Leon and Claire Dubois
Righteous Among the Nations
Lille, at the corner of Tanner Street and Rue de Bethune, the forecourt of the Righteous has provided the framework for a ceremony of recognition of the Righteous Among the Nations, on 24 June 2010.
Prepared by Didier Cerf and Annie Karo Deputies of the French Committee for Yad Vashem (1), the ceremony marking the award of the Diploma and Medal Righteous - posthumously - to the couple Leon and Claire Dubois.
Summary File Yad Vashem:
- "In 1939, Mohr and Lina Chil Ruck who emigrated from Poland in the 20s, live in Lille Rocroi street with their only son Leo, born in 1932.
Chil Mohr is committed forain.Très merchant left, he wrote in newspapers and magazines yddish and conducts many cultural activities.
During the debacle of May 1940, before the Nazi invasion, Mohr family fled under fire and took refuge in Brittany where she remains two months before returning to Lille.
1942: life becomes very difficult laws against Jews, wearing the yellow star, raids ...
July 16, 1942, the Vel d'Hiv roundup. Chil Mohr teaches the arrest of her younger sister Henna Charlotte with her two daughters, Leah and 6 years, 3 years. They will be deported to Auschwitz 26 August 1942 and will not return.
The family decided to flee to "free" zone. With false papers provided by resistant Prefecture of Lille, they cross the line and join the rest of the family Ruck Gan to where they were welcomed as refugees.
In this village of Béarn, near Pau, life is organized: Leo goes to primary school and then in October 1943, is back in 6th as an intern at the Lycée Louis Barthou Pau.
But in November 1943, the "free" zone facing the Nazi occupation, the noose is tightening around the Jews. Raids have the same place in classrooms, teachers recommend the leak.
Warned of an imminent raid by resistant Pau, Chil Mohr flees and hides in Oloron-Sainte Marie.
Lina and her son Leo decide to stay, but they are surprised at dawn by militias and have just enough time to flee across the fields.
Lina goes to the Mirassou farm in the small village of Bosdarros Mountains, in the Dubois family she knows to be sometimes bought milk and eggs.
Leon and Claire Dubois live with the grandfather and 3 of their 6 children Juliet, 18, Alfred, age 13 and Irene, 11 years, while three elder sons, Robert, Jean Louis and Germain are prisoners of war Germany.
Lina is greeted with warmth and understanding.
After a brief exchange of words, the Smiths accept naturally to keep this little Jewish boy, and when Lina Claire Dubois tends to a small bag containing some jewelry in case she would not return, Claire refuses and tells him: "We have raised 6 children, Leo will be the 7th. "
Leo spend a happy year surrounded by a real family and generous smile.
In September 1944, release: Leo finds his parents and he still remembers with emotion of the reunion of two families at Mirassou.
In 1945 the family returned Mohr Lille where life takes its course.
Leon Dubois died in 1950.
Mohr Lina and Claire Dubois will maintain a regular correspondence until the death of Claire. "
Testimony by Lena, granddaughter of Leo Mohr (2) :
- "Chil MOHR (18 years) and Lina RUCK (16 years) my great-grandparents arrived in 1920 Galicia, Austrian province became Polish.
Married in Lille in 1928, they inhabit the Saint Saviour streets of Tournai, Charles Saint-Venant Rocroi ... Place Simon Vollant.
Leo, my grandfather was born in 1932.
Rann, Charles now, but mostly itinerant merchant is passionate about Yiddish culture: he writes poetry he is writing and singing choirs in the Jewish press of the left, where he expressed his political commitment. Lina the second in these spots.
Leo goes to school Carnot at the foot of the belfry.
Lille is smiling, parades of giants and Lyderic Phynaert and Flemish Giants guests. Other parades behind the flags, with friends from the Rue de la Vignette. City and sad at the death of Mayor Roger Salengro.
May 1940. The debacle in the Stukas and bombs. Abbeville, Eu, Dieppe, Rouen behind them will be razed. They are refugees in Auray in Brittany. Lorient burns off.
1940-1941 in Lille, shortages are borne with courage, but prisoners are still detained in Germany and political oppression is heavy.
1942.Les anti-Jewish laws are enforced with all their violence. Compulsory of the star yellow from age 6 years. It says "Jew" in black letters.
The entry into Leo's class bringing this star sewn on the garment creates a buzz. The master, Mr. Bodaert calm students with the right words and praise, and Leo recommends not to return to class.
July 1942 at the Vel d'Hiv. Hanna, his two daughters, Charlotte 6 years, Lea 3 years are rounded up and deported to Auschwitz, they will not return.
Hanna was the youngest sister of my great-grandfather.
survival through the leak in the free zone. With false papers provided excellent resistance by the prefecture of Lille they cross the lines.
Samuel RUCK, Lina's brother, will not cross that line, he was deported to Auschwitz and never return.
They finally join their families to Ruck Gan near Pau, where they are welcomed as refugees.
Life resumes, Leo goes to the local school and then at the Lycee Louis Barthou in Pau. October 1943 the Nazis invaded the free zone. Teachers then recommend to Jewish children to leave classes at the threat of police raids and SS
Warned by resisters, an impending raid, my great grandfather fled into the night and hiding in Oloron.
Lina and her son Leo but are still surprised at dawn by the Vichy militia, threatening.
They just enough time to flee across the fields.
They then head to the farm in the mountains of Mirassou Bosdarros, they know to be bought milk and eggs.
DUBOIS Leon and Claire, the grandfather Candegabe live there with three children: Juliet 18, Alfred age 13 and Irene 11 years. The three
son Seniors Robert, Jean-Louis, and Germain are prisoners in Germany.
Lina is greeted with warmth and understanding.
few brief words, the Smiths accept naturally to keep this little Jewish boy, and when Lina Claire tends to a small bag containing some jewelry in case she would not return.
Claire refuses and says softly:
- "We have raised six children, Leo will be the 7th! "
Leo spend a happy year surrounded by a real family and generous smile.
The June 6, 1944: The factor has a hard time climb the hill, he too celebrated
Allied landings in Normandy ...
September 1944. is liberation.
Leo will always remember with emotion the happiness of families found to
Mirassou.
In 1945 the family returned Mohr Lille.
Leon Dubois died in 1947.
Mohr Lina and Claire Dubois held between a regular correspondence until the death of Claire.
In the Name of the nine great grandchildren of Charles and Lina, I thank Claire and Leon and salute their memory.
Greetings Robert, Juliette, Alfred, Irene their children and grandchildren. "
From left to right.: S. Ravel, Irene Boutillon, M. Aubry, Juliette Paty Alfred Dubois, Leo Mohr (DR).
Testimony of Leo Mohr:
- "The beautiful story of my meeting with the family DUBOIS begins in the small streets of GAN in the hours that followed the roundup in the morning. The militia still roam. No way back home. My mother has an idea: give me a family soon. We walk to the hills of Bosdarros, high enough already there are many farm Lajous. We know them well, they agree to host us, so to hide, but they are elderly and care for a child is another matter!
Try above the Dubois ago.
Indeed farm Mirassou seems attractive. The family is in the courtyard, surprised to see us. Leon is stunned by the story of my mother
circumstances of the raid. My mother asks us to keep her son, waiting for better days. Claire's mother, Juliette, Alfred, Irene listen to the children present silence. All agree to keep this little boy. Of course it is accepted he will not go to school. Irene says: I have a new little brother, everyone smiles.
New tasks are a farmer Leo enthusiastic, because the stupid are
greeted with a smile!
Like the time he returned to shreds, trampled by the herd of sheep.
I told you to monitor the ram!
Like the time we ate a crate of cherries for sale at market, he postponed the purchase of shoes. Always with a smile.
I was even allowed to establish Louie, my dog, tending cows.
Claire is full of attention, she tries to spoil us with good inventions pastry made from corn and chestnuts.
The situation becomes tense, air drops of weapons are at night. There is talk of withdrawals, we leave the farm for the night.
Leon unearths buried the gun in the vineyard and refuses to leave his farm.
L are winter evenings are long, no radio, no phono, no TV.
We eat chestnuts around the fire, we égrenons corn and sing.
I tried to teach them the lil quinquin without success but I could learn bet ceu Pau .
My mother was told: " Oyfn pripitschik " Irene and this without my knowledge. Irene sings perfectly to this day this song in Yiddish. Irene was in charge of me remember one day, if my mother had not come back.
" Oyfn pripitschik " seems a rhyme for the BA-BA, but the song ends with this advice:
" child, if one day the weight of exile seems overwhelming to you, will see in the book .
I arrived with my Yiddish forbidden, and the Little Quiquin and I'm left with anthem Bearn The beth ceu PAU ... "
NOTES:
(1) Deputies of the French Committee for Yad Vashem, Didier Cerf and Annie Karo have not only organized the ceremony but made sure to document this blog page.
(2) Hidden Children and the initiative of the appointment these New Righteous Among the Nations, Leo Mohr publish a blog recounting the circumstances of his meeting with the generosity and courage. "
He invites you to consult and disseminate it.
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