大象传媒

Introduction

This short account of the fate of the Rachnudel family is based on wartime research about war experiences of some people living in the village of Badaroux in the Vichy controlled sector of Occupied France. It has been written so that people will remember that there was once a happy family by the name of Rachnudel, how they lived and died and to honour those citizens of Badaroux who gave them shelter and friendship, even if only for a short time.

I would especially like to thank my good friend Mr Jean-Pierre Nogaret, a special 'Son of Badaroux' for sharing his memories about the Rachnudel family and access to his own written memoirs and photographs. The testimony in this submission is primarily based upon Jean-Pierre's testimony given to me as part of a university research project I originally wrote in French. Jean-Pierre kindly agreed to sign a form granting me permission to use the information, photographs and documents and that it can be placed in an archive so that others may read it if they wish.

Drancy and 'The Big Round-up' of 1942

For the Nazis, the 'Final Solution' was the annhilation of the Jews, in other words 'extermination'. In 1941 in Occupied France the authorities held a census of the Jewish population. In the Paris region, the Nazis used the Prefect of Police and the General of the Paris Gendarmes to open a new camp at nearby Drancy.

On 27 March 1942, the first train of deportees leaves Drancy for Auschwitz. At the end of June that year, Adolf Eichmann, one of the architects of The Final Solution arrives in Paris to speed up deportations from Drancy to Auschwitz. Plans are drawn up with the police for a 'Big Round-up' (Grande Rafle)to begin on 16 July 1942. In the Jewish quarters of Paris there are insidious rumours of what is about to happen and several thousands of the Jewish community leave straight away. Even so, 15000 people are rounded up at the infamous Winter Velodrome and perhaps 4000 children at Drancy.

From Paris to Badaroux

One of those of the Jewish faith who leave Paris for other parts of France is Mr Rachnudel, a tailor of Polish origin who finds shelter in the small village of Badaroux in the French 'Unoccupied Zone' controlled from Vichy. Mr Rachnudel is able to make a home for his wife and children in an apartment of Mr Firmin and Mrs Justine Nogaret. Mrs Rachnudel has the first name Arunka and the children, aged between 13 and 3, are called Jacqueline, Marcelle, Claudine and Jean-Claude.

The Rachnudel fanily play a full and active part in village life. To add to the joy of the Rachnudels and their friends, there is another addition to the family, another daughter who is given the name Eliane.

Deportation

Then on 8 February 1944 the Gestapo arrive at the village and order all the Rachnudel family to accompany them immediately. Even the Jean-Claude, the only boy among the children who is at the village school at the time is not forgotten. He is collected and taken away with the rest of the family.

Contemporary evidence about the deportations then suggests that the family are taken to Drancy on 10 February 1944 and then Auschwitz on 10 March 1944. Mr Rachnudel is put into forced labour at the camp and is the only one of his family to survive the war. Mrs Rachnudel and the children all die shortly after their arrival at Auschwitz.

Conclusion

The story of this one family is one that was repeated to many other families between 1942 and the liberation of the Auschwitz camp on 27 January 1945. The names of the family appear in the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum thanks to Jean-Pierre Nogaret.

Jean-Pierre has also written about the Rachnudel family in his own book, originally written in French, 'Memoirs of a Refractaire'. Other friends of the Nogaret family have translated this book into English, but it has not been widely circulated in Britain. The memory of the Rachnudel family should be kept alive.

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