely worth the trip to be here.

 

The Day Before…

September 5:

We arose to another beautiful morning! We were able to relax a little in the morning. Then we had lunch at La Terasse – a rooftop restaurant with a beautiful view of Albi and the cathedral . Laurent knows the owners, so we had a great table with a gorgeous view!

He is so proud of what we are doing on this trip – he is telling everyone about it and we discussed the show with them.

The crowd at lunch

The view – the Cathedral of Albi is at the upper left.

Afterward, Evelyne and I went to visit the cathedral, which is so beautiful and impressive, both inside and out (I had to share some photos).

The oldest and largest brick cathedral – built in the 12th century

A very impressive Last Judgement illustration

I then walked around the old town, which has beautiful medieval houses as well as some cute shops.

Dinner was an informal affair with the family at the house of Emilie, and it is where my parents first reconnected with the Fedous in 1969.

The photo from 1969 (l to r): Mme Fedou, Ruth Hartz, Lucette Fedou Cormary, Andree Cormary, Francine Cormary, Laurent’s father, Laurent Colombera, Josette Colombera

At the time, Laurent was just a baby, and the photo above shows the reunion. Francine and Jo had no idea what their parents had done for my family, and they had no idea who these people were who spoke English, and Francine said, “they must be lost!” When Mme Fedou ran out and saw my mother, they hugged and cried, and that is when the younger generation learned what their mother and grandparents had done.

The spread for dinner – I got the recipe for the savory “cake”

Looking back at history, and looking forward with love – Sept. 4

Today started off cool and rainy, which was a bummer, but Samantha (my niece) and Evelyne (my aunt/mom’s cousin) got here right at lunchtime, so we went next door for a quick bite. The restaurant, Chez Yvette, is where we were reserved for dinner, and they couldn’t have been nicer at lunch. When she paid, my mother explained about why we are here, and the owners were so touched (more on that later). I am still astounded at how wonderful all the people are here – friendly, helpful and just KIND. Every response is “pas de souci” – no problem.

After lunch, Laurent took us to Arthès, the village where my mother was hidden with the Fedous. We saw the house again, the water fountain (there was no running water in the 40’s), and this time, it worked!

Évelyne & Mom in front of the factory where their fathers worked

The fountain – and it works!

We also went to the Memoriale des Justes – a little park where the four families who helped Jews during WW2 are honored. It was great to see the town through Mel and Sam’s eyes, as they had never been. When we are here, it hits home that we truly all are miracles because of these people: Eugene & Louise Fedou & the Valat family. It is so impactful to have a relationship with their descendants, and there is a real connection there – an unbreakable bond of our shared history.

Mel & Sam in front of the plaques

The statue for the rescuers

The dinner in the evening was perfect! We were back at Chez Yvette (I HIGHLY recommend it!), and the owner and staff could not have been more helpful. Cedric, the owner, brought over a mike and asked my mom to make a short speech, and she once again expressed her deep gratitude to the family who saved her life – and by extension, mine & Eric’s, and our kids as well.

My mother’s toast

Jenny & David Heitler-Klevans (the writers of Hidden) sang one of the songs from the show (very appropriate)— We Are Together Again.

We then had our dinner – Menu “Ruth Hartz” – and it was delicious and well served.

I think that there were several things that really hit home for me: seeing the girls – my nieces, Jo & Francine’s granddaughters – having so much fun together, the interaction between the Hidden writers and the subjects of the musical itself, and the general bonhomie in the room. Tomorrow things will get serious, as we prepare for the presentation on Saturday.

“the crowd”

The family LOVED their Hidden shirts!

I do have to tell a funny story. When we returned to the hotel in the evening, my mother tried to let herself into the wrong room. A man walked up and said, “I don’t think this is your room, and if you went in, my wife would NOT be happy!” We did get a good laugh out of it.

More arrivals!

Sep. 3: After our first  night in a real bed and breakfast at the hotel, we started to get organized for the presentation on Saturday. The Heitler-Klevans’ arrive tomorrow and then things will get exciting. We then went to lunch with Jo & Francine (Josette’s daughters), as well as Emilie and Ines (who are Francine’s daughter and granddaughter) at a lovely vegetarian restaurant. The weather was perfect, so we ate outside—right in the middle of “la vielle ville” – with a beautiful view. Then we were at the train station to pick up both Finley (one of the musicians) and my niece, Melinda.

Finley arrives!

And here’s Melinda!

My mom wanted to be sure that they saw us – luckily the train station is right across the street. We went to one of my favorite restaurants in Albi, Le Pontier, for dinner – and we all had a wonderful time, talking, drinking and eating! I really enjoyed catching up with Mel, as she has spent the last year traveling all over Asia.

 

The longest day/Reunion

Reunion at the airport

I just looked at my last post, and it was EXACTLY 5 years ago today that I wrote it. We arrived in the morning of 2 September after a long flight to Paris and a transfer to Toulouse. Of course, Laurent was right there to pick us up and drive us to Albi. After a quick lunch that he whipped, and some resting in the afternoon, we went back for dinner with the entire family.

The reunion was so touching – Jo cried when she saw my mom (as did my mom)). And tearfully, my mother thanked the family again for what they did. She said, “I literally would not be here today if it weren’t for your family. And neither would Diane or Eric or my grandchildren. You saved not only me, but my entire family.” This is the crux of this trip – people who didn’t know my mother or grandparents risked their lives so that they would be safe. After everyone dried their eyes, we sat down for a lovely meal of grilled fish and vegetables.

The young kids loved the t-shirts from the Jazz and Laurent loved his cap:

 

Everyone in their Utah Jazz gear

We stayed late into the night, talking and laughing, and it really was a reunion of such special people. It feels like we just saw them, but I do feel a hole without Lucette there. It hit me pretty hard when I got back to my room that she is gone, and it must be hard for them – she was so special, and I am still lucky to have been able to get to know her so well!

Today was also the calm before the storm, as more people arrive tomorrow and Thursday, and then the real fun begins. The last time I was here, it was when David & Jenny Heitler-Kelvens were here to do research for Hidden, a Musical. This time, we are here to show Hidden in the town where a lot of these things actually happened over 80 years ago.

Visiting St. Juery and Trip Recap (including the touristy stuff!)

The rest of our trip had many more opportunities to meet with people who help out Jews (including our family) during the Shoah, some sightseeing, and more visiting with our family and “family.”

On Friday August 30, we started with a heritage tour of St. Juery (which we learned is Occitane for St. George!) with volunteers dressed up as various characters from the past (including the “Knight” below).

It was a fun way to learn more about the region, and we had a much better understanding of how the town became really linked to the steel mill and fabrication plant, the Saut du Tarn, which is where my grandfather and Uncle Oskar Nussbaum (my grandmother’s brother, whom I knew well) worked during the war.

We also visited the house where our cousins, the Nussbaums, had an apartment when they went into hiding during the war. Aunt Evelyne had never seen it, and M Barrier – whose father would warn the Jewish families to hide from the French Milice – now owns the entire home. He showed us around, including the yard where my uncle hid when necessary.

Evelyne in the garden in St. Juery

Evelyne and my mother with M Barrier

Later in the day, we had the opportunity to visit the Toulouse-Lautrec museum in Albi, with Francine Amsallac, who is a docent, so we got some great history about the buildings and about Toulouse-Lautrec.

 

Saturday, August 31, was more of an open day, so we asked Art what he wanted to do – and he wanted to go to Soreze! So, we did! The hotel where we stayed in 2017 is now closed (sadly, due to bankruptcy), but the plaque is still there, and we were able to finagle a visit to see the chapel where the Mother Superior would hide the Jewish children as necessary – including my mother.

The bell tower from the Convent in Soreze

We also visited the town of Lautrec, which is perched on a hill and quite beautiful. We ended the day with our anniversary dinner, joined by Lucette and Francine – so it was great to see them again on a much more intimate scale!

Sunday, September 1, was another great opportunity. We went to the museum of the Saut du Tarn, and learned about this huge steel mill that also fabricated implements (my grandfather always talked about making knives) – including cythes, sicles, knives, as well as larger scale industrial materiel.

The model of the factory-Saut du Tarn

By a huge coincidence, our tour guide was M Barrier, the same man who was the son of the people who hid the Nussbaums! He had worked in the factory until he received a commission to be an engineering professor for many years. He is a long-standing docent, and even helped build some of the maquettes – which were quite impressive.

M Barrier giving the tour

It was incredible to walk through the factory where my grandfather worked during the war as a way to make money and hide from the Nazis.

On our last day, September 2, we dropped off my mom and Barry in Toulouse, and we then walked all around the city.

While there, we walked along the Allée des Justes, commemorating the many rescuers of Jews in the region. We found the plaque honoring the Fedou and Vallat families, and when they were honored by Yad Vashem.

We also walked through the small memorial for the Resistance fighters, many of whom were killed in the final days before the liberation of Toulouse and the region.

“This pedestal contains ashes from the Death Camps where 200,000 French people lost their lives so that France could live.” – in the Resistance Memorial in Toulouse

Toulouse also holds significance for me, as my mother and grandparents lived there after fleeing Paris, until the night that they took the last train out of town and ended up in Albi.

This was another trip full of learning new things, seeing our family, rescuers and other friends who mean so much to us.

The Memorial of Resistance and Deportation – in Albi

We could never have done all the things that we did without the help of Alain Fabre, who has taken it on himself to ensure that ALL rescuers who defied the Nazis and the collaborationist Vichy government by hiding Jewish family are properly recognized. He has also become a close friend who, in addition to Lucette and her family, demonstrate to me that there are good people everywhere, and those good people feel that they have not done anything particularly remarkable or significant.

We all could use more people like them in our lives, and I feel blessed, both literally and figuratively, to be their friend.

The Pont Neuf in Toulouse

Le Capitole- the regional capital building in Toulouse

 

 

Another Visit – More Miracles & Coincidence

I was finally able to get Art to come to Southern France with me to meet the Fedou family/descendants, and to participate in a ceremony at Arthes with my mom. We arrived yesterday in Albi, and when we arrived at the hotel, my mother and Barry were there, along with Jo Columbera, and a man I had never met. When I introduced myself, I asked my mother how they knew each other.

This is what she told me, “I was at the reception desk checking in, and the manager remembered me from the time I stayed here and had a book signing. She had thanked me again for providing her a copy of Tu T’appelles Renee, and we chatted for a bit. When I sat down in the lobby to chat with Jo, he approached us and said, ‘My father was the doctor at Chambon sur Lignon (which was a town that hid over 5,000 Jewish people during the war in a monastery), and I wanted to say hello.’”

The encounter definitely set the tone of our trip so far. After a good night’s sleep, today we woke up to a very busy day. We started by seeing Alain and Yolande Fabre—Alain being the journalist who works so closely with Yad Vashem to research the many families who did hide Jews in this part of France, and he took us to his village on the Tarn river. A beautiful old village with homes that date back to the 16^th century.

We had lunch by the river with Lucette (who had been my mom’s babysitter while she was hidden during the war) and Francine, as well as Francine Theodore-Leveque – who is the representative of Yad Vashem in Toulouse, as well as M and Mme Dubec, whose parents hid another Jewish family – the Ashes–Michel Ashe now lives in Virginia Beach. Finally, there was another couple (Francine and Philippe Amzallag), as Francine’s sister had gone to school with my mother during and after the war.

After lunch we went to the cemetery in Arthes where we visited the grave of Henri Kohn, who died in Arthes in 1942 of meningitis. His family survived the war, but no one knew that for a long time, and his sister (born after the war) now lives in the US. Francine and Philippe now take care of the grave, so that someone visits him.

The highlight of the day is when we went to the Arthes City Hall, where there was a reception and musical interlude. The mayor of Arthes, M. Pierre Doat, spoke with heart to my mother.

My mother and M Doat, the mayor of Arthes during the ceremony

Then my uncle, Bernard Lobel, asked to speak as well, as he was hidden in the Loire Valley. His speech with incredibly powerful, and I want to try to summarize it below:

There are two core issues related to hidden children:

1. The fact that parents were willing to be separated from their children, not knowing whether they would ever see each other again, in order to ensure their survival. This includes dropping children off at orphanages, and even throwing them out the windows of transport trains, all in the desperate hope that they didn’t have to suffer.
2. That there was a global denial of humanity to respond to the plight of the Jews in 1938. However, the rescuers were willing to see past the barbarism of “othering” people and were willing to risk their lives to do so.

What is the context for all this? First, USA was receiving thousands of asylum requests from Jewish refugees from Europe, and didn’t want to let so many in—and there were those who viewed the Jews as a threat. There was the League of Nations conference in July 1938, where over 40 countries met to figure out what to do about the issue of Jews trying to flee Nazi Germany. After a week of discussion, only ONE country, the Dominican Republic, agreed to take in Jews, and they capped it off at 10,000. This fact made it that much easier for the Nazis to complete their genocide, as they knew that no one else wanted the Jews, either.

Second, in July 1942, there was the roundup at the Velodrome D’Hiver in Paris – where over 13,000 Jews were rounded up over two days, and 3,000 children were separated from their parents, all of whom were deported to the extermination camps. After an additional 3 weeks in sub-human conditions, and the French police not knowing what to do with them, these 3,000 were also eventually deported and killed.

Finally, there were at least 4,000 righteous gentiles in France, who have survivors here today, who are the true heroes. Many didn’t want to be recognized, and many feel that they didn’t do anything extraordinary. However; they took great risks: first, they had to feed more people, and second, although the French government didn’t specifically cite hiding children as an illegal activity, the Milice and the Gestapo had no qualms in picking up these children and taking them away.

Therefore, it is because of the kindness of these people that there are French survivors. In Albert Camus’ book The Plague, there were two types of people who dealt with being quarantined – those who willingly stayed and helped those who were afflicted, and those who tried to do whatever they could to get out. Which one of these would any of us choose to be?…

After the ceremony, we went back to Laurent’s house, where they had dinner set up for us. We gave Laurent a cap from Desert Storm, in which he participated, and he was thrilled. He had also surprised my mother with a certificate of recognition from the Veterans of Under 20 Years for her work in preserving her memories.

As always, I am awestruck by how kind, genuine, and self-effacing are the people who were rescuers. They truly believe that they did nothing out of the ordinary, and that they would do it again in a heartbeat. It is incredible to think that they don’t consider themselves heroes, even though they saved people’s lives. I still believe that my making the decision to be a living kidney donor was easy, knowing that other people risked their lives so that my family could survive.

 

Honoring Mother Superior Rosalie

October 4, 2017, the village of Soreze and the Abbaye-école de Soreze held a formal ceremony unveiling a plaque in memory of Mother Superior Rosalie, who hid Jewish children, including my mother. We returned to the convent, and actually stayed there (it is now a hotel), and my mother, brother, I and Lucette Cormary (Fedou) and her descendants all participated in a formal ceremony to honor the Mother Superior at the convent.

It was a very emotional ceremony – with veteran flag bearers, including Laurent Colombera, Lucette’s grandson, who served several tours of duty in Iraq during Operation Desert Storm. He is currently the president of the local veteran’s group.

My mother actually broke down when she read the plaque, which was so touching. She then called up the Fedou descendants, and then Eric and me. She made the point of saying that it is true that these people saved an entire humanity, as she now has two children (us) and seven grandchildren, who would not be here if not for the goodness of others. It was a very powerful statement – and the nearly 75 people in attendance were clearly touched.

“Here, the Mother Superior Rosalie, at the peril of her life, hid Jewish children in 1943-1944, who were innocent victims of the barbaric Nazi and Vichy France regimes. We honor her extraordinary courage with this plaque.

‘One who saves a life, saves all of humanity’

This plaque was placed on October 4, 2017 by Ruth Kapp Hartz, one of the children whom she saved, the town of Soreze, and the joint association of the Abbaye-école de Soreze.”

The mayor of Soreze, M Mamy, who was in the same school as my mother during the war, spoke eloquently about the courage of the Mother Superior, and the regional director, Mme Bonnet (like a county mayor) spoke, and she was also emotional, as her father was in the resistance and had been taken to Bergen-Belsen, which he survived.

Mme Bonnet, M Mamy and my mother.

After the ceremony, there was a reception with local sparkling wine. I chatted with some charming veterans, who had fought in Algeria, but were children during WWII.

The next day, Laurent took me on a tour of the local vineyards for some wine tasting, and to visit some of the local towns, which are beautiful. One town, Cordes, is built on the top of a hill, so you have to climb to the top to see the village:

During lunch, we talked again about the ceremony and what his great-grandparents and his grandmother did for my family. He kept saying, “it was nothing!” As if it was a totally normal thing to do, and even with the great danger involved, it was the only thing for them to do. He also told me emphatically that he would do it himself if it were required of him. It never ceases to amaze me the absolute certainty that he and his family have about what they did, and that they would do it again if presented with the need. That is true bravery in my mind. They are truly remarkable people, very special in considering themselves ordinary when they acted bravely in a time of grave danger.

Again, how can we ever repay/thank such people? I believe that if I were presented with the same choice, I would hope to act in the same way, knowing that if others hadn’t done that for my mother, I would not be here today.

Laurent tasting the Rose of Gaillac – it is serious business!

The “caves” for the wine. It smelled divine!

P.S. I will add another post when I return with more photos that I took with my other camera, but which I am unable to access while in France.