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Several
extracts from letters Sonia smuggled to her family sum up the tragedy of those
three weeks from July 16 and August 5: Dear Aunt and Uncle, Maman, Charles,
the children and I are in the Vel d'Hiv, but we're going to be sent somewhere
else, we don't know where. Make sure that Uncle gets away; he shouldn't stay;
it's bad enough that we're here. My dear aunt and uncle, and all my cousins,
think of us. We all embrace you. Sonia. [On the other side] Warn Aunt
Marthe and tell them to leave as soon as possible. If you can go to our house,
close the shutters, because I left everything open; you can get the keys from
Madame Seguin. There's a mattress at Aunt Berthe's house that you can sell, and
when we have an address you can send us a package because we didn't bring a
thing and also David's underpants as soon as we have an address. Your sister
Perla.
My Dear Aunt, Uncle and Cousins, We've been in Beaune for two
weeks and now there's talk of sending us farther away, we don't know. So I'm
wondering if you could do us a favor and go to the house and make up a package
of clothing because Maman doesn't have any dresses, David has no underpants and
I have no dresses either; send us anything you find. If you can't then let
Madame Delicourt know because she can take care of it or else Madame Seguin; it
doesn't matter how just try to help us however you can because we have nothing
to wear. Do it as quickly as possible because now it's definite that we are
leaving and on the package put Barrracks #6. I hope you are all in the house.
I'm sure that you will do everything you can. Maman and the children embrace
you imagining the day when we will all see each other again. Sonia.
My Dear
Aunt, We've asked that the children be sent to you, because they're not going
to keep us here; they're going to send us farther away. I hope you will be kind
to the children and that we'll be able to return the favor some day. Go to the
house and take noodles and beans and if you can, make up a package of Maman's
and my things as soon as possible because we will be leaving soon. We all
embrace you tenderly, Maman and the children. We are in B6 Beaune-la-Rolande,
Loiret. Sonia.
My Dear Uncle, I beg you, prepare a package as soon as
possible with our clothes because we are leaving. Even if we're not among the
first to go we are still leaving, and Maman has nothing to wear, David the
same, and my skirt is in tatters. Try to alert Madame Seguin or someone else
but try to send us everything you can and we'll return the favor as soon as we
are able. Try to send me stockings or socks because I'm barefoot; I have
nothing. Try to do everything you can: with food, send only fruit, because they
take away all canned goods and macaroni. My dear aunt, be good and try to plan
ahead; I hope your health is good. You have to write B6. We all embrace you
tenderly – Maman, the children and myself: Send us soap. Sonia.
From the Pithiviers camp, on the eve of deportation to Auschwitz: My
Dear Uncle and Aunt and Cousins, We left Beaune-la-Rolande on August 4th.
Charles and David separately, and Maman and I. Only Rachel stayed in Beaune
because she's French. So Maman is asking you to go to the house and take all
the papers that are in the trunk and all the food you find. Try to do something
for Rachel because we can't help her now. I don't know if they're telling us
the truth and now I think we're being sent to Poland. I beg you to let Aunt
Marthe know and maybe she can do something for Rachel. We hope we all see each
other again soon even so because I hope we'll have the upper hand because I
don't think he'll win. Maman and I both embrace you tenderly, all the children
and my aunt, your sister-in-law and your mother. Sonia.
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FRENCH
CHILDREN OF THE HOLOCAUST A memorial
Serge Klarsfeld
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