UOCUMENT RESUME

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AUTHOR Sauvage, Pierre TITLE Weapons of the Spirit, Transcript of the Feature Documentary. Interviews Filmmaker Pierre Sauvage, Transcript of the P. B. S. Broadcast, and Additional Background Material. INSTITUTION Friends of Le Chambon Foundation, Los Angeles, CA. PUB DATE 89 NOTE 210p.; Accompanying two part videotape not available from EDRS. AVAILABLE FROM Friends of Le Chambon Foundation, 8033 Sunset Blvd. #784, Los Angeles, CA 90046 (classroom version videocassette with interview of filmmaker: 35 minutes, $49.95). PUB TYPE Guides Classroom Use Teaching Guides (For Teacher) (052) Creative Works (Literature,Drama,Fine Arts)(030)

EDRS PRICE MF01/PC09 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Adults; *Critical Viewing; Cultural Awareness; Elementary Secondary Education; Enrichment Activities; *Foreign Countries; Interdisciplinary Approach; Multimedia Materials; *Personal Narratives; Postsecondary Education; *Social Studies; World War II IDENTIFIERS * (Le Chambon); ; Holocaust; Nazi Occupation of Frwrice

ABSTRACT This documentary tells the wartime story of Le Chambon, a tiny Protestant village in France that defied the Nazi occupation and provided a safe haven for thousands of . Using interviews, old photographs and footage, and specially declassified documents, the film [and transcript] examine the difference between being a bystander and a participant in the salvation of Jews from Nazis, and celebrates humanity's capacity for good. The transcript of the documentyry and Bill Moyers' interviews with Pierre Sauvage includes over 70 pages of background articles, interviews, maps, bibliographies, and directed discussion guidelines for the classroom. (DOE)

*********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** 1.1Mfirch 24, 1993 (4130/92)

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0 IP 111

Transcript of Ie feature documentary

vs, V II/P

Transcript of the PB5. b.roadcast

and a. itiliona., 10,.k tsi t ound ma iri on ns of the 5pirit: -riends of Le Chambon, and Pierre 5auuage

PERMISSION TO RtPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY

Eigle _ S4 LI VA6E TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)

II S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (mice Educational Research and tmerovernent EDUCATI AL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) is document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it 0 Minor changes have been made to 5033 Sunset Boulevard *7E34 improve reproduction quality

Los Angeles. CA 90046 Points ol view or opinions stated in this Fax:213/654-4689 document do not necessarily represent Tel.: 213/650 -1774 official OERI position or policy

c Pierre Sewage and Friends tlf Le Chambon. B52 2 BEST COPY AVAILABLE

14 2 Weapons of the Spirit Friends ofLe Chamben .1Mann27, 1993 (4/30/92))

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 LEI thR TO THE READER 3 WITNESSES 4 "WEAPONS OF THE SPIRIT' 6 "WEAPONS OF THE SPIRIT' SCREEN CREDITS 54 BILL MOYERS"TELEVISION INTRODUCTION OF "WEAPONS OF THE SPIRIT" 63 "BILL MOYERS INTERVIEWS FILMMAKER PIERRE SAUVAGE" 64 "BILL MOYERS INTERVIEWS F1LMMAICER PIERRE SAUVAGE" 73 VIDEO CREDITS 73 ADDITIONAL MATERIAL 74 VIDEOTAPE AND TRANSCRIPT INFORMATION 74 COMMENTS ABOUT "WEAPONS OF THE SPIRIT' 74 ABOUT FRIENDS OF LE CHAMBON 74 PIERRE SAUVAGEPUBLIC SPEAKER 74 FRENCH COMMENTS ABOUT "WEAPONS OF THE SPIRIT' 74 "A TIME FOR RESCUE. AND THE EMERGENCY RESCUE COMMITTEE"74 "THE OPTIMISTS: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE BULGARIAN JEWS AND THEIR SURVIVAL DURING ' 74 "AND CROWN THY GOOD: THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE OF THE HOLOCAUST' 74 "YIDDISH: THE MAME-LOSHN" 74 LIFESTYLE: ARTICLE ON PIERRE SAUVAGE AND FRIENDS OF LE CHAMBON 74 DuPONT-COLUMBIA AWARDS ADDRESS BY PIERRE SAUVAGE, JAN. 30, 1992 74 INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE: ARTICLE ON LE CHAMBON, OCT. 13-14, 1990 74 LOS ANGELES TIMES: ARTICLE ON LE CHAMBON, OCT. 15, 1990 74 TIME INTERNATIONAL: ARTICLE ON LE CHAMBON, NOV. 5, 1990 74 ASSOCIATED PRESS: ARTICLE ON RIGHTEOUS GENTILES, MAY 29, 1984 74 "LEARNING HOPE FROM THE HOLOCAUST," ADDRESS BY PIERRE SAUVAGE, JULY 1988 74 "TEN THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT RIGHTEOUS CONDUCT IN LE CHAMBON AND ELSEWHERE DURING THE HOLOCAUST," ARTICLE BY PIERRE SAUVAGE, FALL 1985 74 "ON BEING A CHILD OF THE HOLOCAUST," ADDRESS BY PIERRE SAUVAGE, MARCH 11, 1984 74 "JESUS AS A GOY," ARTICLE BY PIERRE SAUVAGE, SEPT. 24, 1988 74 "A MOST PERSISTENT HAVEN," ARTICLE BY PIERRE SAUVAGE, OCT. 1983 74 "WEAPONS OF THE SPIRIT: A JOURNEY HOME," ARTICLE BY PIERRE SAUVAGE, MARCH 17, 1987 74 "PAIN, GUILT AND RAGE: HAVE WE MOVED BEYOND," INTRODUCTORY ItEMARKS BY PIERRE SAUVAGE, NOV. 6, 1988 74 "WEAPONS OF THE SPIRIT: CLASSROOM VERSIONVIEWER'S GUIDE," ANTI- DEFAMATION LEAGUE 74 Weapons of the SpiritFriends oils Chambon (t.1Manth 27, 1993 [4/30/921)3

LETTER TO THE READER

This transcript is a work in progress.

Weapons of the Spirit, the film, is finished, for betteror for worse. But words have always mattered to me as much or more than pictures. This transcript will in time evolve into Weapons of the SpiritThe Book. The idea is an illustrated and annotated transcriptannotated byme and by others, perhaps including you.

My model, simplistically speaking, is the Talmud: I love the idea of commentariesupon commentaries. The few rough and random footnotes included in today's edition probably donot suggest what I am still wroping towards.

Another model, at least for the marketing of this transcript, is thecomputer software industry, with its periodic upgrades of programs. This is release 1.1.

I welcome your feedback, your comments, your questions,your criticisms. I will not answer all of those who may writeI have still not masteredmy schedule that way. But I certainly always read all that I receive, often with extreme interest.

Indeed, I will especially welcome comments bearingon specific, even ostensibly minor points. I will in fact integrate some of these comments in the future updatesthat will precede final hard- bound publication.

Finally, I wish to stress that a film, of course, is not meant to be read.Its words are chosen for their effect in combination with pictures, silence, sounds, and music.

Anybody reading this without having seen the film will be missing muchessential and indeed quintessential material which has not here been reduced to words,or even as yet to photographs. Moreover, the interruptions that I will providemore andmore frequent as this transcript evolves, and as yet frustratingly unmediated by artfulpage layoutwill for such a reader resemble the annoying mumbling of somebody who insistson talking to you when you're obviously trying to concentrate on something else

Chances are, however, that if you've ordered the transcript,you may be interested in knowing more about how the film came to be and some of the choices and influences that brought it into being. Am I right?

Most sincerely, .6tN 91.1A1_ Pierre Sauvage 4 Weapons of the Spirit/Friends of Le Chambon (1.1)4ards 27, 1993 (4/30/921)

WITNESSES in order of appearance

Pierre Sauvage, the filmmaker and narrator.

Henri and Emma Héritier, the peasant couple who sheltered thevillage forger and other Jews, also helping the filmmaker's family. Monsieur Héritier: "Whenpeople came, if we could be of help..."

Charles Gibert, the old villager who sings the local Huguenot hymnand plays the harmonica.

Joseph Atlas, the young Polish Jew who felt himself sheltered bya Protestant community.

Hilde and Jean Hillebrand, the German Jew marriedto a German Protestant, who remember that the villagers risked their lives.

Georgette Barraud, who ran a boarding home that took inmany Jews."It happened so naturally, we can't understand the fuss."

Lesley Maher, the Englishwoman who movedto Le Chambon before the war. "People who seem very ordinary can do great things if they're given the opportunity."

Pastor Edouard Theis, the assistant pastor of Le Chambon duringthe war. "For the Pétain regime we had nothing but contempt."

Magda Trocmé, the widow of pastor André Trocmé,pastor of Le Chambon during the war. "If we'd had an organization,we would have failed."

Nelly Trocmi Hewett, the American daughter of André and MagdaTrocmé for whom the Jews were simply "part of the community and part of the school justas we were."

Peter Feigl, the American businessman whoas a 14 year-old smuggled across the Swiss border photographs of his fellow refugees.

Henriette and Robert Bloch, the French Jews who just couldn't imaginewhat was happening to the Jews of France.

Marguerite Roussel, the Catholic woman who like the other members of thearea's Catholic minority joined actively in the rescue effort. "Wenever analyzed what we were doing.It happened by itself."

Madeleine Dreyfus, the French Jewish relief worker who always succeeded inplacing Jewish children in the farmhouses of the area. Weapons of the Spirit I Friends of I. Chambon 0.1March27. 199314/30192D 5

Pastor Marc Donadille, the respectful Christianrelief worker at the Coteau Fleuri (the Flowery II11), the home for Jews rescued fromFrench internment camps.

Marie Brottes, the Christian fundamentalistfor whom the Jews were the People of God. "And the Jew, truly, had fallenamong thieves."

Georges Lamirand, the Vichy Ministerfor Youth who wenton an official visit to Le Chambon during the war.

Pierre Fayol, the French Jew who servedas the Resistance leader in the district.

Adolphe and Aline Caritey, whose homewas the headquarters of the armed resistance in Le Chambon.

Roger Bonfils, whose hotelwas the headquarters of the Germans in Le Chambon.

Emile Siches, whoran the Jewish boarding home for childrennext door to the German headquarters.

Oskar Rosowsky, the Jewishteenager who forged false ID. for all who needed them.

Paul Majola, the young shepherd whohelped in the distribution of the falsepapers.

André and Ginette Weil, the Jewishcouple who met in thearea during the war.

Marguerite Kohn, the Orthodox Jew whoremembers that her neighbors respected her faith.

Roger Darcissac, the public schooldirector who told authorities therewere no Jews in his school. "It was the human thingto do, or something like that."

Emile Grand, whoremembers that his neighbor Albert Camuswas writing a book about a plague.

Lea Roche and Evelyne Verilhac, themother and daughter who renteda room in their farm to the filmmaker's family. 6 Weapons of the Spirit/hien& of La Chansbon (LIMirth 27, 1993 (4/30/92D

"WEAPONS OF THE SPIRIT"

Fade-up on opening title card:

" Yiwalwaycoirna a, wiwn, pkmain,Jo- cicma that Iwo. pwrijgcl cu11,

" And &wiz i6 not Jai uw.cmcl wItal pwrannail

IL& IL iiin. imta, U.M1pelt cv-hdium, /1,d LW&AI Lra.era/6htili,." AtteAt Camua,31u2, Pupa,

NARRATION (PIERRE SAIJVAGE): I am a Jew born in Nazi-occupiedFrance.

II chose to translate Camus' use of the masculine pronouncelui(the man who...) as "the person." Thecontext is oh-so-generic, and in this instance linguistic gender-neutrality comes more easily in English than inFrench. I'm sure Camus would have understood. I have often wondered how many viewers of the film wonder what in the world these wordsmean, coming as they do out of the blue (more precisely, out of theblack). I certainly believe that the wordsare important and very relevant, and of course the relationship of Carnus' novel with the area of Le Chambon, mentionedtowards the end of the film, played a part in my pleasure inplacing this quote from Camus at the beginning,as did the fact that Camus was an admiration that my father and I hadin common. But strictly in movie terms, I came to realize that using a quote at the beginning of the film hadan additional important benefit that I had not actually thought through when I decided on it. When a movie begins,spectators are often still winding down their conversations and the movie doesnot receive the viewer's immediate undivided attention. When words appear on a screen, however, viewersimmediately begin reading them and pondering them, particularly if they are concerned that the text may leave the screen too fast. Thus, whatever the viewersmay have been able to get out of the quote, for my part / was able to get their full attention for my very first wordsthat follow, which might not otherwise have been thecase. The reader, of course, can ponderaway to her or his heart's content. 7 Weapons of the Spiritariends (XL* Clbssion (1.1Mucit 27. 1993 14/30,92D7 WO/

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Fade up and zoom in on,a photograph ofa baby being hugged by his father.

At that time, a spiritual plaguewas still sweeping throughout the western world.It produced the Holocaust, the Holocaust that mutilatedmy family, burned my roots, wiped out one third of my people.

Dissolve to a pre-war photograph of a Jewish family in Poland.

This was my mother's family in Poland beforethe war.She lost her mother, her younger brother, her sister, her brother-in-law, her little niece.2

Dissolve to a photograph of a baby in the arms of his mother.

,

2When my mattersaw a first draft of this film, she asked me to take three things out. I slepton it and then agreed to do so. At that time, given the rebellion that this film represented, I felt thatmy cooperation was appropriate, although I was aware of the strong case that could be made that therewas something fundamentally wrong in my agreeing to the deletions. Originally, I had written "my mother's family in Bialystok, Poland' butmy mother asked me to delete the reference to her birthplace. She also asked me to eliminate the names ofmy dead relatives, whom I had originally identified: "She lost her mother, Feigl Suchowolski, her younger brother Memel Suchowolski,her sister Helaina Pisar, her brother-in-law David Pisar, her little niece, Frieda Pisar." The road blocks to memory that my parents s .t up remainso effective to this day that remembering these names still doesn't come naturally to me.

Li 8 Weapons of the SpiritFriends of Le Chamboo .1March 27. 199314/3492D

And yet, my parents and I, andmany others, were sheltered in a village in the mountains of France.

Fade-up on the sounds of a train.

I returned there to find out why.

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A tiny steam-engine train puffs its way througha meadow. A man (the filmmaker), viewed from the back, is sitting alone in an otherwise emptycompartment. Music: slow, persistent mandolin concerto by Vivaldi, the "red priest."3

In the beginning, a few Jews made theirway to this tiny corner of the world. And the peasants and villagers of thearea took in the Jews who came. And the Jews kept coining. And the people of Le Chambon kept takingthem in. Individuals, couples, families. The children, the elderly, people of allages. Those who could pay and those who couldn't. Doctors and merchants and intellectualsand homemakers. PIERRE SitliT.AgE (in English), on train, talking tocamera:

' Yalta It's on a train very much like thisone that my parents arrived in Le Chambon-sur-Lignon in the fall of 1943. A friend had steered them here. Andthey rented a room in a farmhouse with some peasants named Roche. Not much is left of the farm.4 My mother was pregnant, and on March 25, 1944,a Jewish baby had the good fortune tosee the light of day in a place on earth uniquely committedto his survival.

3 4At the time I shot thissequence, I had no idea that I would find the Roches before shooting was completed. Weapons of the SpiritRiot& of Le Chambce lManh 27. 194314/3692D 9

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The train approaches a village, blows its (shofar-like) whistle.We hear a montage of voices, as the train enters a tiny railroad station. The Vivaldi concerto heard earlierresumes.

NARRATION: The Nazis' had proclaimed a Thousand-Year Reichand appeared triumphant. But for the people of the area of Le Chambon, thatwas beside the point. Here, in the course of four long years, 5,000 Jews were shelteredby 5,000 Christians.5 Jews who were there, remember: AUDIO MONTAGE:

torA2t-4- -t.ititzifirre . I would say they were the most solid peopleon earth (Ebluz stams). I have a very good impression of the Chambonnaispeople 00SEPH GODEFRYD). An outburst of solidarity that simply couldn't be imagined(ANDRE WEIL). We might not be here were it not for this land (HENRIETTEBLOCH). Not only were we accepted despiteour differences, which is just about all a Jew asks for and can ask for from the community in which he lives, but here, therewas a feeling of affection (OSKAR ROSOWSKY). I will always be moved when I think of these people(GINETTE WEIL). A wonderful memory (ANDRE wEtL). An atmosphere of peace (ROBERT BLOCH).

5Five thousand isan approximation, based in large measure on testimony included later in the film.The people of the village of Le Chambon are sensitive that it be clear that itwas the population of the whole plateau who was involved in this effort, and not just the residents of the village of LeChambon. The shorthand of "Le Chambon" has, however, registered mightily, and for allmy ostensible efforts to be accurate I've certainly allowed the symbolism to stick. Althoughmy narration here as elsewhere was carefully chosen, I realize now how completely the image of the train entering the villageoverwhelms that precision and that the "Here" referred to in this narration is understandably experiencedas meaning in this villagethat we are now seeing.

0 10 Weapons of the Spirit Friends ofL. Chambon (I.Imarea2t1993 (4/30/92D

The train stops at the station. The sign says: Le Charnbon-sur-Lignon-Le Mazet The music fades out Cut to an elderly couple, standing near a stone farmhouse. 3-rENIKT and ENNA gtr±RIVER:

We never asked for explanations. When people came, ifwe could be of help... But you knew you were taking risks in sheltering Jews? In the beginning, it wasn't all that risky. But then towards the end, ofcourse, it did grow dangerous. But you kept them anyway. Oh yes. Why? ENNA. .71-t2trITXR: I don't know. We were used to it.6

She looks at him, then looks down at the ground. Dissolve to old black-and-white photograph of thesame couple, much younger, smiling at the camera.7 The Vivaldi concertoresumes, swells and ends (this time in an orchestral version), as the title sequence unfolds.

FRIENDS OF LE CHAMBON PRESENTS WEAPONS OF THE SPIRIT A FILM BY PIERRE SAUVAGE

6"No one knows what he is doingso long as he is acting rightly; but of what is wrong one is always conscious." Goethe. "We become brave by doing brave acts." Aristotle, "Nicomachean Ethics" 7The snapshotwas taken in front of the very same farmhousc. As it happens, an inscription on the back of the photograph indicates that it was taken in March 1944the month that I was born. These are the people, theseare the faccs, that welcomed mc into the world. 11 BEST COPYAVAILABLE Weapons of the Spirit I Friends of Le Chord= (1.1-34neh 27, 1993 [4r3W92D 1 1

Pan down photograph of the Eiffel Tower showing happy German soldiersat the bottom. Newsreel clips of the division of France in 1940, children bringing flowersto Marshal Main, Pitain shaking bands with Hitler. Music: contemporaneous jazz (Django Reinhardt).8

NARRATION: In 1940, France fell to the Nazis in less than six weeks. The Germans dividedthe country in two and occupied the northern half. In the southern zone, also known as the "free"zone, France had a new leader: Marshal Philippe Pétain, the venerated 84 year-old hero of WorldWar I.From his capital in the town of Vichy, Pitain urged collaboration with the Nazioccupies. The existence of the Vichy governmentwas a convenient arrangement for the Nazis, and the French were allowed to continue administering all ofFrance.

Strident report from a French newsreel (1941), complete with opening musical fanfareand enthusiastic French voice-over speaker.9 NEVSRET.C: In , the exhibit The Jew in France has just openedDuring the first three days, over thirteen thousand people have already visited this remarkableexhibit, which gathers together documents and photographs demonstrating the Jewish threatin every aspect nf our national life. These graphs, these charts, these statisticsare mind-bo,,ggling.They prove the extent to which Francea victim of her traditional sense of hospitalityhad becomeinfested with Jewishness. All high government positions had fallen into the hands ofJews.After throwing into war a people pn roundly attached topeace, the Jews led France to the most utter defeat in her history. Such was the destructive effect of the Jews in France!

Newsreel clip of Pétain signing a decree. Documents of antisemiticlegislation.I.D. card with "JUIF" ("JEW') stamped on it. Pan on photograph from graffiti "IC! JUIF" ("HereJewish") to broken storefront window. Percussion accentuation (Elisa Trocm61°).

NARRATION: Less than four months after coming topower, Marshal Pétain signed the fffst decree defming Jews under French lawand banning them fromholding public office or working in the mass media. Soon, there would be an ever-growing number of restrictionson a Jew's right to earn a living, get an education, own property, travel.

Newreel clip of Hitler at a Nazi rally, ranting in German ("Nothing is possible ifone will doesn't order and is obeyedfrom the top to the bottom!"). Montage of Jews who had foundrefuge in France (and who later survived in Le Chambon)." Maurice Ravel's mournful Kaddisch begins.12

8 9 10 11 12 12 Weapons of the SpiritFriends of Le Omni= (1.1March 27, 19931413W92D

Throughout the century and the rise ofEuropean antisemitism, many European Jews had fled to Paris. By 1940, nearly halfof France's 350,000 Jewswere foreign-born.

Drawing of a giant Nazi () poisedto grab refugees standing forlornly in front of the closed door of U.S. Consulate.

The western world, including the UnitedStates, had slammed its doorson the threatened Jews. France,a traditional land of asylum, had been the last refuge.

Photos of people behind barbed wire and in detention.13

The Vichy government ordered foreignJews into numerous and dreadful French-run internment camps. Thiswas Gurs, one of the worst, originally built for refugees fromthe ." Most of these camps were in the unoccupiedsouthern zone.

Montage of photos of round-ups of Jews in Paris by Frenchpolice. Photograph of a group of children ina camp. Photograph of Orthodox Jews at prayer in acamp.

Roundups began in broad daylight in1941 in the streets of Paris. Itwas French police who performed these roundups. The French campswere not extermination camps, andyou could sometimes get Jews out.But 3,000 Jews died in thesecamps, even before the day came when the Nazis began what they called the "resettlement"of the Jews in the east.

Newsreel showing a family gathering arounda radio, Pétain speaking to the camera. .9W ars hal PHILIPPE P±TAIN(newsreel): I need your faith. The faith ofyour heart. The faith of your reason. Remember above all that you are menthe men of an old and glorious nation. Cometo me with trust.

Newsreel clips of Pétain being hailed bya large and enthusiastic crowd (in the city of St. Etienne,a city not far from Le Chambon-sur-Lignon). children cheering.

NARRATION: Elsewhere in occupied Europe, Nazi Germanyhad to impose henchmen to implement its policies.

Newsreel clip of large crowd singing the bloodthirstyend of the French national anthem: "Qu'unsang impur abreuve nos salons." ("May their impure blood drenchour fields")People cheering.Cries of "Vive le Marechal!"

Only in France did a localgovernment choose to join in these policieswhile retaining considerable publicsupport.

13 14 3 Weapons of the SpiritFriends of Ls Chambon (1.1Mwch 27. 1993 0/30/92D13

Le Chambon, less than 40 milesaway, was in the initially unoccupied southern zone, 350 miles south of Paris.The village was put ofan isolated plateau nestled in the mountains of south-central France.

This was a poor farming community usedto stru g through long and rugged winters. These were hill people usedto centuries of perseverance as a religious minority. At the time of World War II, most of thepeasants and villagers of the area were the descendants of Huguenots, the first Protestants in CatholicFrance. Once, because of their beliefs, their templeshad been destroyed, their rights abolished, their men deported to slaveon galley, their women interned in towers where they left messages for future generations: "Resist." Once, itinerant preachers had risked their livesreading psalms from the Old Testament and identifying with the biblical journeyto the Promised Land. This period is known in Huguenot historyas the "Desert."It lasted for a hundred years. While many Huguenots fled abroad, the people here clungto their land and their beliefs.

The old-timers of Le Chambon get together periodicallyto chat and play cards. They still remember this old hymn to theirancestors. CHARLES GIBER7:

1 I3EST COPYAVAILABLE

He sings La Civenole, the old Huguenot hymn that will be heardor echoed throughout the film.

4 14 Weapons of the Spirit Friends of Le Chernbon(1.1Mrch 27. 1993 (4/30/92))

Hail beloved mountains, sacred land of our grandparents.

NARRATION: For the people of Le Chambon, the,memory of their past was the very key to survival. Nothing that occurred here during the war years was to seem entirely unfamiliar. And in every challenge there would be an of their forefathers' struggle and faith.

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Faces of the old people dissolve to a color drawing of an 18th century Huguenot "assembly of the desert," showing people gathered attentively around their pastor.

C3-rARLES GIBERT(finishing the hymn): May their spirit inspire their children to follow their example.

Shots of a village and a snowy plateau in the mountains.

NARRATION: Joseph Atlas was a young Polish Jew living in France. JOSTP3-r

At the age of 14, I suddenly found myself flanked by two gendarmes and put into the French internment camp of Gurs. After several long months, I was then suddenly brought to Le Chambon-sur-Lignon without having any idea why I was being brought to Le Chambon-sur-Lignon. I suddenly found myself in a little house, surrounded by trees, in a village I knew nothing about.

15 Weapons of the Spirit / Friends of Le Chambon .1binch 27, 1993 (4/341092)) 15

The extraordinary thing about Le Chambon is that inthe course of four or five years, nobody ever asked me the question: "Are you or are you not Jewish?" Iwas a young refugee, of Polish origin, being protected by a Protestant community.

NARRATION: Hilde Hillebrand is a German Jew married since 1933to Jean Hillebrand, a German Protestant. They arrived in Le Chambon aftertwo and a half years in France's internment camps.

3-CLCDT and-JEAN 3fILCEBILA2'ID:

'

-14

1 4 lOttrAStage04 ViaCtp .942s. 50://1722.904/73: They really did something. They risked their lives! JEAN MU/XS/WM: They would hide us in their farms. They knew thegendarmeswere nearby. MICEPT 3fICCEBRATID: They would introduce us as relatives,as cousins. J1121.N IfILLTBRAND: They were in danger just like wewere. They risked everything. And you had accents, unmistakable accents. fr.. 3-CIL11222.91,1D: Like we still do. [Laughs.] 5LECDE HICZEBRAND: You know what we would do? When neighbors would visit,I would say, "I'll go up and make the bed."I didn't stay in the room because ofmy accent.I didn't want to put them in danger. They were wonderful these people. Wewent back not long ago. They're like family. JEAN" ILILLT2322.3.3412): We feel at home among them. 31ILDT .91ILL2BRAWD: Oh yes, they were truly fantastic. No question about it. Theyrisked their lives.

NARRATION: At the turn of the century, Le Chambon had welcomed sicklyworking class children from the nearby cities. In the thirties, the village had takenin refugees from the Spanish Civil War. In1940, Madame Barraud was runningapensionaboarding homefor schoolchildren and summer visitors. But guests in need were never turned away. During the next four years, there would bemany guests in need. 16 Weapons of the Spirit Friends of Le Chanibon (1.1Mareh27. 1993 (4/30/2D

Dissolve from an old woman talking on camera to shots of her walking in a village street and arriving in front of a church. People greet her and each other as the bell rings for services. gEoRgnIT BARRAMD:

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t.;

It all happened so naturally, we can't understand the fins. It was all very simple. I didn't have that many of them. Usually, they were just passing through. They would arrive sometimes at midnight or one in the morningtrain schedules were very irregular. They would sleep on the floor. We would manage one way or another. The two of us often gave up our bed when there was absolutely nothing left. I helped simply because they needed to be helped. The welcome here had a lot to do with people still believing in something. In the Bible, it is written to feed the hungry. To visit the sick. That is a normal thing to do.

Dissolve from the church to an old drawing of a Huguenot pastor speaking from an outdoor pulpit and then to photographs. Trumpet solo echoes the Huguenot dirge heard earlier.

NARRATION: As in the days of the Desert, during the Nazi occupation the area found the spiritual leaders it neededand deserved. In 1934, Le Chambon had hired an independent-minded pastor determined to bear Christian witness. The late André Trocmé was a conscientious objector whose pacifist views had been extremely unpopular throughout France and within France's tiny Protestant community. André and Magda Trocmé, cosmopolitan city people, had found themselves relegated to this rather sleepy, backwater parish. Just before the war, the Trocmés founded Le Chambon's first secondary school, and Trocmé brought in pastor Edouard Theis, a fellow pacifist, to run the school and serve as assistant pastor.

£ESCE'y 34512ER(in English): Both Trocmé and Theis had a tremendous impact on all of us.

NARRATION: Lesley Maber, an Englishwoman, moved to Le Chambon before the war. She was a schoolteacher there for thirty years. Weapons of the SpiritI Friends of Le Chamboa (1.1March 27, 1993 [4/3092])17

..CESLE'y M.42ER(in English):

During the first year of the war, well, the onlyyear, really, of the war, 1939-1940, they were very unpopular. They were a minority of two, saying thatwe shouldn't fight the Germans. And after the collapse of France, theywere again a minority of two, saying we musn't collaborate with the Germans. And they just went on their steadfastway.And people listened, people in Le Chambon listened to what they had tosay and found that they agreed with them.

NARRATION:, Pastor Edouard Theis, assistantpastor of Le Chambon during thewar: PASTOR 11301L41W THEIS:

At the time of the armistice, the law professorand deputy from Lyon André Philipcame to Le Chambon. And he said again and again, "What Pétaincalls an honorable armi4ice isa dishonorable armistice because he has signedan agreement with Hitler promising to send backto Germany any refugees the Germans ask for." So in Le Chambon we repeated that thiswas a dishonorable armistice. And for the Pétain government we had nothing but contempt!

Camera follows somebody into thc church.The inscription over the front door reads "LoveOne Another." As the camera enters the church,we dissolve to an old photograph of the inside of the church, with pastor talking from thc pulpit

NARRATION: France signed the armistice with Nazi Germanyon June 22nd, 1940. The next day was a Sunday. And thatvery morning, during services, the twopastors outlined the situation to their congregation. The text of this historic document survives.Pastor Trocmes daughterrepeats the words of people who practiced what they preached. 18 Weapons of the SpiritFriends of Le Chainbon (I. 1Msta 27, 1993 14/30/92])

Pan down a photograph of pastor Trocme to the Bible he is holding in his hands.

-te4 I

ANDRÉ TROCIVIE

Voice of Nary rrocme Hewett (in English): "The duty of Christians is to resist the violence that will be broughtto bear on their consciences through the weapons of the spirit. "We will resist whenever our adversaries will demand ofus obedience contrary to the orders of the Gospel. We will do so without fear, but also without pride and withouthate.""

NARRATION: Magda Trocmé, widow of the pastor of Le Chambon during thewar: NAgDA 71ZOC.141±:

If we didn't obey Pétain or believe what the Germanswere saying, it's not because we were smarter than anybody else but because of our pasts.I was from Italy and had seen the rise of fascism.My husband was half Germanhis mother was German. We hadmany German relatives. We had been to Germany often andwe had seen the growth of Nazism. So we viewed what was going on not just from a Christian perspective but also from the perspectivefrom our past.

NARRATION: Nelly Trocmé Hewett, the Trocmés' daughter, remembers herparents during the war years in Le Chambon.

15"seul l'individu chretien...peut offrirune resistance I Peat pur, une resistance sans compromis, une resistance depouillee de toutes considerations tactiques, une resistance au nom des principes de l'Evangile.II arrive meme que la resistance du el:then embarrasse et complique la resistance de son Eglise, parcequ'elle a un caraciere intempestif et radical qui risque de comprcenettre les delicate: negociations auxquellesles chefs responsables d'un groupe ne peuvent se derober." "LA Write decouverte, ii faut a publier, et c'est encore plus dangereux....Le privilege des pasteurs a ea grand. Du haul dc la chairs, calmement, au nom du Dieu vivant, ils ont pu parler....11 fallait parler et patter clairement. La tentation Mint grande d'envelopper d'images bibliques la visite: comprenne qui pourra. On se calmoit la conscience ainsi.Faux apaisement.Dieu aime qu'cet enseigne l'Evangile clairement, avec redraw du destinataire &rite sur l'enveloppe. Le destinataire n'aimait pas cela." Andre Trocme, La Resistance du Chritien, fondement d'une reconstruction, article non date (1955?), peutAtre non publii. 19 BEST COPYAVAILABLE Weapons of the Spirit /Friendsone Chambon (1.1Mardt 27, 1993 W30192D19

NELLY-TROC.14± 3EWE7ZinEnglish):

"4:4kirfa:' 4 - This background they had justgave them the support and the... richness of thought and character needed to implement the immense taskthat slowly built up around them and... which they had to accomplish. They couldn't giveup. You don't give up in situations like that. You can't give up.

.M.A.gDA 1"ROC.142: So in a way, we were prepared. And the villagewas prepared because of its Huguenot past.

Newsreel: Nazi official arriving inParis, meeting with Vichy officials.

NARRATION: By the spring of 1942, plans for the so-called"fmal solution of the Jewish question" were in effect, and during a visit to Paris, S.S. General Heydricheased the way for large- scale deportations of Jews from France.

NEWSREELcontinues: The general met with officials of the French policeand the French administration. He also met with the new director of Jewish Affairs.

The ending of the first sentence of the newsreel ispresent only in the English-language version; it is fully under the narration in the French-language version.

French documents on arrests of Jews.Photograph of young Jewish children wearing yellowstars. Photograph of Pdtain playfully holding upa child with his cane, slowly zooming in on the tiny hands grasping the cane. Newsreel clips of Prime Minister Pierre Lavalspeaking to the camera and of Pdtain greeting trains of prisoners of war.

NARRATION: Mass arrests and mass deportations began in thesummer of 1942. Disappointed with the results of the roundups in Paris,the Germans putpressure on the French government to help them fillup the death trains. Marshal Pétain and Prime Minister agreed to deliver Jews, foreignJews especially but soon French Jews as well. Laval even volunteered that itwas better not to separate the familiesand turnedover Jewish children whom the Germans had not yet asked for. 20 Weapons of the SpiritFriends of IA Cbambon (1.1March 27, 1993 [4/30/921)

The French policies of cooperation didnot go unrewarded, and Marshal Pétain visited railroad stationsto greet returning Frenchprisoners-of-war.

Clandestine snapshots (taken by American Tracy Strong, Jr.)of people lined up for deportation from Rivesaltes internment camp.

An American relief worker smuggleda camera into the internment camp of Rivesaltes in unoccupied southern France. He took thesepictures of the beginning of a deportation to the north, and then to Au.schwitz.

Montage of drawings of children in internmentcamps (by Georges Horan). Long pan over lists of trains from France to Auschwitz and other deathcamps, and then of names of deportees (documents compiled by ). Montage of portraits of children whowere murdered, ending with zoom-in on faces of a young boy and his sister. Maurice Ravel's "Kaddisch" resumes and ends.

In all, France was to contributemore than 75,000 Jews-including 10,000 children-to the nearly six million European Jews torturedand murdered by the Nazis. While the world stood by.

A youthful looking man in his early fifties is drivinga car through the countryside.

Forty years later, Peter Feigl,now an American businessman, returns to Le Chambon. He first came hereas a 14 year-old, at a time when the rest of his family, Jewish refugees from Germany,were being deported to their death.

PETER FEIGL(in English):

"'I,"

During the war, there was all the apprehensionof the unknown, of having been separated shortly before then frommy parents and not knowing what... what was awaitingme at the next bend in the road. It was all quitescary then.

NARRATION: After his parents had been arrested, Feigl had beenrescued by Quaker and Jewish relief groups and brought toa children's home funded by American organizations. He was later smuggledacross the border into Switzerland, and took with him these mementos from his stay in les Grillons.

A series of passport-type photographs of children.Music: Shalom Aleichem, performed by klezmer clarinetist Giora Feidman. Weapons of the Spirit Friends of Le Chambon (1.1-3krch 27, 199314/30/92j) 21

TETER FEIGC(in English): The friendship that I made with these fellow refugees there somehow meant enoughto me to have kept those pictures despite very specific instructions not tocarry anything on us.

Zooin in on handwriting on the back ofa photograph: "Paul Fauvel = Paul Fogelman."

And J even went so farvery foolishly in retrospectI wentso far as to write down on the back of the photograph the real last name of theperson, as well as the false name or the assumed name that they received at Le Chambon. Had. I been caught with these photographs, that would have been curtains for me as well as for the other people involved.

Peter Feigl arrives atles Grillons,the children's home where he had been sheltered.

In a way, if you will, this is a... sort of a... homecoming. It brings backa flood of memories, many of them pleasant, many of them unpleasant. It evokes a feeling of gratitude, a gratitude that I can appreciate today and I wasn't even aware of when Iwas 14.

A couple in their seventies knock on a door and are greeted by awoman of the same age. They engage in small talk under the narration.

NARRATION: Robert and Henriette Bloch, French Jews of Lyon, seventy-five milesaway, periodically visit the Roussel family of Le Chambon. Like other French Jews who arrived in Le Chambonat the beginning, the Blochs had mainly been escaping the hardships of city life during the Occupation. Le Chambon was used to receiving visitors during thesummer months. And in this time of severe rationing, in the countryyou could always fmd food on the black market.

ROBERT/angrEWRIT7TE BCOCH (with NARGIIERM ROUSSEL):

;4

ROBER7' BLOCH: In hindsight, I must admit that I lived almost like a fool, not changingmy way of life or even my name. I've lived with non-Jewish friends, and there never was any Jewish issue. Asa young man, the problem simply didn't exist for me. I just couldn't imagine what would be happening to us with Hitler's rise topower. gagiatrritir acocgi: We French couldn't imagine... Maybe because we'd never suffered. 22 BEST COPY AVAILABLE 22 Weapons of the Spiritr Friends of Le Chsmboo (1.1morb 27, 199314/30/92))

NARRATION: As the danger grew obvious, Madame Roussel andher family offered shelter to the Bloch family. The Roussels are Catholics, thena tiny minority in Le Chambon. MARGUERITE ROUSSEC (with ROBERTarts1.31E.VRTITIT BLOCIO:

What you must understand is that if thearea remained peaceful, without denunciations or problems, it's because everybody basically hadthe same attitude.Even if we had different responsibilities. We all felt affected by whatwas going onit wasn't only the Jews.In 1940, when the Germans came in, all of us were threatened. So itwas important to remain united. But none of this was obvious. We hadno theories, for instance. It happened by itself

An isolated farmhouse, with goats traipsing in the distance.

NARRATION: Madeleine Dreyfus, a French Jew, joined l'O.S.E.,a Jewish organization committed to rescuing Jewish chilthen.16 She would makethe rounds of the farms on the Protestant plateau looking for hiding places for these children.Later deported herself, she survived Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. 31.ADELTI.NT DREYFUS: ;-1

"

. The farmers knew the children were Jewish. Butwe wouldn't say it to them. It was a way of protecting them not to say, "These childrenare Jewish." The smaller ones were always easier to place.Small children are sweet and don'teat much and don't talk back. And we always had muchmore trouble placing the older kids.

161 bevel always considered this lineone of the most disturbing in the film and remain surprised that no one has ever challengedme on it How could any Jewish organization not be committed to rescuing Jewish children? Weapons of the Spirit Friends of Le Cheraw (1.1-3.4ush 27, 1993 f4/30/92D 23

And I remember visiting a very elderly coupleonce when I was stuck with two 14-year old kids. And nobody wanted them. "They talk back. They'renot easy to handle. They eat a lot." And I can remember saying, "The fact is that thesetwo children are Jewish, that they are being hunted, and that their parents have been arrested." And they said, "Why didn't yousay so earlier?" And they took in my two kids.

Photographs of rural life in Le Chambon (to music of Blisa Trocmã's "Quatuor").

LESLEY .74ABER (inEnglish): The Jewish refugees, and other refugees, but especiallythe Jewish ones we had most, they could go to a farm, knock at the door and be receivedand kept. Now it was not the danger that the farmers would most have thought of, I'msure, but the fact that they were poor. They're small farms here. And it meant sharing their daily bread.It meant giving food that otherwise they could have sold. They live verynear to the bone. Very, very simply. .74.ADELEINT DREYFUS* You preserved cm unusual document from this period Yes, to my .embarrassment. You're referringto this notebook. These kids that I would place all over, I couldn't remember everything! There was what I had to bringon the next trip: laundry, bread tickets. These farmers would ask for very small amounts; they derivedno profit. And there was also the list of farmers who had asked to take in children. A lot of people could havebeen arrested! Here it is: Marion in La Suchère. Rochette inLa Suchère. Fournier in La Souche. Véron in Romiêres.The Roussets in Le Robert.Valla in Le Robert.The Roustains in La Rionde. Mandon in La Bourghea.

Map of the area surrounding Le Chambon-sur-Lignon, withplace names underscored. Montage of photos of temples of the area. Music of electronicorgan (L'Antitie ("Friendship% played by Auguste Bohny on the electronic organ) which began as Mme. Dreyfus recited listof names of farmers, continues under the following narration andunder Magda Trocmd in the followingsection.

NARRATION: Under the leadership of Pastor André Trocmé, thevillage of Le Chambon was the nerve center and the symbol of the spiritual resistance of thearea. But4 refugees were sheltered throughout this Protestantenclave, which stretcheda dozen miles around Le Chambon in all directions andencompassed a dozen parishes. The Protestant temples of thearea and their pastors all played key roles in what happened here. But throughout the plateau and inLe Chambon itself, the conspiracy of goodness that developed was, in important respects, bothindividualistic and unspoken. It was, above all, a matter of one's own conscience Magda Trocmé, widow of the pastor of Le Chambon duringthe war: .7451.GDA MOC.74±: Each day, each individual did whatever they feltnecessary. I am often asked: "How were you organized?" But if we'd hadan organization, we would have failed, of course! You can't make notes: today, I'm goingto do this, tomorrow, I'm going to 24 Weapons of the Spirit Friends ofTe Chunkier (1.1Mrreh 27. 1993[413002D

do that. As difficulties appeared, eachof us on his own did what they feltwas appropriate. We didn't know what was taking place in people'shomes. And people didn't know whatwe were doing. My 'husband certainly hadan important influencethere's no question about that. But that doesn't mean he knew about everything. It was a general consensus.

In the English-language version, the firsttwo sentences are under the narration.

Montage of photographs of the life in the children'shome, children playing lining up, playing, swimming, Music: cheerful new melody, Faidoli, played byAuguste Bohny on the electronic organ. NARRATION: A few outsiders too joined in theconsensus. Le Chambon already hadmany children's homes. It now becamea village of children. A Swiss relief agency for children successivelyset up three new homes in or near Le Chambon. At least a quarter of the childrenwere Jewish, while others were being spared the food shortages and bombing raidsof war-torn France. In la Guespy, the first of these homes,most of the boarders were foreign Jews,many of whom had been gottenout of France's internmentcamps in the nick of time. Under the direction of Auguste Bohny,a Swiss schoolteacher and conscientious objector, the three Swiss homes in LeChambon became havens ofsong and study, peace and solidarity.

The local school today, dissolving into old photographsof school scenes.

Throughout occupied Europe, the Holocaustraged. Here, Jewish and other refugee studentsswelled the enrollment at Le Chambon'snew, private secondary school,soon lmown as the Collage Cavenol.There had been 18 students when the school had openedits doors in 1938; by 1943, there would beover 350. It was an experimental school:Protestant, but inspired by internationalist andpacifist principles. There was no school buildingat first, and classes were held ina dozen pensions throughout the conununity, with either thestudents or the teachers traipsing fromone mAkeshift classroom to another. The school's faculty included prominentprofessors from Paris, several of them Jewish. Among the many Jewish students, theyoung refugee from Poland, Joseph Atlas: JOSTPH ATLAS: I started out virtually withoutany education and wound up with a degree in mathematics. In my class, roughly 20 to 30 percentwere Jewish. We never talked about it.You'd know somebody was Jewish more by theirname than by anything else. Weapons of the SpiritFriend. tr Le Lsambon (1.1March 27, 1993 p1/3W92D25

NARRATION: Many young Jews joined the various boyscout and girl scout troops that flourished in the village and participated in therescue effort.

Music: wartime jazz by Django Reinhardt.

.717ELLy 7-ROC34± griVETT(inEnglish): They didn't blend in; they were obviously foreigners.But the presence of foreigners didn't seem to affect us, the young people. They didn't blend in that theywere noticed as foreigners and we knew they were probably Jewish. Butthey were part of the community and part of the school just as we were.

NARRATION: Among the French relief groups active in Le Chambonwas the Cimade, a determined new organization of young Protestantsmainly womenwhich hadbeen formed to help France's refugees. While doing volunteer work in the internmentcamps, the Cimade was able to obtain the release of a group of refugees, andset them up in a pension near Le Chambon, the Coteau Fleuri, or "Flowery Hill." Other refugeesfollowed. As in American slavery days,an underground railroad .as soon put into operation, with the Coteau Fleuri also becomingthe starting point Or the Cimade's busyescape route leading to neutral Switzerland 200 milesaway. Forty years later, Pastor Marc Donadille,one of the Cimade's relief workers in Le Chambon, revisits the Coteau Fleur!.

Music: Trumpet solo variation on the I33rd psalm (ElisaTrocm6). Pastor WARE DONADILET: otkj , *fi

Is this how you remember it? What I remember is what doesn'tseem to exist. It seems to me that there was a terrace where we would gather when the weather was or in the evening. We would talkabout life, about believing in God, about not believing in God. They wouldtell me of their misfortunes, rieir fears, their hopes. And in the evening, we'd have services together. Thatwas difficult because maybe as many as half of them were Jewish. Asa Protestant pastor, I tried not to offend anyone. Sowe would read from the Old Testament. We'd sing psalms. The Jews felt close to us because ofour roots in the Old Testament. And we felt closeto them because they were the people of the Old Testament.For us Protestants, it is the Prophets 26 26 Weapons of the Spirit/ Friends of Le Chambon ( .1Meroh 27. 1993 (4/30.92]) who nourish our faithand our conduct.And this was especially clear then in the struggle against Nazism.

An old woman working in her garden.

MARIT BROIITTS(voice-over): One Sunday during services in Tence, the pastor knockedon the door and said, "Three Old Testaments have arrived." Andwe knew that "Old Testament" meant Jew. One of the Brethren" got up, an old Christian, and he said,"I'll take them." And he took them to his farm in the middle ofa meadow. And he hid them.

The old woman climbs out of the garden on a ladder, holdinga staff-like rake.

NARRATION: Among the most welcoming tothe Jews were thearea's many Christian fundamentalists, who did not recognize the authority ofthe clergy and sought to live,as best they could, according to scripture. Marie Brottes is one of these Christians.

3%,1.5tArT TROTTES:

For you, these were human beings, the Jews whowere asking for your help. But they were also Jews. They were Jews, of course. That was important? That was very important. Andeven if they didn't really accept the Gospel, that's forsure, even if they remained very Jewish or maybe not much of anything,we still did what we could because they were the People of God. That is what mattered.

Montage of photographs of Mrne. Brottes and her husband, and ofsome of the Jews they helped.

NARRATION: Marie and Leon Brottes themselves found food and shelterfor a stream of refugees.

.74512ZIE BROTTES: You can't talk of faith if you do not act.Eat, drink, satisfy your appetite. But ifyou give nothing to your brother, you're a wretched soul. And the neighboryou must love as yourself is in

17 27 Weapons of the SpiritiFriends din Charnbce (1.1--Mrdt 27, 1993orionaD 27 the street. We mustn't act like the priest whosaw the man who had fallen among thieves and who passed by on the other side. And the Jew, truly, had fallenamong thieves.

Newsreel clip of an official striding into a large crowd of lined-up children and addressing them froma podium.

NARRATION: The Vichy government appointeda cabinet-level Minister for Youth, Georges Lamirand, who traveled throughout France addressing large audiencesof young people.

GEORGES £.5124.11t4303(old newsreel): The Marshal has already stated several times what hemeans by his Social Revolution. He has the passionate desire, he has the obstinate will to bringmore happiness to France.

Newsreel continues under the following narration.

NARRATION: By August 1942, there was probablyno community in France more defiantly opposed to the Vichy government than the village of Le Chambon. And in August 1942, it was to Le Chambon, of all places,that the Vichy government proceeded to send Minister for Youth Georges Lamirand.

GEORGES ..C.AMIRYLND(contemporarY):

I had been told: "It's Protestant. It's very Protestant." That didn'tmatter to me. You didn't know that there were Jewish refugees in Le Chambon... I didn't know it yet. ...and that the village had already virtually embarkedon a mission of protecting Jews against... No, I knew nothing about that. But I learned it duringmy visit.

In the English-language version, the first two sentences are under the narration.

Montage of photographs of Georges Lamirand's official visit to Le Chambon.

NARRATION: The village ignored the government delegationas it made its way through empty streets.

4-) Is., ) 28 Weapons of the Spirit1 Friends of LA Gumboil(1.1March 27, 1993 [4,30/92])

Standing next to the Vichy official whoseresponsibilities encompassed the area of Le Chambon, Lamirand gavea brief speech in the sports field,near the cemetery. He finished with the usual ciy of "Long liveMarshal Pétain!" The dead silence that followed was/intemiptedwhen a Salvation Army official responded with the cry, "Long live Jesus Christ!" And the village's positionwas spelled out later thatday when a group of Le Chambon's young people approached the Ministerfor Youth and handed hima letter, which they asked him to read immediately. The letter referred to the roundups of Jews inParis a few weeks earlier by French police, then went on to indicate that theyoung people of Le Chambon refused to make distinctions between Jews and non-Jews, andwould seek to hide any Jews the French government attempted to identify or deport. gEORgEs .C.AMTRAND: They were asking me to intervene. To which Ireplied: I understand yourconcern, but these are measures for which I have no responsibility. Nextto me is the prefect, I don't remember his name. Bach. Bach, that's right. A niceman, very energetic. He's the one you should be speakingto.

In the English-language version, the firstsentence till "arriver" is under the narration

NARRATION: And this was not the only time that thepeople of Le Chambon conununicated their state of mind to the Vichy officials. As the Vichy minister recalls, thepastor had insisted that he attend services. gEORgES LANIRSLVD: This was the first time inmy life that I was visiting a Protestant temple. And the dearpastor handed me his hymnal, askingme to join in. Which I did, although I sing very poorly.

NARRATION: Among the people makinga point of attending services that day: Marie Brottes. MARIE BROTTES: There was a very good moment. The templewas full.And when they told us to sing La Cevenole, that hymn to the persecuted. "From whatlocal granite was made this victorious people..." We sang it.And if they had lined us up againsta wall, we were ready to face the machine guns. OLD-TD4ERS:

Gathered around their card-tables, they sing La Cevenok, the Huguenothymn heard earlier. May their spirit 211 Weapons of the Spirit I Friend. ofLe Gamboa (I. 1-14sisit 27, 1993 [4,30/92D 29

inspire their children to follow their example

.94.A2ZIE BROTTES: So he wasn't too happy, that prefect. Or Monsieur Lamirand. Butwe did it, and they left, as the saying goes, with their tails between their legs. gEORgES LANIRSIND: As for the... well, as for the Jews who were there, I thought thatwas just fine. And I can even tell you that when I left, and shook hands witha number of people, I could easily tell who among them was Jewish. And I have no sense of pride about this, but I shook their hands withvery special warmth. Mr. Lamirang I'm a Jew. Close to 80,000 Jews of Francewere taken by the Germans, or handed over to the Germans, by the French police, the French gendarmes,the French administration, as a result of instructions given by colleagues ofyours. What do you say now to the families of all these people? Allow me to correct you. I gave no such instructions. I'm not talking about your own staff I'm talking about thegovernment of which you were a part. Oh, that... When you visited Le Chambon, twenv trains had already left for theEast, as they would say: 20,000people... I knew nothing about that. It's horrible, butyou see, I knew nothing about it.If I had known, I probably wouldn't have hesitated to address the problem in Le Chambon.Mind you, it wasn't really up to me to do so, it was up to the prefect. But I would have doneit anyway, no doubt about it. As I said before, some of my best friends are Jews.

NARRATION: A few weeks after the visit by the Vichy officials, thepeace of Le Chambon was interrupted one Saturday afternoon by the sudden arrival of French policewithempty buses. Pastor Trocmé was instructed to providea list of the Jews living in Le Chambon and to ask them to come in to "register" at City Hall. Though threatened with arrest, Trocmé flatly refused, saying that itwas not the role of the shepherd to denounce his flock." A poster went up warning that anyone harboring foreigners without declaringthem would be subject to heavy fmes and arrest.

y a cependant un devoir cbritien plus haut que cslui de dire la yenta. Nous lavons appris lentement.I! a fallu passer du claircela sourdine, parceque le clairon risquait d'envoyer a la mart des innocents. Pour uuver ceux qui se cachaient, ila fallu apprendre I agir en cachute. Tournant difficile A prendre. Mais II fallait choisir. Ou hien precher Ulf les toits, et alms ii fallait se &hammer du juifsous vcire toil, le puler en bite I un voisin plus discret, qui sampresserait de le passer plus loin encore, toujours plus loin; ou bien1 fallait appeler le juif sous votre toit, rassembler de putout les persecutes, vers vous, et san rendre volontairement solidaire, participer I see teireun, Isa fume carte d'identiti, I ars risquesok ses humiliations, I sa mon. La Justice de Dieu dit: la valeur rat dans le produin. Cataitprendre oulaisser. Mieux valait etre moins prophete ci moins saint et un peu plus kin. On est objecteur de ormacience, non pour garder les maim pure*, miii paroequ'onpage un peu I lautre, dont Dieu nous a fait le gardien." Mdre Trocme,La Risistance du Christen. fondement d'une reconstruction,article non date (1955?), peut-etre non publie.

30 BEST COPY AVAILABLE 30Weapons of the Spirit /friends of Le Chambon (13 Marsh 27, 1993 (4/30/92))

But this letter reported that although Vichy authorities had also threatened Le Chambon with reduction of its food rations, "resistance continues."

Music:Second, somewhat dissonant variation on the 133rd psalm, trumpet and percussion (Elisa Trocm6).

There had been special concern at the Coteau Fleuri, the Cimade home for refugees from the internment camps. Hen were gathered together many foreign Jews known byname to the French authorities. PASTOR *MARC DO.NADILLT: A lieutenant appears, looking not very proud of himself. I said, "We have nothing to hide. This isn't a prison. People do what they want." So they start going through the house. First room: nobody. Secondroom: nobody. There was nobody anywhere. Biding places had been provided by the whole population. Then we went to see Mrs. Bormann. This Mrs. Bormann insisted shewas related to Martin Bormann, the Nazi leader! She had stayed in her room. They said, "But she'son our list." When we entered the room, she was in the middle ofan extraordinary epileptic convulsion really very impressive. I said, "You see what condition she's in." The gendarmes said, "Oh, if she's sick, we'll call the doctor. No question about it. We can't take a sick person." So the doctor came, did his examination, and said, "She can't be moved,no question about it." And the gendarmes seemed quite relieved.In fact, one of them said to me later, "I've just come in from over there. What's happening is horrible. What they're making us do is... I'm going crazy."

NARRATION: Elsewhere in the so-called "free zone," ten thousand Jewswere rounded up that sununer by the French police and handed over to the Germans for deportation. - In the area of Le Chambon, the Vichy gendarmes lingered for three weeks, löng enough, perhaps, to lose all willingness to perform their dirty job. They captured one Austrian half-Jewwho was later released.

Newsreel clips of Germans crossing the demarcation line (with blaring newsreel music), Hitler smugly swaggering under a at a Nazi rally.

At first, Le Chambon's defiance had been of its own government. But in November 1942,after the Allies landed in North Africa, the German army sweptacross France's demarcation line and occupied the southern zone. The people of Le Chambon and their Jewish friends were now directly under the Nazi swastika.

Le Chambon is in the départementor districtof Haute-Loire.

Map of the district of Haute-Loirc, indicating the presence of German forces inthe dipartementcapital of Le Puy, panning the short distance from Le Puy to Le Chambon-sur-Lignon. 31 Weapons of the Spirit I Friends of Le Chambon (LiMach 27, 1993 [41/3W921) 31

By that time, the Free French resistance movement had begun to spread within France. It took root thirty miles from the German headquarters for the district. While gearing up for the anticipated battle of liberation, the resistancewas careful not to provoke any tragic reprisals.

Pierre Fayol, a French Jew, became one of the leaders of the French Resistance in the district of Haute-Loire. PIERRE JAYOL:

When my wife looked for a place where I couldgo when the was after me, she went to a farm and they said, "Have him come here. No problem." This was ofcourse enormously helpful to us. Everybody was involved. Oh, thre were two or three exceptions we called... collaborators. But in fact, they weren't very nasty collaborators, because if they had been, things would certainly have turned out much worse.

Music: instrumental version ofZog nit keyn mol(Song of the Partisans).

NARRATION: The area of Le Chambon also harbored distinctgroups of Jewish freedom fighters, whose ranks swelled on week-ends asyoung people gathered together and learned to handle rifles from refugee veterans of the Spanish Civil War. A Lithuanian Jew played a key role in organizing this resistance, runninga network which brought many Jews to the area. He later participated with his unit in the battle for liberation. In the woods of Le Chambon during the Nazi occupation,you could hear songs of Jewish defiance. And you could dance the horah.

Music:Zog nit keyn mol(Song of the Partisans) ends.

The Germans came to Le Chambon! The German army took over two hotels in the middle of the village for soldiers convalescing from the Russian front. The Germans set up their headquarters right opposite the headquarters of the armed resistance in Le Chambon, the pension of the late Leon and Antoinette Eyraud.

32 32Weapons of the Spirit I Friends ofle Charnbon (I. 1March 27, 1993 orsanD

Their daughter and her husband, Aline and Adolphe Caritey, still live in her parents' old home. ADOLPHE an 41 AIME CARN-EY:

kRttt, ADOCP5a C.ARTITy: The back door of the house was alwaysopen. Often, we didn't even know who was sleeping in the house. And the front door was within view of the hotel where the Germanswere convalescing. Yes. But the Germans must have been aware of whatwas going on here? From their windows they could see... ALTINE CARITEN: I don't think so and in any event I'm notsure that they were very interested.They were convalescing and were probably quite happy to havepeace here. As long as we didn't bother them. People were cold, but not unpleasant with them. When their band wouldperform on the main square, we'd just go back indoors. [Laughs.]

Music: wartime German military band.

NARRATION: But did those German soldiers realize that thearea had become a haven of refuge for the Jews? Roger Bonfils, himself part-German, was theowner of the hotel that was requisitioned by the Germans as their headquarters in Le Chambon. He stayedon as hotel keeper. ROGER BONyILS:

ts'111:14.

000

The German soldiers who were in the hotel, in the afternoon they wouldgo for walks. They would then say to me, "Es gibt viele Juden hier""This place is full of Jews."

3J BEST COPYAVAILABLE Weapons of the Spirit I Friends of LeChembon (1.1-1.4=6 27. 1993 14/30921)33

I would say, "No, they're just touristsfrom Valence or St. Etienne." [Laughs.] Theywould look at me and laugh andgo off.

Newsreel report (obviously postwar)on the martyred village of Oradour-sur-Glane. NARRATION: Elsewhere, the German occupation ofFrance was no laughing matter. Towards the end of thewar, one French village wu burned to the ground ina military reprisal against the Resistance, itsmen shot, its women and children herded into the church where theywere machine-gunned and set on fire. How is it that the village'sname was Oradour-sur-Glane and not Le Chambon-sur- Lignon? How is it that the S.S. and the Gestapopaid so little attention to whatwas going on here? Almost till the end of thewar, the commanding officer for the districtwas Major Julius Schmaling of the Wehrmacht. Could it be, as the evidencesuggests, that he too knew full well that Le Chambonwas full of Jewsand steered his fellowGermans elsewhere? Could it be thatyou just never know who might get caughtup in a conspiracy of goodness once you launch it?

And those German soldiers inLe Chambon didn't have farto go to spot Jews. They were right next door. Emile Sèches, nephew of the chiefrabbi of Lyon, recalls: INICE S±CHTS:

After military service in 1940, I couldn'treturn to my job since I wasa Jew: I was an insurance salesman, and itwas now forbidden for us to visit customers. I had three children, and sincemy wife was a very good cook, we thought of openingup a pension for children in Le Chambon. I'm fromnearby St. Etienne, so I'd known ofLe Chambon for years. We thought we'd come here for two years, or until the war ended. Weended up staying here 32 years. That's life. When the Jews arrived, the villagers wouldsay, "Why not go to Monsieur Sèches?It'll be easier for you to give your falsename since he too is Jewish." As a result, we filled up immediately. 34 Weapons of the Spirit Needs of Le Gamboa(1.1March 27, 1993 (4/3W92])

Montage of photographs of groups of children in Emile Seches' pension. Music: Shalom Aleichem (ctd.) performed by Giora Feidman.

NARRATION: And so, with German soldiers living next door,a Jew in Nazi-occupied Europe spent the war years watching over a children's home full of Jewish children. Who have since raised families of their own.

Zoom-in on a (false) identity card, followed by newsreel clips of German soldiers checking I.D.s., anda montage of false papers. Music: wartime jazz by Django Reinhardt.

False identity cards, false ration cardswere essential for life in hiding under the Nazi occupation. Le Chambon became a center for the manufacture and distribution of falsepapers. For in the fall of 1942, a teenager had arrived withsome very useful skills: he had learned to become a forger. Born Oskar Rosowsky, he is remembered in the, villageas Jean-Claude Plunne. Rosowsky is now a family doctor.

OS3CAR ROSOVSxy:

What I brought was a technique. I was assigned the task of creating what amountedto a false papers departmentthere was enough work for two. Our production of false papers regularly amounted to papers for fifty people a week. We would spendour days making the false papers and our nights distributing them.

NARRATION: All this took place in what was then the home of Henri and Emma Héritier. The Héritiers are peasants. Both their families have lived in thearea of Le Chambon for generations.During the Nazi occupation, they shared their home with Jewish refugees.They didn't know that one of then would involve them inone of the most highly punishable of crimes.

Tiv1.7451. and 3-fEWRI 3-tr±RI7ER: When did you realize he was making false papers? 51-E.aiitr 5.1-tarI1'ER: Very soon, because he told me he had some things to hide. We were careful. We couldn't just leave the papers lying around.There might be some search.The Germans were in Le Chambon.

36 Weapons of the SpiritFriends of Le Chanthon (1. 1Madt 27, 1993 (4/30921)35

So what did you do? We put them in my beehives, in the woods. And when they needed the material, they would just go over there and get it. Was it difficult? You had to reach into the hives? Yes, but there were no bees in those hives. [Laughs.] And weren't you concerned about all this? ENNA 51'i1t.11117?: No. We never had any problems. Nobody ever askedany questions. And did you ;wow he was Jewish? ofTarizi aftitnIxa: Yes. He hadn't mentioned it, but we'd realized it. E.94.94J4 ift12.111E7t: We never talked about it.

NARRATION: Paul Majola, then a very young shepherd, helped in the distribution ofthe false papers. He worked closely with a farmer, here posing withone of the many refugee families to whom the farmer provided assistance. MA IOLA:

1 ).. :;,,,, - -., ,ut 5 '4?:',';- ,

Did you know what you were distributing? Not the first two times. Then Monsieur Bouix19 toldme it was for refugees, for people who were being hunted and really needed to hide. He said that to you, a little boy? He must have trusted you? Yes, he had complete trust in me. That's what he toldme. What impression did these refugees makeon you at the time? A really sad one. Most of them were really post. Therewere a few who felt a little more secure and who came here mainly to get papers.But others were absolutely lost.Without money, without anything.

Paul Majola making a path through the shrubbery near the farm.

NARRATION: At first, the false papers, here too, were stored in the fanner's beehives.

19 Jean Bonk : 3 6 36 Weapons of the SpiritFriends of Le Chambon .1March 27. 1993 [4/30/92])

PAUL .74.4JOLA: And then he didn't feel secure about the beehives,so we would bury them in his mother's grave. In a plain little box, covered with earth.

NARRATION: During this time, the Vichy authorities didnot completely ignore the growing nest of Jews in Le Chambon. They senta policeman, a young Protestant named Leopold Praly, to live and work right in the village. Emile Seches was among those summonedto Praly's office on the main square. MICESitHES: He phoned me one day and said, "MonsieurSéches, I have lists. Howcome you haven't registered as a Jew?" I said, "I didn't register because the wholevillage knows I'm Jewish, I'm just about theonly Jew in Le Chambon." I meant the only declaredJew. There were, of course,many others who weren't declared... He said, "It doesn't matter. You haveto come in and register." And he put the word "Jew" in very large letterson my food ration card, my identity card. This created a real problem forme for visiting my family in St. Etienne.I had to have false papers made.

NARRATION: Police inspector Praly would regularlyleave his hotel right opposite the railroad station and walk down thestreet to the post office to mail his reportsto the French authorities. These reports have not been preserved.But how is it that they did not leadto a single effective Vichy raid against the Jews in LeChamboneven against the children in Emile Seches' Jewish pension? And how is it that the Vichy policemanthought nothing of posing happily for photographs alongside his girlfriendandforeign Jews staying in his hotel, the hotel where he was gunned downone day after lunch, by Resistance fighters from outside the area.

Government documents reveal that the Vichyauthorities did nail down that the distribution of false paperswas going on in Le Chambon, and that the village had become a key starting point for illegal border crossings into Switzerland. Yet somehow the activity kepton growing, as Jews continued to pour into thearea till the very end of the war.

OSXAR ROSOWSXy flow many Jewish refugees doyou think there may have been in Le Chambon during the war?

3 V Weapons of the SpiritFriends of Le Chambon (1.1March 27, 1993 (4/30/921)37

Actually, I think I may be virtually theonly person in a position to make suchan estimate, since we dealt with almost evetything havingto do with the transformation of the identities of the Jews, and also of the political refugees andof the Resistance fighters. I would estimate that some 5,000 Jewswere hidden in the area. An average of one per local inhabitant. Onefamily per family of farmers.

Montage of photographs of a Jewish family's lifeon a farm. Music: Shalom Aleichem (ctd. and end) performed by Giora Feidman.

NARRATION: The urban Coblentz family fromStrasbourg became farmers. Their pig was named Adolf...

For some refugees, life in thearea of Le Chambon during the warwas to have important fringe benefits. On the main square of Le Chambon'ssister village of Le Mazet, Madame Ruel'scafé was the local headquarters of the French Resistance, whilein her home, she resisted the war on the Jews. One of the Jews she took inwas a Frenchman, who during his stay meta young Jewish woman from Germany, who hadalso sought refuge in thearea with her parents. They are now Monsieur and MadameAndré and Ginette Weil. g/ThiEITE and ANDR.±WEIL:

r';6f. rr,r.

As

.9422S. .1.L VEIL: We met there, yes. .4.T/1/31t.t WEIL: Thanks to these dramatic circumstances... How did you meet? gigaVA I think my husband neededmoney. He must have had a treasury bond, and he didn'twant to cash it in where he was hiding... ANDR.t I couldn'tit had to be at the post office. Iwent to Tence. gINIT'IT WEIL: Because you knew you could get cakeon the black marketall butter. lvEtx: My future wife was there. And that's wherewe met. QINTIVE It was at the post office.

ti 38weapons of the SpiritFriends of Le Chsmbon (1.1March 27. 1993 [4/3W92])

.21741117t.± And since earlier I'd met Monsieur André... I don't know hisreal name. but [to his wife] you do. g1.7412147t VEIL: There was a big snowstorm that day... ..AmDR.t lvx/C: And he'd said, If you run in to any families, tell themto hide. I took an interest in the family, let ussay...

Photograph of a youthfid and attractive Ginette Weil.

A close interest? .9L7VD21..t A close interest. [Laughs. ]20

Were you scared during that period? 61,11714£ VEIL: Very scared! Very scared! We were in assigned housing. We then hid. Wecame back. We hid again. I can't even talk about it. My parents didn't speak French. I losta brother when we came to France. My parents were traumatizedthey were never able to learn French. We were very scared.

NARRATION: Ginette Weil and her parentswere offered sanctuary by a sharecropper and his family, who already had other Jews living in the farmhouse. GINETTE VEIL:

4

,

Madame Chareyron said to us: "You know, forus this is normal. God is sending us these... these events so that we may have contact with God's Chosen People.We are very happy to be able to do thisto be able to hide you." Madame Chareyron and her family were really happyto have us. It was extraordinary.

NARRATION: Some Jews remained virtually in hiding throughout theirstay in the area of Le Chambon. Others derived a sense of security from passingas gentilesor imagining they were passing as gentiles. A few were Orthodox Jews.

20 Weapons of the SpiritFriends of Le Chambon (1.1Marcb 27, 1993 (4/30/92J)39

Mme. Marguerite Kohn and her family keptkosher throughout their stay in the area. She remembers her equally committed Christianneighbors. MARgitiERPrE X0304:

"'eel AL4J, It happened that one day I was invited bya family to attend Protestant services.I didn't refuse. They knew that I was attendingas a Jew. The peasants were very pleased that I attendedthese services, but I explained to them that I would not be coming regularly,as these services did not meet my own needs.And they understood completely. Theywere always extremely kind with me and withmy children. My youngest children attended a one-rcom schoolhouse, withone teacher.They wouldn't go to classes on Saturdays. And nobodyever made any comments about it, neither the teacher not the parents. They knew we were observant Jews. And they respected your faith? They respected it greatly. We were always afraid of being caughtby the Germans.And when I left the area in December 1944, I was still hoping thatmy husband would come back. He died in thegas chambers on January 25, 1944. But I learned thatmuch later. A brother was also deported in 1943,a father of three children. A sister-in-law was deported in January 1944 with four children and herhusband.Cousins I felt very close to, whowere deported with their husbands and children. Aunts. Uncles. A large part ofmy family.. How many came back? None.

Newsreel clips of Marshal Pdtain entering the basilica inLe Puy, crossing himself.

NARRATION: The Holocaust occurred in the heart of ChristianEuropet and would not have been possible without the apathyor complicity of most Christians, and without the virulent tradition of antisemitism that had long infested thevery soul of Christianity.

The balcony of a house (formerly the children's home la Guespy),dissolving to an old photograph of the same balcony, with people on it.

And yet here, under the Nazi occupation, Jewish religiousservices were held during the High Holy Days and Chanukahwith the help ofdevout Christians.

Zoom-in on a headline in the wartime parishnewspaper: "L'Ifospitalite, conte de Noel, par André Trocmd" ("Hospitality, a Christmas tale, by André Trocmd").Montage of photographs.

0 BEST COPY AVAILABLE 40 Weapons of the SpiritFriendsof Chambon (1.1March 27. 1993 0/30/921)

Loving your neighbor, for the people ofLe Chambon, was not taking advantage a the circumstances to seek conversions. Butsurely there weresome conversions connected to the wartime spirit of Le Chambon? Yes,there were. This young man came to Le Chambonwith his parents, who taught in the Swiss-run children's homes. In the winter of 1944,he delivered a lecture to Christian reliefworkers in Le Chambon. His talkwas entitled "The bankruptcy of Christianity." Born Fernand Blanc, thatson of Christians became Jerusalem's Abraham Livni,an Orthodox Jew.

Pastor Edouard Theis, assistantpastor of Le Chambon during thewar. Pastor tDOILARD 1-13-(EIS: And i f you had to summarize the Christianfaith in one sentence... Well, Jesus did that: "You shall love theLord your God with allyour heart, all your soul, all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself!" That's the summary. That's it? Yes. And it was simplynecessary to apply it at the time? Yes.

CHOIR:

A group of ordinary-looking people rehearsea hymn (psalm 104, Dieu des Louanges) in a church). Dieu des louanges sois beni. Tu es la source de l'amour. Et tu es le meme aujourd'hui. Hier et demain et pour toujours.

Hymn continues under the narration

NARRATION: The local parishpaper, April 1943:' The lord is a refuge for his people,a shelter for the Children of Israel." June 1943: "The kingdom of God is foundednot on words but on deeds." August 1943: "He that loveth not his brother whomhe hath seen, howcan he love God whom he hath not seen? " 41 Weapons of the Spirit/ Wands o( LeChunban (1.1March 27. 1993 [4/30192]) 41

November 1943: "One must obey Godrather than men."

In the English-language version, the precedingnarration is over the choir singing in the background. In the French-language version, the choir sings fullup and there is no narration.

"Ltternel est un refugepour son peuple, un abri pour les enfants d'Israel". Joel 3/16 (N.B. En realitd, Joel 4:16.) "Le Royaume de Dieu ne se fon&pas avec des paroles mais des actes".1 Cohn. 4120. "Celui qui n'aime pas son frère voit ne pent aimer Dieu qu'ilne voit pas". Jean 4/20. "Il faut obdir a Dieu plutat qu'aux honunes".Actes 5/29.

CHOIR(finishes the hymn): "Tu es l'espoir, tu es la joie, Mime en silence ou dans la nuit; Donne le pain, donne la paix, L'amour de ce que tu promets."

LESLEY 54.54.23E1: The Christian faith herewas a crucial component of whatwas happening. It was indeed. It was indeed. It was not a sentimental faith.It was not something extraordinary.It was a very solid faith, that was put to the test andwas not found wanting.

An old door on an empty street, panningup the street. Music: the dirge-like lament heard earlier, this time in a vocal version.21

Let us now sing the story of MonsieurDésubas...

NARRATION: This old lament is of unknownpopular origin.It tells the story ofone of the Huguenot martyrs of thearea of Le Chambon.

Dissolve to wartime photograph of theentrance to the presbytery. Dissolve to photographof the pastor and his wife.

And one snowy evening in early 1943,it appeared that theage of martyrs was about to resume for the Protestants of Le Chambontoo. This time it was not yet another hopefulrefugee knocking on the pastor's door.It was the Vichy police.

NUSIC (ctd): The officer asks him, "Tell me, sir, Are you a minister of the Protestant Christians? Do you preach the Gospel in these parts?"

21Complatnte tar lamon de At. Disubas, Elias Trocrne-revised version, sung by Catherine Pettier, with violin accompanimentby Joint Wright.

2 42Weapons of the Spirit /Friends of Le Chambon (1.1March 27, 1993 [4130/92))

"Yes, I am indeed a minister..."

NARRATION: They took André Trocméaway, as the people of Le Chambon gathered to bid good- bye to their pastor.

MUSIC (ctd): "If God Almighty summons, I will obey. And endure death if necesswy in thename of his Son."

NARRATION: Also arrested were assistant pastor EdouardTheisand Roger Darcissac, the director of the boys' public school

ROGER DARCISSAC:

When I would enroll a student, I'd sometimesbe told, "He's a Jew." I'dsay, "Okay. So?" I'd enroll him under whatevername I was given.Sometimes it wouldn't be his realname. Sometimes it would. And if you'd been asked whowas Jewish in your school, would you have reported it. No. And they did ask me and I said, "None."

Music: the Huguenot dirge resumes and continues undernarration.

NARRATION: It was just a few months before hisarrest that Roger Darcissac published this lament. He included a message in Morse codeunder thehorses. It deplored thepresence of the Gestapo and its French accomplices.

N'USIC (end):

Photograph: Trocmd, Theis, and Darcissac.

How sad and forever mournful To see these doves In the hands of vultures. Weapons of the SpiritFriends of Le Chanthon (1.1Msreh 27. 1993 14130/92D43

NARRATION: Another message, this one in German, proclaimed: "For them that love God, all things will work together for good."

The three friends were placed in an internmentcamp for Communists and other political prisoners. But their arrest lasted only one month, and theywere released shortly before most of the other inmates were deported to their death. And it turns out that the rebels had foundan unlilcely ally in the Vichy administration: the local prefect himself, Robert Bach, the official who hadaccompanied Minister for Youth Georges Lamirand on that disastrous visitto Le Chambon the previous summer.

Official documents.

This report reveals that Bach vigorously urged the release of the threeChambonnais, even lying that the village had been won over to the Vichy policiesas a result of the Minister's visit. It also turns out that Bach under-reported the number ofJews living in Le Chambon and throughout the district of Haute-Loire, goingso far as to state that the total number of refugees was, in his words, "relatively minimal." The Prefect knew about some of the refugees. He'd paida private visit to the Swiss homes of Le Chambon.

Newsreel clips of French prefects swearing allegiance to Main with fascist-likesalute. Robert Bach had sworn to serve faithfully thenew French regime and its leader. Why was he so inefficient in executing the antisemitic law of the land? Was he influenced by his contacts with André Trocméand the people of Le Chambon? Or was it enough for him merely to remember that hetoo was a descendant of the persecuted Huguenots?

Interior of the church in Le Chambon. An organist plays the psalm heardearlier sung by the choir. People (including the old lady we saw arriving) leave the temple at the end of services.

Shortly after his release from internmentcamp and his return to Le Chambon, André Trocmé yielded to pressure from the Protestant hierarchy andwent into hiding, while Edouard Theis joined the workers of the Cimade, escorting refugeesto the Swiss border. Roger Darcissac and the people of Le Chambon continued doing whatcame naturally. ROGER DARCISSAC: It happened quite simply, without any problems. We didn't ask ourselves questions about what we were doing.It was the human thing to do, something like that. That's all I can tell you...

44 4 4 Weapons of the SpiritFriends of Le awoken (1.1Meth 27. 1993 [4,30921)

NARRATION: It was also during thoseyears that a young Frenchman who had come to the area of Le Chambon for his health began to writea new novel. ZMICEgRAND:

A

1

Excuse-me, isn't this where Albert Camus lived duringthe war? Yes. Where exactly? There. That middle window. Did you latow him then? Oh, yes. What was he doing? He was working on a book, I think. And he wouldgo for walks.

NARRATION: The book became The Plague, AlbertCamus' allegorical novel inspired by those times. In words that could have been written aboutthe people he vt,uld encounter during Ws walks, Camus has his narratorsay this: "For those of our townspeople whowere then risking their lives, the decision they had to make was simply whether or not theywere in the midst of a plague and whether or not it was necessary to struggle against it. The essential thing was tosave the largest possible number of people from dying. The only way to do thiswas to fight the plague. There was nothing admirable about this attitude; it was merely logical."

And the plague did reach into Le Chambonone summer morning in 1943.The Gestapo arrived undetected at this home for oldermale students that had been setup under American Christian supervision. Here, before the Nazi raid,some young men had actually pursued graduate studies. But on that day, two dozen youthswere beaten, insulted and deported. Deported with them was the pastor's cousin, DanielTrocmé, who had been running both this home and les Grillons, the American-fundedhome for young children.

45 Weapons of the Spirit Frieda of Le Chankon 0.1March 27. 1993 14/30/921)45

S 11116. . 'O.' - , %V.08.4"' ...i :1; '' 1'IlS 4.fi,.....f.::',1;. f."9

'' ....7's- ; DANLEL TROCMCE

He had been warned that he was a target for a raid and that he shouldgo into hiding But Daniel Trocmé had not come to Le Chambon to hide. He had no interest in religious dogma and great wariness about allnarrow religious beliefs.But the work going on in Le Chambon meant something to him, as he had explained to his parents in a letter written less than a year before his arrest: "I think it may be time for me to assume responsibilities with regard to other people. "Le Chambon is something of a contribution to the reconstruction ofour world. The future will tell me whether I was equal to the taskor not, and it will tell only me because it is not a matter of success in the eyes of the World. "I have chosen Le Chambon because I will thus be able not to be ashamed of myself." Daniel Trocmé died on April 2nd, 1944 in Maidanek exterminationcamp. To the end, his murderers found it difficult to believe that he wasn'ta Jew.

The filmmaker standing in thc ruins of a farmhouse.

I was born a week before Daniel Trocmé died. A few months later, Le Chambon had its second martyr: he was the doctor who had deliveredme.

ROGER LE FORESTIER

Montage of photographs, onc dissolving into the other, of a young boy maturing into a man. Roger Le Forestier had come here after a year in Africa working in Albert Schweitzer's hospital. He was 36 years old and a committed Christian. He had been among the very first to begin organizing full-scale nonviolent resistance to Vichy and the Nazis. 46 Weapons of the Spirit Friends of Lt Chambon(1.1Merch 27, 1993 14/30/92D

Shortly after my birth, Le Forestier made an ill-fated trip to the nearby city of Le Puy, German headquarters for the district.Assigned to a work detail in Germany, he found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time in Lyonon August 20, 1944. On that day, Nazi thug , the "butcher of Lyon," ordered and possibly led the bloody slaughter of 119 resistance fighters andone non-violent resister from Le Chambon. Roger Le Forestier's body was among those piled ina heap and set on fire.

Newsreel clips of Pétain being acclaimed in a long motorcade (through Lyon) and being cheered by ctvwds as he arrives in St. Etienne.

Throughout France, many caring people helped and sheltered Jews from the Nazis and their accomplices. And throughout occupied Europe, a tiny minority of kindred spiritsmostly unbeknownst to each other and still mostly unknown to usrisked their livesto become their brothers' keepers. But much of France, till the end, acclaimed the leader it deserved. This was June 7th 1944, the day after France learned that the Allies hadat last landed on French soil.

In the district of Haute-Loire, the Germans surrendered to the French Resistance, and Le Chambon was liberated long before the first Allied units rumbled through the village. But then, Le Chambon had never ceased to be free.

With the war over, the Jews left.And the Chambonnais, who hadn't talked much about their visitors while they were there, don'tappear to have talked much about them after they left. With a few loyal exceptions, the Jews even appeared to have forgotten their benefactors. JOSEPH ATLAS: I have something important to say to them. When Le Chambon-sur-Lignon was liberated by the First French Army, I lived through this liberation in Le Chambon. The Jews left.And as for me, after pursuing my studies I left for South America. I forgot Le Chambon. I forgot it deliberately, because I was emerging froma nightmare. The Chambonnais may have been hurt by that. They may have thought thatwe didn't fully appreciate their hospitality. Such was not the case; their hospitality had remainedvery close to my heart. But it was necessary for me to absorb, understand and surmount the tragedy that the Jewish people had lived through.

The filmmaker climbing the steps to a nondescript house, ringing the doorbell.

22 47 Weapons of the Spirit Friends of Le Chambon (.1Mash 27. 199314/30/92J) 47

NARRATION: It took me a long time to fmd myway back to Le Chambon too. I returned to understand what had happened here, but alsoto learn about my beginnings. My parents had not remained in contact with thepeasants from whom they had rented a room in a farmhouse. But I was determined to find Monsieur and Madame Roche. And the veiy last day of shooting in Le Chambon, I found myselfclimbing the steps to their daughter's home in a neighboring town. Her father, Elie Roche, had dieda number of years ago. But now I was going to meet Madame Lea Roche for the first timeas an adult. Xt.A. ROCHEand PIERRE' SMIVAGE:

<

7:4

4s4

?TERRI SAIIVAgT: Madame Roche? I'm happy to findyou. LtaROCift: You know, I think I recognize youa little. ?altarSAIIVAGT: Then you're recognizing a little baby. [They laugh.]

Dissolve to them seated at a table, as he points tosome old photos. ROCHE andPIERRE SAUTAGE: rum?" .s.AVV9t6E: That's my father and that's my mother.

Under following narration:

NARRATION: Madame Roche 'didn't seem to remember the Sauvage familyvery well at first, except that we were very nice, she said. Her daughter, however, had often wondered about the baby with whomshe used to play.

Evelyne Verilhac, Mrne. Roche's daughter,comes into the room and identifies a photo.

4 6 48 Weapons of the SpiritI Friench of Le Gumboil (1.1Mirch 27, 1993 V/30/92))

1TECY NE TERM-CAC,LtA ROC3-(E, and PIERRE SAIITAGE:

A

I 0 '1. ilruyas Yes, that's me. I'm telling you, a few monthsago, I thought about you. Sometimes I think of places where I have lived, things like that. And I thought,I wonder what happened to those people? ROC7it: It's a coincidence. 117rryarz W2IL5CAC: Yes. PI2R.221' SA1117.4QT: [Laughs.] .rt.A Yes, a coincidence.

In the French-language version, the firsttwo sentences are under the narration.

NARRATION: I now visit the Roche family wheneverI return to Le Chambon. They havecome to mean something to me. For me, theyare now part of the story too, as are the couple who lived up the road fromus, Henri and Emma Héritier. The Héritiers' daughter Eva had helpedtake care of me. Itwas in the Héritier home that my parents had followed developmentsin the war on the radio broadcasts of the BBC.

3fEjsirltret E.119WAH±R17ER; PIERRE S.411TAGE:

They often came by here. EMMA 5d2t11111t: Your father would go for food, carrying his knapsack. And then when they left, when itwas over... P.ITRILT SAIIVA6X: They took your daughter. EMMA .9ftiti1E2 : They took Eva with them. Theywent to St. Etienne.

4 9 Weapons of the Spirit iFriends of Le Osambon ( AMord: 27. 1993 14/30/92))49

MIME SAIIVAGT: So there was this Jewish baby in La Fayolle. 7_9424.ai mInt Who is now Pierre. [Laughs.] .9f2.NRI 5fiNnInt: He didn't stay very long in La Fayolle. TAiNA grticnrrit You were born in St. Agrève, but youwere from Le Chambon. So you're a Chambonnais. [Laughs.] And then in the summer, Eva cameup with you. We had moved to the farm. That's where you learned to walk. [Laughs.]

Monsieur and Madame Hdrider are seen walldng around their old,now abandoned farm.Madame Hdritier peering in the window.

NARRATION: I still cannot fully explain my deepsense of loss when I learned that Madame Hiritier had passed away. Perhaps it was all in the letter that her daughter Evasent me on behalf of the family a few days later: "Our ray of sunshine has disappeared behinda thick black cloud. But we still have her soft and pretty smile that will remain foreverpresent with us and will help us to surmount the challenges of life. "Papa Héritier was very shaken, but he displayed limitlesscourage for a man of almost 84 separated from his companion after 62years of life together. He gave us an unforgettable example of wisdom.

Dissolve from the faces of the Hdritiers to the old photo of the coupleused for title sequence: they stand together in front of the farm smiling at thecamera.Music: instrumental echo of La Cevenole, the Huguenot hymn sung by the old-timers.

We his children are proud of having and having hadparents such as them. May we be able to resemble them if only a little bit,may we become the reflection of their image."

Dissolve to a large plaque with a Hebrew and French inscription,on an outside wall.

From a plaque placed by Jews in a Christian village in France: "Therighteous shall be in everlasting remembrance."

Dissolve to successive freeze frames and titles of the following people:

5 0 50 Weapons of the SpiritFriaids of14 Chambon (1.1March 27, 1993 (4/30/92D

{z. GEORGE]. E BARRAUD (1893-1984)

2- MAGDA TROCME23

EDOUARD THEIS (1899-1984)

g .4 s

MARGUERITE ROUSSEL24

23 BESTCOPY 24 AVAILABLE 51 Weapons of the Spirit /Rim& of Le Chambon (1.1Mr627, 1993 W3W92D 51

MARIE BROTTES25

k.

ROGER DARCISSAC (1893-1982)

HENRI HERITIER26

BEST COPYAMIABLE 52Weapons of the Spirit Friesscis of Le Chambon (1.1March 27, 1993 (4/30192D

EMMA IIERMER (1903-1984)

Music: Vivaldi concerto heard at beginning orchestral version.

But the questions linger: Why, when the world cared so little, did a few peoplecare so much? And how is it that in a time of unparalleled violence, theweapons of the spirit here were triumphant?

The steam-engine train is seen going off in the distance.P.O.V. views of the countryside.Vivaldi concerto, orchestral version, swells and ends. LESLEy NABER (in English): Humanity is fundamentally good, with the possibility to become fundamentally bad.And there's choice. It doesn't mean that bad people are all bad and good peopleare all good. It doesn't mean that in Le Chambon there are no people with faults and failings.It's a community like any other community. And I think that means that any community anywhere has the choiceto make and can choose right. And that people who seem very ordinary peoplecan do great things if they're given the opportunity.

Fade to black. Fade up on screen credits, over group of old-timers seen earlier.

The old man who early on sang La Civenole, is seen sitting among his fellow old-timersas he checks for the right side of his harmonica, then launches into a cheerful dance tune, a bourrée. As creditscontinue, he volunteers to sing the song in the local dialect, launching into it to the merriment of theold-timers, who spontaneously join in. CHARLES GIBERT: Que say ve-nia doun fa Garçous de la mountagno? Que say ve-nia doun fa Chi vou-lia pas dan-sa? Say tcha-lia pas vegny, 53 Weapons of the Spirit Friends of Le Chambon (1.1Manh 27. 1993 14130/92)) 53

Garvous de la mountagno, Say tcha-lio pas ve-gny Chi you-ha me diur-mi.

Fade to black.Credits continue to unfold as we hear La Civenole for the last time, performedon the electronic organ by Auguste Bohny.

On the two hour television special, the film credits follow the interview of Pierre Sauvage by Fall Moyers.

5 4 54 Weapons of the Spirit/Friends of Le Chambon (1.1-3Arren 27, 1993 (4/30/92])

"WEAPONS OF THE SPIRIT"OCREEN CREDITS

produced, written and directed by PIERRE SAUVAGE

co-producer BARBARA M. RUBIN

editor MATTHEW HARRISON

director of photography YVES DAHAN

production sound PATRICK BAROZ

post-production supervisor DOMINIQUE OREN

assistant camera PATRICK BERAUX

gaffer PHILIPPE BARILLET

assistant director YANN FAUVERGUE

historical consultant FRED KUPFERMAN

sound editors MATTHEW HARRISON, DOMINIQUE OREN

assistant sound editor DENISE DAVIS

apprentice editor JENNIFER BAUM

55 Weapons of the SpiritFriends of U Chamber% (1 AMarch 27. 1993 [45092D55

negative cutter JOY RENCHER

sound mixer MICHAEL McKAY, CINEMAX

additional photography JACOB ELEASARI

motion picture titles PACIFIC TITLE

calligraphy ROBERT V. WILLIAMS

stills copying courtesy of DUPLICATE PHOTO LABORATORIES

legal counsel, Friends of Le Chambon GORDON B. CUTLER, Esq., MAUPIN, CUTLER, TEPLINSKY& WHITE

legal counsel, First Run Features arbitration THOMAS C. LAMBERT, Esq.

color timers WALTER ROSE, JAMES C. CARTER

telecine operator WENDELL WILLIAMS

color by FOTO-KEM

Original music

CHARLES GIBERT, harmonica and vocal

L4 CEVENOLE Bourrée

* *

36 56 Weapons of...eEh i Friends of Le Chsmboet (1. 1Mmit 27, 393 [4/30/92])

EPHEMERE COLLECTIVE PRODUCTION ELISA TROCME, Musical Coordinator

Psalm 133 (Coteau Fleuri) QUATUOR (farms) COMPLAINTE SUR LA MORT DE MONSIEUR DESUBAS sung by CATHERINE PERRIER, violin accompaniment by JOHN WRIGHT and additional music

***

AUGUSTE BOHNY, electronic organ

COMPLAIME SUR IA MORT DE MONSIEUR DESUBAS (Huguenots) AMITIE (Protestant plateau) FAIDOLI (Swiss children's homes) LA CEVENOLE (screen credits)

***

CERCLE FAMILIAL

LA CEVENOLE

***

LYDIE BENQUET, organ

Psalm 104, DIEU DES LOUANGES (temple)

***

ECUMENICAL CHOIR TENCE/LE CHAMBON-SUR-LIGNON Brother DANIEL BOURGUET, Musical Director

Psalm 104, DIEU DES LOUANGES (choir)

***

TED ASHFORD, synthesizer

L4 CEVENOLE (Héritiers) Weapons of the Spirit1 Fricado o(L* Chainbon (1.1Morch 27. 1993 [4,30/92])57

Recorded music

ANTONIO VIVALDI (1678- 1741)

CONCERTO IN C MAJOR FOR TWO MANDOLINS (F.XII, NO. 37)

THE GERMAN STRING ORCHESTRA SIEGFRIED BEHREND, Conductor COURTESY OF BASF RECORDS/CBS MASTERWORKS

I SOLISTI VENETI CLAUDIO SCIMONE, Conductor COURTESY OF ERATO RECORDS/MUSICAL HERITAGESOCIETY

DJANGO REINHARDT (1910- 1953)

STOCKHOLM, 1940 (Nazi occupation of France) NIMPHEAS, 1942 (Main andHitler) SWING 42, 1941 (Collage Cévenol) CAVALERIE, 1943 (false papers)

DJANGO'S MUSIC QUINTETTE DU HOT CLUB DE FRANCE COURTESY OF PATHE MARCONI/EMI

MAURICE RAVEL (1875- 1937)

KADDISCH, 1914 (Holocaust)

Orchestrated by CHARLES GERHARDT; LYDIAMORDKOWTCH, violin NATIONAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA, CHARLESGERHARDT, Conductor COURTESY OF RCA 58 Weapons of lb...e iitFria* of Le Chambon (1.1Morch 27, 1993 (4/30/921)

***

SHALOM ALEICHEM (Peter Feigl, Seches pension, Coblentz family) (traditional)

performed by GIORA FEIDMAN (clarinet) accompanied by AMI FRENKEL & YOSSI LEVI COURTESY OF HED-ARZI LTD., ISRAEL

***

ZOG NIT KEYN MOL (Jewish resistance) (HIRSH GLICK, DMITRI POKRASS)

performed by MOSHE LEISER (vocal & guitar) with AMI FLAMMER & GERARD BARREAUX COURTESY OF HARMONIA MUNDI

***

WIR FUHREN AUF DAS MFER HINAUS (German soldiers)

Photographs and documents

RUDY APPEL REGINE LEHMANN Madame ASTIER FRANcOISE LEVY-COBLENTZ JOSEPH ATLAS JACK LEWIN ERIC BARBEZAT HANNE / MAX LIEBMANN GEORGETTE BARRAUD LESLEY MABER HENRI-PIERRE BASS PAUL MAJOLA HANS BEUTLER Madame MARION NICOLE BEYDON HUBERT MEYER SIMONE BLANC KURT MULLNER HENRIETTE / ROBERT BLOCH ERWIN NEU AUGUSTE BOHNY ERMINE ORSI LILY BOIT-RUSSIER PIERRE PITON ROGER BONFILS ANTONIO PLAZAS MARIE BROTTES Madame POINGT FRED BUCH LEA ROCHE ALINE / ADOLPHE CARITEY OSKAR ROSOWSKY Weapons of the SpiritFriends of Le Chambon (1.1Marct 27, 1993 p1130/92D59

LUCMN COTTE MARGUERITE ROUSSEL DANIEL CURTET RENEE RUSSIER MARC DARCISSAC BERNARD SADOUN ROGER DARCISSAC HANS SALOMON SIMONE DOISE ILSE / LOUIS SALOMON MARC DONADILLE PIERRE SAUVAGE MADELEINE DREYFUS NICHOLAS SCHAPIRA ANDRE DUMAS LAURA SCHLEIGH YVETTE DUTOUR WALTER SCHMALING PIERRE FAYOL HOWARD SCHOMER JEAN-ETIENNE FALLEK SOLANGE / EMILE SECHES PETER FEIGL SERGE SOBELMAN MARTA FEUCHTWANGER EVA SOULLIER ANNETTE RILEY FRY CLAUDE SPIERO BERNARD GALLAND CLAUDE STRAUSS JOSEPH GODEFRYD TRACY STRONG MICHELE GOETSCHEL EDOUARD THEIS EDITH GRANDOUILLER LOUISE THEIS EGON GRUENHUT CHARLES TROCME HENRI GUILHOT MAGDA TROCME PHILIP HALLIE PAUL TROCME EMMA / HENRI HERITIER EVELYNE VERIMAC NELLY TROCME HEWETT MARC VERILHAC HIME / JEAN BILLEBRAND BARBARA VORMEIER MARGUERITE KOHN GINETTE / ANDRE WEIL WILTRUDE LAVELLE MARCEL WEILL DANIELLE LE FORESTIER Monsieur ZERAPHA

FRIENDS OF LE CHAMBON (Los Angeles)

SOCIETE D'HISTOIRE DE LA MONTAGNE (LeChambon-sur-Lignon)

AMIS DU MUSEE DU CAMP DE GURS ARCHIVES NATIONALES ARCHIVES ROGER-VIOLLET BIBLIOTHEQUE NATIONALE CIMADE COLLEGE CEVENOL DIRECTION DES STATUTS ET DE LINFORMATION HISTORIQUE FILS ET FILLES DES DEPORTES JUIFS DE FRANCE FONDATION BEATE KLARSFELD SERGE KLARSFELD, MEMORIAL DE LA DEPORTATION DES JUIFS DE FRANCE MUSEE DU DESERT PREFECTURE DE LA HAUTE-LOIRE

G 60 Weapons of the Spirit,Friends of Le Mambos%. tsAmit V. W93 [4/30192D

SOCIETE DE L'HISTOIREDU PROTESTANTISME FRAMAIS SWARTHMORE COLLEGE PEACE COLLECTION (U.S.A.)

Drawings and maps

TERRY ANDERSON, France

SAMUEL BASTIDE, PAGES D'HISTOIREPROTESTANTE, Huguenots

FRANZ MEYER, Himmler and Jewish refugees,

GEORGES HORAN, Internment and deportation

GERARD COMBES, Resistancein Haute-Loire

Newsreels

CINEMATHEQUE DES ACTUALITESFRANCAISES (INSTITUT NATIONAL DE L'AUDIOVISUEL)

ETABLISSEMENT CINEMATOGRAPHIQUEET PHOTOGRAPHIQUE DES ARMEES Weapons of the SpirtI 1 Friends one Chambon 0.1March 27, 1993 (4130/921)61

Production and P.B.S. Underwriting

FRIENDS OF LE CHAMBON

PIERRE SAUVAGE PRODUCTIONS [now Greenvalley Productions]

GRAND MARNIER FOUNDATION [P.B.S. Underwriting, Dec. 12, 1990 and March 23, 1992]

HELENA RUBINSTEIN FOUNDATION

JOSEPH AND REBECCA MEYERHOFF MEMORIAL TRUST [P.B.S. Underwriting, Dec. 12, 1990]

F.R. 3

ANONYMOUS SURVIVOR OF TIM HOLOCAUST ATLANTIC RICHFIELD FOUNDATION HORACE W. GOLDSMITH FOUNDATION DAVID EVERETT FOUNDATION

JEWISH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION (Los Angeles) DONALD E. SIMON FOUNDATION UNION OF AMERICAN HEBREW CONGREGATIONS

ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE OF WNAI WRITH THALIA AND MICHAEL C. CARLOS FOUNDATION STANLEY W. W. / SHERIDAN KESSELMAN THE TEMPLE (Atlanta) NEW YORK FRIENDS GROUP [P.B. S. Underwriting,Dec. 12, 1990]] GUESS, Inc. [P.B.S. Underwriting, Dec. 12, 1990]

LUCY ANN ALBERT WILLIAM P. / BETTY HOGOBOOM JOSEPH ATLAS HAROLDIELIZABETH HOROWITZ LOIS 4. BLUM NAT KAMENY ABE / JULIETTE DEUTSCHER Madame RENE MAYER MELVIN DUBIN NORMA PISAR TED / BARBARA FLICKER LEON SAS HAROLD / LINDA FRIEDMAN MARTIN / HELEN SCHWARTZ ELIZABETH HIRSH SERGE SOBELMAN STANLEY HIRSH DAVID / LILLIAN ZERNER LeROY E. HOFFERBERGER LUCIEN ZINGER

6 2 62 W eapons of ...eth Spirili Friends of Le Chambon (1.1Moth 27, 1993 [4,30/921)

ATARI CORPORATION CHURCHES AND SYNAGOGUES OF MONTCLAW, N.J. THE 1939 CLUB SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTER MEYER STEINBERG FOUNDATION

MEMBERS OF FRIENDS OF LE CHAMBON

Special thanks

Brother PATRICK AUBLET MITCHELL LEIB CHARLES BAILEY CATHERINE DELAPREE LINCOLN ERIC BARBEZAT LESLEY MABER MADELEINE BAROT BERNARD MARTINAND LAWRENCE C. BERSHON MYRON MEISEL GERARD BOLLON SERGE MOATI DAVID BRANDES JACQUES OTMEZGUINE MARY CULLEN SAMUEL / JUDITH PISAR KAREN DOSS Rabbi DANIEL F POLISH Pastor ANDRE DUMAS PHILIPPE POCHET HENRY / EDITH EVERETT EDOUARD RUEL Dr. HENRY L. FEINGOLD ROGER RUEL TED FLICKER Dr. NICHOLAS SCHAPIRA BERNARD GALLAND RUTH SCHELL JOSEPH GODEFRYD Rabbi HAROLD M. SCHULWEIS PHILIP HALLIE JEAN-MARIE SOUTOU KEN HERTZ Rabbi ALVIN M. SUGARMAN CHARLES HIGHAM ROY V. / NIUTA TITUS ARTHUR HILLER ELISA TROCME NAT KAMENY LUCIENNE VERILHAC

ELIE WIESEL

and DAVID SAUVAGE (1980- ) without whom this film would not have been made

6 Weapons of the SpiritiFriends of Le Chstmbon (1.1-1Arch 27, 1993pomp 63

BILL MOYERS' TELEVISION INTRODUCTION OF "WEAPONS OF THE SPIRIT"

Hello, I'm Bill Moyers. Imagine that the United States has been conquered militarily bya vicious, oppressive foreign power. Imagine that U.S. officials, under occupation, decide notto resist the foreign power but to do its bidding.And imagine that the foreign power hasa consuming, murderpus hatred for a particular segment of our populationsay, theJews, or blacks or Christiansand is bent on eliminating them altogether. Imagine that Americans compliantly join in, singlingout these men, women and children for persecution, and then agree toturn them over to be deported to parts unknown, with obvious evil intent. Imagine what you, imagine what I, would do if something like thiswere to occur. Would we stand idly by, pretending it wasn't happening,or rationalizing that, Well, this doesn't really concern us anyway. Or wouldwe be willing to put our lives on the line if necessary, and that of our families, because, well, because that's just the sort ofperson we are. The French, during the Nazi occupation of theircountry during World War II, were faced with just such choices and responsibilities. Throughout occupied Europe, individuals, families and nations hadto decide whether they were indeed their brothers' keepers. Many, unfortunately,demonstrated that they were not. Weapons of the Spirit, the film we're about tosee, tells the story of a whole community that made the right moral choice.Most important, it reminds us that that moral choice remains the individual's to make. As the film aptly recalls, many Christians still have to face the magnitude of their failure during the Holocaust. To do so, they haveto be able to measure what it was possible to do, what is was possible for evenan entire community to do. Those are the issues that are illuminated by this film.I hope you've gathered your family around to experience this documentary, and thatyou will stay afterwards to join me in meeting the man who produced it. His name is Pierre Sauvage, and hisstorythe story of the film and the story behind the filmis one I thinkyou will long remember. The film raises a lot of questionsPierre intended that it wouldand we'll probe some of them when we come back later in this broadcast.We'll also explore his own personal story. And now, Weapons of the Spirit.

64 64 Weapons of the Spirit1Friends of Le Chembon (1.1Mnsh27. 1993 (4/30/92))

_L

NM.

"BILL MOYERS INTERVIEWSFILMMAKER PIERRE SAUVAGE"

MOYERS: How old were you whenyou set out to make this film?

SAUVAGE: Well, let's see. I guess Iwas in my mid-thirties. A long time ago...

MOYERS: A long time ago metaphorically?

SAUVAGE: Yes, that too, that too. Oh, it's almost hard to justify havingspent that much time making this film except that making the film was a quest for understanding where Icame from, who I was, what life meant, what I was going to pass on to my kids. All that sounds awfullypompous, but I think it really amounted to that. And the project took hold of me and I just had to bring it to completion.

MOYERS: You grew up in New York. Didyou hear growing up about Le Chambon? Did your parents constantly refer to it, make you mindful of that part ofyour story?

SAUVAGE: Well, I guess the answer to that is perhapsa big paradox about the making of the film. The answer is no, my parents didnot talk much about Le Chambon. Oh, I knew Iwas born there. But I didn't know that Le Chambon had mattered inany particular way. They basically were people who had put thepast behind them to the extent of noteven allowing me to know that they were Jewish and that I was Jewish.

MOYERS: They didn't tell you?

SAUVAGE: They did not tell me. Till Iwas 18. Weapons of the SpiritFriends of Le Chanthon (1.1Morch 27, 1993 (4/30/92D65

MOYERS: You were 18?Nothing in the home had indicated this, nothing in theconversationhadindicatedthis, nothinginyour own intuitionhad indicated this?

So SAUVAGE: You know when youwere raised under a taboo, thepower of that taboo is extraordinary. People sometimes can'tbelievethatIcould have not suspected or known. But the truth is I did not. I did not. It may not be meaningless that the film was not the work of a dutifulchild fulfilling his parents' fondest wishes. Itwas the workof a rebellious child, layinga claim to a part of the past, indeed to a heritage, indeedto an identitythat he had essentially been deprived of

MOYERS: In what sense, rebellion?

SAUVAGE: Well, the mere fact of becoming Jewishwas a rebellion. I was sort of sent forth into the world as a "nothing." I wasn'ta Christian, I was simply a "nothing." That satisfied me for quite a while, by theway. I was a student in Paris and it never bothered me. It took a long time for me to start measuringthat that was not a productiveway to live your life. I think two major influencesone,my wife, who is Jewish, and who sort of mea lot. was working on And the other, actually,was Le Chambon. Because I realized that a lot of what they didcame out of their strong sense of self, their intimateknowledge of who they were, of what their historywas. And I realized that, well, if theywere getting such strength from being who theyare, then I had to aspire to be who I was.

MOYERS: When you went back and said, I'm goingto do a film, how did they respond?

SAUVAGE: They were wary.They were certainly uncomfortable that I mightdo what filmmakers do, which is to dramatize theirstory, to sentimentalize them in someway, to make heroes out of them. They genuinely don't feel thatthey were heroes. Incidentally, the biggest mistakeone could make is to sort of chalk this off tosome form of modesty or, God forbid, false modesty. They think theysimply did what was natural, whatcame naturally to them.

MOYERS: Somehow when I look at those people in Le Chambon,however, I'm not surprised that they did what they did Were you?

SAUVAGE: I'm maybe less surprised than Iwas when I started out on this.I mean, it started to make sense to me. Whenever I learn somethingnew about them, some minor facet that I stumble across, some anecdote that somebody tells me, it always seems to fit in. AndI realize that there's truth there. There's something to be learned.

6 6 66 Weapons of the Spirit iFriends of Le Chandion .1Miren 27, 1993 [4/30/92])

I had to undo a lot of preconceived notions in order to come to this, the most fimdamental one, I think, being one that's been handed down by the dramatists and the novelists and the artists, to an extent. The vety process of that is to build , around conflict and tension and drama, and they've sort of passed on the notion that good people, people who put their lives on the line, people who take major risks, are people who agonize over their decision, spend sleepless nights worrying about what they're going to do, and then maybe in the morning, because their conscience tells them tobut even the conscience has a raspy, nasty edge to the sound of its voicefinally do theright thing. I've come to believe this is nonsense, that people who agonizedon't act, people who act don't agonize.

MOYERS: How exceptional doyou think they were?I mean, there were other rescuers in Europe. Were these people exceptional?

SAUVAGE: Well, the rescuers in Nazi-occupied Europe almost bydiffinition were exceptional because there were few of them. The vast majority of peoplewere not murderers, they were simply apathetic. They simply did not rise to the challenge. Theyducked the issues somehow. Of course the film was a quest to understand in whatways Le Chambon was both special and very ordinary.

MOYERS: What made it special?

SAUVAGE: I think what made it special wasan extraordinary confluence of circumstances and people. A singular group of people witha singular history: this Huguenot stock, this memory of their persecutionnot only the fact that they hada history of persecution but that they remembered it, that it mattered to them.

MOYERS: How do you .think this influenced theiropenness toward you and the others who were sheltered?

SAUVAGE: Well, I think on the one hand, there was that sense of identification withsomebody else who was persecuted. On the other, there was their particular slanton their Christian faith which both mandated deedsthat was essentialbut also involveda certain, special kinship with the Jews.

MOYERS: Through persecution, through...

BEST COPY AVAILABLE 6 Weapons of the Spirit anon&ofLe Chrinbon (LiMarch V. 1993 P1t30192D67

SAUVAGE: Well, even broader than that. Simply because theJews, for many of the Christians of the area, were the People of the Book. Thesewere Christians whose sense of roots went that far back that they were comfortable with the Jewishroots of their faith. On the other hand, one shouldn't overstate how exceptionalor unusual they were, and distance ourselves from them in the process. Theywere, in very fundamental ways, no different from you and me, very ordinary people with simplya good hold on what is important.

MOYERS: But they were different from other Christians, down theroad, around the corner, across the border, who either collaborated actively or, asyou indicated earlier, stood by frightened or indifferently while thousands of peoplewere rounded up and shipped off to death. What /Articular influence did their faith haveon them? How Christian were they?

SAUVAGE: You know, I think the most fundamental paradoxof this issue of Christian rescuers during the Holocaust, it seems to me, is that Christians facingthat period have no choice but to face up to the enormity of Christian responsibility. Not thatChristians were behind the murders certainly they weren't behind the murdersas Christians. But that it happened in the heart of what could be called Christian Europe and that Christians allowedit to happen. And yet, when you look at those who resisted, whenyou look at those who recognized what was at stake, it is my contention that whenyou probe these people, the Christian influences on their conduct become very clear. I think maybe it's a question for Christiansto answer, "How Christian were they?" Maybe they were not typical Christians, but I would like to believe theywere certainly exemplary Christians.

MOYERS: Two things struck me about themas I watched the film.One was their serenity. There just seemed to be suchan inner stillness, a powerful inner stillness, and it reflected in their posture toward each other, toward you, toward the world. Serenity. And the second was a sense of, well, for lack ofa better term, self-esteem, whatever that is.

SAUVAGE: You know, the psychological dimension of the filmis the least explicit. The most explicit one is probably the hiitorical and the religious;things are defined.Psychology is just embedded in it. But I think it'sa crucial component. Somehow these people were raised with, yes, that healthy sense of self-esteem.

MOYERS: What was the source of it?

SAUVAGE: I haven't done the research into their upbringing.I think respect for one's parents and ancestors is certainly a very important component of it. I'm sometimes surprised that people whoargue for religion don't make this purely sort of psychological, pragmatic argument thatwe are, in large part, who we were, who our ancestors were. That's programmed into us. And psychology rightly believes thatyou derive strength from knowing who you are. Well, knowing who you are is also connecting withyour spiritual heritage.Not necessarily adopting it.Not necessarily embracing it. Learn about it andsee what happens.

MOYERS: When your film was shown ata convention of the American Psychiatric Association it got a standing ovation, didn't it? 6 68 Weapons of the SpiritFriends of Ls Memnon (1.1-14,4erek 27, 1993 (4/30/92))

SAUVAGE: Yes. I was very proud of that actually.

MOYERS: Why, do you think? What did theysee in it that caused them to rise in applause?

SAUVAGE: I think it was the mental health thatshines through from these people. Thesepeople sort of exude that sense of mental health, andI think the recogni:ion matteredto these professionals. I thought of a line thata relative of mine said about them, which isone of my absolute favorite lines. She had come to Le Chambonwhen I was there, and I introduced herto Madame Brottes. (Madame Brottes is thewoman defined as the fundamentalist Christian, with thewhite hair, raking the garden.) And my cousin Lizzie hugged MadameBrottes, and my cousinwas crying. And I said to her afterwards, "Lizzie, youwere really very moved." And she said, "Yes, itwas like hugging a tree." There is that inescapablesense of solidity that emanates from them. Ofcourse, a tree has roots, and that's a crucial part of it.

MOYERS: And it has realtexture, unlike the goodness weso often talk about, you know: ephemeral, sentimental, saccharine,self-serving. There isa reality to these people that is not unlike the tree that is there.

SAUVAGE: That's right. You know, the other striking dimensionabout it is that all this wasso effortless.I mean, life to me and...

MOYERS: You mean what they didwas effortless?

SAUVAGE: What they did. I live in LosAngeles. To anybody who lives ina big city, life seems difficult. Rearrangingyour car pool is a big production. And thesewere people who took in two, three strangers, had their whole routinedisrupted. But it was... natural. They don't lookupon effort as being something depleting. They lookupon effort as something through which you live fully andyou derive strength. It's really quite different. And of course people like them exist allaround us.

MOYERS: Do you find people like the peopleof Le Chambon inyour regular, ordinary world now?

SAUVAGE: I think so. Oh, I've gone so far as to sayand thisis probably a fairly bold assertionthatif there were another Holocaust, and if theywere going after the Jews again, and I was again targeted,that I probably would havea better sense of whose door to knock on than theaverage person. That there is something you can learn. You can develop a sense about certain attributesthat are likely to produce this sort of conduct. I also know that thereare certain places that I would be more likely togo.

MOYERS: We meet a lot ofwomen in this film. Is that just a coincidence? 6j Weapons of the Spirit Friends of La Chansbon (1.1March 27, 1993 [450/92D 69

SAUVAGE: You know, it was women who often played the key role inrescue.It was the woman who'd often be opening the door of the house. The men might be away, might be at war or might be tilling the field.It was often the woman who made the decision as to whether that needy refugee would be taken in. And I have no doubt that women played a very important role in this. Maybe that'sone reason that the activity itself has been comparatively under-recognized.

MOYERS: Because?

SAUVAGE: Because men don't resonate to these thingsas readily. We boys are more interested in guns and battleseven when they produceno important resultthan indeed in the weapons of the spirit.

MOYERS: At the opening of the broadcast I asked the audience to imagine that the United States had been occupied. Now you imagine. What doyou think you would do if we were occupied, and you were called upon to shelter, to rescue the other?

SAUVAGE: I don't know. And I don't think weever know. I would never dream of presenting myself as a model of somebody who would know enough to act morally. And indeed I would say that whatever thinking I've done about itor reading I've done about it is also irrelevant. This isn't an intellectual exerciFe. There'pa wonderful line by one of my heroes, Emerson, where he says that it takes a great deal of thouffit to producea tiny elevation of life. You know, it isn't the thinking and the analyzing that produces good deeds.It's being a better person. And that is the product of influences on us that determine what we are going to be. Intellectuals acted terribly during the Nazi era.

MOYERS: Many of them joined the cause.

SAUVAGE: There were many Ph.D.'s in the top Nazi leadership.

MOYERS: I was struck at how the people in Le Chambon refusedto submerge their own particular individual values to some idea of "the public interest," "thecommon good." They resisted that. They acted out of their own particular faith and theirown particular values.

SAUVAGE: I think that's a fundamental point, and a really fimdamental lesson: the notionthat these people were acting out of their own conscience, indeed breaking immoral laws. I'm sometimes a little surprised when Americans in particular overstate the importance oflaws. Sure, laws are a mechanism to structure society andare necessary. But they are certainly not sacrosanct. And immoral laws should be violated. They should be cheerfully broken. The Holocaust was entirely legal.

MOYERS: Slavery was legal.

SAUVAGE: Slavery was legal. 70 Weapons of the SpiritiMavis of Le Chamban 0 .1kOrch 27. 1993 W30/92))

MOYERS: What happened to the Jews in Germanywas written into law. It had the sanction of majoritarianism.

SAUVAGE: We are responsible.Individually.We cannot defer that responsibility to the government, to the leaders. "Well, they passeda law, so that's what it should be." And we're also responsible forour leaders. Something I also learned from Le Chambon isnot to overstate the significance of leadership. Now it happensthat Le Chambon, as we saw in the film, had extraordinarily inspired leadership. Pastor Trocmé was a brilliantman. And an extraordinarily committed man.But at the same time,you had a community that had it in its nature...

MOYERS: Leaders don't create communities.Communities raise up leaders toexpress and manifest their character.

SAUVAGE: That's right. I think that we are all individually accountable,responsible, for what we do and whatwe fail to do. That the buck stops here. And the hereis always with you. Certainly we're not faced with thetype of choices, normally, that people during theHolocaust were faced with. We're faced with far smaller choices. Orthey seem smaller. And yet we're constantly faced with choicesthat are somehow parallel, that involveextending yourself to lend a helping hand, maybeeven taking a slight risk.It won't be your life, but it'll be your job, or it'll be bucking the company,or it'll be saying something in defense of somebody else that may not be popular. You know, if Hitler had been alive andavailable to me, of course I would havewelcomed the scoop, but at the same time, he would not have been theperfect villain for me. This filmwas not about commission. It was about omission.It was about the difference between beinga bystander and not being a bystander. And that's the choice that most ofus are faced with all the time. That's what makes therescuers so relevant. We're not faced with choices of being murderersor not being murderers. Of course, if wecompare ourselves to Hitler and Goebbels, wecome out smelling like a rose. We have to compare ourselves to people whorealize that one must not be apathetic whenone's own identity is at stake.

MOYERS: When you first showedme the film some time ago now, I argued withyou, remember? I said you shouldn't call it Weapons ofthe Spirit, because I didn't believeyou should mix the military metaphor with whatwas essentially a spiritual and religious manifestation. You clung tenaciously, stubbornly, and, Imust say, rightfully, to your original title. Why didyou call it Weapons of the Spirit?

SAUVAGE: All through the making of the film itwas my working title, and I always thought that maybe something else would leapout at meI wasn't sure I wanted quite that abstracta title. But the title helps to underscorea certain toughness to the spirit. A great director I know called Sam Fuller, thegreat "B" director, years ago Iwas telling him about the film. We were at a party and hewas walking around. I told him that Iwas looking for a title. And he came back to me and he said, Bullets of Faith. And thatwent a little far... But the idea of underscoring the toughness of the spiritappealed to me, I think. 71 Weapons of the Spirit / Frieda °fig Chonsboo(1.1Morch 27. 1993 (4/30/921) 71

MOYERS: There's something contentiouslyparadoxical about it, though. Because if the spirit can be used as a weapon, it was insufficient toprevent the darkness, the ruin, the devastation, the horror and the evil that fellupon Europe in what you say is, or was,a "Christian" culture. Isn't there a danger is suggesting that the spiritcan withstand the onslaught of human nature as manifested in the opposite of whatwe see in your film?

SAUVAGE: I think on balance there'sa greater danger in not believing it, in believing that sOmehow. the spirit does not have thepower to transcend everything. . You know, even when it comes specificallyto the experience of Jews during the Holocaustand certainly for many yeus therewas that concern that paying attention to therescuers might somehow take the edge off the experience,as you're suggesting.I think that is simply not the case. I think that we need to know that it was possible forpeople to care. If we pass along a legacy that doesnot include the righteous, ci,vs not include therescuers, then we're giving humanityan alibi.One doesn't even have to aspireto do better, because it isn't possible. And in fact, yes, the G.I.'s liberated thecamps, the American G.I.'s. But let's face it, itwas an accident. That was not thereason they were there.In fact, you talk to troops and .theywere stunned by what theysaw because nobody had ever even told them that that'swhat they were going to be encountering, along theway.

MOYERS: Americans did notgo to war to save the Jews.

SAUVAGE: No, they did not. The peoplewho went to war tosave the Jews were the people who were using theweapons of the spirit. They were individuals here and there,throughout Europe, often acting alone, unlikeLe Chambon, which at least had the strength ofbeing a communityofcourse, that's also what makes it interestingand who simply exercisednothing else but thepowers of the spirit.

MOYERS: Well, it'svery important, it seems to me, to remember thisas the century comes to an end, and to teach our children that therewere the Le Chambons. But not at the expense of constantly remindingand training our children that thiswas a horrible century, and that the darkness fell. And thatseems to me to be the... Does it not seem toyou to be the primary lesson of the 20th century?That darkness is real, and evil is there?

SAUVAGE: No question about it. No questionabout it. Of course, this century has beena terrible century, but I will even say thatcontrary to what people might assume I am not particularly an optimist al-out human nature. I thinkI won'tengage in a profanity herebut I think the world isa pretty awful place. But I think that the only way to survive the experience of living in it is to realize thatit need not be that. And the only way to crAne to any such realization is to have examples. Kids, Ithink, will, in fact, be able to absorb the magnitude of the evil if theyhave something to holdon to. If it doesn't sap them of their... spirit. Stories like Le Chambon, stories ofrescuers, are really almost like a banister whichyou can hold onto while looking at the evil of this world. 72 Weapons of the Spirit1Friends o( Le Clumbon(1.1March 27, 1993 f4/30/92])

If we don't feel deeply, within ourselves,that we are capable of goodwe will be extremely reluctant to face the extent to whichwe are capable of evil. And indeed, without question, weare capable of both. Weapons of the Spirit hien& Of 1.* Clumbon .1Morth27, 1993 (4/3092D 73

"BILL MOYERS INTERVIEWS FILMMAKERPIERRE SAUVAGE" VIDEO CREDITS

director BETSY MCCARTHY

director of photography PHIL GRIES

editor MICHAEL DAROVEC

second camera DAVE SPERLING

Video BOB BLAUVELT

audio STEVE ROGERS

gaffer PETER ZIMMERN

makeup ELEANOR BOGART

special thanks JUDY. DOCTOROFF ARTHUR WHITE PUBLIC AFFAIRS TELEVISION

74 74 Weapons of the Spirit 1Friends of Lc Chamboa .1hae 23, 1994 14130/92D

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL

VIDEOTAPE AND TRANSCRIPT INFORMATION COMMENTS ABOUT "WEAPONS OF THE SPIRIT" ABOUT THE FRIENDS OF LE CHAMBON FOUNDATION PIERRE SAUVAGE-PUBLIC SPEAKER FRENCH COMMENTS ABOUT "WEAPONS OF THE SPIRIT" "A TIME FOR RESCUE: VARIAN FRY AND THE EMERGENCY RESCUE COMMITTEE' "THE OPTIMISTS: THE UFE AND TIMES OF THE BULGARIAN JEWS AND THEIR SURVIVAL DURING THE HOLOCAUST" "AND CROWN THY GOOD: THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE OF THE HOLOCAUST" "YIDDISH: THE MAME-LOSHN" LIFESTYLE: ARTICLE ON PIERRE SAUVAGE AND FRIENDS OF LE CHAMBON DuPONT-COLUMBIA AWARDS ADDRESS BY PIERRE SAUVAGE, JAN. 30, 1992 INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE: ARTICLE ON LE CHAMBON, OCT. 13-14, 1990 LOS ANGELES TIMES: ARTICLE ON LE CHAMBON, OCT. 15, 1990 TIME INTERNATIONAL ARTICLE ON LE CHAMBON, NOV. 5, 1990 ASSOCIATED PRESS: ARTICLE ON RIGHTEOUS GENTILES, MAY 29, 1984 "LEARNING .IOPE FROM THE HOLOCAUST," ADDRESS BY PIERRE SAUVAGE, JULY 1988 "TEN THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT RIGHTEOUS CONDUCT IN LE CHAMBON AND ELSEWHERE DURING THE HOLOCAUST," ARTICLE BY PIERRE SAUVAGE, FALL 1985 "ON BEING A CHILD OF THE HOLOCAUST," ADDRESS BY PIERRE SAUVAGE, MARCH 11, 1984 "JESUS AS A GOY," ARTICLE BY PIERRE SAUVAGE, SEPT. 24, 1988 "A MOST PERSISTENT HAVEN," ARTICLE BY PIERRE SAUVAGE, OCT. 1983 "WEAPONS OF THE SPIRIT: A JOURNEY HOME," ARTICLE BY PIERRE SAUVAGE, MARCH 17, 1987 "PAIN, GUILT AND RAGE: HAVE WE MOVED BEYOND," INTRODUCTORY REMARKS BY PIERRE SAUVAGE, NOV. 6, 1988 "WEAPONS OF THE SPIRIT: CLASSROOM VERSION-VIEWER'S GUIDE," ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE

EXCERPTS FROM THE HOLOCAUST IN FRENCH FILM BY ANDRE PIERRE COLOMBAT (SCARECROW PRESS, 1993) OF THE 1989, 90 minutes, 35mm, 16mm,video ?MRS INIMUIELISFILMAKERir)1W 1990, 25 minutes, video SPUME

I mei RIM M1111111101=1611. ...11111.1. =maxim:~ sec 2 hour P.B.S. broadcast, with Bill Moyers introduction and interviewof Pierre Sauvage $39.95, including shippingand handling Check only, to Friends of LeChambon *....7.

1[7171.1D.rs4 FIG-TUT-2EAMLAWARW270.1.1719A*15151*1710a217Mkttatla (1E.111I. VIDEOCA55ETTE5- -INSTITUTIONALE7 PUBLIC PERFORMANCE35MM) (including library and educationaluse) National Center for Jewish Filmtel.: 617/899-7044 (fax:617/736-2070) Brandeis UniversityLownBuilding, 102 Waltham, MA 02254-9110

V71.. 7...... 77it.24 114.7.7. 11.T.. ip***V42:******Wkkk*******4tHl*Hketttlatttlel ea.o. Rh- '11/11 I with Bill Moyers InterviewsFilmmaker Pierre Sauvage (25min.) $49.95, including shipping andhandling Check only, to Friends of LeChambon ...... 77 ...... 77 .... 77

7,111,742177,7712472.171711724:77447.2414774+741*-*** t+14*** *****717, + 2-.4.74 SI+III+I.IItHfl%I'I%+tq4%ftI.*)4.+4*1+I +4 NOW 211*.******144142422*:**4141***WW44*******144*******+? amp NIP OW AIM. IOW IOW WEAPONS OF THE SPIRIT & BILL MOYERS INTERVIEWSFILMMAKER PIERRE SAUVAGE (and over 70 pages of additionalbackground information) Free with contribution of $36 (checksonly) to Friends of Le Chambon

07 117-11t,7 t,011 P117

ALL OTHER INFORMATION: Friends of Le Chambon Foundation(Pierre Sauvage, President) 8033 Sunset Boulevard #784Los Angeles, CA 90046 Fax: 213/654-4689Tel.: 213/650-1774E-mail: [email protected] Friends of Le Chambon Foundation is a tax-exempt nonprofitfoundation over, please 76 11 WEAPONS Of THE SPIRIT A film by Pierre Sauvage 90 minutes, documentary, 16 or 35mm, 1989

incroyable! As compelling and excitingas fiction.. . A film that will be aroundfira long time." Charles Champlin, Los Angeles Times tvtOtOt*ttatOtt:tt*t*t#11:4441:11**Uvinntittat411.2:4443) Pane Sower as ex beim held by.' wows who helped hide his fizmikfromthf Nazis

nEAPONS OF THE SPIRrr tells thc extraordinary wartime "Astonishing. Olympian. Emotionally wrenching. Bulging with story of Le Chambon, a tiny Protestant farming village profound questions of morality, responsibility, and religion." Withe mountains of France that defied the Nazioccupa- Desmond Ryan, Philadelphia Inquirer tion and provided a safe haven throughout thewar for thousands of Jewsmany of them children. "The best Christmas special.., likely to beseen [this year]. An absolutely extraordinary story about matter-of-fact heroes. Ina One of those children was the infant Pierre Sauvage, whogrew up hundred years, it is likely to be timely still." to chronicle the village's remarkable but little-known history. Tom Shales, Washington Post Interweaving filmed interviews with striking andrare visual mate- "Flawless. The best kind of filmmaking, both intensely personal rial (including hundrcds of never-before-seen photographs,pro- and of universal interest." vocative stock footage underscoring French collaboration with the Tom Jacobs, Los Angeles Daily News Nazis, and specially declassified government documents), Wiapons of the Spirit constitutes a memorable historical document. "Riveting. A poignant reminder that good people don't haveto surrender their beliefs even in the terroror the lethargyof the But even more important, the film isa fable-like account of the times." triumph of good over evil. It is a joyful, moving, realistic celebra- Judy Stone, San Francisco Chronicle tion of humanity's capacity for good, a parable with applications for everyone, everyday. "Moving and provocative... Enormously uplifting... Whatan extraordinary story." Who were these villagers who daily risked their livesto help total David Ansen, Newsweek strangers of another faith? Most of them were proud descendants of the Huguenots. The history of theirown persecution at the le- Best Independent Documentary, DuPont-ColumbiaUniversity hands of their countrymen NM keen in theirmemory, as was the Awards in Broadcast Journalism biblical admonition to love your neighboras yourself. Documentary Award, Los Angeles Film Critics Association "The responsibility of Christians," their pastor had reminded them te. Documentary Gold Hugo, Chicago International FilmFestival the day after France surrendered to , "isto resist the et. Red Ribbon Award, American Film and Video Festival violence that will be brought to bear on their consciences through ts, Audience and Jury Awards, Yamagata Intl. DocumentaryFilm thc weapons of the spirit." Festival, Japan iS Audience and Jury Awards, Belfort Film There were many other uncelebrated individual and collectiveacts Festival, France of good will and righteousness throughout the darkwar years. But An exceptional 30-minute companion piece, Bill Moyers Interviews nowhere else did a persistent and successful moral consensus de- Pierre Sauvage, is also available, as is a French version ofWeapons of velop on a scale approaching that exhibitedat Le Chambon. the Spirit titled Les armes de l'esprit. BEST COPY AVAILABLE IN AND AROUND ONE VILLAGEIN NAZI-OCCUPIED FRANCE 5,000 JEWS WERE TAKEN INAND SHELTEREDBY 5,000CHRISTIANS! AT LAST, THE STORY OF AUNIQUE CONSPIRACY OF GOODNESS. IT IS A STORY FILMMAKERPIERRE SAUVAGE WAS BORN TOTELL: HE WAS BORN AND PROTECTEDIN THAT DEFIANT HAVENLECHAMBON. U.S.A./France, 1989, 90 minutes, color-35mm,16mm, video English-language with some French, subtitled (alsoFrench-narrated version, Les armes de l'esprit)

Foreign broadcast rights: Charles Schuerhoff, CSAssociates: 415/383-6060 All other rights: Friends of Le Chambon (&Greenvalley Productions) All rights, Bill Moyers interviews Pierre Sauvage(25 min.): Friends of Le Chambon All rights, Weapons of the SpiritGassroom Version (video only, 35 min.): Friends ofLe Chambon Current videocassette sales (2 hour P.B.S. broadcast,with Bill Moyers interview): 213/650-1774 Current videocassette sales, Weapons of the SpiritClassroomVersion (video only, 35 min.): 213/650-1774 Current U.S. theatrical/non-theatrical distribution:National Center for Jewish Film, 617/899-7044

FRIENDS OF LE CHAMBON (& GREENVALLEYPRODUCTIONS) Pierre Sauvage, President 8033 Sunset Boulevard #784 Los Angeles, CA 90046 Tel.: 213/650-1774 (Friends of Le Chambon)Fax: 213/654-4689 Friends of L. Chambon is a nonprofit foundation committed to documentary exploration of theHolocaust

Best Independent Documentary (along withP.B.S. series The Civil War), DuPONT-COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY AWARDS INBROADCAST JOURNALISM Documentary Award, L.A. FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION è Documentary Gold Hugo, CHICAGOFILM FESTIVAL Red Ribbon Award, AMERICAN FILM & VIDEO FESTIVAL 4 Jewish Subjects Award,ANTHROPOS FESTIVAL Christopher AwardTelevision Specials, THE CHRISTOPHERS 4 Silver Angel, EXCELLENCEIN MEDIA Wilbur Award, RELIGIOUS PUBLIC RELATIONS COUNCIL 4 Humanitarian Award, HOLOCAUSTMEMORIAL COMMITTEE Gandhi Award, NAT. COALITION ON TELEVISIONVIOLENCE di Standing ovation, AMERICAN Audience and Jury Awards, YAMAGATA INTERNAT. PSYCHIATRIC ASSN. DOCU. FILM FESTIVAL (Japan) and BELFORTFILM FESTIVAL (France) Theatrical release to date in the U.S. and France: U.S. release in over 50 major markets, 9-weekrun in Paris 4-7 week runs in New York, Los Angeles, SanFrancisco, Washington, Boston... selected for 20 film festivals U. S. national broadcasts, P.B.S: December 12, 1990, 9-11 pm; March 23, 1992, 9-11pm IF YOU WISH TO LEARN WHAT MORE MEN AND WOMEN COULD HAVE DONE TOSAVE JEWS, WATCH PIERRE SAUVAGE'S POIGNANTDOCUMENTARY. IT 1.5 SUPERB!" Elie Wiesel, witness, author, Nobel PeacePrize laureate

"AN INQUIRY INTO THE NATURE OF GOODNESSAND A PERSONAL ODYSSEY. MOVING AND PROVOCATIVE. ENORMOUSLY UPLIFTING. WHAT AN LYTRAORDINARYSTORY." David Ansen, Newsweek

"A PERSONAL AND MODEST MASTERPIECE THATCAN BE COMPARED TO THE BEST ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE MONUMENTAL SHOAH AND THE SORROWAND THE PITY... IT CAN AND MUST PLAY A KEY ROLE IN OURNECESSARY REFLECTION ON THE BEST STRAIEGIES TO BE ADOPTED IN ORDER TO FIGHT BIGOTRY, INTOLERANCE AND ULTIMATELY HATECRIMES." André Pierre Colombat, The Holocaust in French Film(Scarecrow Press, 1993)

IN A SENSE, TT IS THE STORY OF 5,000SWINDLERS." Rabbi William M. Kramer, Heritage Jewish Press 78 'INCROYABLEAS COMPELLING AND EXCITING AS FICTION. A FILM THAT WILL BE AROUND FORA LONG TIME." Charles Champlin, Los Angeles Times

**** "ASTONISIING. OLYMPIAN. EMOTIONALLY WRENCHING. BULGING WITH PROFOUND QUESTIONS OF MORALITY, RESPONSIBILITY AND RELIGION." Desmond Ryan, Philadelphia Inquirer

"LUMINOUS. IT SEEMS AN ANOMALY TO SPEAK OF AN EXHILARATING HOLOCAUST FILM,BUT MIR ISJUST THAT, AND MORE." Jay Carr, Boston Globe

*** "IT IS NO RARE THING TO BE MOVED TO TEARS OR SHOCKED INTOSILENCE WHEN WATCHING A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT TM HOLOCAUST BUT TO FIND YOURSELF LAUGHING OUT LOUD, FEELING IMILARATED AND FULLOF HOPE FOR HUMANKM? A THOUGHTFUL, CHALLENGING, TIMELY WORK." Et! Weiner, 7V Gidde

"AS MOVINGAND TOUGH-MINDED--A FILM ABOUT EFFORTS TO SAVE THEJEWS OF EUROPE AS HAS BEEN MADE." Dorothy Rabinowitz, Wall Street Journal

**** "FLAWLESS. THE BEST KIND OF FILMMAKING, B0771 INTENSELY PERSONALAND OF UNIVERSAL MEREST." Tom Jacobs, Los Angeles Daily News

"A F1LM-MAKING TRIUMPH." David Bianculli, New York Post

'SUBLIMELY UNDERSTATED AND UNSENTIMENTAL DESERVES TO BE CALLED THE DO-GOOD MOVIE OF 77if PAST 40 YEARS.* Eleanor Ringel, Atlanta Constitution

"INSPIRING. TOLD WITH A RESTRAINT THAT MAY MAKE YOU WEEP.SUGGESTS THE WORK OF JOHN FORD." Michael Wilmington, Los Angeles Times

"F1RST-RATE. INCISIVE, MOWNG, AND MORALLY INSTRUCTIVE. " David Denby, New York Magazine

** * * "RIVETING. A POIGNANT REMINDER THAT GOOD PEOPLEDON'T HAVE TO SURRENDER THEIR BELIEFS EVEN IN THE TERROROR LETHARGYOF THE TIMES." Judy Stone, San Francisco Chronicle

"PERHAPS THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY DISPLAY OF MORAL CHOICE IN THISCENTURY. ONE JAW-DROPPING TALE AFTER ANOTHER. A GREAT MORAL ADVENTURE." Robert Koehler, Los Angeles Times

"BOTH THE BEST CHRISTMAS SPECIAL AND THE BEST HANUKAH SPECIALLIKELY TO BE SEEN fIN 1990). AN ABSOLUTELY EXTRAORDINARY STORY ABOUT MATTER-OF-FACT HEROES. IN A HUNDRED YEARS, IT IS LIKELY TO BE TIMELY STILL." Tom Shales, Washington Post

"DEEPLY TOUCHING AND TRUTTIFUL. VERY FINE. " Irving Howe, writer

"INSPIRING AND ENNOBLING, BEAUTIFUL AND PAINFUL TO WATCH, THIS EXTRAORDINARYFILM IS A TRIBUTE TO A KIND OF MORAL COURAGE RARELY SEEN BUT TO WHICH MANKIND MUST, IF ITIS TO SURVIVE, ASPIRE." Norman Lear, producer

"SAW [THEJ FILM THE OTHER EVENING AND ADMIRED IT. " Elia Kazan, director, author

"A FASCINATING CHAPTER OF HISTORY INTERSECTING AN UNSURPASSINGLY PERSONALSAGA. INTERNATIONALLY MARKETABLE." Todd McCarthy, Variety 7 "Remembering the HolocaustLooking in instead of out"

PIERRE SAUVAGE, filmmaker and lecturer

Filmmaker Pierre Sauvage is both a child survivor of the Holocaust anda child of , An independent film producer in Los Angeles, he is best known for his 1989 featuredocumentary Weapons of the Spirit, which tells the story ofa mountain community in France that defied the Nazis and took in and saved five thousand Jews, including Pierre and hisparents. He himself was born in this unique Christian oasis, Le Chambon, at a time when much of his familywas being tortured and murdered in the Nazi death camps. Weapons of the Spirit won numerous awards, including the prestigious DuPont-ColumbiaAward in Broadcast Journalism for best independent documentary (sharingthat award with P.B.S.' The Civil War series). The film received two national prime-time broadcastson P.B.S., along with Bill Moyers' probing interview of the filmmaker, which revealed that Sauvage didnot learn till the age of 18 that he and his family were Jewish and survivors of the Holocaust.

Sauvage was 4 when he and his parents moved to New Yodc City in 1948. meaning to Pasis at 18 topursue his studies. Ana working briefly as ajoirnalid like his father. the Sorbonne drop-out fen in love with film at Pane legeirlary Cintsnatheque Francsise, eventually landinga job there working for the eccentric genius Henri Langlois. Producendirectoe Otto Prerninger brought the budding film scholar back to New York as a story editor, and in 1971 Sauvage movedto Los Angeles. where he now lives with his wife, an executive at Aron Spelling Productions. and two yang dUldren: After co-editing a two-volurne aitical study of American film directors, American Dirsesom Sauvage finallygot behind the camera himself as a staff producer-reporta for Los Angeles public television station KCET. While producing over 30 bars of varied programming. his first realsuccess came wben he decided to begin exploring those Jewish roots hed never known. Yiddish: the Afeths-Loshn (hs mother tongue.' pronounced mansa-kehen) developed intoa lively. Escosy-erismirg portrait of a unique end tenacious language and cultsre.

Sauvage is currently writing the screenplay fora dramatic theatrical film based on the true story of Americans who were involved inrescue and romance in Marseille after France fell to the Nazis. Another movie he is developing is about an American pro-Fascist plotto seize the White House, a plot that actually occurred in 1939 and was infiltrated by the F.B.I. A popular lecturer, Sauvage has becomeone of a tiny handful of experts on rescuers of Jews during the Holocaust (righteous Gentiles), and has appearedon "CBS This Morning," "CBS Nightwatch" and N.P.R. He is the founder and president of the Friends of Le Chambon Foundation,a nonprofit charitable organization based in Los Angeles and committed to exploring and communicatingthe necessary lessons of hope still buried beneath the Holocaust's unavoidable lessons of despairandto do so while there are still eyewitnesses to tell the story. Sauvage's lecturing and public appearances with Weapons of the Spiritare all under the foundation's auspices and supports its projects. At present, Sauvage is focusing his attention on the American reactionto the massacre of the Jews of Europe. He contends that we in the United States, Jews and non-Jews,must begin facing and probing the lessons of our own experience here at that time, however challengingthose lessons may be. lt is time, he urges, to remember the Holocaust by looking inas well as merely out.

0 BEST COPY AVAILABLE In Le Chambon-sur-Lignon, France, 5,000 Jews were sheltered from the Nazisby 5,000 Christians, as recounted in the feature documentary Weapons of the Spirit. The film was made possible bycontributions to the Friends of Le Chambon Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to exploring andcommunicating, especially on film, such necessary lessons of hope still buried beneath the Holocaust's unavoidable lessons of despair. The Friends of Le Chambon Foundation was founded in 1982 by LosAngeles producer Pierre Sauvage, who serves as President. Sauvage, who was himself born in Le Chambon to parents who found refugethere, is a popular public speaker about the Holocaust and its meaning for us today.His lecturing and public appearances are all under Friends of Le Chambon's auspices. Other Friends of Le Chambon Foundation activities have included participationin conferences and university lecture series, the creation of a photographic exhibit on Le Chambon (currently availablefrom the Los Angeles Jewish Federation's Martyrs Memorial and Museum of the Holocaust), and the development ofan ever growing, specializeil photographic' and document archive on the Holocaust and rescue in France,as well as on the American experience during that time: the opening special exhibit at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington,D.C., "Assignment Rescue: Varian Fry and the Emergency Rescue Committee," relied heavilyon Friends of Le Chambon's Varian Fry collection. Most pressingly perhaps, the Friends of Le Chambon Foundation is drawingon the experience of Weapons of the Spirit to specialize in the production and distribution of motion picture and televisiondocumentaries dealing with other as yet uncharted and important aspects of those times. We are, after all, livingnow in the last few years when it will still be possible to make such historical documentaries with the participation ofeyewitnesses to those events. Astonishingly, there is at present no other organizationJewish or non-Jewish--thatactively and systematically assists in such a crucial educational effort. Among our current documentary projects are Jacky and Lisa Comforty's TheOptimistsThe Life and Times of the Bulgarian Jews and Their Survival During the Holocaust, another labor of love,and one requiring final post-production support. Also in the works are Pierre Sauvage's A Time for Rescue: Varian Fry and theEmergency Rescue Committee, a future companion piece to a planned dramatic feature,as well as his cautiously gestating And Crown Thy Good: The American Experience of the Holocaust. Friends of the Righteous: The Friends of Le Chambon Foundation also providessome financial assistance to needy wartime rescuers of Jews. It is our policy that the full one hundred percent of all contributions madeout specifically to Friends of the Righteous will go to such individuals and their families, with all operatingcosts being independently subsidized.

BOARD OP DCRECTORS: Mickel R. Mime. PhD Mos K. Red% PAD. Reim M. Reba Esu BOARD OF ADVISER& Pewee Imeelue RAM lineW M. teletiweis Ihelui Berewn Lwow* Beam PAD.Vdtmat Sam PAO Hwy Mem C. PAD AM Beetr-Pneemen. PhD. Emil 1. Iteduesib PAD. The lim Um Oestmem Lamed Pt* PAD.Harp L Pauelt PAD.Olset Ited Rabbi beim Orembes Rev. Duds Heselm Robert* LAMA PAD Rubin M. Leek PAD Besuemist Mete toodel P. OlUer. !kV. RAM kern L. Rome Rebut 0. Patio. RD. Illeemel P. E. Donis Proem IMMen ) Wen RAW My al Smorms Nelmut Tu. MD, Mese Thrum* Ike Wield Mew Phomiltel Dmid I *MAR PAD.

Friends of Le Chambon, Inc. is a nonprofit 50l(cX3) public charity (Federal LD. #95-3803907).

Contributions to Friends of Le Chambon are tax-deductible. (Pleaseidentify any contributions to be earmarked for Bulgarian Project or Friends of the Righteous.

Pierre Sauvage, President Friends of Le Chambon Foundation 8033 Sunset Boulevard #784 Los Angeles, CA 90046 USA Tel.: 213/650-1774 Fax: 213/654-4689 E-mail: [email protected] Weapons of the Spirit anew' of Le amnion(1.1-34rdt 27. 1993 [413092D 81

THE OPTIMISTS THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THEBULGARIAN JEWS AND THEIR SURVIVAL DURINGTHE HOLOCAUST

a documentary film by Jacky and Lisa Comforty

a Friends of Le Chambon coproduction Pierre Sauvage, executive producer

In March 1943, 8,500 prominent Jews of Bulgariawere to be the first from that country to be deported to the death camp at Treblinka.Bulgaria was allied with Germany, and yet another Jewish community of Europe seemed destined for quick annihilation.

In th,:li same month, the Nazis successfully deported the 11,500Jews of Bulgarian-occupied Thrace and Macedonia. Moreover, antisemitism and persecutionwere not wholly absent during those years from the Bulrotrian landscape.

And yet, after waiting several hours at deportationcenters, the first targeted Bulgarian Jews were simply told to go home. Ultimately, despite Nazipressures, the entire 50,000-strong Jewish community of Bulgaria was spared the Holocaustthe only major Jewishcommunity of Nazi-occupied Europe to survive intact. Bulgaria, in some important respects,was an "unknown Denmark."

After the war, most Bulgarian Jews made theirway to Israel, all the while usually retaining a profound affection for their former Bulgarian compatriots,to whom most credit their survival.

Chicago-based Israeli filmmaker Jacky Comforty, himself bornin 1954 to Bulgarian Jewish parents, has long been determined to present thisstory on film. The sweeping changes in Eastern Europeat last made possible exhaustive, ground-breaking reseach in Bulgaria,as well as four months of filming in Bulgaria, Israel, and, also, Spain.A major grant by the Amado Foundation in 1993 has brought completion of this project tantalizingly close.

The survival of the Bulgarian Jews alsomeant the survival of their rich and distinctive Sephardic tradition. The tradition flourished for five hundredyears, and remains today a vibrant link to the highly developed Jewish culture of medieval Spain,once the dominant culture of the Jews.

Thus, the remarkable saga of Bulgarian Jewry providesnew insights int.) positive aspects of the Jewish experience in Europe, as well as into still unexplored dimensionsof the experience of the Holocaust. The Optimists (working title) will at last tell this remarkablestory, and will do so just in time, before those who lived it have passed away or completely assimilated into mainstreamIsraeli society.

For this production, Jacky and Lisa Comforty have entered intopartnership with Friends of Lc Chambon, a nonprofit charitable foundation, and its president, PierreSauvage. Friends of Le Chambon and Pierre Sauvage's feature documentary Weapons of the Spirit, whichdealt with another episode of rescue in wartime France, has been widely shown and acclaimed. Released theatrically in 1989,it received two prime-time nationwide broadcasts on P.B.S., which were followed by BillMoyers' interview of the filmmaker.

..1Q 6.9 sales****** 82 Weapons of the Spiriti Friends of L. awoke(I .1-14=1, 27. 1993 (4/30/92]) A TIME FOR RESCUE: VARIAN FRY AND THE EMERGENCYRESCUE COMMITTEE

a documentary film

a Friends of Le Chambon production Pierre Sauvage, executive producer

A Time for Rescue will Le the dramaticaccount of the astonishing true-life adventure ofan American hero in Nazi-occupied France. Hisname was Varian Fry, and he died alone and forgotten in 1967. Yet he was the American Raoul Wallenberg.

As soon as France fell to the Nazis, the 32 year-old Fryadapper intellectual, not Jewish, and withno preparation for the dangerous intrigue that lay aheadvolunteeredto take a month's leave from his editing job and go to France. His assignment: torescue Jewish and anti-Nazi artists, intellectuals and political refugees before the collaborationist Vichy regime turnedthem over to the Nazis.

The bustling port city of Marseillewas the last stop for those who still hoped to mcape Nazi Europe. Fry arrived there in August 1940 with $3,000taped to his leg and a long list ofnames of people needing help.

By the time he was arrested and kickedout of France a year laterwith the complicity of the U. S. State DepartmentFry and his dedicated "EmergencyRescue Committee" had savedsome 1,200 people, Fry personally smuggling several of themover borders to freedom. Among the rescued weremany of the artistic and intellectual luminaries of that time:artists and ,poet André Breton, sculptor Jacques Lipchitz, harpsichordist WandaLandowska, writers and , philosopher ...

Pierre Sauvage, through his Greenvalley Productions,has acquired the motion picture rightsto Mary Jayne Gold's memoir Crossroads Marseilles 1940),and is writing the screenplay for the motionpicture that will be based on it.

A Time for Rescue (working title) will bc thenecessary, parallel documentary record of this adventure. The story will be told without narration, making itcome alive through dramatic readings from the memoirs, the correspondance, and relevant official documentsand news reports, as well as through interviewswith key witnesses to the events. Prominentstars wil be cast for the readings.

Visually, the fihn will draw on the extensive Fry photographiccollection.Fry was an enthusiastic amateur photographer, and his original negatives are atpresent part of the archives of Friends of Le Chambon, the nonprofit charitable foundation which will beproducing this film, under Pierre Sauvage's supervision. The photographs are the primary basis for thenew U. S. Holocaust Memorial Museum's first temporary exhibit in 1993.

Friends of Le Chambon and Pierre Sauvage's feature documentaryWeapons of the Spirit, which dealt with another episode of rescue in wartime France, has beenwidely shown and acclaimed.Released theatrically in 1989,It received two prime-time nationwide broadcasts on P.B.S., whichwere followed by Bill Moyers' interview of the filmmaker.

********** Weapons of the Spirit Friends one assnthon 0.1-442rin 27. 1993 W30/92D 83

AND CR0 W1V THY GOOD: THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE OF THE HOLOCAUST

a feature documentary film by Pierre Sauvage a Friends of Le Chambon production

"The opposite of love is not hate; it is inthfference." Elie Wiesel

For a long time, we sal.1e didn't know. And of course, that was true. How could we have known? How could we have imagined the unimaginable?

We were genuinely shocked by those first newsreels of the liberation ofthe Nazi death camps. But we quickly filed away those horrible images and moved on.

After all, had this not happened there, been done by them? Here in Americaat least, had we not all been united in one great cause, on one great battlefield?

Only gradually has another truth begun to sink in: the Holocausthad in fact been the overriding moral battlefield of that time.

And that battle--to the extent that Americans recognized and fought itat allwas essentially lost on America's watch.

And we had known--the world had known--far more thanwe had let on.

Thus, it was not just them and there; it was alsous and here. It turns out that we were part of the story too--all of us. And the experience did not leaveus unscathed.

And Crown Thy Good will tell that story--just in time, beforemore key eyewitnesses have passed on.

Pierre Sauvage is an Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker anda European-born Jew much of whose family perished in the Holocaust.

The unusual circumstances of his own birth and survivalare told in his feature documentary Weapons of the Spirit, an award-winning, critically acclaimed account ofa Protestant mountain community in France that defied the Nazis and took in and saved 5,000 Jews.

8 84 Weapons of the Spirit'Priced' of Le Chamban (1.1Mrc1 27, 1993 [4/30/92D

The film, Friends of Le Chambon's first production,was released theatrically in 1989, and received two prime-time nationwide broadcastson P.B.S., which were followed by Bill Moyers' interview of the filmmaker.

Now living in America where hewas raised, the filmmaker brings to the project both the pain of the survivor and the hope of the immigrant.

Like Weapons of the Spirit, Awl Crown Thy Good willrely heavily on the selected testimony of eyewitnesses, combined vi.lh photographs,home movies, provocative newsreel footage, and .commentary. The result will be akin to an American Sorrow and thePio,.

In the late '30s, for instance, the Nazi military attachein Washington encouraged American fascists with the opinion that therewas ten times more anti- Jewish feeling in the U.S. than there had been in Germany before Hitler's riseto power.

The news from abroad became officialconfirmedby the State Departmentat the end of 1942: the Nazis were embarkedon a campaign to murder the Jews of Europe.

Many newspapers played the storyon their front pages. The readers of the St. Louis Post- Dispatch, for instance, saw the following headlinesat breakfast on November 25, 1942:

NAZIS ACCUSED OF PLAN TO KILL 4 MILLION JEWS

DR. WISE SAYS ORDER TO EXTERMINATE RACE HAS BEEN HALF FULFILLED.

(Rabbi Stephen S. Wise wasa prominent American Jewish leader.)

Yet by June 1944, according to one public opinion poll,Americans viewed Jews as a larger threat to the U.S. than the Nazisor the Japanese.

The question has not yet been addressedal film:Just how easily did the American ethos accomodate itself to antisemitic, isolationist andpi o-fascist sentiments?

In his nostalgic 1987 film, Radio Days, set in New Yorkduiing the Holocaust, director Woody Allen casually portrayeda Jewish family as seemingly indifferent to--or ignorant ofthe plight of their European brethren.In the Pulitzer Prize-winning hit play and motion picture Lost in Yonkers, set in New York in 1942 and 1943, playwright NeilSimon has done the same.

In both instances, not a single voicewas publicly mised to question these characterizations!

Do we really take it for granted that theresponses portrayed were typical or appropriate? What did American Jews know and do? Sb Weapons of the SpiritFriends of Le Chambon (1.1- -March 27, 1993 [43092))85

And what of the American churches and religious leaders?Did anybody rise to the challenge? Who were the Americans who cared, and whatcan we learn from them?

Rev. Howard Brooks, for instance, spent the summer of 1941 in Franceas a representative of the Unitarian Service Committee, administering medical services in the squalid internmentcamps set up by the collaborationist Vichy regime.

Upon his return he wrote a book, Prisoners of Hope: Reporton a Mission, which he published in 1942, and in which he says the following:

"It is a curious sensation to see children in a camp for the first time. There is something unreal about it,you find it hard to believe....Iftherewereanythingworsethanthis imprisonment of children, I thought while there, itwas the indifference of the world, the fact that the worldwas not revolted."

At the time those words were read by those who caredto buy or borrow that book, the United States was at last pitting its might against the Axis threat.

Yet till the end, the Nazi war against the Jewswas allowed to continue virtually unimpeded. The U.S. Government even declined to bomb the railway lines leadingto Auschwitz. America, from sea to shining sea, remained the great bystander.

A clear-eyed American historian, the son of Christians, surveyed thisperiod and titled his study The Abandonment of the Jews.

Does that experience not cry out for further, personalized exploration of theno man's land between knowing and not knowing, between perceiving the truth and actingupon it, between acknowledging the past and denying it?

Witnesses in the film will range from the celebratedto the obscure, each providing a complementary piece of the puzzle.Through their testimony and through vividly illustrated narration, the film will chart and reflect upon the American experienceat one of history's greatest and most tragic turning points.

Chronicling both the experience itself and the ways in whichwe have remembered it, And Crown Thy Good will constitute an important testimony for tc.,day anda crucial legacy for tomorrow.

**********

86 86 Weapons of the SpiritFriends of Le Mansholt (1.1Much 27. 1993 PV30/92)) YIDDISH: THE MAME-LOSHN (Yiddish: the Mother Tongue)

a documentary by Pierre Sauvage for KCET-TV,Los Angeles U.S.A., 1979, 58 Minutes, colorvideo,16mm (tape-to-film) English-language with some Yiddish, subtitled.

U.S. DISTRIBUTION: FOREIGN DISTRIBUTION: National Center for Jewish Film Greenvalley Productions Brandeis UniversityLown, 102 8033 Sunset Boulevard 4784 Waltham, MA 02254-9110 Los Angeles, CA 90046 Tel.: 617/899-7044 Fax 6171736-2070 Tel.: 213/650-8986 Fax 213/654-4689

Yiddish: The Mame-Loshn ("the mothertongue," pronounced "mama lushin") isan affectionate, Emmy Award- winning portrait of a unique and tenaciouslanguage and culture. Examining the importance of Yiddishto American Jews today, this first documentaryever made about the centuries-old language of the Jews evokes its riches through interviews, music, humor,poetry and film clips.It features interviews with comedian David Steinberg, the late actor Herschel Bernardi,writer Leo Rosten and many others, as well as rousing musical punctuation by the pioneer Id. zmer band TheKlemiorim. Shot in New York and Los Angeles for Los Angeles public television stationKCET-TV, Yiddish: the Mame- Loshn was written, produced, co-directed and reported by Pierre Sauvage. Althoughboth his parents had come from Yiddish-speaking homes, Sauvage himself was raised by them inNew York without Yiddish ina French- speaking home; he did not even learn he was Jewish till he was 18.This documentary was his firststep at exploring cultural roots which he'dnever known. Filmmaker Sauvage went on to make Weapons of the Spirit, the much acclaimed1989 feature documentary about Le Chambon. the Huguenotcommunity in France that becamea haven for 5,000 Jews during the Holocaust, including Sauvage arid hisparents.

Reviews and comments on Yiddish: theMame-Loshn have included the following:

"Yiddish lore and derivations, traditions andopinions have been admirablyasembled and shourased by Pierre Sauvage who, as interviewer, in hour docu produced, written keeping an admirably low profile, asks helpfulquestions." Daily Variety, July 3, 1979 'Anyone interested in the Jewish culture shouldn't miss this comprehensive documentaryon Yiddish, 'the mother tongue."What other language has long endured without a homeland?' Sauvage asks, and then effectively proceedsto evoke the pleasures of Yiddish through interviews, poetry, illustrations, clips from Y iddish films and the lively music of theKlezmorim. "Comedian David Steinberg, actor Herschel Bernardi, author Leo Rosten, editor of the DailyForward Simon Weber, Dr. Joshua Fishman of New York's Yeshiva University andYiddish scholar Dr. Saul Goodman from both personal and historical perspectives." arr among those elucidating the joys of Yiddish The Hollywood Reporter, July 5, 1979

"I love the program. We watched itat our home twice with delight. It is a gem." Newton N. Minow, [then] Chairman of the Board,P. B. S. "After having hosted the 71.4ht show and guested on numerous prime time network TV shows,I still have a tendency underestimate the power of the medium. But imagine to my pleasure in striking such a responsive note from people in allIstrIks of life Jewish and non-Jewish--for your documentary. Monthslater, I still hear about it daily with people remarking, more of this!"' 'Why can't there be David Steinberg

"I enjoyed your program on the Yiddish language more than I can tell you. It is colorful and dramatic.I am sure that most people know very little about Yiddish and this even includes many Jews. They think of it just as a jargon. Thisprogram should go far and wide. I am sure it will not only bea revelation, but a source of great pleasure to many, many people." [The late] Rabbi Edgar F. Magnin, Wilshire BoulevardTemple 8'i "lesarmescCe Cesyr-t" un filmde Pierre Sauvage

POURQUOI ET COMMENT UN COIN DE FRANCE SE TRANSFORMA EN HAVRE DE REFUGE POUR 5.000 JUIFS PENDANTL'OCCUPATION. PIERRE SAUVAGE, LUI-MEME NE ET PROTEGE AUCHAMBON-SUR-LIGNON (HAUTE-LOIRE), Y EST RETOURNE POUR SAVOIR POURQUOI. LE RECIT DOCUMENTE D'UNE SINGULIERECONSPIRATION POUR LEBILr,INml

Etats-Unis/France, 1989, 90 minutes, couleurs-35mm, 16mm, video Ventes television: Charles Schuerhoff, CS Associates: (19.1) 415.383.60.60 (fax: 19.1.415.383.25.20) Autres droits: Friends of Le Chambon Foundation (et Greenvalley Productions), ainsi que pour Weapons of the Spirit (version américaine, avec narrationet sous-titres en anglais), Weapons of the Spiritversion scolaire (video, 35 minutes) et Bill Moyers Interviews Filmmaker PiemSauvage (video, 25 minutes)

FRIENDS OF LE CHAMBON FOUNDATION Pierre Sauvage, President 8033 Sunset Boulevard, no. 784 Los Angeles, CA 90046, U.SA. Tel.: (19.1) 213.650.17.74 Fax: (19.1) 213.654.46.89 Internet: [email protected] Friends of Le Chambon Foundation est une fondation a but non lucratif incorporeeatuc Etats-Unis. Sa explorer et communiquer le souvenir de la shoah en integrant les necessaires kcons despoir.

Videocassettes en vente au Chambon-sur-Lignon: Librairies Fayet (71.59.76.91) et L'Eau Vive (71.65.85.50)

Invite a 20 festivals: tine quinzaine de prix internationaux dont prix du public et mention speciale du jury, Festival de Belfort prix du public, Festivaldocumentaire de Yamagata (Japon) prix de la critique cinématographique, Los Angeles prix documentaire Ia television, DuPont-Columbia University 9 semaines a l'affiche a Paris (10 000 entrées), sans publicité... 47 semaines a New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, Bostonsorties dansplus de cinquante villes américaines Deux diffusions nationales a la television americaine (1990, 1992, reseau P.B.S., 21h.a 23h., ycornprisunc interview de Pierre Sauvage par Bill Moyers.)

Télévision franca ise. Par derogationspeciale du C.N.C., la diffusion fut autorisee des 1992. Selon les critéres du C.S.A., le 1.'m constituc une oeuvre cinematographique d'expression originalefrancaise. A ce jour, lc film demeure inedit a la television francaise.

"SI VOUS VOULEZ APPRENDRE CF QUE PLUS D'IlOMMES ET DE FEMMESAURAIENT PU FAIRE POUR SAUVER LES JUIFS, REGARDEZ LE DOCUMENTAIR.E POIGNANT DE PIERRESAUVAGE SUPERBE!" Elie Wicsel. ternoin, ecrivain, prix Nobel de la paix

"JE FUS BOULEVERSE. COMMENT DONNER UNE IDEE DE LA FORCE DE CE FILMDANS SA SOBRIETE TOUTE SIMPLE. IL FAUT LE VOIR! C'EST UN GRAND SERVICE QUE L'ON PEUT RENDRE ALA FRANCE" l'abbe Pierre, Journal de 20h., TF1

"QUAND LA BARBARIE DOMINAIT L'EUROPE, IL Y EUT DES 'JUSTES' POUR DIRE NON.SAMUEL PISAR RAPPELLE ICI LE BEAU DOCUMENTAIRE "LES ARMES DE L'ESPRIT" ET LES TEMOIGNAGFSDE CES PAYSANS DU PLATEAU CEVENOL QUI SAIlltRENT 5 000 Rims AU PERIL DE LEUR VIE LA REPUBLIQUE LEUR REND HOMMAGE. CAR C'EST PAR DE TELS HOMMES, DETELLES FEMMES, QUE SES VALEURS FONDATRICES DE LIBERTE, DEGALITE, DE FRATERNIZE, SISOUVENT BAFOUEES, JAMAIS ACQUISFS, CONTINUERONT DE TRIOMPHER" Francois Mitterand, Président de la Republique, l'occasion dc la sortie dc "La lisle de Schindler" 88 "UN DEFI SUPERBEMENT RELEVE UNE TERRIFIANTEINTRODUCTION A UNE DISCUSSION SUR CE CHAPITRE VOILE DE L'HISTOIRE,LES FRANCAIS SOUS L'OCCUPATION." Jean Hatzfeld, Cahiers du Cinema "UN DOCUMENTAIRE BOULEVERSANT DE smimart,SANS EXCES NI EFFET. INDISPENSABLE" Lionel Pailles, L'Express "UN CHAPITRE FASCINANT DE L'HISTOIRE AINSIQU'UNE EPOPEE ON NE PEUT PLUS PERSONNELLE MERITE UNE DISTRIBUTIONINTERNATIONALE ACCESSIBLE A L'HUMANITE TOUTE ENTIERE" Variety (USA) "EXTRAORDINAME...PROFONDEMEIVT EMOUVANTET PERSPICACE" The Hollywood Reporter (USA) "UNE SOBRE LEON DE COURAGE ET DE DIGNITEPOUR TOUS" Ange-Dominique Bouzet, Liberation "BOULEVERSA: IT" Robert Chazal, France-Soir "PASSIONNANT" Emanuele Frois, Le Figaro "ETONNANTE EPOPEE DE IA DISCRETION,DU COEUR, ET DE L'INTELLIGENCE" Eric Leguebe, Le Parisien "UN MESSAGE D'ESPOIR ET UN GESTE DE GRATITUDE" Marie-Elisabeth Rouchy, Teen= "UN NOUVEAU CHAGRIN ET IA PITIE? UNE SUITEDE SHOAH? Catherine Delapree, Ltvénement du Jeudi "UN DOCUMENT HISTORIQUE IRREMPLACABLEIL ETAIT POSSIBLE D'AGIR" Christine Jaulmes, La Croix "EXCEPTIONNEL GRACE A CE FILM, JE SAIS UN PEUMIEUX MAINTENANT POURQUOI JE SUIS PROTESTANT." Arnaud Marsauche, Réforme "UNE HISTOIRE EXTRAORDINAIRE-ELEVE ENORMEMENTL'ESPRIT" Newsweek (USA) "LUMINEUX" Boston Globe (USA) "OLYMPIEN...STUPEFIANT" Philadelphia Inquirer (USA) "SUBLIME" Atlanta Constitution (USA) "J'Al VU LE FILM L'AUTRE SOIR, ET JE L'Al ADMIRE" Elia Kazan, rdalisateur "APRES 'NUIT ET BROUILLARD', %HOAR', 'LA PASSAGERE',IL Y AURA DESORMAIS J'AI ENVIE D'ECRIRE SURTOUT'LES ARMESDE L'ESPRIT'. CE FILM VAET DOITBOULEVERSER" Claude Miller, realisateur "IMAGES BOULEVERSANTES MINE FRANCE MECONNUE ET UNE AUTRE FACE DU CINEMAPAS IAMOINDRE" Jean-Louis Mingalon, "LE FILM ABORDE AVEC LUCIDITE UN EPISODETROP PEU CONNU DE NOTRE HISTOIRE JE NE DOUTE PAS CUE LA QUALITE ET LA FORCEDU SUJET SUSCITENT EGALEMENT L'INTERET D'UNE CHAINE DE TELEVISION." Jack Lang, alors Ministre de la Culture et de la Communication "AVEC `LA LISTE DE SCHINDLER', STEVEN SPIELBERG, DANS LE SILLAGE DE L'ffUVIRMONUMENTALEDE CIAUDE LANZMANN, 'MOM', ET DU DOCUMENTAIREPOIGNANT DE PIERRE SAUVAGE (MON COUSIN GERMAIN), 'LES ARMES DE L'ESPRIT', VISE LA CONSCIENCE DU PUBLIC LE PLUS IARGE L'EXEMPLEDE CES `JUSTES' LAISSE ESPERER QUE, DEVANT LE S .NUAGESNOIRS QUI S'AMONCELLENT DE NOUVEAU SURL'EUROPE, L'ESPRIT DE L'HOMME TRIOMPHERA DES DEMONS DE SON PASSE" Samuel Pisar, ternoin, avocat, ecrivain "UN CHEF-D'IrEUVRE PERSONNEL ET MODESTE QUI PEUT NEANMOINS ETRE COMPARE AUX PLUSGRANDES REUSSITES DU MONUMENTAL 'SHOAH' ET DU 'CHAGRIN ET LA PITIE'. LE FILM PEUT ETDOIT JOUER UN ROLE DANS NOTRE NECESSAIRE REFLEXION SUR LES MEILLEURES STRATEGIESA ADOPTER POURCOMBATTRE L'INTOLERANCE ET LES CRIMES QU'ELLE ENTRAINE" André Pierre Colombat, "The Holocaust in French Film" (ScarecrowPress, USA, 1993) 8`.) tn tn lifestyleOtarnatirAti 44606 MI fork cram* toga livid* amide *sop* Iwo-spring1991 vol. 19no. 111 97.00 Film

psychologically a defiant one- she had been strongly advised to secure a quiet environment withproper food and rest if the baby was to survive. At this time in France, Weapons Of foreign Jews were the primary targets of the Vichygovern- ment and were most likely to be handed over to the Nazis. Under thre circumstances, Sauvage'sparents rented a room in a farmhouse in Le Chambon, and on March 25, The Spirit 1944, Pierre Sauvage was born in the nearby hospital. rrhirty-eight years later, having become a filmmaker, 1 Pierre Sauvage returned to Le Chambon. Hewas to PIERRE SAUVAGE's documentary embark on what would be for him not onlya monumental seven-year undertaking to unravel his past, but also the portrays the heroism of a unique village beginning of bringing to the world's attention, through his community in France documentary, Weapons of the Spirit, the astonishingand single-minded mitpouring of goodness produced bya simple people in a quiet, unassuming, non-violent resis- By Connie Louise Katz tance to tyranny and oppression. For this 5,000-member community, over a period of four years, had taken in and sheltered 5,000 Jewish refugees from the Nazis. Tmagine a Hollywood motion picture filmingon location. They accomplished this without a single incident of be- .LThe scenic backdrop is the breathtaking, mountainous trayal, right under the noses of the Nazi and Vichygovern- countryside of an isolated farming community inFrance ment, despite German raids, starches and the very during the 1940s. The storyline features adventure, presence thrills, of convalescing soldiers within the town. The villagersdid suspense, despair, hope, romance, intrigue, danger and it without a thought of heroism or life-saving rescues. The characters include courage on their part, in heroes, the face of extreme danger to themselves, simplybecause heroines and villains. Sounds like all of the perfectin- it was part of their moral and religious convictions. gredients for a fabulous drama to unfold. Point offact is The challenge to Sauvaste was to that this is no fictional format, but rather preserve end convey a true, life-and- their simplicity Judging from themany awards and the death scenario in which the fate of thousands hung in the extraordinary rave reviews the film has received duringits threads of circumstance and in the hearts and minds of a theatrical release and most recently, urn its televisionpre- village community and their "conspiracy of goodness." mieres as a prime-time national specialon PBS, Sauvage Few things in life are as fascinatingas the turn of events has triumphantly succeeded. The tnterview that shape the course of our lives, of Sauvage by or make our lives Sill Moyers that followed the PBSbroadcast of the film possible at all. Such was the chain ofevents leading up to also brought wide attention to what only select audiences and surrounding the birth of Pierre Sauvage. had known be?ore: that he is a stimulating, thoughtfuland In 1940, that country fell to the Nazis. Thecountry was articulatepealcen None of this came naturally. divided: northern France was a Nazi-occupiedzone; the Some time after the close o f World War II, Sauvage, who southern half was administered, under Nazicontrol, by was then four years old, arrived with his parents in New Marshal Petain. Petain, urging collaboration with the York. His father became a foreign correspondentand Nazis, established his capital at Vichy. In November,1942, author, and Sauvsge attended the French Lycée school, the German army occupied southern Franceas well as becoming bilingual and bicultural. leaving the convenient Vichy regime in'place. His parents put their past behind them to theextent of A hundred miles from Vichy, nestled in the isolated, not even allowing him to know that he was Jewish. "How- mountainous countryside of south-central France, was the ever, even though I didn't know I was Jewish when Iwas farming village of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon. The people of growing up, most of my close friendswere Jewish. In fact, Le Chambon were mostly Protestant fundamentalists. most of them were connected to the Holocaust insome They traced their ancestry to 16th century Huguenots. way. That's always been to me a confirmation ofsome- The simple farming village had, in quieter times, wel- thing I tend to believe more andmore: the extent to whieh comed visitors from neighboring cities, whocame to enjoy things can be passed on from generationto generation the beauty, serenity and mountain air of this peaceful without being explicitly identified or labeled. haven. But when the Vichy police began rounding up and "I had special upport with and among those Jewswho imprisoning Jews, other visitors, many of them seeming to had European and Holocaust connections. It didn'trequire be quite desperate, began streaming into the village. that I be identified as to what I was," heuys. "Years later, Thus, in the fall of 1943, the parents of Pierre Sauvage when I was a producer at Los Angeles Public Television made their way from.Marseilles and Nice to Le Chambon. Station KCET, I did an hour-long documentaryspecial on Barbara Sauvage, a Polish Jew, had met Leo Sauvage,a Yiddish -Yiddish: the Afame-Loshn.It was quite success- French Jew, in Paris' Latin Quarter in the thirties. Pregnant ful; it won an Emmy. Yet, I was broughtup with no Yiddish with their first child- medically a problem pregnancy and BEST COPYAVAILABLE

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Pierre Sauvage in front of the railway station at Le Chambon- the same railway station that served as the wartime stepping-off point for so many Jews, including his parents. This photowas taken during his recent return to the village for the local premiere of his film, Weapons of the Spirit.

whatsoever. Obviously, since my parentswere hiding that ly regarded, but it soon became clear that I was muchmore they were Jewish, they weren't talking Yiddish,even interested in making my own films than in learningevery- though my mother could have spoken Yiddish fluently. thing I could about somebody else's. At KCET,Idida wide Indeed, my father, it turns out, also spoke Yiddish. Yet range of documentaries, but the very first show I produced prominent Yiddishits have seen the documentary and have there was a studio show called Reflectionson the not found fault with it. I'm very interested in the way things Holocaust; it brought together several generations ofJews get passed on," he continues. grappling with their attitudes towards the Holocaust." At the age of 18, Sauvage prepared to study in Parisat Tt was in Los Angeles that Sauvage started hisown the Sorbonne. It was only then that his parents told him of "family. "We met in Paris in 1968, althoughwe really his Jewish heritage. As a result of the Holocaust, Sauvage's didn't hook up seriously until I came to Los Angeles in mother had lost her mother, a younger brother, her sister, 1971. She has been an extremely important influence in her brother-in-law and a niece. Those who survivedwere my life. She is very lewishly rooted, secure and com- primarily those able to escape Europe. mitted." A teacher when they were married, Barbara M. "One uncle of mine- a brother of hers - had gone to Rubin became a lawyer, then a television business affairs Australia. Another brother had gone to Paris and thento executive. She was co-producer of Weapons of the Spirit. Australia, and is still alive and lives in Israel," Sauvage Although he had returned to Le Chambon with his says. The only member of his mother's family who sur- parents at 16, the impact and information Sauvage was vived the death camps was his mother's nephew. Itwas later to understand did not come to full fruition untilsome with this cousin that Sauvage stayed in Paris, shortly after time after his son, David, now 10,was born. Sauvage learning of his background. stresses that positive examples are most valuable in teach- In Paris, Sauvage neglected his literature and legal ing children about the world they will have to live in. studies and became a film buff. While working at the "If we are to expect our kids to approach the world of French Cinematheque, he organized a tribute to the Holocaust, they have to have somethingto hold on to. producer/director Otto Preminget. Preminger offered him They will not approach it if they sense it's goingto under- a job working for him in New York. The film busitiess later mine their ability to function in the world. They needto brought him to Los Angeles. have something solid and positive. Yes, the worldwas bad, "A friend of mine was putting together a bookon but it needn't be like that, and therewere people who American film directors and asked me to work on it with demonstrated that even then. To ne, this is the essential him. The book, American Directors, appeared and is high- 91

BEST COPY AVAILABLE Lifestyles29 Film

part of it. issue of whether you turn people away,".Sauvage says. "For my own son, David, there was the additional On the question of how the villagers were able to hold dimension that I was working out my own feelings about steadfastly to their beliefs in the face of certain adversity all of this - the extent to which I was burdened by this and possible death, Sauvage sees it as a matter of personal unacknowledged history. I wanted to come to grips with strength on their part. "They had a very strong sense of what I believed in order to be a better father." personal identity, of who they were; in a sense they didn't In undertaking the task of developing and researching even know how to budge from that sense of identity. To materidl for his proposed documentary, Weapons of the have acted any other way would have been to be untrue to Spirit, Sauvage encountered several resistances. His themselves. They understood what was at stake: not only parents did not want him to dredge up old, painful what might happen to the other, but also their own con- memories which they had so carefully chosen to bury; the tinued sense of appropriate self-esteem. I think that's the people of Le Chambon, on whom he depended for infor- reason that what they did appears to them now to have been mation and support, were concerned that they might be so natural and effortless, and why they don't understand perceived as being boastful about deeds that had come that anybody else.could make a big deal about it," he says. naturally to them. They simply felt they had acted in the "I'm not really interested in heroism as people define it, only way that made sense to them. As and don't even believe in it par- one elderly village woman describes ticularly. What is striking is how the experience in Sauvage's film, "It 4 04 A.If easily people can gravitate towards happened so naturally, we can't un- doing the right thing in very chal- derstand the fuss. It happened quite lenging and difficult situations, and simply. I helped because they needed how much we can learn from them," to be helped...what happened had a he points out. lot to do with people still believing in It was partly in order to explore something. The Bible says to feed the and teach what he increasingly saw hungry, to visit the sick. It's a normal as the universal lessons of Le Cham- thing to do." Another villager echoes bon that Sauvage in 1983 founded this belief: "We never asked for ex- Friends of Le Chambon, a non- planations. Nobody asked anything." pro fit charitable foundation. The people of Le Chambon took During his return to Le Chambon, Sauvage "Friends of Le Chambon was started literally the Christian edict to "love posed with two of the leading subjects of hisinitially with two purposes. One thy neighbor," to have respect for award-winning documentary, Marie Brottes was, of course, to perpetuate the fellow "people of the book, the Jews and Henri Heritier. Later that day, they both received the Medal of Righteousness from memory of what occurred in Le of the Old Testament." They were the Israeli Ambassador of France. Chambon, notably by making this themselves (historically speaking) film. But the broader purpose has subject to deportation and imprison- always been to explore and com- ment during the Huguenot persecution of the 16th century. municate what I've called the necessary lessons of hope In taking in the Jews,hiding them within their homes and beneath the unavoidable lessons of the spirit," he explains. providing for their escape when possible, Sauvage sees Instrumental in the birth of the documentary was Michel their actions as the result of the power of collective memory. Roux, the extraordinary French-born marketing genius, "They had to improvise. They had no plan, they had no who was the architect of the tremendous success of Ab- experience except the experience of their ancestors. There solut Vodka and a collection of other products in the United again, identity. All of this was in some way familiar to States. Ironically, Weapons of the Spirit found backing by them." spirits of another kind - through the generosity of Roux The title of the film comes from a wartime sermon given and his Grand Marnier Foundation. 1. to the people of Le Charnbon by their church pastor, auvage is at present pursuing mainstream motion pic- Andre Trocmé, in which he said, "The duty of Christians ture and television projects, but the period of the war is to resist the violence that will be brought to bear on their years remains a subject of endless fascination to him, consciences through the weapons of the spirit." despite the commercial limitations of many of the stories Sauvage is convinced that it was a combination of to which he is attracted. "There are projects that simply factors which led to the amazing result of the Jews' sur- cannot be developed commercially, which will not exist vival. "What were some of the components that allowed without support from individuals, foundations or organiza- them to do that? I think the film tries to suggest a web of tions. And this is particularly true because support for elements; certainly religion played a very important role, Jewish media projects in general is abysmal. as well as psychology and self-esteem. They had inspired "Making Weapons of the Spirit was a monumental leadership...." There was "the happenstance of geography, fundraising ordeal. I hope that my supporters will get in that they were in a fairly isolated place...and that there gratification from their association with the film. But it's was a sort of positive uniformity. Obviously there was a not readily obvious to philanthropists that there can be as wide range of opinions on a lot of things, but not on the cr

BEST COPY AVAILABLE 30Lifestyles 92 Film

much lasting gratification from having your name on the Higham's 1985 study, American Swastika, which credits of an important film documentary outlines as there can be the extent of pro-Nazi sentiment and collaboration from having it on a building," he points in the out. U.S. before and after Pearl Harbor. And Crown Through Friends of Le Chambon, Sauvage is Thy Good in the .is Sauvage's working title for his plannedexploration of process of developing several documentary projects, the American experience of the Holocaust, whose existence will depend "on the a project he kindness of views as probably the most difficult andsensitive he will strangers?' One of these films, already inproduction, is ever undertake - and a huge fundraising challenge. about the survival of the Jews in Bulgaria. "All the Jews But given his determined focuson the Holocaust, is he of Bulgaria survived, even though Bulgariawas allied with not afraid of beingtypecast? He displays the Nazis. It is an amazing and unfamiliar no such concern. story. You might "I have interests m other projects. Ieven hope to do a say, that in some respects, Bulgaria was 'theunknown comedy one day. But quite frankly, if Denmark." somebody were to .tell me that they were going to fundme for the rest of My Another important dimension of thestory, Sauvage life, comfortably, and that the onlyrestriction was that I says, is that the Bulgarian Jewish communitywas Sephar- continue to explore aspects of those timesin project after dic. If all goes well, the release of The Lifeand Times of project using my particular slant, I wouldwelcome such the Bulgarian Jews, on which Sauvageserves as executive an opportunity. It's the period that shapedme, and it was producer (Jacky and Lisa Comfort)/are producing), will one of' the greatest laboratories of humannature that one be tied in with the commemoration of the500th anniver- could imagine," he says. sary of the expulsion of' the Jews from Spain. "Director "Things are seldom on that scale interms of good and Jacky Comforty himself is theson of Bulgarian Jews, and evil and all the gradations. In addition,I have a great sense he is as determined to tell this storyas I was to tell mine," Sauvage says. of urgency; Weapons of the Spirit barelycould be made today, because many of the key witnesseshave died since A second documentary projecton Sauvage's horizonwill tell I made it. This is really quitea striking fact when you think the story ofAmericans who were involved inrescue operations about it: It is only within the next fiveor 10 years that one in the French port city of Marseilles in1940-41. will be able to make documentaryprojects dealing with The key figure in this undertakingwas a scholarly that period and involving the substantial intellectual named Varian Fry. "Fry will input and tes- inevitably become timony of eyewitnesses. How canone not feel a sense of known as the American Raoul Wallenberg,"says Sauvage. "He went off to Marseilles for urgency, a need to document this unbelievable_period for a few weeks to do what he my children and for theirs?" could, and ended up spendinga year, having helped over Tn association with Maryland businessmanHal Kass, 1,200 people to get out, includingmany of the most 1.Friends of Le Charnbon, through prominent Jewish and anti-Nazi intellectuals a unit called Friends of of the time. the Righteous, is also doing its share "For them, as the net tightened, Marseilles to assume a sense of was the last responsibility toward the aging, sometimes stop. It was from Marseilles that you hoped needy to get out, to righteous gentiles, of the Holocaust. get to Spain, Portugal or North Africa. Fry and "Our key rule- and his group, this is pretty unusual in the non-profitworld - is that 100 which called itself the "Emergency RescueCommittee," per cent of all contributions specifically earmarked ended up saving people like Marc for Chagall, Max Ernst, 1.riends of the Righteous willgo to needy individual res- Jacques Lipchitz, Wanda Landowska andHannah Arendt cuers. Not 99 per cent, but 100 per cent. Any financial the list just goes on and on," Sauvagesays. FEEdifor administration andso on will be so identified and "What a man like Fry underscores," hecontinues, "is will be taken care of separately," what it was possible for people Sauvage explains. to do, what it was possible Together with his wife Barbara, for people to know. When he son David and three- got kicked out of Marseilles year-old daughter, Rebecca, Sauvage and came back to the U.S., he spent the directs his many rest of the war years projects from his office, nestled ina quiet area of the writing articles, issuing photographs, tryingto stir up Hollywood Hills, in Los Angeles, California. concern in America for what was occurring in Europe. He has made many journeys, traveled "I have an article he published in December of many roads, both 1942 in the physical and psychological. He willingly New Republic, a front page article with big discloses that black bold letters religiously, he is a person in flux. "I'mnot really sure on the cover: "The Massacre of the Jews" by Varian Fiy." where I'm going to end up," he "I've come to feel very, very strongly that in admits. "I still would not America define myself as a religiousperson. But I know that I am we're going to have tocome to some understanding of what no longer an anti-religious person. I believe thatreligion we knew, what we did about it, and whatwe failed to do raises important issues and deals with about it. A bystander is also part ofthe crime. The adult concerns." Holocaust Sauvage has, in many ways,come to terms not only with occurred on America's watch. The American-Jewishfailure his past, but also with his future. is certainly part of the story, but it hasto be put into context. Ameria, at that time, was a vastly differentcountry from For information about Weapons of theSpirit. Friends ofLe what the wartime patriotic hoopla has leadus to remember Charnbon or Friends of the Righteous, or imagine." (In this connection, Sauvage has obtained the please contact Friends ofLe Chambon, 8033 Sunset Blvd,#784,Los Angeles, Califor- motion picture rights to best-selling authorCharles nia, 90046 or phone (21 3) 650-1774.

BEST COPY AVAILABLE Lifestyles31 A SSOCA A176 D fREss mAya9,190 AVighteous Gentiles' An issue Splits Holocaust Panel New Vork TUEMAY 2 91984 Survivors of the Nazi Holocaust disagreed yesterday on whether "righteous gentiles"who helped Jews during World War IIdeserve spe- cial recognition for their good deeds. Pierre Sauvage, one of a panel of five whOexperi- encetrfirliotorete as children andsurvived, told how he, his family and 5000 other Jewswere saved by the 5000 residents of the French mountainvillage of Le Chanclon. The panel discussion was part of theactivities .on the second day of the Conference ofChildren of Holo- caust Survivors, which has drawn 1700participants to New York. Sauvage, a Los Angeles documentaryfilmmaker, said it is important:to publicizethe acts of gentiles who helped Jews to give the Holocaust"a meaningful moral perspective" and not concentrate totallyand bitterly on gloom and evil. Christians should know about the good deeds"as an example, so they will kno.- howto behave in the fu- ture," he said. ; Sauvage, who has made a film aboutLe Chandon, said even the local Germanarmy commander was caught up in the "conspiracy of goodness"created by. Ahe devout Protestant villagers. Wounded German soldiers convalesCedin a village'. hotel and noticed "that the townwas full of Jews." After the war, Sauvage said, he learned thecommander knew, about the Jews in Le Chandon but did nothingabout it.' Tova Friedman, an Israeli social worier Whosur-. vived the death camp at Auschwitz,said of the Chris-, tians who helped, "OK, so therewere a few.". . "I3ut why are we so surprised thatthere were a few good people on this Earth? Wherewere all the rest?" she asked. Telling of her life as a 8-year-old whothought going to the crematoriums was the fate ofeveryone and there- fore had no fear of them, she said,"I had no positive experiences." She spoke with vehemence against"giving medals to people who only did what they should."

Holocaust historian and novelist Elle,Wieselwas the keynote speaker at yesterday's opening Cession.He told the "second-generation" participants theyare "guard- ians of the tale" of the Holocaust and shouldnot let it be trivialized into "silly, stupid, cheappictures on televi- " BEST COPYAVAIIABig". Amciimi Pr ma!' 9 ti FLC# 154

INTER.NATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE. SATURDAY-SUNDAY.OCTOBER 13-14. 1990 A Village'sConspiracyin By Barry James Mumma& &NM low, ntspecting their wishes not to be made into D ARIS Yad Vashein. the Holocaust heroes. As a result it is low-key and mutely 1.Martyrs and Hems' Remembrance without special effects, but nooetheleu Authonty in Jerusnem. this weekendwill moms for that. award an entire French village theprize it Although many of the Jews paid for nnmally ewes to individuals whoput their room and board lives. on the line vs the villagers were poor save Jews during the and needed the money Sauvage savi he Nan persecuuon. had come gams no cases of ankitation. While the French Vichygovernment "Even when Jews did not have money, they willingly coopented with the Nazisin was taken M." rounding up and deporting 80.000 Jewsto Although the pmple of Le Chambon concentrauon camps, the people of the rose spontaneously to the occasion, they farnung village of Le Charobon-sur-Lit were also inspired by a remarkable pastor. non saved 5.00 Jews who beard about the Andre Troia= The title of the movie place by word of mouth and arrived from comes Was ooe c4 his sermons, in which he all over France. They were hidden under said that "the duty of Chnstians isto resist the noses of the Nazis in homes intbe the siolmce that will be brought to bear village southtvest of Lyon in a "conspiracy cc . their consciences. througb theweapons of of goodness." as one refugee descrioedit,'477' the spirit." The message of nonviolence that was kept & tig,13t =et throughoutthe .. war. - ' was one that Trccme stressed spin and %.141124.4., apin. yet it was one "that fell oa fertile Pierre Salivate. who was born of Jewish . . Viewsoil." among people who took seriouslythe parents in Le (lamb= in 1944. has told ..,::74r-; !Seecommand to love their neighbor. Sauvage the story of the rescue ina restrained yet r. said. powerful movie called "Les=CI de res- For Savage, the movie was alsoa per- prit" ("The Weapons of the Spirit").which si10MmIT.4.; came out in the United Stara last year but sonal voyage of discovety. After thewar, his father went to the United States where has not bom shown in France bdorethis week. It opened at a movie house in he became the New York correspcadent Paris for the Paris newspsper La Fnaro. end was given a special showmgat the 4,11 French Senate. ark, : Until he was IL Sauvase wasunaware of Sauvage. a journalist and documentary "..s. his Jewish heritage. He attendedthe filmmaker who works for the Public French Lynn in New York, later livedfor Filmmaker Pierre Sewage eplorts Broadcasting Service in the Untied Sates. the question of wily the people inone Frenchseveral years in France and considers him- said in an interview here that hismostvillage risked their lives to hide Jevisfrom the Nazis. self biculturally Franco-Americanas well demanding and important audience will he as bilingual. the people of Le Chambon. where the "I would not define myself mow"there were a number of ordinarypeople as religious. ic will be screened this weekend. Some collective memory. I suppose that in onebut I am not anti-relieious either," he said. ofwho did feel responsible. which raisesthesecomer of their mind they remembered the Jews wbo survived thanks to thecourquestions: Haw come the people in this "I believe that religion raisesvery impor- age of the villagers will be at the award what they had to do. It came nsturally.tant and adult questions and can be village realized what was at stake? HowPerhaps their ancestors had hidden people a ceremony. come they rote to the occasion when others potent force for good." The story of Le Chambon is at fun sightdid not?" before. They did not imellectualize the "Weapons of the Spirit." raises the in- an antidote to the bleak record of Vichy problem. It was a gut reaction." One answer, he said. is the% most of the uiguing possibility that Le Cliebon's France. But Sauvage said guteven if the A crucial lesson to be learned from Leconspiracy may have spread further sheik, people of Le Chambon were Huguenots.orammbon. Sauvage aid, is that "contrary movie does not relentlessly hit peopleover Savage beliera that the local policepre- the head with guilt feelinis, it isan indict-Calvinist Protestants. with their own col-to what novelists and dnmansts say, goodfect. Robert Bach. a Protamat. lecuve memory of persecuuon. theirawe of must have ment nonetheiess. people don't asonizs. Quite thecontrary.ban aware of what was goingon. But "The villagers in themselves are the Bible and their respect for fellow "peo-The people of Le Chambon did the an ample- of the book." the Jews of the Old obviouscould the German Weiumacht officialin sauon." he said. "because the aistence of thing that came to then =nclz. charge of the Haute-Loire district. Julius these peopie underlines the fact that TeStAITICIlt. "People could not heip but see Sauvage said that. when he Itr..t. stated It wasparallels between the Jews and their Sdtmahling, also have been Inon the plot? possible for a community to cierromething ances-making the movie in the early l 980s.manySome Jews have objectedto the movie to save the Jews and set away with it:'tors. who were persecuted and dcponed toof the elderly people he interviewed,sever-because it asks this quesuon. serve us the galleys." Sauvage said. All told. He said the anon of Le Charnbott al of whom have unce died, were reluctant "Weapons of the Sprit" played one Jew was saved for every tnhabnant of to talk bemuse "they was terrified of be- sumess- touches on fundamental questions of good fully in the United States, andwon several and evil. Clearly most people were not evilthe village. Thanks to a master forgering turned tato symbols, they were legiti- called Oskar Rosowsky. who now awsrds including the Prm du Publicat the like Hitler and his immediate accomplices. pracucesmately coocerned 'hat they would be madeBelton film (anal in 1988. Yet Most Frenchmen under the Vichy mimeas a doctor in a suburb of Parts. toe refu-unrecognizable to themselves. French gees were provided with new idenuues and distributors repeatedly told Sauvage there wen indifferent. they did not want to get. "They minimized what they did.Thiswas no market for the film in FIATICe. documents. Some were spirited to uiety anwas not modesty; they simply did not be- involved, they turned a blind eye to the mthout eVer saying exactly why. Hehopes creeping moral inf anon descnbed by Al-Switzerland. but most of the Jews re-heve it was a big deal. They felt theirdutyto prove them was& ben C31111/5 in "La Pate." lus allegoncalmauled in the village. was dear." "The Belton prize suggests thatthe novel about the occupation. Camus bepn Had history, then. taught the people of Sauvage. a fluent French speaker, saidFrench may te more willing people seem to have taken him into char to deal with the book while living in a pension ia LaLa Chambon bow to conspire? these issues that ustellectualsor officials tn Chambon. confidence because he had been bornin lePans claim" he sad. "Perhaps "On the other hand," said Sauvase. "That's probably true." Sauvage said. "1Chambon. In return, he tnedto keep his ordusaty have come to beneve us theriotencs of peopie understand what peomein hap film as =pie as the villagers themselves.places still squirm scout:

BEST COPY AVAIIABLE MONDAY, OCTOBER IS, 1990 LtiS AWGELES TIMES FL,C# 155 Jews Thank the French Town That Saved Them

By RONE TEMPEST TIMES STAFF WRITER

r HAMBON-SUR-L1GNON, FranceThe peopleof this hard- ke scrabble hill town in the French Massif Central Rangenever thought of themselves as heroes. They didn't think twice when several thousand terrifiedJews came here seeking shelter during World War II and Nazi Germanys occupation of France. The townspeoplewere Mostly Protestant Christians whose ancestors suffered centuries of persecution in Roman Catholic France. When the Jews asked for refuge, Chambon-sur-Lignon gave it. By the end of the war, the little Huguenot farming village in the Haute Loire region of Frince had protected 5.000 Jewaone for every man, woman and child in the town. On Sunday, the aging population of this remarkabletown was acclaimed for those acts of courage and integrity 50 yearsago. In an emotional afternoon, they saw for the first limean American documentary film, "Weapons of the Spirit," by Los Angeles filmmaker Pierre Sauvage, dedicated to the town. And the Israeli ambassador to France, Ovadia Sofer, awarded them Yad Vaahem medals of "righteousness" for theircourage. On hand for the ceremonies were several dozen of thewartime Jewish refugees and the handful of people who saved themwho are still living. The survivors found themselves overcome by affectionmixed with a feeling that they had never properly acknowledgedthe people of the town. "We had no idea of the terrible things thatwere going on outside Chambon," remembered one of the survivors, JackLewin of Woodmere, N.Y. "These people protectedus from the horror. I will never forget what they did." Lewin, 65, is an American Jew who was born in Germanyand found refuge in the town for two years before escapingto Switzerland. The ceremonies Sunday marked the secondtime in four years that the retired chef has traveled here topsonally thank the people of Chambon. . Half a century ago, when German soldiers and French collaborators came to Chambon-sur-Lignon hunting Jews, the townspeople refused to Cooperate. Several villagers, including Daniel Trocme, nephew of the town pastor, paid the price ofthelr silence by being sent off to Nazi death camps. "My brother only did what he considered his duty," saidRobert Trocme of his sibling, who was exterminated in the Nazideath camp at Maidanek, Poland. in 1944 for sheltering Jewish children. "He was willing to give his life to help reconstruct the future." The bravery of the people of Chambon and of the peasants in the surrounding countryside stood in stark contrast to the dismal record in much of the rest of France,. where more than 75.000Jews were rounded up and sent to Germany for extermination, often with the cooperation of the French people. At Sunday's ceremony, the townspeople found themselvesa little embarrassed and wondering what it was all about. The town's young Protestant pastor, for one, is concerned that all the attention will cause the town to lose the humility and spirit of righteousness that led to its courageous wartime acts. "I think thcse ceremonies are very dangerous," he said, standing outside the small stone. Protestant reform church with the words "Love One Another" painted over the door. "We risk breaking the spirit of what we did here. I am afraid we will become too proud of ourselves and lose our ability to react to what happens in the world." Later in the day, the pipe-smoking pastor used the occasion of the medal awards ceremony to criticize the killing of Palestinian protesters by Israeli police, demonstrating the tradition of religioue leaders in the town to speak out loudly and boldly,no matter who la listening. One of his predecessors in the pulpit, pacifist Pastor Andre Trocme. had been credited with leading the Chambon-area effort to resist the Germans and protect Jews. Trocme, uncle of death camp victim Daniel, was the main character in the 1979 book "Lest Innocent Blood be Shed," by American philosopher and historian Phillip Hanle. The book was the first to celebrate the courage of the region. Probably the most satisfied with the events here 'Sunday was independent filmmaker Sauvage, who spent seven years inter- viewing townspeople to make the film. Sauvage, 46, was born in Charnbon-sur-Lignon in 1944. If it had nut been for the townspeople whohid his parents, he might not be BEST COPYAVAILABLE alive. The doctor who delivered him, Roger Forester,was arrested and killed by the Nazis. 9.6 SCENE las, a Paris engineer who spent three years in Chambon. "Ours is a culture that never Le Chambon-sur-Lignon, France forgets. But the horror of the war bad to be digested before we could return to our memories." In the auditorium of the village hall, a group of historians, many of them too Markinga young to remember the Occupation, dis- cussed exactly hrwi many Jews were saved at Chambon. They also debated the sug- Blessed Conspiracy gestion in the documentary that a German officer in the arca may have known of the quiet resistance of the Protestant villagers Almost all the local people were involved in saving 3,500 Jews during and tolerated it. World War II, and no one said a word. They still don't like to. At the center of the celebration was the Cévenol School, which was built in 1938 to By ALEXANDRA TUTTLE gives to individuals who accommodate 14 local children. Its student risked their lives to save Jews from Nazibody soon expanded, however, with the ar- here was a time when Christian depersecution. The commemoration was alsorival of 220 Jewish refugees fleeing from the TI Monbrison would break up his choco-marked by the showing of a just-completedinternment camps to the south. The chil- late into small squares and store it indocumentary, Weapons of the Spirit, which dren, lilce their parents and other adults, matchboxes. As a youth in Occupiedtells the story of waat filmmaker Pierrewere welcomed without hesitation. They France during World War II, he was keep-Sauvage calls Chambon's "conspiracy ofwere housed on farms or in hotels and were ing the candy for the day when he would begoodness." Sauvage, 46, was born inhidden in the countryside whenever the taken to prisonas, sooner or later, mostCharnbon and as an infant was shelteredGermans came through. "As soon as the Jews were. But Monbrison was fortunate:there, along with his parents, from Nazisoldiers left, we would go into the forest and he spent the whole war inLeChambon-persecution. "The resistance of the villag-sing a song," remembers August Bohny, 71, sur-lignon, protected by the 3,000 resi-ers showed just how strong people can be,"who ran a boardinghouse for Jewish stu- dents of the avenne mountain village,he said during the ceremonies, "when theydents. "When they heard that song, the Jews knew it was safe to come home." Whenever possible, the refugees were sent via a well-organized underground network to safety in Switzerland or Spain. In an ecumenical service held just be- fore the awards ceremony, the local pastor, Alain Arnoux, watched Jews and Protes- tants file out of his church. "They have been resisting injustice for centuries," he said of the Huguenot tradition of his pa- rishioners. "Resistance to Nazi and Vichy *oh authority came quite naturally to these people. They never agonized over it." In writing about Nazi war crimes, Han- Marie Brones in 1942: with Sauvage and Hinder today nah Arendt remarked upon the banality of evil. The people of Chambon are a remind- "Resistance to Nazi and Vichy er that goodness, as well, can be quite ordi- authority came quite naturally to nary, if not exactly banal. They reacted to these people. They never agonized the situation so instinctively that, in the words of one old farmer, "we don't know over it." what all the fuss is about." After the show- ing of the documentary, the Chambonnais filed quietly out of the auditorium, while which lies 140 km to the south of Vichy,knov v.ho they are and believe in theirthe former refugees stopped to talk to Sau- and the surrounding plateau. tradit ions." vage. At the Yad Vashem ceremony, Ma- There is nothing in the closed faces of On street corners, at cafés and in therie Brottes, who had scouted the area for the villagers today to suggest the hamlet'schurchyard after the Sunday service, sur-pedple willing to provide sanctuary, and extraordinary heroism almost a half-century prises turned up in the crowd of faces that Henri Héritier, who had sheltered Sau- ago. Inspired and organized by a Calvinisthad softened and filled out with age. Re-vage's parents and others on his farm, pastor named André Trocme, the residentscalled Monbrison: "I eventually gave mywalked reluctantly onto the podium to re- of the area saved thc lives of some 3,500chocolate to a classmate as he was beingceive their medals. Ely Ben-Gal, a histori- Jews during the war. Mordecai Paldiel of led away following a Gestapo raid on thean with the Diaspora Museum in Tel Aviv, Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Martyrs' and village in 1943. I thought he had died long apologized to the townspeople for "the vi- Heroes' Remembrance Authority in Jeru-ago. But I ran into him today, near theolence we do in forcing such recognition salem, says the village was unique in that school where we first met." A number ofupon you." "almost all the people of the plateau were thc refugees were returning for the first As if in reply, an old villager explained involved in saving these Jews, and no onetime; others had been back before to seeto a visitor, "We didn't protect the Jews be- said a word." those who had sheltered them. "Many of cause we were moral or heroic people. We In mid-October a delegation from Isra-these people must have thought we flewhelped them because it was the human el arrived in Chambon to award 40 villag- away like birds from a tree and forgot thething to do." Then, characteristically, he ers the Medal of Righteousness, whichwelcome we found here," said Joseph At- declined to give his name. , BEST COPY AVAILABLE TIME. NOVEMBER 5, 1990y47T CO-NATION AL.) 9 DUPONT-COLUMBIA AWARDS IN BROADCAST JOURNALISM, P.B.S., JANUARY 30, 1992

SILVER BATON, INDEPENDENT PRODUCTIONS, AWARDED TO WEAPONS OF THE SPIRIT

Introduction by Betty Rollin. NBC News:

In contrast to The Civil War, which almost every one seems to haveseen, at least in part, our other award in the independent category goes to a 90-minute documentary youmay indeed have missed.

It too is historical, about a small town in southern France called Le Chambon. There, during World War II, the descendants of French Huguenots hid 5,000 Jews during the Holocaust. Onewas a newborn baby who returned years later to document their courage. Tonight he winsan Alfred I. DuPont-Columbia Award for Weapons of the Spirit. [Excerpts from Weapons of the Spirit.]

Full text of acceptance speech by Pierre Sauvage. which he edited down during the broadcast because oftime pressures:

That era of industrialized mass murder, in whose inescapable shadowwe live, was alsowas perhaps especiallythe era of the apathetic bystander. The Holocaust occurred wherever people allowed itto occur.

We here in the United States too have yet to face the inadequacy ofour own response to the massacre of the Jews of Europe, just as we have cared so little to learn from those few peopleAmericansamong themwho could not disregard what their eyes and their brain and their heart and theirgut was telling them, who simply could not, under those circumstances, remain bystanders.

And yet each and every one of us in our everyday lives face again and again and again thosetypes of decisionswhether or not to remain a bystander in thepresence of some injustice, some pain, some unmet need.

Lastly, allow me to mention that unlike the deeds of most rescuers, making Weapons of the Spirit didnot come naturally to me. I was not raised on these stories, did not even learn thatmy family and I were Jewish until I reached the age of 18.

But it is obvious to me now that we must find new ways of telling these incredible stories that tellus so much about ourselves, and that there are necessary and challenging lessons of hope embedded in those unavoidable lessons of despair. Weapons of the Spirit was an attempt to begin probing those lessons, and I thank the jurors of the DuPont-Columbia Awards for their gratifying recognition of the P.B.S. broadcast.

I thank my wife and co-producer, Barbara Rubin, for her wisdom, her love, her faith.I thank cameraman Yves Dahan and film editor Matthew Harrison; Bill Moyers for his help and his trustand for beinga mensch; Elie Wiesel for his early encouragement; Michel Roux and the Grand Marnier Foundation for theirgenerous and crucial support; Harvey Meyerhoff, Niuta Titus and the Helena Rubinstein Foundation, and themany contributors, large and small, to Friends of Le Chambon, the nonprofit foundation in Los Angeles which made the film possible; my son David and my daughter Rebecca, who made the filmnecessary; and of course the people of Le Chambon :or rescuing me not only as the hunted baby I once was, but also,many years later, as the rootless, self-denying, oversecular human being I was in the process of becoming. "Remembering for the Future": FLC # 78 Jews and Christians During and After the Holocaust International Scholars' Conference Oxford University, England July 10-13, 1988

LEARNING HOPE FROM THE HOLOCAUST

by Pierre Sauvage

Friends of Le Chambon 8033 Sunset Boulevard #784 Los Angeles, CA 90046

I am a 44 year-old European-bornJew.

That means that around the time ofmy birth, much of my family was humiliated, tortured and murdered--while the worldwatched.

I am a descendant of the persecuted,the heir to bitter memories. I am the father of two young children.

It is in these caliacities that Ipresume to participate in this important conference, and I will not adopt thedispassionate tone of scholarly discourse; the Holocaust and its legacyare not subjects vhich I wish to address as if I had nothing personallyat stake.

As Elie Wiesel has asked, "What doesone do with such memories of fire--with so many fragments of despair?"

One can newer be thesame after groping with the realizationthat it is possible for man to hate that mach, forman to love that little. What one does with that knowledge, what lessonsone derives from that recent past, has the power to shape how we live, perhapsto determine our very ability to live.

Are we good? Are we evil? Are we strong? Are we weak? Is it natural to care about others?. Is it natural to be indifferent? la trust realistic? Is hope possible? Is God relevant?

For a Jew today, the questions, the implications, take on a specialurgency. Was the Holocaust nothingmore than a candid, exacerbated expression of the world's true feelings about tbe Jews?

Is there is no real point in genuinelycultivating non-Jewish friends and allies since you need only scratcha goy to find an antisemite?

Is antisemitism, mild or pestilential,an irreversible aspect of the Jewish destiny, even a necessary part of ourpresent self-definition?

Must survival itself, under thesecircumstances, become the main Jewish objective--even if there isno ostensible point beyond physical survival,even if what sirvives is not rooted in the Jewishspiritual heritage, even if what survives is virtually unrecognizable?

Whether one derives these lessons fromthe Holocaust or leas defeatistones, it is not a matter of choosing to derive lessonsfrom the Event or declining BEST COPYAVAILABLE 525 99 Leammg hope from the Holocaust sr to do so, and that is true even for thosewho display no interest in probing the nature or impact of that human tragedy,those who wish to "move on." Lessons are automatically learnedfrom any experience, let alone a traumatizing one. What we must do is striveto make those lessons explicit, while pondering the facts that explainthem--or challenge then. As psychologist Carl Rogers said, "Thefacts are friendly."

And so we must, indeed, learn andacknowledge the facts. We must, indeed, remember for the present and for thefuture.

But merely repeating thatwe must remember does not help us to do so. It is not easy to let in something on sucha scale, something that challenges our very faith in ourselves.

Remembering cannot be merely an act ofblind will. Remembering has to be a creative act.

We must find ways of remembering. We must have incentives to remember. We aunt challenge ourselves as to whatwe choose to remember, and why.

Referriug to George Santayana's famousdictum that "Those vho do not remember the past are condemned to relive it,"Rabbi Harold Schulveis has pointed out that if memory is not used vith wisdom,it too can boomerang; that to remember one part of the past so powerfully that iteclipses all else is also to condemn oneself to its recurrence.

"The problem of our generation,"Elie Wiesel has said, "was that ifwe looked too intently in the direction of the dead,we ran the risk of being tempted to join them."

So we must be careful as to howand what we remember. We must remember that remembering is only a tool, an indispensablekey to life--but not an end in itself.

We Jews, of course, areexperts at remembering, experts at interpretingour tragedies and making those interpretationsserve us for our future.

Every year, for instance, shortlybefore Yon Haaboah, the Day of Remembrance of the Shoah, we celebrate Passover,still remembering and working out that bondage that scarred us and traumatisedus so long ago.

During the timeless ritual ofour seder, our Passover dinner, we symbolically dip the bitter into the sweet. And we end by opening the door to the spirit of Elijah, prophet of good tidings,asking him to bring us that message of hope, to reinforce our faith in the goodnessof man.

The ritual for Tom Hashoah is stillin its infancy. But must we not, once again, figure out how to brush the bitteragainst the sweet? 'Must we not, then, look for the sweet? Hot remain for generations stuck in the bitter?

"It takes aoral courage to grieve,"wrote Lierkegaard. "It takes religious courage to rejoice."

In his book "Optimism: The Biology of Hope,"anthropologist Lionel Tiger asserts that optimism is"a biological phenomenon," rootedin the genetic makeup of our species.

Can we confront the Holocaust and remain trueto our optimistic natures? Can we rejoice in the presence of murder, of indifference to murder?

We know that there was some good too amidst thebottomless evil, but we also kaow that there was aot enough of it.

What's there to get excited about? Why should we care? BEST COPYAVAILABLE 100 528 Mr Pierre Sauvage Rabbi Schulveis, who has been for so long a prophetic voice about the Holocaust's necessary lessons of hope, tells a story about the Baal Shen Tov, the founder of Chassidism. The Baal Shen Toy had a dream. He dreamt that right in front of him was a heart, a heart that embodied in it all the evil in the world. The Baal Shen Tov began pounding and punmeling that heart, striving to destroy it utterly.

Until-he heard a sound coning from deep inside the heart. It was the cry of a baby.

And the Baal Shen Tov stopped pounding.

Innocence and guilt, good and evil are as inextricably bound together as and day. They define each other, they need each other, they become neaningless on their own. Every act of evil and apathy, every monent of hate and inhumanity, every individual and collective failure of will,of intellect, of character, of spirit, can best be confronted, illuminated, accepted, if we renain attuned to their opposites, if our ear does aot becone deadened to the soft sound of innocence, if we continue to remember that at each and every level of noral decay there was the potential for human solidarity, that this potential was demonstrated time and again sonetines in the most astonishing ways and in a wide range of situations, and that it is essentially the gap between our -proven lumen potential and war dreadful hunan frailty that we must learn about, probe, reneaber.

How can we measure that gap if we pass on only the failure? How are we to see, how are we to assess, how are we to reneaber the moral landscape of the Holocaust if we must peer at it only through the pitch-black night of Auschwitz?

Philip Hallie, an eloquent student of evil and good, has written of the need for "realistic hope." If we merely give lip service to hope, if we perceive it deep down as au unjustified, unrealistic response to the past, we create a tragic, self- fulfilling prophecy,and hope turns into an inappropriate response to the future.

The moral landscape during the Nazi era was not flat. There are fragments of hope to be discovered in the rubble.

Why then do we know so little, why have we cared to know so little about the cbassidel moot hagolaa, for instance, the righteous Gentiles of all nations, vho, according to Jewish beliefs, will have a share in the world to come. They were, for the most part, seemingly ordinary men and wonen. But it was given to these people to save lives. It was given to the Christians among then to practice their faith.

"They were so few," we are always told--again and again and again.

Is that really the oaly inportant thing we need to know about them? Does moral or spiritual significance bear some relation to numbers? For that . natter, what criteria do we have by which to decide what is few and what is many in the midst of such an unprecedented hell?

101 And in any event do we not believe, we Jews nest especially, that even tiny minorities nay possess important, even divine truths? Let me be clear. My point is mot at all that those tines were "better" than we've acknowledged thus far. Indeed,I suspect that in many respects they BEST COPYAVAILABLE Learning hope from the Holocaust 529 were far worse, the nightnare greater and more debasing.

Death caup survivors will souetimessay that they haven't told us all, thst they hold back for our sanity and theirs. I will never forget hearing Wiesel tell a group of students in 1984, seeminglyout of the blue, that "We haven't even begun to tell the tale," and that when theydo, "the world will trouble."

I for'one have cone to believe that suchstatements are not aere hyperbole. There are store facts to be learned,more pain to be endured. "It is impossible for the physician to heal," saida Chassidic mister, "if he does not open up the wound and lay bare its evil."

And thus Irving Greenberg has remindedus not to sake any statements regarding the Holocaust that wouldn't remain crediblein the presence of burning children.

I have an eight year-old son anda one year-old daughter.I take such an admonition seriously.

My children vill knov all about theburning children. They vill know about the evil of which men are capable.

But they will also know, I hope, thatwhile it is possible to succumb to evil and apathy, it is also possibleto recognize and overcome evil aad apathy; that the world is ours to make; thatthere is strength to be derived from being oneself; that there is joy andpeace and happiness to be gained &on caring about other people.

"To love one's self in the rightway and to love one's neighbor are absolutely analogous concepts," wrote Kierkegaard, "areat bottou one and the same."

Those too are potential lessons fromthe Holocaust. Are they not as necessary for grown-ups as they are for children?

Do we not need something to holdon to as we strive to absorb our capacity for evil, our capacity for apathy?

For my part, I am especially interestedin the latter, in passive bystanders, in indifference to evil which, accordingto Elie Wiesel "is worse than evil for it is sterile an well."

Living in Aaerica, I am stunned, forinstance, at how much smug comfort we take in the fact that the Holocaust didn'thappen there, that the 'murders vere plotted and conmitted elsewhere.

But it wasn't, of course, just "then" and "there";the Holocaust occurred on America's watch.

To be a bystander to a murder is to be changedby it. To be a bystander to the Holocaust is to be changed by it formany generations to come.

Nor is it just a matter of the governmentor of leadership. Ordinary citizens too knew more than we've let on and perhaps avoided knowingeven more. Moreover, the war effort and the flag-wavingpatriotic hoopla have obscured the powerful, dark forces that continued topermeate American life long after Pearl Harbor, as George Seldes had toldus all along and as Charles Higham has recently underscored in his startling books "TradingWith the Enemy," which bluntly details corporate America's amoral collaborationwith the Nazis, and "Anerican Swastika," which underscores how easilythe American ethos accomodated itself to antisenitic and pro-fascist sentimentsand activities. Even a swashbuckling Hollywood hero could bean active Nazi supporter off- screen and get away it, as Highest revealed in his earlier biography of Errol Flynn. 102 BEST CopyAVAIIABLE 530 Mr Pierre Sauvage

France has had its "Sorrow and the Pity," thatpioneering documentary about French attitudes during the Occupation. Is it not iime for an American "Sorrow and the Pity"?

By the same token, is it not time to learnmore about the Americans who cared? Rev. Howard Brooks, for instance, spentthe summer of 1941 in France as a representative ofthe Unitarian Service Committee,primarily administering medical services in the squalid internmentcamps set up by the Vichy regime. Upon his return he wrote a book, "Prisonersof Hope: Report on a Mission," which was published in 1942, and in which hesays the following: It is a curious sensation to see childrenin a camp for the first time. There is something unreal about it;you find it hard to believe. . . . Seeing these child internees,I felt for the first tine the whole inhumanity, the appalling cruelty,of the situation. I realized in a new way how merciless the worldhad become. If there were anything worse than this imprisonment of children,I thought while there, it was the indifference of the world, thefact that the world was not revolted.

In December 1942, anyone browsing througha well-stocked newsstand might have noticed the cover of The New Republicmagazine, which listed as its lead offering, in strong bold letters,an article entitled "The Massacre of the Jews."

The article's author was Varian Fry,whose extraordinary tale of rescue and derring-do in Marseille, France in 1940-41will sooner or later be romanticized and made famous by the moviesor televisionpossibly by me. After being kicked out of France with thecomplicity of the U.S. Department of State, Fry continued to stay informed aboutwhat was going on in Europe and sought to break through to his apatheticcountrymen. He begins his article as follows:

There are some things so horrible thatdecent aen and women find thea impossible to ielieve, so monstrousthat the civilized world recoils incredulous before them. The recent reports of the systematic extermination of the Jews in Nazi Europeare of this order.

Fry goes on to outline the massacre, statingthat "Letters, reports, cables all fit together" and "add up to the most appallingpicture of mass murder in all human history."

After listing a few concrete proposals for help, Fryquotes a letter from a correspondent-in France asking whether the U.S.will, at least, take in aore refugees than Switzerland.

"This is a challenge which we cannot,must not, ignore," he concludes. And that is what it was possible foran American to read and ponder during Christmas of 1942.

I have a fascination for such contemporaneoua recordsof what it was possible to know, what it was possible to feel, what it was'possibleto do. Such testimony of word and deed is as valuableto us,I contend, as any testimony we have on that virulent time in our history.

It allows us to see evil through the eyes of thegood.

It spares us nothing of the truth, but it containswithin itself, because of its source, because of when it was given, because ofits very existence, a legitimate, necessary, helpful element of consolation--theproof that it vas possible to care. 1 0 3BEST COPY AVAILABLE Learmng hope from the Holocaust En There is one other contemporaneous recordI would like to cite and it is perhaps the most startling of all--certainly the most provocative.

The words were written by Labor Zionist leader Hayim Greenberg,a European- born American Jew. They were published in February 12, 1943 on the front page of Der Yiddisher Koafer ("The Jewish Militant") under thetitle "Bankrupt!"

I will quote the first paragraph, as published in Englishin 1964: The time has come, perhaps, when the few Jewish communities remaining in the world which are still free to make their voices heard and to pray in public should proclaima day of fasting and prayer for American Jews. No--this is not a misprint. I mean specifically that a day of prayer and of fasting should be proclaimed for the five million Jews now living in the United States. They live under the protection of a mighty republic governed by democratic laws. They move about freely through the length and breadth of the land. The vast majority of them have enough food to eat, clothes to wear and roofsover their heads. And if any wrong is committed against them, theyare free to protest and to demand their rights. Nevertheless, they deserve to be prayed for. They are not even aware what a misfortune has befallen them, and if they were to look at themselves with seeing eyes they would realize vith shock how intolerable this misfortune is.This misfortune consists of the vacuity, the hardness and the dullness that has comeover them. It consists in a kind of epidemic inability to sufferor to feel compassion that has seized upon the vast majority of American Jews and of their institutions; in pathological fear of pain; in terrifying lack of imagination--a horny shell seems to have formed over the soul of American Jevryto protect and defend it against pain and pity. At a time rhea the American Jewish community is the largest and most influential in the world, ata time vhen the eyes of millions of Jews in Europe whoare daily threatened vith the most terrible and degrading forms of physical exterminationare primarily turned to American Jewry, this American Jewish community has fallen lower than perhaps any other in recent times, and displaysan unbelievable amount of highly suspect clinical "health" and "evenness of temper." If moral bankruptcy deserves pity, and if this pity isseven- fold for one vho is not even aware how shocking his bankruptcyis, then no Jewish community in the world today (not even the Jews who arenov in the claws of the Nazi devourer) deservesmore compassion froa Heaven than does American Jewry.

As Greenberg goes on, he becomes more specific in his "indictment."as he puts it,targeting prominent Jewish organizations. He ends,however, vith the poignant admission that for all his indignation, he does not know if itis still "objectively possible" to do anything,or who should do it, or how it should be done.

Greenberg's wartime colleague Marie Syrkin views thingsmore charitably: "That American Jews achieved pitifully little is theirsorrow, not their shame." To be sure, the American Jewish community of thewar years did not have the social, political, and economic confidence it hasnow, and as I mentioned earlier, there is still much to be learned about what the United States then was really like, and about the difficulties American Jews faced in pressuring the government to save the Jews of Europe.

But how is it that in his nostalgic 1987 film "Radio Days,"set during the Holocaust, Woody Allen could casually portray American Jewsas seemingly indifferent to, or ignorant of, the plight of their European brethren--and do so without one single critic, one single letter to the editor,one single Jewish publication (to the best of my knowledge), bringingup with dismay, surprise or disapproval this aspect of the film! Do we really take it for panted that thiswas a typical or an acceptable response? 104 BEST COPYAVAILABLE 532 Mr Pierre Sauvage Does this indifference to the indifference not suggest that there remains much unfinished business with regard to this chapter of our history? Commenting about the lack of resistance among ordinary Germans under the Nazis, Bruno Bettelheim points out that "the more energy it took to manage anxiety, the less inner energy remained for the courage to act." Siailarly, in the context of Hiroshima and the continuing nuclear threat,Robert Jay Lifton has charted the process of "psychic numbing" in which we commonly engage as victims or potential victims of disastr. Does the American experience of the Holocaust, Jewish and nonJewish, not cry out for further exploration of that no man's land between knowing and not knowing, further probing of the nature and consequences of anxiety and psychic numbing, further consideration of what it takes to perceive the truth and act upon it, further awareness of the possible consequences of having failed to do so? However, if I thought that all I would learn was what terrible and deficient people we were and are, if I found myself merely hammering yet another nail in our psychological and spiritual coffin, ifI wasn't convinced that at virtually every stage and virtually every level I would find exceptions to the rule, if I didn't have Rev. Brooks and Varian Fry and Hayia Greenberg as companions in this research,I do not believe I could pursue this interest effectively and I am not sure I would wish to pursue it at all.

In December 1940, an American writer wrote the following: "Our only hope will lie in the frail web of understanding of one person for the pain of another."

The historian David Wyman, a Christian, uses that quote from John Dos Paulson to convey the moral framework for his sensitive study of the Roosevelt administration's "Abandonment of the Jews." Our only hope still lies in the frail web of understanding of one person for the pain of another. To those of us who must look at ourselves through the smoke and night of Auschwitz such a web is hard to see or even to believe in.

The world turned away even from the cries of burning children. America, sweet land of liberty, turned away.

But is that all we must understand about those times, about ourselves?

Must we not begin to care that there were parts of that frail web that somehow held on? If we are to strengthen that veb, can we afford not to care, not to ask: Who? Why?

In his book "Of Blood and Hope," Samuel Pisar, my first cousin (my mother's nephew) and the only member of the family to survive the death camps, asks whether those who have experienced only "normal life" can understand that "the sacrifices required to cope with some of the world's problems are such leas than they suppose," while the dangers involved in ignoring those problems "are infinitely greater than they imagine."

In this age that plays with Mutual Assured Destruction, that threatens to turn the planet into a gigantic gas chamber, has it not become imperative that we locate within ourselves untapped emotional, psychological, and spiritual resources if we are to rescue our future? "Man if afraid of things that cannot harm his," said the Chassidic master Rabbi Nehmen of Bratzlav, "and he knows it, and he craves things that cannot be of help to him, and he knows it; but in truth the one thing man is afraid of is within himself, and the one thing he craves is within himself."

"The greatest evil that can befall man," said Goethe, "is that he should come to think ill of himself." 1 00 BEST COPY AVAILABLE Lmarrumg hope f r am the Holoaatm t 533 To be sure, I have personal, biearaphicalreasons for caring about lessons of hope and for people who embody tkiem.

The existence of these people was woven into thevery fabric of my life, since I myself was born and sheltered during the Holocaustin a haven of peace known as Le ChambonsurLignon.

There, the day after France surrendered to the Nazis, thepastors of this mountain village in southcentral France proclaimed the needto resist violence "through the weapons of the spirit."

There, the peasant and villagers of thearea, mostly the proud descendants of Huguenots, defied the Nazis and the collaborationist Vichyregime and turned their tiny community into occupied Europe'smost determined, most persistent haven of refuge for the oppressed.

There, some five thousand Jews were saved--bysome five thousand Christians. I have told the story of Le Chambon,as I have cone to understand it, in a feature documentary film, "Weapons of the Spirit."

What I do not say in the film, however, is that I didnot grov up with stories about Le Chambon or with stories about the Holocaust. Indeed, I grew up in an intensely secular home that was conceivedas a total break with the past, with the Holocaust, with being Jewish, withmemory.

Thus Le Chambon affected my life twice, and I'mno longer certain whichvathe two times is the most important.

To the Jewish baby, Le Chambon provided physicalsecurity and survival, a place to be born, a place to be welcomed into thisworld.

To the traumatized Jewish adult who returned there aftera long absence, Le Chambon offered keys to psychological and spiritual survival andgrowth, a new way of looking at myself and at others.

"Are a few flashes of light enoughto illuminate the darkness?" Elie Wiesel has asked.

Since that is all there was, dear Elie Wiesel, doesnot the answer have to be yes?

To be sure, the challenge of goodness isan especially daunting one for scholarship.

"He who would do good to another,"wrote Blake, "must do it in minute particulars."

Who records, who passes on such minute particulars?

Moreover, good may be inherently hard to analyze, hardeven to remember; what comes naturally is harder to notice, harder to describe than what is twisted and aberrant.

The very process that develops mastery in thought,in articulation, in scholarliness, may become a stumbling block when itcores to an appreciation of the nature of good deeds, just as it has notproven to be the most effective tool for moral progress--as the Holocaustdevastatingly demonstrated.

Indeed, "It takes a great deal of elevation of thought,"Emerson observed, "to produce a very little elevation of life."

The righteous didn't think about what theywere doing; they did it. I think about what they did, and I don't do it. Yet only in my life, not in academic papers, can I compellingly demonstrate that I take theirmessage seriously. 1.06 534 Mr Pierre Sauvage

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Eva Héritier, daughter of rescuers of Jews during the Holocaust, holding Jewish infant Pierre Sauvage in 1944.Her parents play an importantrole in 'Weapons ofthe Spirit.* Sauvage's feature documentary about the wartime Christian oasis of Le Chambon. France.

BEST COPY AVAHABLE Learning hope from the Holocaust 535 "We feel in one world," said Proust, "we thinkand name in another. Between the two we can set up a systemof references, but we cannot bridge the gap."

Encounters with evil deaden feeling,while encounters with good revitalise it. Why then have weso stubbornly avoided these encounters? Why have we relegated the good and thestrong to the footnotes of history? Why have we so persistently turned away from thelight?

Are we perhaps simply afraid ofthat light, afraid of what it afraid of its challenge? may illuminate, Do we not sometimes wallow in guilt and failure lessas a result of some past defeat than as an excusenot to hare to try again?

Could it be that the overbearingemphasis on human ineffectiveness during Holocaust also serves the as the mltiaate and crafty excusewe seek for not facing the facts of our own continuing,individual accountability? Could it be because next to evil, we tend to come out lookinggood? Could it be because nextto good, we may be forced to ask ourselves we would prefer to avoid? questions

But can we afford notto learn these facts about nature? our history and about human

Do we Jevs not needto know that the whole world did we were slaughtered? not stand idly by while Do we not need to know whoour frie..da were then--and who they may be today, andtomorrow? Do Christians not needto know that even then, there was at least one Christian village? were Christians, there

Does averyone not needto know that it is possible to most trying circumstances? act well even under the

Do we not need the memory of the just in order to improve and enrichour human spirit, that is tosay, our connections with ourselves, that is connections with others? to say, our

Do we not need itto challenge the gnawing, widespread species? cynicism about our

Do we not need it to rebuildtrust? An Israeli Holocaust survivor, writing in Los Angeles' B'nai B'rithMessenger, recently stated that he hadlearned his lesson from the Sboab: "Itis that Jews must never trustanyone but themselves to ensure their survival." That one must depend on oneself for survival is, of course,true. That one must never trust anyone but oneself is, inmy view, utterly wrong, and the statement takeson a tragic resonance in the light of Israel's policy for survival. current

Erik Erikson has written that "Ifyou have forgotten how to trust, you nay be driven to cultivateactive mistrust and insist defiantly that against you." everybody is

Trust, on the other hand, is merelyhope in the other's sense of human solidarity and personal responsibility.

Whatever the tragedies in one'spast, present, to rule out that hope is to live alone;to rule out that hope is simply to give up. 0 536 Mr Pierre Sauvage

A person who cannot trust isuntrustworthy. A Jew who will not trust is not tapping into the spirituel momentum of Judaism.

"To be a Jew after Auschwitz',"Emil Fackenheim has written, "isto have wrested hope--for the Jew and for theworld--from the abyss of total despair." Tines are changing. It.took forty years.

Until recently, the historicalconsensus vas that there were only three major protagonists in the dress of the Holocaust--themurderers, the victims, and the bystanders--but there isno longer any Holocaust conference where the matter of righteous Gentiles doesn'tcome up.

Jewish organizations are beginningto tie themselves in to the issue. The name Raoul Wallenberg has become famous, and LeChambon too is no doubt on its way to a celebrity status it fears greatly. I am sure both the upcoming United State. Holocaust Museum in Washington&Rd the Simon Wiesenthal Center's futureBeit Hashool/Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles will include prominent referencesto this or that act of rescue. Jerusalem's Yad Vashem, whichholds high the Jewish flame byhonoring righteonS Gentiles along the Avenueof the Righteous, may eventually acknowledge their existence in theirmuseum displays as well.

For some, this is an ominousdevelopment. For some Holocaust survivors, there is the desire that the worldfeel guilty-- and the fear that the world willuse the righteous to feel less guilty, to let itself off the hook. But the actual guilty ones are dying just as the survivorsare dying, and even Bichmann's grandchildren are not, in fact, guilty of anything (although itcan fairly be expected of themthat they manifest a heightened responsibility). sense of

Moreover, to let itself of." thehook all the world needs to do isto ignore the Holocaust, to act and talkas if it had no real relevance to us today. But is there neverthelessa risk that we will indeed "take the edge off the Holocaust," falsify the record bysweetening it, dilute the haunting truth of our moral dereliction?

As Michael Berenbaum has asked,are we beginning to "Americanize" the Holocaust by bringing to itan American proclivity to focus on the silver lining rather than the cloud? Are we looking for "cheap grace," for "easy sources of consolation"?

I think that view underestimatesthe righteous, underestimates the contagious power of good.

Authentic moral witness discouragesevasion in others. Indeed, far from exploiting or distorting such witness,those who wish to continue evading challenging facts have thesense to steer clear of such testimony. The Ronan Catholic Church, forinstance, for all its vague, occasional references to instances of Catholicrescue, sadly continues to display very little real interest in playingup and confronting the actual deeds and beliefs of its righteous Catholics,even those who became martyrs to their faith in the process of helping the Jews.

Until Philip Bailie published "Lest InnocentBlood Be Shed" in 1979, virtually nobody had ever heard otc Le Chambon, andit took a Jew to write the story. To play up true Christian witness is to facethe magnitude of Christian apostasy. BEST COPY AVA3i:-;LE Learning hope from the Holocaust 537 The existence of authentic righteous Christians cannot be usedto whitewash Christianity because thesewere Christians who believed that their faith to express itself in deeds, and they had knowand we knowthat religion alltoo easily let's itself get away vithmere words. Try to use a righteous Gentile to whitewash the world and you'll find thatit simply doesn't work. That they were a distinct andsmall minority in inherent in their very stories, in theirvery witness. We learn by example.

That is the way it begins. That is the way it continues. Examples of authentic righteousness breed righteousness: theycannot have the opposite effect of creatingself-righteousness and falsehood. However, I nee a different sort of risk in the grow:Lug celebritystatus of rescuers during the Holocaust. It is that we villuse another ploy in our human grab bag of avoidance tricksand shunt them aside saints, as icons. as super-heroes, as All of us vho have focused special efforts on righteousGentiles knov hole wasteful, how inaccurate thatwould be. People who act well, even people who risk their livesto help others, are normal people like you andme.

What they do is not beyondour reach.

Let's learn from themrather than celebrate them. Let's not put them on pedestals so we can tip our hatsand ignore then. Let us learn to view then as people with a solid, productivegrasp on life, not as incarnations of the sort of fairy-tale virtueswe tend to preach and ignore.

"There are no great nen,"said , "only great challenge." ordinary nen facing a To be sure, we're going to feel increasingly guilty abouthow little we've cared about then, how little we'vethanked then, how little we've worried about their own well-being afterthe war and still today. deserve our gratitude. To be sure, they

But they know, as Enersonput it, that "The reward .of have done it." a thing well done is to So let us be careful vith our praise, with our award-giving, withour monument-building, and ofcourse vith our movies. Let us preserve the essential simplicity and naturalnessof these people, of such conduct. Let us mot duck the essential message of the rescuers which is identical,an I see it, to the aost fundamentalmessage of the Holocaust: we are responsible for what we do on earth.

Richard Rubenstein and John Rothbegin their recent book "Approaches Auschwitz" vith the apt words of to Hannah Arendt: "Comprehension . . means . . . examining and bearing consciously the burden whichour century has placed on usneither denying itsexistence nor submitting meekly weight." to its

We are responsible for notletting history beat us down--when itis occurring or as we remember it later on.

Andre Trocne, the latepastor of Le Chanbon, was a man who livedhis whole, eloquent, pacifist's life in furtherance ofhis Christian ideals. Tet he confided to his unpublished memoirs that his faith was, ultimately,a faith in the poisibility of goodon earth, "without which," he added, "the BEST COPY AVAILABLE 110 538 Mr Pierre Sauvage theoretical existence of God doesn'tinterest me."

Yes, "The Holocaust is primarily aboutdefeat not about victory, about tragedy and not triumph, about failure not success," as Michael Berenbaum has foundit necessary to underscore. Yes, it suggests, "the failureof the human spirit." And yet, must ve not also rediscover,stress, and proveeven while addressing the Holocaust, especially while addressing the Holocaust--that theultimate triumph of the human spirit remains withinour grasp?

As human beings, as parents,as descendants and ancestors,we have fundamental responsibilities here, and we vere longago admonished to take them on: "I have set before you life and death, blessing andcurse. Therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed May live."

Henri Xnd Emma Héritier, here posing in 1944outside their farm in the village of Le Chambon, France,were asong the rescuers of the area who sheltered 5,000 Jews during the Nazi occupation,as told in "Weapons of the Spirit," Pierre Sauvage's new feature documentary. BEST COPY AVAILABLE lij Learning hope from the Holocaust 539 REFERENCES

1. Wiesel, Elie. Source to be determined. 2. Rogers, Carl (1961). On Becoming a Person. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., p. 75. 3. Santayana, George (1905-1906). Tice Life of Reason. 4. Schulweis, Rabbi Ha-old M. (1976).9ire Holocaust Dybbuk," Moment, Feb. 1976. 5. Schulweis, Rabbi Harold M. (1981?). "Anger, History and Lov;71RO-ment. 6. Cohen, Brigitte-Fanny (1987). Elie Wiesel: Qui Etes-Vous?. Paris:La Manufacture, p. 42. Translated by Pierre Sauvage. 7. Kierkegaard, SOren (1848). The Journals of SOren Kierkegaard: A Selection, edited and translated by Alexander Dru (1938). Oxford University Press. 8. Tiger, Lionel (1979). Optimism: The Biology of Hope. New York: Simon and Schuster, p. 40. 9. Schulweis, Rabbi Harold M.(1987). "A Theology of Goodness," unpublished paper presented at Second Generation conference, Los Angeles, Dec. 27, 1987. 10. Nellie, Philip (1979). Lest Innocent Blood Be Shed: The Storr of the Village of Le Chambon and How Goodness Happened There. New York: Harper and Row, p. 8. 11. Yosef, Rabbi Yaakov, Ben Porat Yosef, as quoted by Samuel H. Dresner (1960), The Zaddik: The Doctrine of the Zaddik According to the Writings of .Rabbi Yiakov Yosef of Polnoy. New York: Schocken, p. 84. 12. Wiesel,Elie(1984). Unpublished question-and-answer session at Claremont- McKenna College, Feb. 21, 1984. 13. Greenberg, Irving (1977). "Cloud of Smoke, Pillar of Fire: Judaism, Christianity, and Modernity After the Holocaust," in Auschwitz: Beginning of a New Era?- -Reflections on the Holocaust, edited by Eva Fleischner. New York: KTAV, p. 23. 14. Kierkegaard, Spren (1847). Works oi Love. Translated by Lillian Marvin Swenson (1946). Princeton University Press. 15. Wiesel, Elie (1979). "A Prologue: Why Should People Care?" in Roth, John K., A Consuming, Fire: Encounters With Elie Wiesel and the Holocaust. Atlanta: John Rnox Press. First presented as an address at the "Choices on Our Conscience" Internacional Symposium on Human Rights, Retardation and Research, Washington, D.C., October 16, 1971. 16. Seldes, George (1943). Facts and Fascism. New York: In Fact. 17. Higham, Charles (1983). Trading, With the Enemy. New York: Delacorte Press. Higham, Charles (1985). American Swastika. New York: Doubleday. 18. Higham, Charles (1980). Errol Flynn: The Untold Story. New York: Doubleday. 19. Brooks, Howard L. (1942). Prisoners of Hope: Report, on a Mission. New York: L. B. Fischer Co., pp. 31-32. 20. Fry, Varian (1942). "The Massacre of the Jews," The New Re)ublic, December 21, 1942. 21. Greenberg, Hayim (1964). The Inner Eye: Selected Essays, vol. 2, edited by Shlomo Katz. Translated by Shlomo Katz. New York: Jewish Frontier Association, pp. 193-194. First published in English in "Midstream" (Shlomo Katz, editor), March 1964. 22. Syrkin, Marie (1987). "Did Zionists Abandon European Jews," Reconstructionist, May-June 1987, p. 31 23. Bettelheim, Bruno (1960). The Informed Heart: Autonomy in a Mass Age. New York: Macmillan, p. 274 24. Lifton, Robert Jay (1967). Death in Life: Survivors of Hiroshima. New York: Random Rouse. Lifton, Robert Jay and Falk, Richard (1982). Indefensible Weapons: The Political and Psychological Case Against Nuclearism. New York: Basic Books. 25. Dos Passos, John (1940) as quoted in Wyman, David S. (1984), The Abandonment of the Jews: America and the Holocaust 1941-1945. New York: Pantheon, p. v 26. Pisar, Samuel (1980). Of Blood and Hope. Boston and Toronto: Little, Brown & Co., p. 23. 27. Nachman, Rabbi in The Tales of Rabbi Nachman by Martin Buber (1956). Translated from the German by Maurice Friedman. New York: Horizon Press, p. 37. 28. Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von, as quoted by Nathaniel Branden (1983), Hornom the Self: Personal Integrity_ and the Heroic Potentials of Human Nature. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, p. 11. 29. Sauvage, Pierre (1983). "A Most Persistent Haven: Le Chambon-sur-Lignon," Moment, Oct. 1983. 30. Sauvage, Pierre (1986). "Ten Things I Would Like To Know About Righteous Conduct in Le Chambon and Elsewhere During the Holocaust," Humboldt Journal of Social Relations, vol. 13: 1 & 2, Fall/Winter & Spring/Summer 1985/86. First presented as an address to the "Faith in Humankind: Rescuers of Jews During the Holocaust" U.S. Holocaust Memorio3 Council conference, Washington, D.C., September 19, 1984. The addrean was also published--with serious editing errors--in The Courage To Care: Rescuers of Jews During the Holocaust (1986), edited by Carol Rittner, R.S.M., and Sondra Myeri-Tliew York University Press). This book also contains a text erroneously attributed to Pierre Sauvage; he did not write it and it does not reflect his opinions. 31. Theis, Edouard and Trocmé, André (1940). "Message des deux pasteurs du Chambon A leur paroisse," unpublished, June 22, 1940.Translated by Pierre Sauvage. 32. Wiesel, Elie (1985). "The Brave Christians Who Saved Jews from the Nazis," TV Guide, April 6, 1985. 33. Blake, William (1804). Jerusalem. r) 34. Emerson, Ralph Waldo. Source to be determined. .1111- BEST COPY AVAILABLE 540 Mr PierreSauvage

35. Proust, Marcel. Source to be determined. 36. Mass, Haim (1988). "Shamir Visit: Fifty Year After,"B'nai B'rith Messenger, March 11, 1988. 37. Erikson, Erik H. (1959). Insight and Responsibility. New York: Norton, p. 89. 38 'ackenheim, Emil L. (1978). The Jewish Return Into History:Reflections in the Age_ of Auschwitz and a New Jerusalem. New York: Schocken, p. 31. 39. Berenbaum, Michael (1987), "The Nativization of Judaism. the Holocaust," 40. Hallie. Lest Innocent Blood Be Shed: TheStory of the Village of Le Chambon and How Goodness Happened There. 41. Churchill, Sir Winston. Source to be determined. 42. Emerson, Ralph Waldo (1844). "New England Reformers" in Essays:Second Series. 43. Rubenstein, Richard L. and Roth, John K. (1987). Approaches to Auschwita The Holocaust and its Legacy. Atlanta: John Knox Press. Origins of Totalitarianism. Quoting Hannah Arendt (1950), The 44. Berenbaum, Michael (n.d.). Unpublished paper for the United States Holocaust Memorial Council. 45. Berenbaum, Michael (1987). Unpublished paper presented at the Association of Holocaust Organizations (U.S.)in Dallas, June 17, 1987. 46. Trocmé, André (n.d.). "Autobiographie," unpublished. Sauvage. Translatedby Pierre 47. Bible. Deuteronomy 30:19.

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BEST COPY AVAILABLE 1114 Vol.HUMBOLDT 11:1 & 2 (Fall/WinterJOURNAL OF& Spring/Summer SOCIAL RELATIONS 1985/86) 252-259 Pierre Sauvage One day fifty years ago, a young French pastor arrived with his 253 TO KNOW ABOUT RIGHTEOUSIN LE CHAMBON AND ELSEWHERETEN THINGSDURING I WOULD THE HOLOCAUST LIKE CONDUCT thefriend.peoplewife pastor, and a rather AndreTrocine,children sleepy in what Themountain described new seemed parish community. into ahad,these letter however, cosmopolitan to one promising feature, which an American city 8033 Sunset BoulevardFriendsLos #784 Angeles, of Le Chambon CA 90046Pierre Sauvage onbutreadsstill the thealive. it rockScriptures every The of day.humblest the do WordSo notTimeIn these peasant standLe of would Chambon,peopleGod." on home the soon who movinghas Trocmprove do its notBible soil just wrote,read of andhow opinion the the "theright father old buthe was.Huguenot spirit is papers researchThis essay about suggests Gentile ten questions rescuers whichof Jews people during doing the ABSTRACT mycommittedbabyCertain family lucky which was toto hisseeof disappearing the survival.the two lightLeIt Charnbontimes was This,of into dayin is at Lethethe in thehas Charnbon abyss.amost placeveryaffected important. timeon that myearth when I own was singularly much lifeborn, twice, ofin March and I'm 1944, no longera Jewish somethingrescuers?ChristianitytianHolocaust were about4)these should Do did rescuersconventionalnonviolent theytry to practice? answer: of Jews?resistance male 1) 3) 2)valuesJust Can What fromhow limit Chris- the we learn sort of our need.ofmy Le bones Charnbon and in andmy soul,othersIfBut only theit likeis importancewe only them can in telllearnthe ofuslast to whatabout few listen. ityears ourselves. is Ifthe thatonly people I wehave can come recognize to sense, in our in rescuers,Jews?todeterminantperspectivethemselves the sense 6) then If and onwasself-esteemof how resistance activefrom the did sense their empathy they was to ofupbringing? succeed thebeing characteristic forHolocaust? sociallythe in developingplight7) How marginal 5) of Howdo the it needabout our the gratitude.righteous GentilesThis,We above ofneed the toall, Holocaust know is what how farI have it more is learnedpossible than theyso that far: some We need five tothousand know recognizegenesissaints?whomwe learn 8)we of toHowleaders canrighteous view importantemulate inthe a timeconduct?rescuers ratheris ofhistorical moral as than9) ordinary Howdecay memoryas inimitable does and people inwhat the one suggestandfiveJews other thousand wereten rescuers areas helped, Christians of of interdisciplinary,were JewsAnd sheltered, ofthusduring the I areaask thewere ten interreligious ofHolocaust, escortedLequestions Chambon-sur-Lignon. to questions aboutresearchsafety the by andthatpeople of Le Chambon some onlyaninrescueform theunderstanding occur doesbeneficence efforts theirwhen result leadership there ofthat because collective iscollective individual take? people responsibility 10) responsibility responsibility?placed Did communal their trust can or from clungtainsChambonreflectionthe of descendantsto southcentral their thatFoundation. areland atof and France.the Huguenots, theirtopI . MostofLe beliefs the Chambon ofcommitted agenda the despite people is of on theChristianspersecution aof windswept,Friends the area who of were and Lewintry had plateau in the moun- Humankind:Address by Rescuers Pierre Sauvage, of Jews During U.S. Holocaust the Holocaust," Memorial Washington, Council conferenceD.C., September "Faith in itslaughter. can become. ButAristotle for a assertsJew, that that is thea particularly true nature difficult of anything criteria is the to applyhighest to Spirit,"19, I9M.Is available Sauvage's from feature Friends documentary of Le Chambon. film about Le Chambon, "Weapons of the 115 Ultilffirt1 MO' Ir\lonAl 116 OVA- Christianity254 during the Holocaust. Righteous Conduct in Le Chambon Pierre Sauvage ty,ofcomplicityEurope antisemitismare we and nonetheless of would most that notChristians had tohave Given longvieW been andthesethat the Holocaust occurred infested the very soul of Christiani- possible withoutwithout the the apathy virulent traditionChristians of Le Charnbonin the heart of Christian or spirit."broughtGermanyduring Sunday to wasbear services signed,on their the consciences"The"is very to responsibility resist day after throughthe violencethe of the Christians," they proclaimed armistice with Nazi weapons of the that will be in church ineffectivemerelyrepresentativeand other as marginal,daring one? embodiments Christians possiblyTo summarize, ofaccidental of just how Christian that time as rare but legitimatelyexemplary Christian faith were they? successes of a disastrously or "Nonviolentclaimedweapons in in their Lemeans Chambon? important of WhatresistanceIf itpastoral canis true, towe evilletter learnas deservethe from American much the dramatic Roman Catholic on war andeffectiveness peace, that of these bishops pro- more study evidencedimensionsandthe traumatized spiritual will, of and righteous secular religious 2.Jews conductHowever and much the psychologists I submit, spill out, and will inevitably suchhence as me not will scientifically wish to minimize accessible during the Holocaust, the and the social scientists generate begin?hasnumberChambonand shownconsideration of andcaring, very the little devoutrighteousthan interestare they Catholics Gentileshave notthus in oftheywhom far the received,"the Nazi the obvious Church eraincluding are not Le placethus to far a brethrenChambon,Whatcharacteristicsfundamental didfrom they,undErstand the questions of Pope thewhat religious thatdidWhatabout thewere faiththe their distinctive religious on down? so tragically eluded their Christian peasants and villagersessential ofof thenatureLe righteous and specific Christians.attitudes and perceptions? somespecificallyspecialhumanitydependently of incentive us? in andthiseven productively most toof beour perilous interested Andshare usedto oftime my responsibilityin by inthefellow others history, Jews doin theI would also like only at that weaponstime to save that were to ask this: In- we not have a survival of religiontheyrootsparticular, Christians of their Christians faith, for indecdwhom whoCould Christianitywith it thebe, Jewishnessfor instance, that the righteous of Jesus than the religion were comfortable with the Jewish about was, perhaps,Jesus? more the Christians were, in of Jesus? Were importantrescue.from theIt wasdecisions Holocaust, often aswomen despite to4.Can whether In wewhoLe the Chambonlearn pervasive wereor not something faced to as takecontrary elsewhere,with useful the assumption? first aboutwomen all- nonviolent played resistance a stranger intoa key role in persecutedandatbon, wherebeing where Judaismnotpeople a only number who wassheltered happened alsoofThis Jews sheltered appearsbut to have been remarkably never got overwelcomed their astonishmentto have been Jews. to some extent and not just as thethe casePeople in Leof God,Charn- Lecouldtheir Chambon kitchens imperil were the and lives theinto backbone of theirCould their homes, families.it of be much that Certainly,one of what reason occurred the we have been taught a stranger whose presence so little about women of there. so genuineandare possibly theproclaiming basis. fact thatmost I would wetheir Jews live likelove doubtin13y to afor time the thatthe way,when Jews such among and for the Israel, ramifications suggest that if we Jews knew more some surprisingof this Christians question for todaya love could have any while many tangibleresistance,militaryhistoriansdominatedrighteous results?hardware to Gentilesby evenget distorting excited when is overthat malethis theso-called resistancevalues, sometimes and higher produced that meaningless it education is easier much clatter for is than about manifestations of spiritual moremale of wereChristiansknowingabout determined who of who theour pacifists. they Holocaust? friends might3. Both wereIn be other Andretoday then, words, and Trocme just whatand assistant sort of Christians we might find new ways of tomorrow. pastor Edouard Theis were the righteous minorities,country,to the Holocaust? were and no doubtI especially5.Do The conventional people sensitive of male Le to Chambon,values the oppression limit as our Protestants perspectiveof in hasten to add that the Catholics in Le on resistance a Catholic HUMBOLDT JOURNAL OF SOCIAL RELATIONS VOLUME 13 NUMBERS 1 & 2 10118 iivelyChambon, in the a minorityrescue effort. within a minority, as it happens, joined ac- 256 Righteous Conduct in Le Chambon sensebeingand ofacould minority this iteven be to thatbefore theIs they Justnot every joinedhow important,single the tiny one of just how many of the righteous Gentiles hadsense of active empathy that developed?us a minority of one sort or another, determinant was this minority of people a greatersense of putwomanmakingconsideredPierre"Weapons toSauvage her whoprocess. aboutto helped of have the "One this beenmySpirit." getsissue parents a very used in and importantmy to theme film dismissedrisks," about Le the question part of the decision- is how a peasant Chambon, 257 I righteous."English,towho start resisted rethinking for instance,the persecution my vocabulary.givenI6. am The ofthathardly moment enthusiastic I became interested about the Jews? too many people hear "self-thein wordrighteous "righteous" conduct, I inhad righteouscourageousbe that courage we theMselves do not is communicatesomethingCouldWe attaches tend it beto importance thatinterpretthat anything whenever everybody this to?about reaction we overemphasize the as mere modesty, but could it courage of theit or increase except the remarkableinadvertentrighteouspart I do not conduct, Jews reallyimplication implementing notintend. inEven non-Jews I'mthat the interested theresimilar word "Gentile" in suggests per se. (I also do not like thean emphasis weren'tthat for mysome values,equally about whom,righteous people and bonatnaturallyits from allpresence may if itssingled whenthus reasons in have ourwe out formidstfeel afor hollowAemerging? the specialglib because need reference ring attentionto togenerate to the while itcourageous, and being will selfless people of courage cannot help but come our earsand generate no Le Cham-not comedetached havethiswordsincidentally, stage, become such and as weconvinced perhaps"righteous" knowToOther theyeven thatgive and words, less thejust "Gentile" adjectivethan one however, example are that dangerous I believe can be shaped to meet our needs. about the Gentiles.)and must Butraises be jettisoned. aappear crucial unavoidable issue, I at mefactemptyreal and tointerest makeconcepts. thus notsuchin these really, people peoplebecausePerhaps challengingly seem essentiallythe real, suchrelevant subconscious different words to our from daily intent lives. of such vocabulary correspond to you and is in haveanyform understanding suffered of selflessnessbut from of what theAndI could peopleam not ifamong beitthe it is termed,is peopleindeed nfisleadinglythose whotrue, suspectin Le Chambon that Hitler and of Le Chambon.a particularlyand elsewhere, dreadful"selfless" that it precludes Eichmannused may to praise. tuesproductiveChambon which and graspwe canothers on then life, 8.Thelike preachTheand themquestion notpeople andier merelyas incarnations is:of ignore? LeHow Chambon do ofwe fairy-tale learn remembered to view the people as people with a solid, a lot, about their of Le vir- Holocaustifnaturalspontaneouswas it ison indeed andthe displayed contraryirresistible trueaccess that thisa tovery manyproclivity thecharacteristic secure, core toof very their anchored beingthat or all of the righteous Gentiles of the see the truth and act upon it, psychological solidity, sense of selfa resulted in a conduct?is,Oldheritage among Testament and other about but things, whichotherJustThe an importantthe Bible, howexaltation people important by thingswhich of of Le ChambonIis refer memory to what knew in Christians the genesis designate of righteous memory. as well. as the well, theirhowbenevolentraisethen upbringing? didaour question they young a sense succeed arises son: of self-esteem? HowthatinIf developing self-esteem does it? was What indeed a characteristic of my wife and I face all the time as one nurture that powerful and the righteous,was special then about we Holocaustifoppressionremember howof they one many had sort IfIalso ormightof Americans another?our remembered ask ancestors in passing had the cameremembered how oppression here much to do betterof we the here at thein America time of truly the escape , oflectivesomething them andactions remarkableyet, were there endangering too,The about7. thepeopleIt ishis risks a therare of livesLe righteou.. Chambon of each Gentile through who their believes individual that or her own courage. are acknowledged but not and every one there was and col- remindedofmentnative Europethe where slaveryAmericans us, instead we to inflictedgather slam and of theWerehavebeingthe on doorstill beenblackswould allallowed, almoston havenspressured them? unfathomableas of Elie notto refuge help theWiesel theState for viciousness persecuted hasJews Depart- aptly during the Holocaust HUMBOLDT JOURNAL OF SOCIAL RELATIONS 119 VOLUME 13 NUMBERS 1 2 1016 HUMBOLDThavens of JOURNAL memory, OF SOCIAL just RELATIONS as in Le Chamlf2 VOLUME 13 NUMBERS 1 1 2 11118. OSA- 258 9. Traditional, hierarchical leadership was largely absent Righteous Conduct in Le Chombon aPierre pla Sauvage ue and whether or not it was necessary to struggle against 259 capabletimeleadersamong and Christians of that recognizingan ituntraditional may when beAnd who atitBut cameleast should theysortis it into notwere? resistingwe true be thatso the hasty we appeal only as to ofhave disregard Nazism. the leaders the that maypart have a matteremerged of duringwhether that we are possibility that we deserve? thattyit." of to goodness" care about even otherThe during people challepge the is alsoHolocaustand for to us now is toto learn recognize to understand this "banali- care about yourself. efduceWhat fectiveness in form Le Chambondoes of Andre'their andAreleadership andWhatHow whatthese Magda doessort can not take? of weoneTrocme,pressing leaders learn recognize fromfordidquestions instance?the the leaders dynamics remarkable for usin today? aof time collective of moral decay? rescue pro- didtainlytalkrescue. not about wereknow They it some after whatbarely overtlythe their if war ever10. collective neighborswhen talked Finally, the about actionsJews wereit appears it left. at undertakendoing, the Although thattime, in the termsandin there peoplethe did of not of Le Chambon often area, cer- scale,instancerespectsthe conspiracy for ofa this tacit communal length and of goodnessunspoken of righteousness time,ButYes, didoneanywhere one.that it might result occurred such elsesay fromas that indid was occupiedthese therenot in occur peoplewasimportant Europe. aon minyan placingthis in theirLe Chambon, trust in the an yourselyouindividualingbeneficence that do f? notcollective responsibility, beginof collective withresponsibility individual responsibility and that can responsibility,you only or cannot from occur their get when that anywhereunderstand- is,there with isif ceivedthanbeginlet me andto With askcurse begun this: the the notioninif darkness, theboth Albertarea that individualAnd ofitthen Camus, sinceisLe indeed howChambon thatand whosedo bettercollectiveprobably they at allegorical tothatultimately light is time,responsibility merely one novelhas differ? candle ahis rhetorical"The Plague" question, was con- then daresnarrator. to saysay thatthis: two plus"There two equals always four comes is punished a time with in history death when the man who childPierreFrench of Sauvage Holocaust village is of both survivors.Le Chambon a child He survivor which servedof the Holocaust was born and sheltered in the as a haven for five and a hadtownspeoplewhetherishment to make will or be wasnotwho the twosimply. were outcome plus then whether two of risking .that equals or reasoning. nottheir theyfour. lives, were The For the. issuein thosedecision the is midst simplyof theyourAnd of the issue is not a matter of what reward or what pun- profitHecompletingwinningthousand is alsocharitable filmmaker Jewsthe a feature founder duringfoundation (Yiddish: documentary of World the devoted the Friends War Marne about toTwo. of fosteringLosim), hisLe An Chambon,historic Sauvage an understand- "a is Emmy Award- birthplace. non-now 12i HUMBOLDT JOURNAL OF SOCIAL RELATIONS VOLUME 13 NUMBERS 1 & 2 I6 ing of righteousHUMBOLDT conduct JOURNAL during OF SOCIAL the Nazi RELATIONS era." vni imp 11,41IMRFPC 1 A 0 12' FRIENDS OF LE CHAMBON During the Holocaust, the Chr;stian populationof the area of La Chambon-sur-Lignon in France sheltered five thousand Jews. Friendsof Le Charnbon. Inc. is a nonprofit charitable foundation devoted to fostering an understandingof righteous conduct during the Nazi era. FLC #18 OFFCERS Pierre Seuvage "ON BEING A CHILD OF THE HOLOCAUST" Presidnt arid Founder. Barbers M. Rubin, Esq. Secretary ADDRESS BY PIERRE SAUVAGE ON BEHALF OF THE SECONDGENERATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS Michal R. Marrus Ph.D. FIRST WESTERN STATES REGIONAL CONFERENCE John K. Roth. Ph.D. Barbera M. Rubor% Esq. OF THE AMERICAN GATHERING OF JEWISH Pierre Eauvego Rabbi Harold M. Schuiwews HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS

BOARD OF ADVISERS March 11, 1984, C5 Friends of LeChambon Yehuda Bauer, Ph.D. Ronald L. Blanc, Esq. Herr), James Cargo.. Ph.D. Leonard Fein Ade Eber.Friedmen. Ph.D. Glenn Ford Alex Grobman. Ph.D. Rabbi Daniel Landes Frank Iv, H. Litte II. Ph.D. Samuel P. Oliner. Ph.D. Robert 0. Paxton. Ph.D. I am grateful to the Sons andDaughters of the 1939 Samuel Peen Ewa. Dennis Prager Club for having askedme to represent them here today. It Elie Wieeel Simon Wiesenthel is indeed as a child of survivorsthat I will speak to you now--from my heart, and basedon my own experience and my own understanding of that experience at thisparticular stage of my life.

Elie Wiesel, whose upcomingnovel about the Holocaust portrays, for the first time, the worldof a child of survivors, has writtento us, the children, thatours is privileged generation.

Privileged to have been born? Yes, we know that--sometimeswe feel that we know it all too well.

Privileged to have you--survivors--asparents? Yes.

Privileged to have to tryto come to terms with the history that spawned us, and thus with whatis, after all, the most relevant, themost symptomatic historical, spiritual,psychological, religious, political and human event ofour time--not just for Jews, but for the children of the murderers and the apatheticbystanders as well, and indeed for the threatened civilization in whichwe all live?

Yes, that obligation to remember,however painful, however burden- some, is a privilege too, a privilege for whichsome of us may never es- cape feeling chosen.

"It is impossible for the physicianto heal," one of the Chassidic masters once stressed, during another difficulttime for Judaism, "if he does not open up the wound and laybare its evil."We are closer to that wound that anybody exceptyou, the survivors, and when you are gonemany of us will be haunted byour increased responsibility.

But we will not be equal, to the task, andmany of us--some of the best or-UsWMcontinue torun away 17-47iiii this whole "Holocaust busi- ness;'if we do not begin,you and especially us, to confront head-on and thus even publicly,the fact thatwe your children were victims of the Ho- locaust in our own right, thatwe are still victims of the Holocaust, and that one important cause ofour still under-recognized and under-identi- BEST COP It AYAOLAJLE 12 3

8033 Sunset Boulevard #784, LosAngeles, CA 9004S 1 / ==r- .1 --7*-7 Sauvage p. 2

fied drama is completely different fromyour own and is only indirectly related to the relatives thatwe lost or the shallowness of our new cul- tural roots.

The particular and fundamental hardship that Iwant to zero in on is very difficult to bringup in your presence, to approach, to reco- gnize, to acknowledge, because itcame, unwittingly, at your hands, des- pite your best intentions.

Please believe that this is justas uncomfortable for me to say as for you to hear. I know how deeply you care aboutyour children. I know how much they represent foryou. Indeed, only now, as the father of David Sauvage, age A--who is, ofcourse, along with my wife, the most important member of this audience--am I ableto get a sense of the challenging nature of parental love andto measure how unlikely I am to do all that much better than anybodyelse, certainly than you, given the almost inconceivable additionalpsychological challenges you faced after the war.

But how can I not, in all goodconscience, use this unique opportu- nity to speak my mind, to the best ofmy ability, far better to be sure than I am capable of doing inmy own parents' home.

And thus I must try toconvey to you what I have come to believe is a core difficulty for children of survivors,a difficulty originating in your relationship to us. The overall psychological concept involved here has been most compellingly developedby the Swiss psychoanalyst Alice Miller in a book called "Prisonersof Childhood."The effects of the Ho- locaust are not even mentioned inthe book, but its application to chil- dren of survivors would be roughlyas follows.

During that all-important time whenwe were really children and made our first crucial attemptsto separate from you, we needed those at- tempts to be accepted, to be validated,to be encouraged. This process called individuation isa tricky one for every child. In our particular case, because of your own virtually unavoidable needs giventhe traumati- zing series of monumental losses thatyou had been subjected to, it was especially difficult foryou not to experience our budding autonomy as yet another potential or actual loss.

And thus our greatest challenge became figuringout where we begin and where you end, something that evolves naturallyout of an ideal pa- rent-child relationship.

Things did not get easier when we reached adolescence,where ano- ther crucial transition awaitedus. Erik Erikson, who is widely consi- dered as the foremost experton the concept of identity, has compared the young person to a trapeze artist who "in the middle of vigorousmotion must let go of his safe hold on childhood and reach out fora firm grasp on adulthood, depending for a breathless interval ona relatedness bet- ween the past and the future, and on the reliability of those hemust let go of, and those who will 'receive' him."

Is that why I sometimes feel that I'm still in mid-air? For us, 124 Sauvage p.3

easily none of the desirable conditions for/catching that slippery hxr-of adulthood wem.R, present. There was great discontinuitybetween the past and the future. Those who had to let go ofus, you our parents, could not do so with confidence. And those who were to receiveus, our peers, could hardly be expected to help us work through problemsthat were so foreign to them and that we ourselves were noteven cqnsciously aware of. The lingering difficulties forus can-be buried very deep and their symptoms canseem paradoxical. But the ramifications of all this are still unfolding, in my home and inyours and in the homes of your children.

And one thing is clear:we your children must work especially hard at becoming ourselves.

We must recognize the distortingeffects of the Holocaust butwe must stop there.

Some of us will go further backwardsin order to go forward. Some of us, in our quest to buildhealthy, confident identities for ourselves and thus also forour children will have to bypassyour trauma at times in order to connect with whatwe were before we were born. That is to say with the religion and culture that spawnedus too, elsewhere, before we were cast adrift in this misleadinglycomfortable culture we call home.

And thus, thoughwe must also strive to draw you out and to listen closely to you--listento your fundamental testimony--strive to under- stand everything that shapedyou and everything you now believe about the world since all of that alsoshaped us and is likely togo on shaping our children and probably theirs,still we cannot and we must not allowour- selves to let your experience andyour tesVimony dwarf, or merge with our experience and our testimony.

This above all else I believe. If we are to carry the torch ofme- mory symbolically handed to the second-gerie-rifronat the WiTld Gathering of Jewish Holocaust Survivors in-TeTTS-alemin 1981 then we must findour own ways of understanding what exactly that torarepresents. Our own ways, refie-cting our own ne-a.--notyours. IT-Te fail to do that,we will simply not Earry-EHat torchvery far or very high.

And all of this has led directly,as far as I personally am concer- ned, to the few who cared duringthose uncaring times, the demonstrable existence of whom helps motivateme to want to help carry tWat torch and constitutes the only lesson of the Holocaust thatI do not dread convey- ing to my very young son, that Iam indeed eager to convey to him.

Let me be clear. Like everyone else, in approaching theHolocaust we the Second Generation must start by viewing the nightthat descended on you from our closest mental approximation of the perspectiveof the crematoria as more than one million children likemy own son were being allowed to go up in flames. We cannot elude that central challengeto any belief in man or in God or else we will simply be buildingon quick- sand. 126 Sauvage p. 4

"But if you gaze down into theabyss," said Nietzsche, not antici- pating anything remotely approachingthe Holocaust, "the abyssmay enter into you."

I fear that we your childrenare more vulnerable than most to not emerging whole from that look intothe abyss. Is that not one reason why so many of us won't look at all? And thus perhaps evenmore than most people, especially mostyoung people, we need to know thateven then --especially then--God providedreasons for hope amid all the reasons for despair.

And thus I personally takecomfort in learning not just aboutthe evil and apathy that stunted allour lives but also about the inspiring good that did crop up here and there, the good which admittedlyhas espe- cial resonance forme since I may owe my own existence to thegood for- tune that brought my parents--mypregnant mother, a Jew from Bialystok, Poland, married toa Jew from Eastern France--to the devoutlyChristian oasis of the area of LeChambon-sur-Lignon in France,a Protestant encla- ve where five thousand Jewswere saved. By five thousand Christians. And to those of you who feel deep down that these chassideiumot ha'olam, these mysteriousrighteous among the nations, in the world to may have a fiTaZe come, as our faith insists, but that theyshould be men- tioned only fleetingly,as is the case today, at a gathering of Holocaust survivors, That it is more urgentto focus public attention on the crackpots spouting antisemiticgraffiti about the Holocaust thanon the deeds and motivations ofthose who somehow recognized theevil then for what it was and resisted it. That the full-scale and rivetingpresence of this "saving remnant" in our Holocaust memorials andperspective will undermine the memory ofour dead rather than help to sanctify it. To those of you, in other words, who are scared that fully acknowledgingthe significance of the few whocared will detract from the culpabilityof thepany who didn't, Ican only say this:

I understand yourconcern, but there is simply no evidence that this is be the case. or need-- I think instead thatwe are not availing ourselves ofan invaluable tool to help the worldremember and learn from the Holocaust, an invaluable tool to allowus your children to penetrate your nightmare without giving in to thesense of despair that comes all too easilyto US.

I beg your indulgence for thisdifficult and candid speech. Please consider that to honorour father and our mother is not necessarilyto remain silent when the timeto speak has come.

:-.4-kiekkkickirkirk

BEST COPY AVAILABLE 126 PierreFORUM Sauvage finds the de-Judaization of Jesus THE JERUSALEM POST INTERNATIONAL to be the most EDITION Week endihi S4,"19ilk a feelingAngeles.screeningLastMEREmy Temptation fellowof WAS defiance on moviegoers NO the as of picketday we Christ filed it andline opened inat I tono see doubt in The Los shared/ its secondcross, but disturbing element of 'The .cornedIJewishspent was me fiveborninto film years theand in world.praise shelteredmaking ofFor I'veathe initfilm happenspeopleacome mostly about to who that them knowHugue- wel- them because I've just Last Temptation' - a handfriendlyconversation.occasionally in greetingyoung sought Atproselytizer over tothe win Protestersthehead us extendingof theheld line, up signs, sang gospel rope,over asked in burstsmy of songs, his a ment:Thereandheadsidelines, was"Is were it also thegoodreally not questions thatonly, for offensive seemingly the "IsWhat swirling Jews?"this unfolded for ageless Christians?".around at some inla- length was Jesus a good movie?" a coher- asmy a goy forfromnanceish increasingmother, his from Jewish hisdrawing numbers Jewish culturalThis no environment, of strengthand is Christians. no spiritual minor and mattercut off for Jews, or indeed roots.suste- 'bon,There, parentsandnotsome communitytheirin 5,000 and and French around me,Christians inand accomplices, thethe some village mountainsdefied 5,000 of the taking Le other Nazisof Cham- France: hiJews. my byintowaysname, the the to andsons Jesusmovie pointed of thanChristians theatre. outthis Indeed,"Ithat movie."I'm don'taround there Jewish." muchneed werethe ofJesus,"time better my of family I said, was as murderedI walked usrealartistswithently today. religiousas eccentric must much have dedicationportraits vision, appliedThis designedthat and to is seem thoseskillfiercely and executed committed, sincere film- so remoteas medieval to wan, ethe- ChristiansJesusheinousOVER hasand THE of allowed ofdistinctionshis centuries,fundamental people. for the totheIt beinsightsmosthas de-Judaizing made also violent intobetween robbed their and of uponsion.nothingNoinner You itmomentous asstruggle. justanyelse didbigwas No whatdeal.debate possible. agonized youI overlearned had Without sleepless the 3 do. Bigthat lookingAs nights. Deci-there if had been no great Auschwitzfellowon.my Itbirth hadn't Jew, while along even would other withmatteredToday, haveChristians my grandmother. that beenyet Jesus,again, had gassed looked too,we inwere a being accused Greatperhaps,recognizeitsmaking. powerNeurotic, Thebut andwhat racked movieless beauty you a withwimpcommandsare even seeing: fear than as and you Jesusrespect doubt, begin with and a Hamlet, as the to tobutionversialthefaith. Christ very of and core Christianity-induced himself. fanciful: of the movieAs Asthe ait anachronistic manhappens,at its inner ofmost his thatconflicts contro- time, attri- de-Judaizing underlies Jewishedtheir"therefugee in mostfamilies, their rootsput solid it,land, of becauserootcd peopletheir rooted, faith.in theseLeon their earth"yes,Charnbon Christians heritage, even intook root-were the us in, as one Jewish - rooted in wasdednessanti-Semitismof "wimp."going not whollyof after the -himcampaign unsympatheticand the Andessential against yet, to wrong-hea-despitethe protest-film the alarming stench of - of having made him a - I hadbetweenstruggleownunceasingly half-expected: identity, betweenthe fleshquestioning conduct the and a modernist,human theand'The himselfspirit, appointed Jesus and metaphori-the ofabout Lastdivine, role. hisTemptation, torn by the was what I betweennotlor,whatever -Jesus experience spirit hiswould reasons and anynot flesh. Thatsuch -for and remaining conflictagonizing indeed surely(no aconflict bache- doubt did the essence of the gesismostthe Jewish disturbingof the high New contributionspriests, Testament.I"God incouldn't one isto ofnotartistic help the an film'sthinking Israelite,"exe- of Jesusthc very shouts differ- to comenow,whyers. theI LastAmericanthink last Temptation, therestraw movies are for Thereunderstandable some sight and isChristians. televisionunseen, no denying reasonshas have be- that for many years casualer,cancal, was me-generation"relate"falsification my growing to. of discomfort portraitoneWhat key I of hadaspect ata saviournotthe ofbeenfilm's Je- prepared for, howev- you convincingthinkhasdimensionfilm1955 no is about intentionbased) Nikos only illustration - noKazantzakistakes ofas moral providingone on realizes of itsenlightenment, religious mostnovel anything that perplexingon teaching thewhich else film to the no longerdissolveswasusleaderent 'never words the ofleans God forgetLe ofinto Chambonuponpastor of mythology that Israel. Judaism. Andrethe duringTheGod Trocme, as Nothing Curistianof soonthe Jesus war: spiritualas canChrist itfaith"Let nobe dollopscontinuescans.largelargely numbeisofAdding disrerirded moral to serve ofinsult know-nothingness religiously the up to values increasinglyinjury, involved and the lifestyle industryin Ameri-brazen the of ofioned,filmsus's Jesus turnslife. conventionally as This outgoy. tofearless, beTo yct expurgated be veryanother sure, contemporary he old-fash-depiction is called "rabbi" half-a- inglytheor seemsleadership, powerof inner to of say, struggle,spiritual indeed lies merelyRighteousness, no beliefs.not sense in in the the of joyousworshipexperienc- Last Temptation or ultimate- ac- actionsJesuslost himself, by of rejudaizingthe goodaccording Christians Christianity." toIf"By Scripture.he theirofhad Le anythingfruits Cham- ye shallto do knowwith inspiring them," said the tialcreasinglynotguise contributionunmindful of entertainment. that to this we stateJewsFurthermore, of are affairs. being as in- a filmmaker myself, I am singled out for our not insubstan- anyandadozen "Jewishmore his timcs, world,than politician." andthe the incongruousonce referencesBut fleetingly in the make close-up context derogated no of what we' see of him sense, as somemainedthecomplishment offace Jesus' true of what todisciples, ofthemselves God'sI have Christianswill. come and And theirto knowthat who beliefs flies re-from inat rybeenbon filmmaker.TheTemptation and the writer otherstortured, isHis an of likefilm Emmy Christ. rootless aboutthem, Award-winning Le he soul Chambon, could of Thenot documenta- haveLast Weap- talkie-armedSO AS THE lightsushcrs dimmed up front and faded the intowalkie- the 127 Jesusthe is menora portrayed at thatas unconnected lastMore Passover even to hisseder. than Jew- in the New Testament, wererampanta time such when true-life in Nazi-occupied Christian Christians.I'm apostasy alive Europe. today was runningbecause even then, there °FriendsleasedCritics'ons of theinBest ofParis Spirit, Le Documentary Chambon,in January. 1988. Award and will be re- won the 1988 Los Angeles Film 128 itism is our irreversible destiny? A MOST Or perhaps I should avoidthe mat- ter altogether, let it be understoodas PERSIS11NT an aberration that has no continuing relevance to our secular, assimilated HAVEN: lives? I can do neither, for Iwas born in LE CHAMBON- Le Chambon-sur-Lignon, andso 1 know that in the midst of thecarnage, SUIRIGNON there was decency, in the midst of the evil, good. I know more: I know The story of 5,000 that there are people, and always will be, whom even the most ferocious who would not be pressures cannot make into bystanders to human suffering. bystandersand So I am grateful to Le Chambon- of 5,000 more sur-Lignon not only for my life, but also for my knowledge, which will one day be David's, too. And perhaps all the Davids'. PIERRE At the start of the war, my parents, SAUVAGE Barbara and Ldo Sauvage, left Paris for Marseilles, in the then-unoccupied zone of southern France; from there, they moved to Nice, on the Riviera. I am a 39 year-old European-born But this was no time for dawdling in Jew, which means that around the time the sun. They had been lucky of my birth, much of so far, my family was especially since my mother is a Polish humiliated, tortured and murdered in Jew, born in Bialystok, andwas thus the Nazi death camps. As the world watched. particularly vulnerable to being caught in a of the kind the Vichy But the specific world into which collaborationsists conducted fre- I was born is a place called Le quently, or even by the Nazis them- Chambon-sur-Lignon, in France. selves. (Father is a French Jew, from There I was born; there I was wel- Lorraine, in eastern France.) comed into this life; there the others The beautiful French landscape, it did not watch, but reachedout their should be rememberedas the hands. French do not like towas then And today, 39 years later, Iam the scarred by dreadful internment father of a three year-old boy, to camps. These were not extermination whom I shall one day have to explain camps, but the conditions in the worst what happened in those days, in those of these French-runcamps were no places. What shall I tell him of the better than those in many of the Nazi world, and of the ways of the world concentration camps in Germany and with the Jews? Poland. It was the French government of the time, headed by the immensely Once, while preparing to makea doc- popular Marshal Main, that quietly umentaryI am a filmmakerI did dumped Jewish refugees into these quite a bit of research on thereasons camps. It was this French government why Auschwitz wasn't bombed. that engaged in a vociferous andener- There are, it turns out, many answers getic anti-Semitic campaign of its to that question, all of them disturb- own, and it was this government that ing. But I have no doubt that themost efficiently cooperated with the Ger- Top: Eva Fiddlier holds the in- basic answer is that the world didnot mans when the deportation orders fant Pierre Sauvage. care enough. Center: Survivor: in Paris. carnethe deportations "to the East," after the warPierre Sauvage Is that what I should tell David,my to the . It was with the in his mother's arms, with coup son? Shall I then teach him that there is in Samuel Pisar. cooperation of this government, of its Bottom: Pierre Sauvoge and no purpose to be served in working police and its bureaucracy, that and living with others, that some his father in Lt Chansbon. anti-Sem- 80,000 men, women and children

BEST COPYAVAILABLE 129 were handed over to the mass which one of the Jewish teachers murderers. officiated. And so it was that my parents, a So it was that in the midst of year after the large-scale deportations Christendom's most horrendous failure. began, had to determine where to these Christians of Le Chambon gave hide, where to go to have a child, a evidence of religion's capacity for good. Jewish child. The values of the Chambonnais did not permit them to turn away; theirs was a It so happened that a Jewish friend of commitment anchored by and in their my parents knew of a mountain vil- Christian faith. To the peasants and vil- lage in south-central France, not too lagers of Le Chambon, Le Mazet. Fay far from Lyon, that he thought would and all the hamlets and isolated farms of be as good a gamble as any. Le the area, the biblical admonition to love Chambon-sur-Lignon was a Protes- one another was the bedrock Christian tant enclave outside the mainstream of message, a message they could not Catholicor, for that matter, of secu- ignore, no matter the risk, no matter the larFrance. The people of the rural consequences. (Lest that message be area of which Le Chambon was the obscured by the events of thc day, the centerpiece had not forgotten the per- parish paper, at the very top of the first secution of their own Huguenot an- page, recalled that Jesus had said. "If a cestors by the kings of France. Perhaps man say, I love God, and hateth his that memory would lead them to help brother, he is a liar; for he that loveth not protect the Sauvages from harm. his brother whom he hath seen, how So my parents rented a room in a can he love God whom he hath not farmhouse in Le Chambon, and it was seen.") there, in March of 1944, that I was No agonizing, no intellectualizing, born, at a time when much of my no rationalizing, no minimizing, no mother's family was being slaugh- debating: Action. Mitzvah. tered. (The tale of that particular To the residents of Le Chambon, slaughter is told in a bookOf Blood then as now, there was nothing re- and Hopewritten by my mother's markable in their behavior. And yet nephew, my cousin, Samuel Pisan) the rest of us know that it was most re- But here and there throughout Eu- markable, that the fact that these peo- rope there are other heart-warming ple behaved as normal, decent human stories ofJews being provided shelter. beings was an extraordinary fact. Why, then, call parficular attention to Shall we call it an aberration? Shall we Le Chambon? fixate on the horror, and ignore the Because during the course of the goodness? What shall we make of it. war the people of Le Chambon and the as a memory, as a legacy? surrounding area took in some 5,000 Jews. Nowhere do we have a parallel A place, a sequence of events largely to such a story. No one was turned ignored by historians, unstudied by away. No one was betrayed. No con- sociologists, uncelebrated by the reli- version was imposed. There was a gious communities, Jewish or Chris- need, and the 5,000 people of the area tian, unchronicled by the media. One becameno one had any idea of it at bookLest Innocent Blood Be Shed, the timeoccupied Europe's most de- by Philip Hallie, a professor of philos- termined, most persistent haven of ref-ophy; and, quite recently, one award uge for the Jews. A compelling by the Hebrew Union College. ratioone life preserved per local And now, a film, for that is how I inhabitant. ("He who saves one have decided to inform the Davids of life. . what happened, of what people can And all this under Vichy's nose, be. A film that records the faces, so within striking distance of the SS, many faces... with convalescing German soldiers The Héritiers, a couple now in their walking the streets of Le Chambon 80s who lived up the road from where during the last year. And there, in the my parents and their baby were stay- newly-founded secondary school, the ing. Monsieur Héritier is the image of citizens of Le Chambon set aside a the wary French peasanttaciturn, room for Jewish religious services, at disinclined towards any self-asserting 130 3 act or word. The notion that he and his who engaged in one of themost highly wife were in any way heroic,special, punishable of anti-Nazi offenses, is profoundly uncomfortable sur- to both vived the war; he isnow a pediatrician of them. They are not social activists; in the outskirts of Paris.) if the world is askew, that is the And Madame Barraud, who is world's problem, not theirs. They do 90, and is almostnever at home be- not stress their Christian upbringing cause she's out all day visiting the old or belief. They think what they did and the sick. "My husband and I was "normal." didn't have that many Jews," she Normal for the Héritierswas that saysshe whose pension wasopen to from the moment Jewish refugees the hunted at any time of dayor night. started arriving in Le Charnbon,there And Madame Brottes, a member was always at least one Jew, usually of a small fundamentalistsect who sits more, at their kitchen table; therewere across the kitchen table from me and always one or two Jewish children holds her head high as she proclaims sharing skimpy accommodationswith that for her, as for many of the Chris- their own daughters. And whenthe tians of Le Chambon, the Jewswere children were escorted to safetyin the people of God, the Chosen Peo- Switzerland, as happened., theyasked ple, to whom she oweda special obli- for more children. gation. Madame Brottes, who took The Heritiers are embarrassed that care of half a dozen Jews; a peasant anyone would want to interview them woman caring, among others, for a about anything, but they don'treally Viennese doctor and his wife and feel that I am interviewingthem, for child. Who, when one of "her" Jews they remember me andmy parents was caught and sent to an internment well. There is a picture ofme as a baby camp, mailed him precious food in their daughter Eva'sarms, for she packages every single week. helped take care ofme. Madame And what of Magda Trocrné, Héritier happily remembers thatit widow of the late pastor of Le was in their house that I learnedto walk. Chambon, a legend in her own right,a whirlwind of non-stop practical activ- And Monsieur Héritierstares reso- ity, common sense, unflaggingly lutely at the ground when Iask the ex- available, ideally matched to her ide- pected question: 'Why did you shelter alis- 1c and reflective husband? Whata Jews?" He's not going -r to tell me that thril' it has been for me tomeet and he thinks the question meaningless,al- correspond with this woman! most stupid. He merely shrugs his The Trocmis had come to Le shoulders and says, "When people Chambon in 1934 after serving came, if we could be of help.. " And among workers in industrial northern the answer dangles. When Ipress, France. They were a cosmopolitan noting the risks theywere taking, couple, she half-Italian, half-Russian, Madame Héritier looksup just long he half-German, half-French. They enough to say simply that one gets had met in New York, where hewas used to the risk. And then shelooks studying at Union Theological Semi- down again, hoping I willnot insist on nary while tutoring David and Win- answers she believeserroneously throp Rockefeller, in 1921. For them she does not have. Le Chambon was a sleepy, backwater But the Héritiers wereamong those placeexcept for one thing, which who took the greatest risks, forthey André Trocmé wrote about toan knew full well that theyoung Jewish American friend a few months after teenager whom they sheltered was his arrival: "The old Huguenot spirit is BEST COPYAVAILABLE spending his nights forging false iden- still alive. The humblest peasant tity papers for the Jews and the other house has its Bible and the father reads refugees who flocked to Le Cham- it every day. So these people who do bon. Those papers' were essential for not read the papers but the scriptures Top: Pierre Sativage retunu to survival; towards the end,:onsieur do not stand on the moving soil of visit the lifritiers. Heritier hid the paraphern ,Center: The false paper: of ia for pro- opinion but on the rock of the word of the yowls forger sheltered by ducing them in his beehives. (Another God." A few months later, he wrote the Iftritiers. : villager hid the falsepapers in his Bottom: Marie Drones, propheticallythat he thought he was todo mother's grave. And theyoung forger, going to be able to accomplishgreat ijj things in Le Chambon. 4 sheltered Jews. Itwas not a subject of Trocmd, a brilliant, inspiring discussion at the time, and itdid not man, had had difficulty finding a par- become a subject of discussionafter ish because he was a proclaimed con- the war ended and the Jews leftto be- scientious objector, notto put it gin to reconstruct their lives. mildlyan acceptable belief at the There was a couple from Germany time. But the Trocmés had been to who had met and fallen in loveas ref- Germany in the early years of the ugees in Paris. And then came the war, Third Reich and had sensed whatwas and they were separated,sent to dif- coming. At one point, this Christian ferent internmentcamps. In one of the pacifist had seriously considered worst, Gurs, the woman gave birth whether he had an inescapable moral it was August 1941toa daughter, obligation to take advantage of his flu- Eva. Therk, avoiding calamity byway ency in German to penetrate Hitler's of the nea4yroutine miracle that entourage and assassinate him. Ulti- marks the itories of so many of the mately, he decided that even this mur- survivors, mother and daughterwere der could not be sanctioned. But he directed to Le Chambon. They made remained passionately eager to dem- their way there under the auspicesof onstrate that there is nothing even re- the Cimade, a newly-foundedorgani- motely passive about pacifism. zation of young French Protestant The French armistice with Germany women that was ceaselessly active, was signed on a Saturday evening. throughout the war, in helping Jews, The very next morning,a morning going so far even as to place volunteer when all France was heavinga sigh of workers inside the camps. relief, confident that the worstwas at The manthe husband, the fa- last over, Trocmë preached a sermon: therarrived in Le Chambonsome "The duty of Christians is to respond time after his wife and daughter.He to the violence that will be brought to came late one afternoon, and thatvery bear on their consciences with the night, there was a Gestapo raidon the weapons of the spirit." ("Les armes house where they had almost stayed de l' esprit" is, thus, the French title of the night. (This was toprove the only my documentary.) "We will resist," successful raid of thewar; while oth- Trocmé went on, "wheneverour ad- ers were conducted, the villagers al- versaries will demand of us compli- ways managed to be alerted in timeto ance contrary to the orders of the send the Jews scurrying into the Gospel. We will do so without fear,as woods.) The couple and their daughter well as without pride and without survived the war in Le Chambon, hate." as did her sister and brother-in-law;to- And for the next fouryears, that is day, they live just a few miles from exactly what happened ina tiny area my home in Los Angeles. of France. Among those caught in that Ge- stapo raid was a young cousin of And the Jews came to Le Chambon. Andre Trocmd, who hadcome to Le They came because they chancedupon Chambon to run a children's home word of itas in thecase of my par- funded by the Quakers. In September entsor with the help of one of sev- 1942, he wrote a letter to hisparents eral admirable organizations, suchas explaining why he was not goingon the American Quakers, who madeuse for his doctorate, as his parents of Le Chambon's willingnesseven wanted, but was instead accedingto eagernessto take in both individuals the pastor's request that hecome take and groups of Jews. charge of this new homeat least half The effort was never coordinated. of whose wards were Jewish. No person or group mobilized the "I think it may be time forme to as- Top: 1943: Pastor André Trocmi villagers, the farmers, thepeasants sume responsibilities with regard to (toll man in the back row) v:sits the and the spiritual leaders of thearea of other people. Le Chambon will bean children's home run by Dan- Le Chambon into a coherent network. iel Thxmi (back row, farright). education for me, and that shouldn't Center and bottom: The The people of the area are still amazed displease you. It is also something of Cobkntz family. urban French at how widespread the perilous hospi- a contribution to the reconstruction of Jews. transform themselves into tality was, are still surprised to learn farmers in the Le Chambon our world." (Tikun olam, we call it.) area during the war. that such and such a neighbor had also "The future will tell me whether Iwas 132 5 equal to the task or not, and it will tell vid Pisar, and his then-nine-year-old only me because it is not a matter of cousin Frieda Pisar, that all these and success in the eyes of the world. I more were incinerated, will know as have chosen Le Chambon not because well the names Trocmé, and Le it is an adventure but because I will Forestier, and Hefter, and Brottes, thus be able not to be ashamed of the name Le Chambon, will know that myself." even in those days and places the Jews And so for nine months Daniel had friends. Trocrné, in order not to be ashamed of And I mean to tell him also, lest he himself, in order naken olam, devoted miss the point, that there were people himself to some children. Until, in as good and as righteous in every June of 1943, the Gestapo came and single country of occupied Europe. arrested him. On April 2, 1944, Dan- Perhaps none saved Jews on the scale iel Trocmd died in Maidanek. of Le Chambon, perhaps nowhere else Young Trocmé was one of the few did such a remarkable consensus martyrs of Le Chambon. Roger Le emerge. But yes, even in Bialystok, Forestier was another, a devout Chris- even in Lithuania, even in the tian physician who had served with Ukraine, there were people who t Albert Schweitzer in Africa and then, help6d, individuals who risked and still a young man, followed his com- sometimes lost their lives, often defy- mitment to Le Chambon in the early ing not only the Nazis but their own 1940s. In 1944, he was very con- neighbors, people whose actionsbe- cerned about the serious problem cause so solitaryare in some re- pregnancy of one of the Jewish spects even more remarkable than women under his care. His profes- those of the Chambonnais. David is sional expertise and his personal de- entitled to know such things. votion pulled mother and son through; I cannot believe that my motherfor As, of course, are we all. We remem- I was that sonwould have been more ber the Danes and their heroism, and effectively cared for, attended with we remember Raoul Wallenberg and greater dedication, in even that most now , and we. who modern facility where my own son have taught that "the righteous Gen- was born. tiles of all nations will have a share in And just a few months later, Dr. Le the world to come" have made in Yad Forestier fell into Nazi hands and was Vashem a place of honor for these murdered by the henchmen of Klaus chassidei umot ha' olam, these righ- Barbie, the SS thug who was later to teous Gentiles. (Among the few become a United States intelligence thousand there honoredso farare operative and who is now at last, so the Chambonnais André Trocrné, late, being brought to justice. young Daniel Trocmé mnd the assis- There were so many others, so very tant pastor Edouard Theis and his many. I cannot name them all, but Ohio-born wife Mildred.) there is one more I cannot not name. But there is more, much more, that It turns out that you cannot know we do not yet know. We know very lit- who will be caught up in a conspiracy tle about the extent of such conduct, of goodness once it is launched. And and we know very, Ile' y little about it appears that a German officer, Major who the good people were and less Julius Schmahling of the Wehrmacht, still about why they acted as they did. knew exactly what was going on in Le By and large, we have perceived them Chambonand ordered those conva- as misplaced footnotes to a macabre lescing German soldiers, whose curi- BEST COPY AVAILABLE text. Especially to the survivors, the osity was sometimes aroused, to issue of righteous behavior has been invest in recovering their own difficult, even painful. Knowing the strength, to mind their own business. extent of the loss, hence the depth of Top Words of the children's the mourning, how find time or room So my son David, who will know that home la Guespy, many of them for thanksgiving? How, how find in his great-grandmother Feigl Jewish. Winter, 1944. the grisly story a cause for cele- Center: Daniel Trocmi. Sucliowolski and his granduncle Bottom: Roger Le Forestier bration? Memel Suchowolski and his grand- (on right). I am a filmmaker from southern aunt and granduncle Helaina and Da- California, in the United States, de- 133 scendant of the murdered, heir to world. They became heroes because endless gloom and memory most bit- there were villains; they are remem- ter. I was born in Le Charnbon-sur- bered because there was a Holocaust. Lignon in France, and I have come to We who care that thememory of the believe that the story of the righteous Holocaust be sustained, as a tribute to Gentiles is not merely interesting, that the slaughtered, as a warning to the because of the extent of the atrocity generations, must know that people and its continuing psychological costs are more likely to approach its horror, it is an indispensable story. I cannot to confront the fact that we live in a expect others to discover and tell that world that permitted an uncountable story, for the existence of the righteous number of children to be burned be- Gentiles is a constant rebuke to those cause they were Jews, in a world that others; it is a reminder of their com- has known utter moral bankruptcy, if plicity, a rebuttal of the alibi that it there is, at the edges of that world, the was not possible to care, to do solace of the righteous, the knowledge anything. that there were those who stood aside But I cannot accept that we, the from that world and rejected it. Jews, remain so ignorant of and indif- ferent to the righteous. That we do "There were so few of them." As if seems to me to say more about our moral or spiritual significance is a still traumatized state of mind than it matter of numbers. As if we even does about them and their signif- knew the numbers in this largely un- icance. charted chapter of our past. As if we The knowledge is indispensable not didn't believe, we Jews especially, that just because this cynical world desper- even tiny minorities may own impor- ately needs to be reminded that moral tant, perhaps even divine, truths. behavior is possible even under The late pastor of Le Chambon the most unlikely circumstances, that lived his life, his eloquent pacifist's it is both gratifying and appreciated. life, as a demonstration of Christian In a world that has known such faith. Yet in his unpublished memoirs, darkness, in which a new darkness he confided that his faith was, ulti- threatens, can we afford not to study mately, in the possibility of good on and to celebrate goodness? earth, "without which," he added, But there is more. By neglecting "the theoretical existence of God the righteous of the Holocaust, by notdoesn't interest me." being more genuinely and actively in- And I, the father of David, who terested in searching them out andun- want to believe in that possibility, too, derstanding them, by not integrating who want to extend it and pass both them more fully and more prominently the belief and the evidence for it on to into our accounts and memorializa- my child and to his, am bound to seek tions of the Holocaust, we fail not just out and to treasure and to learn from the urgent universal agenda, buteven the bits and pieces I can find even in our own pragmatic interests. For therethe moral rubble of these timeses- is here, plainly, the opportunity to pecially in the moral rubble of these present especially dramatic and inspir- times. ing positive role models to the Gen- That is why, as I tell David of these tileespecially the Christianworld.things, as he learns that there is in all Might such models not serve as a prod of us a capacity for evil and an even to current behavior? And might our greater and more insidious capacity own increased understanding of the for apathy, I want him to learn that the sources of righteousness not be useful stories of the righteous are not foot- to us, today, as we seek dependable notes to the past but cornerstones to BEST COPY AVAILABLE allies? the future. I owe my life to the good And there is more. These heroes, people of Le Chambon. I owe even these mostly quite ordinary people more than that to my son. whose heroism was not a play for the Top: Pietre Somme. hts son spotlight, are inspiring and authentic David and his.tyife Barbara and significant only because they con- Rubin visit Magda Tivcml Bottom: MagdaPvc, n and trast so dramatically with the apathy David &amaze and complicity of the rest of the 134 BEST COPY AVAILABLE 'Weans of the Sp A Jou_ ey0 e ..11111. *Of By Pierre Sauvage Ityr Five years after I began working on it, my film "Weapons of the Spirit" is premiering tomorrow night at the Z41' 41. American Film Institute's Fest-L.A. 304- And I ask myself: Why did it take so long? Was it really worth it? The film is the story of a village in France that took in and sheltered Jews during the Holocaust: Le Chambon-sur-Lignon. I am a Jew who was born in Nazi- occupied Europe. That means that around the time of my birth, much of my family was humiliated, tor- (1)Fihnmaker Pima &swage tured and murdered in the Nazi in hi:father's sons in 1944, death camps. While the world stood (2)Jetauh and Christian youth by. at play in Nazi-occupied Le Yet I was born and protected on Chambon, France (1944); (3) that plateau in the mountains of Director Puree Sauvage siunig south-central France. There, the before the rums of luxboyhood day after France fell to the Nazis, the hums in Le Chambon, France 1

it WU shot, and Monsieur1--k Hinder stares resolute- every year since has ly at the ground when I get to the brought new losses that I experienceexpected question: "Why did you almost like a death in the family. shelter Jews?" He's not going to tell Soon, there will be nobody in Leme that he thinks the question Chambon left to thank. meaningless, almost stupid. He I symbolically began by filmingmerely shrugs his shoulders and some footage of me in the ruins ofsays, "When people came, if we the farmhouse where I was wel-could be of help ... " comed into the world. All I was able When I press on, noting the risks to use later on was a long shot; mythey had taken, Madame Héritier expressions in the close-ups seemedlooks up just long enough to say sim- to reflect my controlled panic at the ply that one gets used to the risk. challenge that lay ahead. And then she looks down again, At the time of World War II, hoping I will not insist on answers most of the peasants and villagers of she believes she does not have. the area of Le Chambon were de- As it happens, the Héritiers were voutly Christian descendants ofamong those taking the greatest Huguenots French Protestants risks, for they knew full well that who had themselves known persecu- among the Jews they had taken in pacifist pastors of Le Chambon pro- this film, of learning from thesetion and slaughter at the hands ofwas a teenager who had become the claimed the need to resist violence "doers of good." has given my life the kings of France and their own village Forger, spending his nights "through the weapons of the spirit." renewed direction and strength. countrymen. making false identity papers for all There, at the risk of their lives, Such are the occasional benefits of Like peasants dsewhere, the olderwho needed them. the peasants and villagers of the arca making a documentary film inhabitants of thiswindswept, Towards the end of the war, Ger- defied the Nazis and the collabora- I don't know how much my ad- wintry mountain enclave tend to be man soldiers were stationed smack tionist Vichy regime, turning their venture of making "Weapons of the wary, taciturn and private. I knewin the middle of the village. Mon- tiny community into occupied Eu-Spirit" has in common with that ofthat, like rescuers elsewhere, theysieur Heritier is a beekeeper. His rope's most determined haven ofother documentary filmmakers. As would not readily expound on their response to the increased threat: he refuge for the Jews. There, in the with all such films there were prob- deeds or their motivations. hid the forger's paraphernalia in his course of four long years, some lems galore. But the important ones It was thus with some apprehen- beehives. 5,000 Jews were saved by some all turned out to bc thc flip side ofsion that I walked up the hill for the From that interview on, every- 5,000 Christians! an opportunity. At least the more I first interview. It was to be with thing that could go right with the And after five years of a (not atyp- worked on the film, the morc I came Henri and Emma Héritier, a pea- shoot did (or at least I only remem- ical) creative and financial high-wireto perceive things that way sant couple in their 80s whom I ber the good parts). In Le Chambon act, the result is a movie which, in For instance, getting the film off planned to film standing outside the and later in Paris, I got all the inter- comparison with "real" movies, the ground was thr easiest part. Ifarmhouse they had turned into a view material I needed, from Chris- faces an uphill struggle to reach ahad barely conceived of doing itplace of sanctuary. tians and Jews. If anything, it was wide audience: itis a true story, when someone at one of the French It seemed natural to begin with an embarrassment of riches. after all, told by the people who lived television networks. a committed the Héritiers. They remembered my I began accumulating masses of It. Jew, decided that this v.as indeed a parents well. Their daughter Evadata, documents and photographs. So was it worth it? film that should be made had helped take care of me; several The contents of that file cabinet will It would have been worth it even My crew and Iarrived in Le of the early drafts of the film opened one day be part of the historical if the negative had gone up in flames Charnbon just in time The good die with a photograph of me as an infant museum being planned for Le and the film remained only in my old, but several key participants in in Eva's arms. I knew the HérinersChambon. head. For the experience of making the film passed away not long after would do their best to humor me. The wartime snapshots were

S-20 INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY ASSN. SPECIAL REPORT 3 THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, MA RCH17, 1987 BEST COPY ANAHABLE especiall, important, given that thewanted the fdm to be dramatically documentary filmmaker is always at effective yet historically impeccable. the mercy of his visual material. I knew nothing about Christianity With no one refusing to lend me and very little about religion. Yet I their precious memorabilia,I was determined to respect and con- rounded up hundreds upon hun-vey the particular slant on life these dreds of these photographs, which activist Christians had exemplified may well constitute the largest pho- in their deeds. tographic record that will ever be A complicating factor, with signif- assembled of Jews in any one placeicant psychological ramifications, during the Nazi occupation ofwas my parents' firm wish to keep Europe. their own life histories private. Just I was also determined to place the how much of a right did I have to story of Le Chambon bluntly in its detail publicly the relevant circum- historical French context. Workingstances of my own birth? No answer with a historian, I gained access toseemed obvious, but I needed to dusty, incriminating documents inhonor their feelings to the extent that France's National Archives andI could. selected about two hours of evoca- Most important of all, I had to tive newsreel footage from which I convey the heroism of my protagon- would cull later on. ists without betraying the simplicity SW. I love France, and in many re- and seeming casualness that was in- Henri and Emma Hinder took Jewish children We their homethmsehout the Nazi spects I am and remain very French. herent in that very heroism. What- occupation of France in WorldWar II But the shameful record of France's ever the temptations,I knew I vigorously anti-Semitic policies dur- mustn't make these people seem when I was begin- I'd returned too late to see ing World War II, culminating in "larger than life." The point, after ning to rationalize that perhans theMadame Héritier again. Her death, popular Marshal Petain's compli- all, was precisely the opposite; iffdm was meant to be one of thoseduring the editing, had found its ance with the deportation of Jewssomebody hadn't already used themassive frescoes with no empathyway into the very fabric of the film "to the East," needed to be un-title, I might well have called the for the spectator's physical comfort,itself. But the door to the Hiritier equivocally spelled out. No big deal fdm "Ordinary People." I stumbled on an admonition thehome was open, as usual, when I for Americans, no doubt. But still In Paris, before the shoot, I'dphilosopher Jacques Maritain hadcame by shortly after my arrival. such a raw nerve in France that no called Marcel Ophuls, the masterjotted in a youthful journal, obvious- Monsieur Héritier was sitting at his documentary filmmaker had yetdocumentarian of "The Sorrow and ly with my situation in mind: "Thekitchen table, staring into space. addressed the subject. the Pity," to seek some advice. He greater the artist, the more he elimi- His health was not too good, he The French financial participa- asked whether I had a script. I said nates." said, reminding rne that he was 87 tion turned out to be limited to theno,with some embarrassment. I repeated the line to myselfand expressing some concern about shoot, and not long after my return "Good," he said. "If you had,I whenever I hesitated about whetherthe emotional impact of seeing the to Los Angeles, I set up a non-profitwouldn't have known how to talk to to cut something or to keep it in. film. I imagined that he was won- foundation, Friends of Le Chem-you." Those cuts can be very painful. Onedering what it would be like to see bon, in order to complete the film Indeed, I can't imagine how I ends up eliminating material that isEmma again, his late companion of and promote continued interdiscipli- 64 years of life together. could possibly have mapped out1 just as good or better than - nary exploration of the issues the"Weapons of the Spiritin ad- what is kept but that simply does not But his daughter Eva did bring film raises. vance. I've found that before a quite fit. Whole people, too, had tohim to the screening, and afterwards I began lecturing about the neces- shoot, you can never even predict be eliminated, with Matt sometimes I spotted him in the lobby of the tiny sary lessons of hope still buried be- for sure who your strongest charac- touchingly trying his best to save fig-new movie theater in Le Chambon, neath the Holocaust's unavoidable ters are going to be, let alone in what ures to whom he had also grownstanding against the wall surround- lessons of despair. I wrote articles. specific directions the material is attached. ed by several generations of his fam- Iconducted a lecture series atgoing to lead you. French writer Paul Valfry onceily. He was smiling, and I felt like UCLA Extension. In effect, I was In any event, the effect of the foot- said that a poem is never finished, a king as I was introduced to the trying out my material and myage, far more than in a dramatic only abandoned. The time soonfamily members I didn't know, approach. film, derives from the juxtapositions came to set a firm deadline for thesome of whom remembered the Ostensibly,I was straying faryou come up with in the editing"abandonment" of the film, nobaby that used to wake up the neigh- from filmmaking, but I realize now room. In fact, the less you remem- matter what improvements mightborhood. that during that time I was groping, ber about your original intentions still be possible. By then, I had de- He was back at the kitchen table consciously and unconsciously, the better, and it's often most pro- cided that I would arbitrarily keepagain when I came to say goodbye. towards a necessary understandingductive to use an editor who has as the film at 90 minutes. I failed. The"The film was better than I'd ex- of what it is the film would be about. few preconceived ideas about the film runs 91 minutes. pected," he volunteered, rather seri- And at last, after several false material as possible. Before "locking" the picture, I ously. starts, the editing itself took off for I once boasted to my six-year-old returned to Le Charnbon once When I had to leave, he told me good. My editor, Matthew Harri-son David that a documentary film again, with a copy of the work printto wait a minute, then walked over son, was then a young filmmaker was like a 5,000-piece jigsaw puzzle, of the film. There was to be a gath-to the cupboard. The beehives were and assistant editor from Oregon with the difference that few pieces ering of Jews who'd been in the areaa thing of the past, as he could no who'd probably ne rer before given seem at first to belong inevitablyduring the war, and I'd agreed tolonger climb the hill to them. But he a second's thought to the Holocaust. next to any other and the addi- screen the film for them and for ourstill had a few jars of his honey left, also didn't speak a word oftional twist that the pieces actually Chambonnais friends. stamped with his name. He got one I ench, the language of much of thechange in appearance each time Too many of the latter had al-and handed it to me. "Here, take footage he'd be working on. But hethey're shifted about. ready died. Despite the usually aptthis," he said. "That way you'll is smart and creative, and his lack My computer was an invaluable conventional wisdom about neverthink of me once in a while." of connection to the material was a tool in this pi ocess, allowing us to screening a work print, I welcomed Was irall worth it? perfect match for my overcommit- have a constantly updated paper the excuse to share the film with its There's no reward in the world ment. Later, post-production super-record of the ever-changing film. aging protagonists and was alsothat will ever rival that jar of visor Dominique Oren joined ourMistakes and ideas would leap up eager to receive any timely feedback honey. tiny team. at me as I shifted blocks of text on that might come my way Many of How I longed for video as wethe monitor. I can no longer ima- the people in the film, Jews and "Weapons of the Spirit" will be spent hours hunting down footage gine filmmaking without a computer Christians, attended the screening. screened for the public on March 18 and putt-putting along in atniquated any more than I can imagine life This sort of event is a privilegeat 7:30 p.m. at the Las Felis Thea- non-computer-assisted film editing; without a telephone answering reservedfor documentary film- ter. documentarians of the very near machine. makers. No big-ticket mainstream future will smile tenderly at all we As the film started comtng toge- Pierre Sausageit en Emies-winitit.; dec. director gets to screen his film with unwary maker and the president of the still put ourselves through today. ther, my biggest concern was ts pm- the actual characters present and Fries& of Le Charakoa Foundation. I now faced many challenges. I sible length. Just reacting.

THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, MARCH 17, 1987 136 INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY ASSN. SPECIALREPORT S-2 FRIENDS OF LECHAMBON FLC # 93 8033 Sunset Boulevard #784 Exploring necessary lessons of hope Los Angeles, CA 90046 beneath unavoidable/We'll*of despair Tel.: 213/650-1774 SHADOWS OF THE HOLOCAUST: PRESIDENT REFLECTIONS BY THE AMERICAN ANDEUROPEAN POSTWAR GENERATION and FOUNDER Pierr Sauvage (Goethe Institute/Martyrs Memorial)

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Sunday, November 6, 1988, 10:30am Michael R. Marrus, Ph.D. John K. Roth, Ph.D. PAIN,GUILT AND RAGE: HAVE WE MOVED BEYOND? Barbara M. Rubin, Esq. Pierre Sauvage Moderator:Pierre Sauvage Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis Panelists:Helen Epstein Peter Sichrovsky BOARD OF ADVISERS Doerte von Westernhagen Henryk Broder Sha Imi Barmore Menachem Z. Rosensaft Lawrence Baron, Ph.D. Yehuda Bauer, Ph.D. Rabbi Ben Beliak Harry James Carrots, Ph.D. Norman Cousins TRANSCRIPT OF INTRODUCTORY REMARKSBY PIERRE SAUVAGE Ada Eber-Friedman, Ph.D. Emil L. Fackenheim, Ph.D. Leonard Fein, Ph.D, Henry L. Faingold, Ph.D. When I was called a while Glenn Ford back and asked whether I The Hon. Sam Gajdenson would be interested in moderatingthis panel, my first David M. Gordis, Ph.D. reaction was to say--or at least,to think--"Boy, ls this Rabbi Irving Greenberg up my alley!" Alex Grobman, Ph.D. Pain, guilt, rage... To be quite candid about it, Rev. Douglas Huneke these are emotions that forvarious reasons I've felt Isaiah Kuperstein closer to these last months than Robert Jay Litton, Ph.D. ever before. And this was Franklin H. Linen, Ph.D. true even before I experienceda very important loss just a Benjamin Mted week ago, as I will share withyou shortly. Samuel P. Oliner, Ph.D. I m not sure how muchmy state of mind has had to do Robert 0. Paxton, Ph.D. with the Holocaust, and itslingering effects on me-- Samul Pal If, Esq. particularly as I now seem to work Rabbi Daniel F. Polish in the field of the Dennis Prager Holocaust--and how much is simplymyown personal Rabbi Seymour Siegel toishegass. (Which for those ofyou who need the Rabbi Alvin M. Sugarman translation is a friendly Yiddish word formild insanity.) Nechama Tic, Ph.D. In any event, I won't embarrassyou any further by Magda Trocmi saying more than you want to hear aboutthat--especially so Jack Tramiel early on--but I do feel the needto tell you that a subject Wiesel like this morning's hits Simon Wiesenthal a nerve in me. David S. Wyman, Ph.D. And thus my seconl reactionwas to tell Barbara %bell Wolfe, Ph.D. Rottman, who was issuing the invitationto moderate this panel, that this is notan instance where I could play disinterested facilitator and referee. Barbara said that was fine--perhapsnot thinking it over as much as she might have--andnow I apologize in advance that I am not likely to "moderate"this panel so much as I am to provoke it--andyou. But then isn't that our role thismorning: to be as personal as possible. To share our experiences. To

BEST COPY AVAILABLE Pain, Guilt and Rage p.2 lead off these postwar-generationreflections with some fundamental building blocks of feelings andemotions. To connect with whatever pain, guilt, and ragewe may have, leavingto the historians this afternoon the responsibility forproviding a judicious context for experience, and to the creative our artists tomorrow evening the taskof assessing how and whether thatexperience can orshould through art. be conveyed But as I indicated, there is something else ofa personal nature that I must share withyou. Because I it is, in a symbolic need to. And because I think way, highly relevant to the situationof our post-Holocaust generation. Just last Sunday evening, I got that phone call that people always remember. It was my mother,with the news that my father just died. had When I was asked--whenhe was alive--whetherwe had a close relationship, I would answer no. We would talk on the phone Sunday morning at about every this time--my parents live(lived?)in New York--and over theyears we had a lot to argue about. What most surprises me now is the extent to whichmy feelings about him are changingbecause of his death, and I also can't help how much I miss him. thinking of all that Iwithheld from him in retaliation for all that he hadwithheld from me. If you'll indulgeme a little more,I want to tell happens that my father had you that it a remarkable career as a author. And one of the main forms journalist and that my mourning took thisweek was writing an obituaryon him--two actually, one for well known, and France, where he was one for the U.S.--my "spin,"if you will, on his lite, but actually myattempt to convey that life wanted it conveyed. precisely as he would have Friday, I received phonecalls from the New York and they acted Times and U.P.1. as ifI was driving themnuts because I wouldn't give them my father's place ofbirth. I couldn't explainto them that itwas just one of those families... And that my father wouldhave wanted what gaping hole in his obit. was to them a I wondevred if they'dwrite: "Son Pierre Sauvage declined to givehis father's place of birth." Actually, the U.P.I. was sneakier than that. They called a publication that my fatherhad worked for and theygot the "cover story" I had beenunwilling to repeat. L.A. Times. And that's what ran in today's Similarly, his death hadconfronted me witha dilemma, although actually there was never any doubt in my mind thatthere too1 would respect his wishes, althoughthese had more serious me and for my family. consequences for Those last wisheswere thatthere beno funeral, that he be cremated, that no services, his ashes be scatteredover the ocean. This meant that thelaws of Judaism would be frankly even more importantly violated 'and, for me, that hisgrandchildren--and his children--would be deprived ofa physical place that remained ever and ever. his, for That is how far I was willing to go to respect hiswishes. That far, but not muchmore. You see, some of you know me as a child of Holocaustsurvivors, as a child survivor of the Holocaust,and thus as a Jew. But that is not theway I was raised. I am, perhaps, becoming a Jew, with the essential help ofmy wife

136 Pain, Guilt and Rage p. 3 and my eight year-old son, andwhat I increasingly believe to be common sense--that one derives strength frombeing one's self, and that one's self is rooted,among other things, in one's heritage and one's history. Exactly the opposite ofwhat my father believed. And this evolution of mine didnot have his blessing, was even probably experienced asa repudiation and a betrayal. Oh, I wa-n't raisedas a Christian. I was raised as a "nothing." I have never before said thispublicly, and I agonized until late in the night as to whether Iwas going to say it this morning. And ultimately the thing that clinchedit was a line I remembered from Elie Wiesel's "The Fifth Son," which is about the experience ofa child of survivors, and in whichit is said at one point: "The duty of the Jewish father is towards theliving." Well, I want to livean open life, with no secrets. And I want to pass that approach ontomy children. And thus I will even tellyou that at the age of18, just as I was getting ready to go off to Paristo live and study--to live in fact with my cousin, whowas a survivor of Auschwitz--myparents called me into the living room, sat me down, and told me that Iwas Jewish. Or perhaps that theywere Jewish. Or perhaps that they were born Jewish. I just don't remember. My mother, a Polish Jew, hadgone along with my Father, a French Jew--at least roughly speakinga French Jew. Perhaps all those years, they had simply remained inhiding. In any event, the rest of thefamily went along too. Most of it, those who hadn't been killedoff, were kept at arm's length,or I didn't know about theirexistence at all. The conspiracy worked. I never caughton. I think I've learned something about the power oftaboos. My father never becam,comfortable with thenew me,the almost flamboyantly self-proclaimedJew, the public speaker about the Holocaust, and I always felta little embarrassed talking about things in his presence. these And thus, for instance, my film "Weaponsofthe Spirit," about that unique community of Christianswhere my parents were sheltered and where I was born,was not--contrary, I'msure, to what most viewers assume--the work ofa dutiful child. It was the work of rebellious child. a If I'd respected my father's wishes,I wouldn't bea Jew, I wouldn't be the father oftwo Jews, and I certainly wouldn't today. be here So while I realize thatthere are probably few ofyou who are able to relate in any direct way to what I have just felt the needto say about my relationship with my father--andhere I take the liberty of addressing myself particularlyto fellow children of survivors--I submit that we cannot take asa given,because of our love forour parents, because of our awareness of whatthey went through (andmy parents were spared more than most),that we can be content merely be dutiful children. to We must not deny the pain, andguilt and rage thatmay be buried in many of us, whetherwe still have the good fortuneto have our parents or whether we do not. And to the survivors amongyou, our parents, may Isay, Please, stick around as longas you can. We need you. Most of all, we need your blessing to move on, to become ourselves.

139 BEST COPYAVAHABLE WEAPONS F T H E CLASSROOM VERSION Pr' VIEWER'S GUIDE SPIRIT I i OD- BEST COPY AVAILABLE Anti-Defamation League It 11elarnaho1 league New York, N.Y. 10017 (212)823 U.N. 490,2525 Plaza140 IlL Jewsof ILe lend duringChambon, and theEmma France,Nazi Heritier, occupation. were amonghere posing the rescuers in 1944 of outsidethe area theirwho shelteredfarm in the c,(100 village PHOTO FRIENDS OF I I. (11ANIIION 141 THE"Ain Conspiracy south-central VIDEO of France,Goodness" and how its citizens responded Weapons Leof theChambon-sur-Lignon, Spirit Classroom Version, a small is the mountain story of village to the country(1940-1944),DuringNazi theterrordelivered dreadful whileagainst 75,000 yearsFrench the Jews,Jews.of collaborators the including German occupation 10,000in other children, parts of France of intothe For further information about friends of Le Chambon, or to reach Pierre Sauvage, please write to: TheformanyCharnbon,the shelterhands narrator Jews of andquietlyas the oftheir refuge. Gestapo, the andentire video, matter-of-factly, population-5,000the Pierre 5,000 residentsSauvage, took who of inwho the cameand areais saved toalso ofthem Leitsas Los Angeles,8033 California Sunset Boulevard 90046Pierre Sauvage, #784Friends President of Le Chambon producer,survivalrlightMarch1944 of 25, towriter,day 1944,Jewish in anda a placeparentsJewish director, on babysheltered earth was had uniquely born the by good farmersin Le committed fortune Chambon in the to area. see to in thehis "On Sauvagesaved,Throughandthe ability newsreelhatred. hasinterviews givenof goodnessfootage, us with a video photographs, theand rescuers righteousnessthat is an and and awesome the historical to Jews triumph testimony whom accounts, over they toevil "Among the Chambonthe5,000 Naziin during the Jews oecupa. area saved of Letion were film.maker Pierre BEST COPY WHAM shortly afterPHOTO.with his hisFRIENDS fatheTbirthSauvage, in 1944. here 142 01; LE CHAMBON 143 "Why,THIS When VIEWER'S The World Cared GUIDE So Little, Did A Few People Thetions quotations asked orthat statements precede each made in the section of the guide video. are ques- ofCare people So Much?" with a community of analyze,he purpose and of apply this guidewhat the is video purposeto can help unite students to resist understand, and suggests: that one-group HolocaustavailableA listing from Studies of supplementalthe Anti-Defamationis appended. print and audiovisualLeague's Braun Center for resources shortTheovercomewhichT guide Summary students evil.begins of arewith historical asked background a general overview of the Holocaust. A is presented, after Section 1: THEWorld""A SpiritualHOLOCAUST Plague Was Sweepinghe ThroughoutHolocaust was the planned, The Western activitiesasthe invideo France offer about specifically.a varietythe of ways In addition, in which students events of the Holocaust in general, as well to recall the information offered in a number of related can broaden theTand NazisEuropeanto eradicate called continent, "The Final and Solution ultimatelyNazis and their supporters every vestige of Jewish life and culture from to annihilate the Jewish people, systematic attempt by the from the world. This TheWargenocidetheir guide II. knowledge t againsthen focuses the and Jews understanding engaged in by the on the village of Le Chambon, begin- of the nature of the Nazis during World assaultwereDuring swept Worldagainst into War the the JewsII, Nazimillions net of peopledeath. However, the Nazi was unique in that it involved the of the Jewish Question." throughout Europe Wethening time,then with eitherpror profiles eed as to of a people wnsideration who participated of the rescuers of Jews or as Jews who were rescued. "weapons ofi nthe the events of ogyadvancedofmobilization the of the state sciencetime of and alltoward theand the technol-a single resources most Thetontributedtyranny.spirit" guide used Studentsconcludes to theby theultimate are withcitizens asked the triumph to studentsof determine Le ofChambon good applying how these "weapons" over evil.to resist Nazi the knowl- roundedoccupiedgroupgoal, the ofup, Europe, people.total isolated annihilation Jews Throughout from the of were a communityownedge livesand understanding may be faced they with have significant gained moral decisions. in which they, their friends, family, and/or to situations in their tedghettos,concentratedofrest their toof slavethe possessions, and population, laborultimately into andmakeshift strippedbrutally depor-death v.* YOUNG VICTIMS! An artist's recollection sharedgardlesscamps. theNo of Jewsame age was fate.or exempt,status. re-All Semitiction.campof MarshalFrenchJewish outsideWith regime policechildren Petain, the Paris of complicity popularat during the beingthe Final World thegathered Solution Naziof War internmentthe occupa- by Ianti. hero the was to tioncombinedNazi ofsingle-minded sympathizers with the collabora-efficiency, and the Village of Le Chambon. 144 PHOTO FRIENDS OF LE CHAMON BEST COit'l WHAM old.agesclaim ranging 75,000W LE from lives CHAMBON) a infew France, months the to victims'95 years DRAWING BY GEORGE I IORAN (FRIENDS silenceconquered,erswidespread in and the wasindifference apathycountries abetted of bystand- byof theythe 145 ButEurope.ofAllies 6 even million fighting in a Jewstwo-thirdstime the Germans. as brutal andThe of hopeless finalthe Jewish result as this, population there of was the murder were 2.DISCUSSION1. QUESTIONSDescribecaustWhat ininformation general? the Holocaust does thein France.video give us about the Holo- alonepeopleneighbors,namesYad or whoVashem, inof smalloverat and great the8,000groups, strangers. riskmemorial men to fearful themselves andIn museummost women of discovery cases trcl whoin totheseJerusalem, savedsave by rescuersneighbors Jewish Jewish records lives. workedfriends, and the ba What did the video tell usdidJewsWhatof about the it of comparewas"Final Paristhe tl-e implementation Solution" andeffect to howoccupied of the inthe France/Jews Nazi northern wereoccupation France,treated inand Vichy how on the Gestapo.thousandsshadowacquaintances Yet' of of thein Jews whoLe German Charnbon,fleeing might fromoccupiers,not anhesitate the entire Nazi managedto village,terror. report underthem to shelter tothe the dc What happened to Jewssouthern whocontrolWhatFrance, were toin happened deported northernthesouthern so-called to fromFrance?France? Jews "Free when Zone"? the Germans took FRANCE DURING WORLD WAR II 4.3. inWhatWhy other were doeshappened countries Jewsthe video deportedto of them tell Europe us there?from about and France the in attitudesthe to UnitedEastern toward States? Europe? Jews (C2180.4-0:CIAPIttNONIIIMI II Allt IMO) :PARIS RELATED5. ACTIVITIES NazisCompare in the the murder responsibility of 75,000 of Jewsthe French of France. with that of the (1MNIATCIPMCAT APPIORINATtI- CAMPSYile LOCATIONS) A40 C PUSS semucAttom Luse (amr; ; mo-orreeei-j94-2-Is% T)M I. ofAsk World the student War II toin outlineFrance. a chronology of the key events 8-A-7- Marra- TrwallitaInn7- km. 1.-IIAlaver Ihreariatrar-I lav-ilarro SCUM= !On Lt CIA1111011-3811-LICNON 2. pickDivide a different the class country into learning in Europe groups. occupied Ask each by the group Nazis to II-IS-14-II. sumL,.tAU I.NarireIIIMara.IL (Irk*/ Draw/ . G.la Verret man COmurert, carowsccurtro II wing= MO tionduring had World on that War country, II, and andto research on the Jewish the effect citizens this occupa- of that 72-AO-ISII- 188P101.1st Sertfater Maar_ tIvoinItas11848648. mation.literarycountry. works, Final graphsreports and can charts include as well pictures, as factual drawings, infor- of FRANCEFrance and 1940.1944. the establishment FRANCE of DURING the collaborationist WORLD WAR Vichy 11. regime, After theover fallrs- waleMem 3. possibletheThetians, heart video's andwithout of narrationChristianwithout the theapathy states:Europe, virulent or "The complicityand tradition Holocaust would ofnot anti-Semitism mostoccurred have Chris- been in 14 11' lqual id, French.run internment camps. Most of these'them internees foreign.bornora quarterIAuschwitz, F(many CHAMIION) refugees) ofof the where country's were they later 300,000 deported to 350,000 to "the East," Jews primarilywere forced into were murdered. MAP BY PIERRE SAUVAGE (FRIENDS BEST COPY AVAILABLE abthat had long infected the veryactivityDefineAnalyze soul "anti-Semitism!' that ofand Christianity." tendsrespond to forceto Athese suggested or holdstrong Jews definition:words. in an inferior Any of Asktimesocialposition each in therights. !eat and history ning limit groupof their Europe, to economic, choose and political, and a different periodtry to determine 5 dobonLesley great before thingsMaber, the war:if the they're "PeopleEnglishwoman given who the who seem very ordinaryopportunity:' can moved to Le Chain- ernduringdestructionThewhat Europeanstudents' role the anti-SemitismCrusades; ofresearch countries; the communities the could expulsions played the include destruction during of such Jewsthe that Rhineland offrom period. Jewish events as the west- 76 MargueritefarmhousesalwaysMadeleine succeeded Dreyfus, Roussel,of the area. inthe the placing French Catholic Jewish reliefchildren woman who, like the worker who in the Germany;tion;tion"communities andthe causingplacement the accused pogroms the Black ofof in Jews"ritual Russia; Plague; in murder: ghettosthe the Dreyfus Spanish "host in Italy desecra- AffairInquisi- and in Magdawereactivelyother doing.members Troctne, in the It rescue happenedthe of widowthe effort: area's byof "We pastor itserCatholic André Trocme, never analyzed what we minority, joined pastor S( ho 2: LE CHAMBON: THE RESCUERS AND"A Normal THE Thmg RESCUED To Do- France. ',(4,t organization,of Le Chambon we would during have during failed:' the LIE war: "If we'd had an 5,000Weapons Christians. of the Spirit, Inin thethisNazi area38-minute tx of l upat 1,e video Cliambon-surion, 5,000classroom Jews [igluversion, were n, taken Frame, in and during sheltered the by CLASSROOMWITNESSEStelkas well the :lc story in a ofQ0-minuteIN thisVERSION ORDER unique film OF "conspi and APPEARANCE: video ra, feature-lengthy of goodness." version, % Pierre Sauvage, the filmmaker and narrator: "A Jewish baby 1 2 earl1had lendh uthe niquely and good Emma committedfortune I i&itier, to seeto the his the peasat survival." light it ct)upleof day whoin a shelteredplace on ;.' i .,f.; family:thehelp village Mr. forger Heritier:;eol and get "When otherte Borraud, Jews people and who (ame, helped ran ifa thewek larding filmmaker'scould homebe of that took in 43 ( (the "II liappened s( natural) \ ke an't undtrstantl trainsTHIS TRAIN'Sthat brought DESTINATION several thousand HAD Jews, BEEN including HOPE. PierreOne of Sauvage's the old stearn,engine own parents. 148 Itiguenot ( libert, the old BEST COPY AVAILARLF dlitgut who sings the local toI the determinedI: ( HA NMON. wartime sanctuary of Le Chamhon, France. It IC ( i FRIENDS II 9 Marie Brottes, the Christian fundamentalist for whom the . . . "You Shall Love God and Your Neighbor As 10 Adolphe and Aline Caritey,quartersJewsfallen whose were among of "The thehome armedthieves."People was resistancetheof God head- in Le Chambon. And the Jew, truly, had Yourself. That's The Summary of Christian Faith." 1211 OskarMarguerite Rosowsky, Kohn, the the Jewish Orthodoxfor teenagerall who Jew needed who forgedremembers them. false l.D:sthat 13 Pastor Edouard Theis, the assistantapplied?'duringher neighbors the pastor war: respected of "The Le Chambon Christian her faith. faith merely had to be 14 Roger Darcissac, director humanauthoritiesof the public thing there toschool do?'were xvho no Jewish told students there: "It was the inandnumerousHELPING a successiondid not "fundamentalist"THE recognize of PEOPLE foreign the Jews, authorityOF Christians, GOD. including of Mme. the who a Vienneseclergy. Marie conducted Brottes,The doctor Brottes their oneand own offamilyhis the serviceswife area's took and Section 3: LE "TheOF DutyTHE of ChristiansSPIRIT Is To Resist The Violence CHAMBON:That Will THE WEAPONS PHOTO.thechild. Jews She PIERRE were insists theSAUVAGE that people for (FRIENDSher of andGod, for OF whom many LE CHAMBON) it other was similarlya special devoutprivilege Christians, to help. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS BeWeapons Brought OfTo The Bear Spirit." On Their Consciences Through The What were come of these "Weapons of the Spirit" in 1. estant,thewellWhile same asthose the the deeplypeople whoCatholic were heldof Leminority Christianreligious Chambon also Fundamentalistsprinciples. wereappeared primarily What to act Prot-wereas on WEAPONSA. Deeply held OF religiousTHE SPIRIT principles that guide moral behavior. Le Chambon? 3.2. thesetheWhatHow principles?people did role these did of PastorLeprinciples Chambon Andre shape TrocmCto theirapply moral playreligious inbehavior? guiding prin- C.B. AClear sense remembrance of individual responsibility.of a(historical memory). past history of persecution RELATED ACTIVITIES 1. ciples?Watch the video The Courage to (:are. (See appended D. IxtIlw us Cwt.( determine ise of cr lit wage, it l';It Ilfortitude, and rest nin efulness. I )f t hese "weapons" ion( iibuted to twhol ilass s t rescuedof into resources). learning jelk": griInduring this nips. video the Ask I we lolleat meet nh austgo several )up people . vide t he !wow 1 5 thwartingA.Deeply the Na:is I kid and Religions saving JeishMoral Principles lives. Behavior That Unitle REST COPY AVAILABL tithe;primt his t4rtindividualiplesme it It ofor n tIsnot. he (lidwas individuals Ifthe acting rest lier primarily in Ise the o ,film out and of dist religious uss whether o, what were t hey? If ti(, what tint ii his or her Fogelman'smoral decisions? work The on thestudents "Psychological ought find usefulOrigins Eva of 4rr, 2. Rescue."listDenmark.Danish of resources) (Seerescuers View appended the were Did video religiousablelist Actof to resources.) ofsave principlesFaith. 95% (See of playthe appended Jews of a role 3. Viewmaythere? have the What video influenced other considerations the Danish rescuers? or moral guidelines Joseph Schultz, which is based on a z r igN.' r4r1;....r,ts` 4 donstoGermannumber do aboutso soldiers, andof personalincidents were ordered executed moral in toWorld choiceexecute with Warthem. versus civilians, 11 What obediencein refusedwhich clues- 4 circumstances?citizensto authority of Le arc Chamhon raised in have this video?behaved How in similar would CONSTANCE""RESIST"imprisoned.theHuguenotMarie side SAMUEL Durand, of history, (FRIENDSthe HUGUENOT BASTIDE,tower a writingfamous OF in LE "LAwhich "RESIST'CHAMBON)DRAWING: TOURheroine she DE was onof LASAMUELChainedUENOT For (FRIENDS BASTIDE. Huguenot DRAWING: OF "LES LE Prisoners. GALERIENSCHAMBON) "CHAINED HUG- POUR MEN." B. Of"And TheirPersecutionClear In Forefathers' Remembrance (Historical of Memory) Every Challenge There Would Struggle a Past History of.and Faith." Be An Echo 2. AskTwoin thetheirother students history religious wereto groups try the to determine Quakersthat and if this the history Mormons. were persecuted early DISCUSSION\ 1. QUESTIONS usWho of weretheir history?the Huguenots? What does the video tell 3. DoWhatpresent-daypersecution you do believe Jews Quakerscontinues mean that remembranceby and the to Mormons. expressionhave of "Never Again"? any influence on of 3.2. lessonsHowLeWhy Chambon? wasdid of the thistheir citizens historyforefathers of Leimportance to Chambonthe events to applythey the facedpeople the of C. againstcan be effective any other in peoplepreventing from genocide ever happening against Jews again? or past persecution 5.4. DefineduringarcDo moreyou World"empathy" think likely War people or HowII? less d9eswithlikely a itto strongapply respect insense thisand case? careof identity about DISCUSSION QUESTIONSand"TheA Unspoken."Sense Conspiracy of Individual of Goodness Responsibility Was Individualistic RELATED ACTIVITIES 1. ot hers?theDivide groups the willclass into four learning groups. Three of research tlw experwmc of the 1. whichpersonwhatMagda seemed the Trocméacted villagers onnecessary. tells their ofus, own."Le "Each AsChambon Whatchallenges are "acted some ways in person, each day did arose, each on their 152 infourthrespet1 luguenotstlu. groupsettlementtively onwillas the aresearch persecutedand lOth, life 17th tof he Ante, androleminority, 18th1 it luguenots a. t «mcentrating(amides. played The BEST COPY AVAILABLE 2. theyasridnessFlic to villagers feelsay of thatthat what way?in"It they thehappened videodid, wit repeatedly by h (toeitself" of Whythem do you thitik stress the mini gt 'Mg so far 153 3. The pastor of Le Chambon was "determined to bear RELATED ACTIVITIES onviolentChristiantovillage the the othermoral need was witness" hand, asfacedresistance it presented appearwithand proclaimedofJewish "only"the itself Nazis refugees. toto haveathem.even need The respondedbefore How for villagers, non- would the I. featuredresponsibilitylearningView once ingroups againthe video.that theshould motivatesvideo now The analyzeCourageeach of theto Care. senserescuers The of youtionsperformrequire compare as theythator simply these presentone actively thattwo themselves? oneattitudes? respondlook for Does morally good morality deeds to situa- to 2. exhibitedfromAskstuckSome the childhood his possiblestudents a strongfinger stories, examples:insense to a thinkhole of literature, individual inof the the examples littledike or responsibility. Dutchto history stop of individuals boythe who townwho 4. dualMagdathanthe responsibility comment:advantages an Trocme individual "Itends ofof was effort?actingthe her avillagers generalstatement Areas part there of consensus." of Le asanya Chambon collectiveto disadvantages? the indivi-What with rather are onchallengedMontgomery,from a bus being to segregation aflooded; white Alabama, passenger. Rosa by refusing Parks, who atosinglehandedly Black give upwoman her seat in t.r , !I.,. D.DISCUSSION Courage, Fortitude QUESTIONS andGreat"People Resourcefulness Things Who SeemIf They're Very Given Ordinary The People Opportunity." Can Do 2.1. they,aryIn Definewhat people"? were sense "courage:' given? What were wasthe "fortitude:' peoplethe nature of and Le of Chambonthe"resourcefulness." "opportunity" "ordin- 3.4. ToThedemonstrategovernment,the what people villagers extent of courage,did andLeof the LeCharnbon, then actsChambon fortitude, against of defiance first wereandthe against Naziresourcefulness?engaged helping occupiers, the in peopleVichy by THEhislate RIGHT pastor PLACE.AndrePEOPLE Trocme, IN wife Magda Trocrne, The veryandWhatreligion, different disregard allowed but fromalso these the of themselves,people differencessocial ofclass Le not toandChambon theonly often point in nationality. termsto of dismiss risking of wasspiritualbrilliantinfewand Le yearsmarriedtheir Chambon leader, andfouraftcr to achildren,their inspiringin woman Trocme 1934. arrival of Aa RELATED ACTIVITIES their lives for these strangers? ofdidcommittedmatchingly peacemon much sense. into resourceful thepacifists,create hellPassionately anof oasisNazi-com-they 1. other,appendedViewPolish whothe women, listvideodefied of resources). eachthe Nazis working at This great without is risk the knowledge to story themselves of two of the 76 Know Where They Are (See occupiedMINDS Europe. (II 1.1 ( '1 IAMIION IRA 1(110: andAfter their a familieswhile, however, by sheltering fearing a exposure local Jewish by a localfamily. Nazi ff. J11$ collaborator, they asked the I tier41.0.1i No '4440, CARTE 010ENTITE rut.c.4, .6.404or familyJewsin their to leave homes, their andhiding the was subsequently Jewish places ;:hil*ig,:Setltatkii4:104-koitsiaiiiel- f Wait.* aboutcapturedNazis. the PolishWhat and women'skilled by the was different situa- ';iX g resourcefulnessdegreeweretion? unable Why of courage, do to exhibit demonstrated fortitude the same you think they or 2.Courageorby thethe rescuers citizens to Care? ofin theLe Chambonvideo The Research the stories of (; individualvideos.notother featured rescuersAnalyze responsibility oftheirin Jews any who ofand the sense of arc bon,WORDS Andre MATCHED Troctni, the BY tall CHRISTIAN man in the last row, poses for a photograph with the DEEDS. In 1943, the pastor of Le Cham- TIC.ONLY False THE identityPHOTI:X;RAPH WAS papers were needed by AUTHEN- aboutdisplayed.andwhat other kind Forof information resou rcefu I ness rescuers,courage, fortitude write to t hey childrenPHOTO: of FRIENDS one of the OF LE CHAMBON. 2. What are some ways in which new children's homes, about half of whose wards you have applied your moral were Jewish. outskirtsOskarproficientteenagerThismany Rosowsky is of ofthe the whoforger.Paris. totally Jews becameis ltInnow whobogusis actuality he thecame who identity village's to Le card Chambon. busy and a pediatrician on the a Russian Jew, Dr. estmates that of the York,ChristianUnitedthe NYJewish Rescuers/ADL,Nations10017; Foundation Plaza, 823 New for 3. Much anti-social behavior ispeersions? blamedvalues pressure Was to itsituations an can easy also or in be a positive force your life that requireda difficult moralprocess? deci- Why? on peer pressure. But as it was in Le them.Jews,Nazi-occupiedsomein thePHOTO.five and area thousand there in Europe, thewere Jews course rewards it came of through the for betraying or lived FRIENDS OF I.E CI IAMBON was a crime to help war years. In JerusalemYadDepartmentMordecai Vashem Q1043, Paldiel, for PO. Israel.the BoxRighteous, Director, 3477, or to Dr. 4. Have events in your family'sschoolChambon. history, and Whatamong kind of your friends? peer pressure is strongest in your or in the history of Section 4: APPLYING THE KNOWLEDGE 5. The pastors of Le Chambon usedwerestrengthenyour non-violentpacifists, racial, your andethnic means moralthe orvillagers of resolve?religious resistance. How group, I lowdid they everdo this? helpedimportant to was DISCUSSION"AlweGAINEDTHE All, SPIRIT A Matter FROMQUESTIONS Of Onc'c WEAPONS Own OF Gmicience." 6. lengeviolentthisHow in 1:1the metdo resistanceetlv. hods by (lw that People of one Lc Chamhon? of ir Ch:Miluin? What think Vni Wntild have respmided can use today to fight injustice? are some non- It) the chal- 156 1. ( 'at do von t hink arc the major at describe the key moral volt sour, es lot t 1101 yl ill hold? What t hew values? BEST COPY AVAILABLE 7. Descrihe an instance of injustkiiw. eHow with ytliiwhich hesitated to speal: up or at t you are famil-het Mist' the 157 RELATED ACTIVITIES sibilityelse?"injusti( I tot lowwas resist canhappei injustice? individuals ling to "someone develop theelse" sense or "somewhere of respon- b "To love one's self in the rightwhether way or and not to it love was one'snecessary to struggle against it." Albert Cantos, The Hague. A Not cl I.rent h writer, 1. oppressionblemishedHere in the thatbyUnited instances have States, occurred of our prejudice, democraticthroughout scapegoating, systemour history. has been andBut "Thebottomneighbor opposite one are andof absolutely love the issame." not hate;analogous it is indifference." concepts, are at Danish religious thinker, Works of Love Soren Kierkegaard, Americans,prejudicethelearningresistance following groups thatto Irish such Americans,may to Americans, evilinvestigate have has existed: asalso wellChinese the been Black prejudiceas themanifest. Americans, Americans, resistance experienced Divide Japanese to Native such into by d "We are taught by great actionsproperty that theof every universe individual is the in it:' author, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize Jewish survivor of the Holocaust, Elie Wiesel, 2. Americans,Filmmaker Jewish Pierre Americans. Sitivaye, who was himself horn and I r e 4. Ask each student to create a poster on how prejudice can American writer,Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nature shelnnet ess,it ti in V less( ins11.11111'. of hope ,11. still buried beneath the Holo- `1111111t I II, '111`11tht 11.linboti, is president 1,, "e \Hornig and WTI %%hit Ii lit ommum, ini friends of I LIC't d'l displayedbe challenged in a special and defeated. exhibit. The posters can then he grouptifycaust'sthree some groups. unavoidableto"lessons oflisten t heAsk ofHolocaust'sto one despair."lessonsthe group first of "lessonsAsk two todespair." identify thepresentations secondof Divide hope" some group Asktheof the andclass theto Holo- iden-thenthird into 16- 3. severalcommenthimFilmmaker in quotations the on makingwho Pierre madethat ofSauvage follow Weapons the strongest to indicates be of particularly the case Spirit. that and heAsk why.helpful found the classto the commustudents'storyto discuss of tut Le own y.these Chambon; lives quotations; and and those then identify of apply their their the friends, quotations relevance family to and the',ere always conies a time in history when the person who dares to say that two plus two equal four ts punished . . tworewardwithtcast equal death mineor tourwhat The punishment issue is simply will whetbe the lwr outt or ome HI of that And the issue is not Fora matter those ofof ollr what tOwnpmplc who were plus ranTHE a NORMALpension that TIlING was knownTO IX ).to Thehe open late Mine.to the huntedGeorgette at any Barraud, time of who the 158 whettheirthen oskingcityhet 'ir I, nottheirthe they(let lives ision were Ito fighttheyin t he hadan mirlst (Tutbreak to make t,f a ofwasphWie plague simply And in BEST CoeY AVAIIABLE playednormaldayt'ii,tRt or night. a SAIthing key 'VA( "Werole to ;1: do." 11indidn't It11.this Like NIhaveform v,elsewhere t ofitthat spiritual many in resistanceJews," occupied she to Irope,stressed. the Nazis. women "It PIwas oftenKIR) the I I I IAMN 1N) 159 5. theycourage.Ask thedid remarkabletheystudentsThe people to ofwrite Le were Chambonessays simply on did thedoing not nature considerwhat of they moral what felt RESOURCES 6. Organizebehavior?theyin thehad same toaWhy debatedo. way? didn'tIs thison more thea universal following communities characteristic proposition: in Europe of respond moral KEYAt theTO endREADING of each annotation,LEVELS: suggested reading levels JGradesSGrades 7-9 10-12 are indicated: ThosehorribleasEurope,The a communitypresence in as thanopposition well itof aswas. thatindividual the cared,to wonderful the propositionmakesrescuers example the in Holocaust allmight ofthe Le considercountries Chambonseem lessthe of Studies.HolocaustEXHIBIT A uniquePoster Series.educational Created tool. by Twenty ADIls black-and-whiteBraun Center for posters Holocaust (18" CCollege students, teachers, and other adults. 7. evenAskwasnotion more possible,the that studentshorrible the it factwas tobecause examine ofactually rescue it underscores some undertaken makes of the the that literature by Holocaust whileso few. onrescue moralseem PUBLICATONSx 24"), viewer's guide, and suggestions for display. JSC. courage.hamChambonby Albert Jail Some by Camusduring Martin works World(begun Lutherthat Warthey while King, II);might Camus 2) Jr.; Letterread: 3) was On 1)from livingCivilThe a Plague Birming-Disobe- near Le JewishFogelman,tant1987. characterrescuers This Eva. and pamphlet,traits Psychological Jewish shared basedsurvivors by virtually Originson interviews of the ofall Holocaust, Rescue. rescuers. with aNew SC.focuseslarge York: number on ADL,impor- of non- . Ask the students to write anddience producetostoryand this 5)by of Fearvideo,Henry Lea play Chambon. No Davidare basedEvil the Thoreau;by on Sourcesfull-length Natan the 4) Shcharansky.they Antigone 90-minutecan utilize, by Sophocles, versionin addition of eredhidingSquareFrank, by underPress. Anne.the Gestapo the1970. The protection TheDiary and famous deported of of a Dutch accountYoung to friends,a concentrationofGirl. a Jewish Newuntil thegirlYork: camp. familyand Washington her JSC. is family discov- in ChambonandHalWeapons lie,Sondra Lestin of the Myers,theInnocent book Spirit; eds.The Blood the (SeeCourage book be list Shed; on ofto Le appendedCare, and Chambon the Carol section resources.) Rittnerby Philipon Le andnon-JewsNewFriedman, Heroines York: who Schocken,Philip. Who aided Helped TheirJews. 1978. SC. Brother's theOne Oppressed of the Keepers: first booksEscape The written the Christian Nazi about Terror. European Heroes HiingHal1979. lberg,thelie, role Philip.A philosopher'sRaul. of PastorLest The Innocent Andre Destruction reflections andBlood Magda on Be of the Shed.the Trocmevillage European New of in York:Le the Chambon, Jews.rescue Harper (Studenteffort. &emphasiz- Row, C. 160 ofEdition.) motion.destructionHuneke, New SC. Douglas York:and the Holmes K.bureaucratic The and Moses Meier. network of 1985.Rovno. thatFocuses New set the York:on themachinery Dodd,machinery Mead in & 181 Co., 1985. The story of Hermann Graebe, a German civilian who rescued The Courage to Care. 28 min./color/16 mm film/3/4" or 1/2" video/ JewstheMeltzer,want in Holocaust. Poland.to reflect Milton. Insightful onNew Rescue:why York: and people helpful,HarperThe helped. Story especiallyand ofSC.Row, How for 1988. Gentilesteachers A book and Saved ofclergy particular Jews who in Genocideapathyriskedviewer's their and guide. (ADL). complicity.lives An to 52 saveunforgettable min./color/16mm JSC. Jews, performing encounter film/viewer's extraordinary with ordinary guide. Documentary people acts in an era of who Oliner,sociologicalvalueRescuers forSamuel younger explorationof P.Jews andreaders. in Pearl Naziinto J.S. the M.Europe. experiences Oliner. New The York:and Altruistic motivations The Free Personality: ofPress, individuals 1988. A Josephguide.film thatSchultz. Vital explores questions 14 min./color/16mm the concerninghistorical roots personal film/3/4" of the moral Holocaust. choice SC. or 1/2" video/discussion versus obeciance whoRittner, Newaided York CarolJews University withoutand Sondra compensation Press, Myers, 1986. eds. Accounts of The any Courage kind. of non-Jews SC. to Care. who Ncw helped York: Jews to minutes/color/16mmNightmare:refusedauthority an are order raised The to inshoot Immigrationfilm.this civilians.film A dramatization featuring JSC. of a GermanJoachim of the harrowingsoldier and in Rachel. WWII experiences who 23 byAduring him.section Pierre theSC. Sauvage, onHolocaust, Le Chambon as andwell reflections asincludes an introductory a by useful scholars analysistext from mistakenly ofvarious aspects attributed disciplines. of rescue to certaintheof Totwo Warsaw Know youngdeath. Whereghetto orphans,J. butThey aalso brother Are. from 28 and amin./3/4" train a sister, carrying or who 1/2" video/viewer's guide. passengersescapc boundnot only for from JewryTec,ArguesDimensions: Nechama. was that unplanned. protection "The A Journal Rescuer-Rescued SC. offered of Holocaust by some Relationship:individual Studies, Poles Vol. How to 1, persecuted Didno. It2, Begirepp. Polish 4-7. JewishThisyears video family. as exploresit tells SC. the the story moral of complexitiesa failed attempt of rescue by Polish during women the Holocaust to rescue a lm.M11,142AvLt2t.) 4' II( efiri.,!C'amAdo pp."WasWundheiler,issue). 3-17. There ArticlesDimensions: 'Another and by Stephen Europe'? Harold A Journal P.M. New Cohen. Schulweis, Light of Holocaust SC. on Rescue Eva Fogelman, Studies,and Rescuers" Vol.Luitgard (special3, no. N. 3, iliPP.M.PeffeRerldriolNifeNirPlgererNeWdmigempavADDITIONALWeapons of the RESOURCES Spirit. The original 90-minute version, Availa 13033 SUNSET BOULEVARD, $784LOS ANGELES, CA MC e from CHAMBoN.V0erheis. (' ActAUDIO-VISUAL of Faith. 28 min./black and white/I6mm film/ or 1/2" video. A film darsuryivors'aDimensions: year of byevents. ADL,s testimonies, $12.00A BraunJournal one reviews, Center yearof Holocaust for (3book issues),Holocaust selections, Studies. $20.00 Studies. and two Published anEssays, years international (6 excerpts threeissues). timescalen- from SC. theAvenueabout motivations the of heroic the Just. roleof several55 the min./color/16mm Danes rescuers. played Includes in savingfilm/3/4" rare Jews orinterviews from1/2" video.deportation. with Explores Anne JS. mingrelateded.The David Holocaust: ideas to learningM. and Szonyi. commemorations. An about NewAnnotated or York: teaching KTAV, Bibliography JSC. the Holocaust, 1985. Lists and as resources wellResource as toon program- subjectsGuide, familyvideo/viewer'sTheFrank's Camerabefore father andguide. of and Myduring Award-winningthe Family people the years (ADL). who of production hid Nazi18 the min./color/filmstrip/3/4" rule. Frank about JSC. family. one German-Jewish JSC. or 1/2" ListsMaterials.The moreHolocaust: Compiledthan 185 Catalogannotated by the AD1.'s ofand Publications graded Braun resourcesCenter forand in Holocaust ten AudioNidual subject Studies. areas, NATIONAL OFFICE Anti-Defamation League of Intai rrith TheIncluding Holocaust resistance in Booksand rescue. and Free.Films: jSC. A Selected, Annotated List ARIZONAREGIONALWISHINGION11231100 United Comedian NationsOFFICES OFFICE Plaza.Avenue, New NW York. (Sake NY HOW),101117 Washington. D.C. 20036 (302)4524320(212) 4904325 resources,B.(revised Klein. and (Newnew expanded and York: classic. edition), ADL/Hippocrene JSC. ed. Judith Herschlag Books, 1986.)Muffs; gen.Lists ed. over Dennis 400 1B3384ATLANTAPThe Lincolnhomie,OSTON first Peachtree AZ InterstatePlata, (New(Southeast) 15012 Road,(Ste England' Tow" 301). NE (Suite3350Roston NorthKO), MA 412111Atlanta,Central GAAston 30326 (Suite 114), (404)(402) 262-34702744091 structsThe Record: the Holocaust The Holocaust with period in news History, reports 1933-1945 and photographs; includes (revised). Recon- CLEVEIANDCOWMBUSSOS301CHICAGO Itiest Terminal Washington, (Northam (Greater (Ohlo/Indiana/Kentocky)Tower, Ohio)Cleveland, Chicaso/Wkosests)(Suite 7511),Chkago, OH 44113 IL 60604 (216)5794w(312)7124040(617)330406 format.section JS.on rescuers. Discussion guide and glossary of terms. Newspaper IMITAS419 12100CONNECTICUT529Whalley E. (Northwest Hillcrestfowler Avenue, Street, Road Tems/Oklahonsa)New (SuiteColombo, Hawn, 219), CT OH Dallas,06511 43215 TX 75230 (203)(614) 707421116240601 caust.Shawn, A Karen.course ofThe study End published of Innocence: by the AnneBraun Frank Center and for Holocaust the Holo- 300DENVERD.C. 1104 South(D.C./MARYLAND) Connectkut (MountainDahlia Street Avenue, States) (Suite NW. WA (Wise Denser, 1020), CO Washington, 00222 D.C. 20036 (202)214)14441342 452-6310(303) 3214177 ContainsasStudies. departure It rare presents points photographs, fivefor exploringlessons questions that the issues for discussion, and events and of the Holocaust. use excerpts from Anne Frank's diary a collection of 100LONG4211HOUSTON4000DETROIT kricho SouthwestTown ISLAND (114khigan) Quadrant.,Center (Southwest) Freeway (Suite (Suite 420), 101), 221). Southfield. 110/110011, leach% MI NY 410754405TX 11733 77027 0131627-3400(313) 355-3730 23 readings keyed to the text. JS. MINNEAPOUS150MIAMI10415LOS SE ANGELES Santa Second (Florida) Monks riartrwe (Pacific(ICRCAOL Boulevard, (Suite Southwest) 000),of losMinneso(aAhe Miami, Angeles, FL CA 33131 Dakotas) 90025 0051(2)3144641000(516) 3734306 933-1050 concisecaust:Zornberg, Ten approach. Ira.Lessons Classroom Includes for Classroom historical Strategies outlines,Use. for (New Teaching recommended York: About ADL, readir the 1983.) A Holo-s, and NEW535741NEW15 ORLEANS South NorthfieldGravid JERSEY Oh Slreet Street (SouthAvenue, (Suite Building, Centra)) West 501), Orange,Minneapoik. New Orleans. NT 40052 IAN LA 55402 70130 (201)14121 6494700 3314416 questions for discussion. IS. Mbany,LoudonNEW123 NEWU.N. YORK NewPlaza Plaza,YORK STATE Ibrk (Suite New CITY 12 307),York,204 350NY Northern10017 Illvd.. (504)(212) 3224534 4-2525 PALM2700ORANGE333OMAHA South Troth SEACH 132COUNTY(Pains Main Street, COUNTY Street state.) Omaha, (Suite NE500), 441154 Santa Ana, CA 12701 (4021(7)41973-47331511114324046 3114303 PITTSITURGH23011411ADELPHIAWestThe SouthCommerce Palm IlfordReach, Center, (WesternStreet FL (Eastern 33401 201h 324 Penns)lvania/West Pennsylvania/Delaware) DottrelHoot, Philadelphia, Stred (Suite Virginia) PA223), 19102 (215)(407) 715.42670324144 SAN76511101121 MissionDIEGOFRANCISCOPoder Sleuad Sulidia,. Center Street. (Central Court601 (Suite Grant (Suite Pacific)40)), Street, 320), San Francisco. SanPithburgh, Diego, CA CAPA 94105 92101115219 . .14121 4714050141515460200(419) 211.3770 10922ST.1609SEATTLE LOUIS 71h Schuetz Avenue (Pacific (MissourI/Southern Road, (Suite Northwest) St. 1609), louts, Seattle, MO 61146 WA 90101 .. . . (206)(3)4) 445.5349 4324461 OVERSEAS6330VIRGINIA/NORTH5002TAMPA Newtownlemon (Florida OFFICESStreet Rd., Weal (SuiteSuiteCAROLINA Coast) 326, 2300), Norfolk, Tonre, VA Fi 2350233640 . .013121194574(004) 4554002 ROME4PARIS30ItRUSALEM bis Kira Rue David de Iola, Snot, 75016, lerusakm, Paris, France hrael14101 Ott.134-434343220114724.224444 164 BEST COPY AVAILABLE CoaliveCANADA15Via Romagna Association 260 001117with the Ronw, Leave Holy Ise Homan Rights of Canadian inui %vet, Strife 210, Downsviov, Ontario Canada, M314 411 01149416474104 (416)6334221 65 THE HOLOCAUSTIN FRENCH FILM ANDRÉ PIERRE COLOMBAT by 10. ConclusionAppendix: An Interview with PierrePierre Sauvage Sauvage's Weapons of the Spirit 367-374345-365 modest masterpiece that nonetheless Pierre Sauvage's Weapons of the Spirit is can be compared to the best a personal and 375-387 Filmmakers, No. 33 ChambonJewsexceptionPity.achievements Itduring reresents raises in Worldtheof manythe unfortunatelyhistory monumental War fundamental of H. the However, extermination Shoah questions and what The for of the a tiny event and an extraordinary happened inSorrow Leour own and future. the European andultimatelystrategiesChambonnaisBecause must play toPierre hate be a with keycrimes.adopted Sauvage's outstandingrole in order film faithfulness to rendersfight bigotry, the and "spirit" integrity, our necessary reflection on the best intolerance and of the it can 16 TheMetuchen, Scarecrow N.J., Press, & London Inc. 1993 167 Facing the Future; Fighting Oblivion rescuedto the fivefive thousandthousand Jews, villagers mostly of Lechildren, Chambon-sur-LignonPierre Sauvage's Weapons of the Spirit is an inspiringin Occupied tribute France. who111 itself10. as a very personal investigation about Pierre Sauvage's documentaryPierre Weapons Sauvage's of the Spirit Weapons of the Spirit a rather disorienting presents whyvaluesChainbon,documentaryThe directorit andwas on so himselfPierre hisis"natural" based discovery Sauvage's was on to thebornthe of continued thepeople in villagers' story of his own return to Le Le Chambon in 1944. His of Le Chambonquest to for understanding sturdy, life-saving save appearedsounderstandmystery. "naturally," toPierre why have with an Sauvage's turned entireso much populationits "simplicity"backwork on is rescued theira deliberate while persecution thousands the whole attempt of by world Jews the to thecinematographicthem.Jews "spirit" at a time of whenthe work, villagers. the isworld the Likeperfect seemed the adequacyThe greatest achievement of Sauvage's to havepeople turned of its Le back Chambon, on documentary, as a of its form with do."whyLignonnotNazis only Pierreit andappeared saved how the Sauvage's the Collaborators.the so Christians livesobvious own of parents atto ofThe leastthem the entire foundfive villagethat thousand"itfilm refuge ofwas triesLe the in Chambon-sur- Jewsto Leonly understand Chambon butthing also to ofa profoundwith a Weapons"conspiracy no hero, description of theof goodness" Spirit and is analysis simple ofonly the in Sauvage clearly presents the no traitor, no liberator, no ideology that saved thousands of lives. story of L.e Chambon appearance. It is a storycomplex "simplicity" to justify. It is as an whorescuers,itConsequently,where present.s, acted the as withoutdirector veryin thea verysolid, most agonizinghimself personal independent, apparent was manner,rather characteristic born religious than aon whole agonizingMarch and of this communitysimple 25,film without people1944. is that of createselderlyShoahextraordinary washopeand tothe from exterminate children. one. the ShoahHe Foralways but this from every European Jew, including the reminds thereason, audience Sauvage's that work never a few very ordinary people the themselvesexceptionoutacting." the film, in recognize occupiedexplaining that France. in the part community First,why LeSauvage Chambon was Thematically,able and towasthe learn villagers such from three an main leitmotives will reappear through- renderingraisesthiswithoutwho forfilm always faithfullyouragonizing saves, future opposed because the aboutand heart the bigotrytheir of ofexceptional his decisions. andsubject, the importance of the questions intolerance without fail Because skillsof the of its directorWeapons in of the Spirit memory and it beenaforits more pasttheir able individualas religious toa populationsce with beliefslevel, their ofPastor since Huguenotsown theTrocmeeyes seventeenth and that and to had tellhis beencentury.thewife people persecutedMagda Even of had Le at 1 thispoints isfilm. a modestwill be analyzedbut irreplaceable and demonstrated "little brother" of Shoah. These in the detailed study of a(MagdaMussolini'sChambon unpretentious and what AndreItaly andhad (MagdaTrocm6). solidhappened faith Trocme) thatto the always Jewsand refusedinduring Hitler'sSecond, theto separate Germanythirtiestheir own itsin historical awareness combined itself with toactions summarize from values. his faith, When his theanswer director is: asks Pastor Edouard Theis 345 169 346 E. Theis: yourselfyourYou shallsoul, (E. Theis' loveyour your mind,emphasis). God and with your all neighbor your heart, as Part II authoritiestheWeaponssuggests influence of clearlyand the the onSpirit attitude thatsome what ofGerman the took Charnbonnais placesoldiers in Le Chambonhad for five as well. The film on the local 347 rhetoricInreserve, any other and the context,somewhat simplicity, this pretentious.P. theanswer Sauvage: directness could However, haveand the sounded theconviction history, likeE. Theis: pure of the the That'sYes. the(pause) summary? Of count. goingSchmahling)Germanmembersyears wason insoldiers alsoof the neverthe possiblevillage. Vichy andreally even becausepolice,reported a German some theto highcr Prifet Vichy officer authoritiesRobert officials, (Major Bach, what Julius some was inpowerfulpeople peoplefilmthe following isof of anditsLe Le perfect Chambonconvincing Chambon. pages, respect makethe statement. very andof thisfirst rendering Consequently, unadorned quality of Pierrethedefinition as "spirit" we Sauvage's will a veryof see the becausefutureagoodness." "conspiracy" facing they Weapons anti-Semitism,had worked of andthe Spirit whatbigotry, itanalyzes could and intolerance teach ultimatelyFor us Pierre for in how ourgeneral. Sauvage, ownsuch the Chambonnais also succeeded involuntarily started a -"conspiracy of armisticeindeedEdouardvery beginning the andTheis very politics putofday the it: after film "Weof theCollaboration asconsidered signature totally opposed ofVichy the with armisticetoThird,as Germany. nothing." the that people ItAndré As was of Le Chambon are presented from the Marshal P6tain's Thismurderers.poweroneinterpretation point can of wonder, raises active On of the for what"goodness" otherquestion example, happened hand, of if whenPierreSauvage this in Lefilm directlySauvage's Chambon. never does notfailsfaced still exaggerateOn to on-goingwith recall mass that the one hand, Troeme made his most influential sermon: Thcthatspirit.imposed duty we We submitof on shall the their resistChristians to conscience orders when contrary ouris withto adversaries resist the to theweaponsthe willonesviolence demand of the goodness."problemsprovideexception.Le Chambon us Onlywith is geographically thea more beginning detailed isolated of study an andanswer of that the ittofilm constitutes the itself various can an it raises about the limits of this "conspiracy of The Chambonnais had made up their minds since they had Gospel.Pierrepride and WeFayol, withoutshall 38). do hatred it without (my fear,emphasis). but also (Quoted without by heard LikeimpossibilityInhis aunending similar Lanzmann, mannerattempt to represent Pierre toClaude understand Sauvage the Lanzmann unspeakable this keeps "conspiracy was on horror obsessedrepeatingIn ofmanyof thegoodness." with respects similarShoah. the Pierre Sauvage apr,...ears to be obsessed with ChambonnaisThroughoutfirsttherepeat speech decisions these of the the aswas threedocumentary, Prifetan to actively importantreturn Andr6 thereligious Philippdozens Germanthemes. explainingofand crossedrefugees simple referencesone peopleto that They characterize the of Pitain'sthe Nazis. will is Chambon,differentquestionsprecise questions,answer.to to different film theirHe to peoplealso drawfaces needed a and map theireach ofto themeet emotions,time region, thehe gets people to aaskunderstand slightly ofthem Le Chambon,bothentiremore historically generalcommunity Pierre and Sauvage's tookpolitically pad film in aware the is rescuethematically of their Beyond the attempt to understand what happened in Le170 question. As the film constantly recalls that the effort, it also analyzes time. unified by a solvedwhotworaises was parallelhowever many doing key axes. thewhat questions memory The and first when. thatof one a directlypeopleIn is the a very end isconcern saved personaltheConsequently, mystery whileour future. search the is film not and Weapons of the Spirit develops according to 171 348 777.7.777775"7V77 *777177'77777WWW777Part II Weapons of the Spirit generalastudy presentation of framework the "spirit" of the of of history the an historyexceptional of the of samepersecution community; community of the within Europeansecond the is The Jewish children in Le Chambon; somefinding children a home out for ofthe the children French (Mme. concentration Dreyfus); Peter Feigl returns: camps;taking forouranalysisJews understandingown during offuture the World implications ethics of whatWar of action. happenedII. of Thewhat two happened in Lecombine Charnbon. in Le in WeaponsChambon the Combining general offor the Spirit is first of all Pierre Sauvage's quest generalantheorganizinginternational organizationunderground consensus." school help railroad weorganizationsfor Magda thewould children; to Trocm6).Switzerland have (Swiss a failed"; perfect and ("If American);integration; "It we'd had was a asthe Introduction:politicalfollows: three themes commitment, of historical the documentary awareness, chronologically active values, develops and - Non-violentThe total respect resistance for Jewishto Lamirand religion and ("Forthe Vichy usChambon.Lamirand peoplethey Government; were of inGod," the Le Chambon;Marie Brottes). a Vichy police raid in Le - The- Arrival director and returnsfirst encounter to Le Chambon with Le Chambon; to find out thankfulsaved andHolocaustwhy simplicity whilehe rescuees was had "thl exterminatedof spiritual the rescuers. most A pictureof his mother's of M. and family. Mme. plague" that produced the -Part III: (1943-1944)December of 1942Invasion of the "free zone" Germans;Germans organization in Le Chambon. of the armed resistance; by the the -Part Historical 1: (1940-1941) summary of the first months of the war,H6ritierthe the invasion, defeat,during the Occupation,war with the theopening Collaboration, credits. Pitain and An orthodoxA Jewcenter in Lefor Chambon the makingEmileLcRosowsky, (Marguerite Chambon ofSeches; false alias ("I'm Kohn)."Weidentifications Jean-Claude just were about very thePlunne); scared," only Jewa GineueVichy in Le policeman Weil).Chambon," All her(Oskar in - General"The arra presentation found spiritual of Le leadersChambon it needed(geography, andtheirpeople,the deserved";history),anti-Semitic lives"; what "Itits they happened campaigns did and quite ofwhy the simply"). they Vichy did regime. it ("They risked - ChristianWhat kind apathy of Christians and responsibility were the people in the ofHolocaust Le Chatnbon?wasanti-Semitismfamily (Christian a very was ("It murderedsolid and faith Main in that extermination going was toput mass). to the test and was not camps. Part 11: (1942) weaponsdishonorableAndre Trocntf., of the armistice," spirit," "We "love just one had another," a difficult "resist past"). with the Edouard Theis, Magda Trocm6 ("a - The "plague"Albert arrives Camus in Le in Chambon. Le Chambon Arrest, ("Hedeportationandfound beatinghe was wanting," goingofand twenty forLesley walks,"four Maher). by theEmile Gestapo. Grand). Daniel Trocrne's was writing a book I think, - Heydrich theof the victims). Jews in France (drawings, names and photographs of in France, the systematicV2 persecution2 and deportation Final contrast between Petain'sfreedomthechoice popularity doctor and until who death. and the had Levery The brought Chambon's lastbirth days himof the ofto thelifedirector. war.(Roger The le Forestier).murder of 17 3 -Conclusion:350 TheDid the Jews forget director's own story. about their rescuers'? Part II Weapons of the Spirit 10) responsibilityplacedDid communal their Mist or from rescue in the understanding effortsbeneficence result that becauseof collectivecollective people 351 - WhatthedocumentaryAs thisstory can schematic ofbe Le is Chambonintroduced summary is by always shows,historical presented each footage. major as anIn section thisexception manner, of the in learned from the people of Le Chambon? addtheseWeapons based questions. on of the the There documentary's Spirit is already however suggestsfinal one chapter. question I would like respousibility?responsibility can (Sauvage, only occur 1986: when 252) there is individual many partial answess to to communityquentlyhadMagdaits time. an Trocmeorganization,the reacted evolution who progressively says ofthe the inenterprise filmthe film itself to everythatwould stresses if new the have thevillage situation. failed.different really Conse- It ways ishad It also allows the director to indicate how the finalwhatHowever,edly ourchapter,the exact deepestas the however. limits end respect of of the Weaponsa "conspiracyandfilm ourrequiem, of most the of one profsSpiritgoodness"The Indrecalls storyreflection. that of the people of Le Chambon demves undoubt- mut also consider are. In its ofTheand resistingin rapidlydirectorLe Chambon the changing indicated community reach historical ten far createddirections beyond situations. as itPienefor had future toSauvage's faceConsequently, research constantly film on itself.who the ultimate repercussions of what happened goodness"thearrest,allcommunity thevillage theprecautions deportationhad thatof Lelong had Chambon taken, created extended and nothing the andhad murder to benefittedbeen somecould also of Vichybe someveryfrom done lucky. officials,of to its prevent people.In spite to the ofIf a "conspiracy of exactly were the Righteous Gentiles. 3)2)1) CanWhatJustfrom howwe sort the learn Oiristian of rescuers? Christianity something were these aboutdid they rescuers? non-violent practice? resistance ThirdwhenconvalescencePréfet directly ReichBazh and produced, facedin Le even withChambon, to i.e.some the the German allof Gestapotheof these most soldiers efforts andviolent men andwere murderen likeofficers powerless Klaus the in 4)5) onDoofmarginalHow resistanceconventional the determinantJews? to to the the male sense Holocaust? wasvalues of theactive limit sense empathyour ofown being perspectivefor the socially plight aswouldif theBarbie.Shoah Polish have recalls, meantfanners the the deeplyhad end acted of rooted the like "Final Christian the people Solution." anti-Semitism ofOne Le On Chamboncannot of simply the it deduce from this film that, for example, one hand. 7)6) peopleandhowIf Howself-esteem from did whom do theytheir we wesucceed was upbringing?learn can characteristic toemulate in view developing ratherthe of rescuers thethan it rescuers,in as themselves asinimitable ordinary then leastactiveJews.Polishin thefive Onfarmersgoodness geographically thethousand other facilitated and hand,Jews. the isolatedgreatlyfaith Weapons But ofone the fiveLe cannotofextermination Chambon thousand the Spirit forget wasChristians testifies thatof able six when million.s tothat living save it the is at 174 9)8) righteousHowsaints?decayHow important doesand conduct? what one is recognizeformhistorical does memorytheirleaders leadership in athe time genesis take? of moral of entirelyConsequently,Barbie,withalready thc different toosaving SS, late the a tolives quitefromGestapo, change requires differentthe the oneswar people strategies criminalsbut mostly complementary itself, shown andand when actionsmen indirectly thelikefilm that film. Klaus couldfaced are 175 352 Part II Weapons of the Spirit 353 shownalso be in made Pierre on Sauvage's the Jewish masterpiece. armed resistance Inas manyit is respects, Pierre Sauvage's Weapons of the briefly Spirit tremendum,"farnotand as success."79has never put Pierre it in Sauvagequestion. is to characterize the Holocaust as the "the awesome However, Berenbaumvery well aware went soof that fact "mysterium canveryfilmsuntilessential be differentafterrevealconsidered supplement he striking completed and asspecific similaritiesto a Shoah."little his subjects. own brother,"Pierre in documentary. the WhileSauvage ways a veryLanzmann's they did However, modestdeal not seewith work Shoahbut boththeir is nullity.hope.penetrated," The The scope realitybecause of of victimization "theAuschwitz Holocaust should reduces defies silence meaning even theBerenbaum's survival optimists."8° and extreme interpretation could in mysterywhich part illustrate cannot negates to a be theinhabitantsanalyzesexcludesa Europeanmonumental theFrance that Jewsexception presentation saved and in Poland; insists theof alives small of onSauvage's the ofthe French five uniqueness systematic thousand modest village ofextermination ofdocumentaryJews the five Shoahagainst thousand that allof standing"Lanzmann,ofLanzmann's the systematic why asfocus thewe Jewsinhave extermination the were seenmaking massacred in theof Shoah of thewould Jews. provide Indeed a preceding chapter, "under- insisting on the heart logical for place;feltcharacterizedodds. to Moreover, theirreturn need byto the toLanzmann's meet samesites the fundamentalwhere "actors" and the Sauvage's ofevents qualities: these they worksevents the describe canon thebe oftensametook urgency they ofrememberedasgenesis thevictimsthe Shoah aberration of ,ofdeath, willthat, their always(ofandas times. Lanzmannthe ultimately, Holocaust)"defy For this meaning."wrote: anreason, excuseis "thetoday inHowever, forBerenbaum's to the executioners it is also words, purpose of the theory sweep away the to be Sauvage."extraordinarytherespectsites; unspeakable the and image render simplicity" andhorror the thespecificity of interviews ofthe the Shoah of rescuers their they for respective Lanzrnann, selectedof Le Chambon subjects, in orderand thei.e.for to bothmurderwithandidea thateverythingends ofitself, of historicalof the theLanzmann nations" hechain: wrote responsibility, concludesthe (inagainst Holocaust Deguy, that:the the 310-311). "weis 111111St Then, hold in "understanding"responsibility of the mass of Germanywtique but not aberrant' stronglyparallel savedSauvage'schildren,and for thousands all were work with to concentratesof thebe Jewish sparedfact that children. by on nothe one European Nazis Only exceptional and quick Jew,their generalizationsWhile village notaccomplices, even Lanzmann's which the most exceptional work confronts us once historicalforgivingact;(in Deguy, to kill" period the 311).(in atrocities Deguy, is not 289).that have Understanding been committed or comprehendingWhat in these is "aberrant" times. a is what Lanzmann called: "to synonymous with making logical or pass to the memorybothdifferentcouldand a participate justifymisunderstanding ofsubjects the opposing Holocaust inand the serve them same offor differentthe tofuture necessaryeach specificity generations. other. purposes. preservation They of these However, both two deal of films theywith the reason,individualCollectiveit easier it is choicesto and essential find historical falseand to individual justificationsunderstand situations responsibilities; the neverto historicalpersonal free actions.and collective For this anybodythey just from make irreconcilable.Sauvage'sinsisted onworks the In thefactare United sometimesthat: "the States, Holocaust presented Michael is asBerenbaum primarily being Unfortunately,opposed about rightfully defeatand the differences between Lanzmann's and Ophillspressure.choicescontexts refusesand thatIt is commit allowedalso to believeto aberrambe many recalled in individuals collectivecrimes that, under for guilt. tosimilar themakeConsequently, reasons, Marcel Berenbaum's conclusion, with cover of historical many personal its total not about victoty, about tragedy and not triumph, about failure A 11 rejection of hope, does not derive directly from its premises and 177 mentit354 mixes pretends. up various What issues is missing that are in not order synonymous to articulate as his the argu- two Part II Holocaustanti-Semites.Weapons wasof .theIt notsimply Spirit part and of realistically an unavoidable fate and that the teaches us that the 355 theresponsibility.reflectionaspects murderShoah" of onLanzmann's of and the sixIndeed, "therelationship million Holocaust thethought"it JewsShoah between serves itselfis is notimpossible collective nodefies aberrant"is purpose meaning toand whatsoever.'understand' aindividual detailedbecause whatiscriticshowattitude an toindictmentLe did, prevent ofChambon Laurencesome itofrare fromevery Jarvik and happening otherisolated noted community that again. for Sauvage, men and women can teach us that couldAs many have doneAmerican "Le Chambon TheassimilatesInHowever, generatesequating kind of this the hopenohope does hope.hopeful they with not However inspire systematically withdull the andhas the optimist, notblind people beenimply optimism. Berenbaum whocreated that tried it negatesby Theto Auschwitzironically fight Shoah hope. it do. of Nextpreciselythe European to Lanzmann's because Jews, it gigantic hasWeapons nothing masterpiece of to the do Spirit with about remainsFor this reason Pierre Sauvages hopefulness is a blind "optimism." the extermination vital to many a modest lifeareChambonbut exceptionalstylehas survivedand acted their peoplethe values in same spite precisely werebefore, of strongAuschwitz. becauseduring enough and their The afterso self that peoplethe esteem, they war. did of Theytheir notLe ofanoceanbutWeapons hisinfinite fundamental oflife darkness. "lickingpart of the of film, Spirit theAfter the despair a ispoisonous seeingdim a tribute and of Shoah a extremely manto heart the the that few ofspectator hashumanity,"fragile spent experiences ten anonymous Gentiles light in an whileyears fromclearvanishhis/her the that whenShoah "illogical" each their but individual fromfaith actions wasan extraordinary of isput lovealways on ortrial. of entirely hatred. exception responsibleRegardingConsequently, making another forit Pierre Sauvage's film does not derive hope mountainhimselfwho risked and train. theirhis Thisfamily. lives convoy to save contrasts with the deportationThe film starts in a small, bright and totally some Jews including the director opened trains exceptionalreproach indicating situation, thcthat director he paid himself too much answered: attention to an significance"There were sois fewa matter of them." of numbers. As if moral As ifor wespiritual even livingLikeprecisethousandsthat bystanders. runShoah, individuals: throughout of the anonymous Thesefilm Shoah.Pierrealso are insistsdirectly victims,Sauvage, Instead opposed thisof his bringing trainmother saved and threehis father. on a very specific place and still to the concentration to their deaths very Pierre Sauvage's Weapons of the Spirit constantlyeventhatourknew recalls past.even divine, the Astinynumbers iftruths minoritieswe did in(Sauvage, thisnot may believe,largely 1983:own uncharted we important, 31). Jews especially, chapter perhaps of neverofdespaircamps whilethe anguishing. Spiritand andthere thethe is is anti-Semites verysufferingno music reassuring, ofin the Shoahshown Jews, light except in the hearted,Lanzmann's music to evoke used thefilm. in anguish, Finally, never ironic and Weapons the anti-Semitismexception.itHolocaust.that was the indeed villagers His It simplypossiblefilmnor of aboutallows Le recalls and Chambon the noquite that onemost "natural"for torepresented horrifying aforget very to fewabout save an ordinaryreality the almostwidespread Jews. of people,unique theSuch directortribute),crime/thesubject (theconfrontedSauvage's simplicity rule/one filmwith of exception; goodness; revealshis subject some the that ofhorror the key ofConsidering reactions of the specificity of its symmetrically opposite a monumental work/a modest are also found in Shoah. an unspeakable doesa statement it let us does forget not that give the any Shoah "meaning" was perpetrated to the Holocaust by Christian nor 178 BEST COPY AVAI whereAs Lanzmann "the event" did, tookSauvage place felt (Poland/Le the need toChambon). return to theThis places first 179 encounter356 provoked a violent shock that completely changed Part 11 both self-justifyingWeapons of the speeches Spirit but in acting according 357 thethesameLanzmann's same people people values of and were Le(the Chambon).Sauvage's Polishliving anti-Semitism/thein livesthe present because in they thesimple same realizedFinally, places both with films are based on a unsolvable mystery. For goodness of that the workers,peoplesimple who butpeople rescued fundamental of popularJews during truths. Historians have rightfully origins with little formal the war wereemphasized very often the farmers, fact that to some very education. the Sauvage,memorytheLanzmann, Shoah. ofthe thereThethis exact goal mostis reasonno of unspeakable."understanding" the why film it wasis precisely event possible Ps such. of the For Pierre sf 'natural" to the people to "transmit" the horror of commitment,warglorificationmembers,Unlike time turningsome historians afterthese members thepoints people war. of butthe Asneither of represented their the ResistanceSecond World War havegained largely nor askeddeeds for did official not influence major an everyday life total or official party absolutelycontextsunderstandalwaysof Le Chambon have their explainin a actionwhat pail to decide whatofhistorical, was mystery. they possible,to "pass did geographical, It nortois even howeverthe totally act"if none moralof essential savingof thisand will protect us from the Jews willreligiousto try to ever thathaveideologiesmoralforgotten directlyalso principles forgotten to whenlead study to facedto oftenthem. analyze with underlined As crimes their religious convictionswhat appears and to be the only beliefs against humanity,the inefficiency idealogues of modem basic irreplaceablecomparablethesibleresurgence success for his of ofchoices to Shoah. hatred.thc the modest best and The actions.achievements individualWeapons For of remainsall the ofthese theSpirit at monumental all times reasons, I consider as being in part respon- and commitmentfilmvictims is its absoluteof ofthe the Nazis' successChambonnais. in rendering For this reason, the anmass unquestioned murders. action for the very first quality of Pierre Sauvage's When asked why they hid Jews the simplicity of the total rescue of isallowing the following the audience quote fromto read Albert a text Camus' The Plague:Like Shoah, Weapons of the Spirit starts withThere always comes a time in history when the on a dark screen. This text a long silence person veryanything.Haider),suchat thesimply. as:risk When "We"We ofWe their werepeople didnever lives,not used askedask the to ourselves it"people for of why came, if we could be of help..." (M. (Mme. Miller), "It all happenedexplanations. Nobody askedLe Chambon give we were doing it. It answers four.Thewhatwhoished issue darespunishment with is to simply death.say willthat whetherAnd betwo thethe plus outcomeorissue nottwo istwo equals notof plus that what four tworeasoning. reward is equals pun- or and(M.was Darcissac).womenthe human feel thingat being to do made or something like that...The camera never fails to show the some sort of local heroes. They uneasiness these that's all" men WhileaPlagueWe strong will imposingin influencelearn Le Chambon later silenceon on his in andcomposition theon thatfilmthe hisspectator that stayof Camus this in beforeliterarythe community entering masterpiece. hadthe wrote part of The wesayTheythenlook cannotabout they "just" at thelook it.understand did As interviewer at whatMme. their hadthe Harraudfeet fuss.to because be It put happened it "It happened simply see if he has any other question and done and there is nothing else there is nothing else to so naturally, say. to Inupsituationscommunity suchfor basic a context, like oftruths duringLe Chambon,real and World heroismhuman Warthis values does textII, notthe canreminds consistsimple be punished infact making of bystanding death. great us that in critical Chambon.thattimesbecause the criticized same theyConsequently "simplicity" needed for its "simplicity,"help." it ischaracterizes Whilethe only Sauvage's film has beenone has to underline the"style" fact Sauvage could best the people of Le (....) I helped some- use181 leastwantedin358 his five film to thousand portray. without Moreoverlivesbetraying including itthe is essence thisthousands "simplicity" of the community that saved he at of Jewish children. Part 11 personalShoahWeaponsWeapons reveals filmof theof basednothing theSpirit Spirit on directly a clearappears aboutpersonal from the themotivation.identity very ofbeginning its From director, this as a 359 ForHatzfelddedicated thisone veryin thisurderlined attention. reason film itplays deservesin the the Cahlers no irony du andcinima, it demands isWhat isour most most disturbing for a "modern" audience, as role of the hero, the traitor, the victim the fact that "no Jean originspointbigotryinso France"natural" on, and describedSauvage's the and in understanding the throughout invillage film Shoah also of dominated.of EutopeLe becomes why Chambon what where a had quest remained thebeen towardsapathy possible an exception andone's and the inas priorbeliefwhichpartwe find theeducation inlargely limitedthemthe leading elitist in in success highly intellectual role selective thisidealogues film life government had is shouldstill in France,very much a counuy classical drama" (Hatzfeld, 9). This explains play basedcontrolled on their schools. oriented by in understandSauvageexperiencebute to madethe "theand memory for mystery"personality three of parallel the of Leofpeople its Chambon;purposes: director. who saved soso It hehe Sauvage'sis his couldcoulda filmfamily; himselfpay Pierre film sotri- he is constantly linked to the personal UnitedotherexclusiveAlbertimmediate end, Camus States, conception Sauvage's community himself and in of filmcan California the life be wasformation plays considered a ain much of anas more a much greater success in the particular, where one's intellectual. Onvictim the ofimportant such an role in community'scouldSauvage'stional,director's try to ownwork,learn actions son, whatlike for David. the moralfuture actions It lessonsgeneration is ofalways the we Chambonnais, presentedandcan especiallydrawn as from canan for excep-be this the best individual and ordinary tale. Consequently, Pierre anddeterminingrationalizingis noabout "heroic" a communityindividual doingleader nothing." either.commitments. who wasAs Even "actively PastorThere was indeed no "hero" in Le Chambon, no Laurence Jarvik put it, this film doing good instead Andréof Trocme who "theory" thecharacterizedrespectively.whichhere two atcannot the directboth be separated by opposite its personal from of Ophtils'each and other.collective and In Lanzmann's this implications sense we works are as privileged individual or collective responsibilities gaveTrocmeevenwifenothing most twerewhen, butcould of militant inthethe 1939,play leadercohesion pacifists the that major tothis who role always all the villagers disagreed with them. Andre communitythe community deserved. He is presentedand his as he did in Le Chambon only stood up for their beliefs FranceattendedPierrein Paris. Sauvageto the pursue He Lycée took moved literary Francaissome with studies classes in his New at parents at the theYork renowned Sorbonne. to and New thenAfter Lye& York Afterwent spending HenriCity. backdropping HeIV to the first four years of his life in France, authoritybecauseasimple very the but clearbased fundamentalwhole relationship on hiscommunity active manner, values Weapons and between individual responsibility, accepted and rocognized his By contrast, at the endof the of Spirit establishessincere faith. In this writerheunderoutnot became of thetellschoolUo direction Sauvagehima dedicated he he started was ofand the man JewishworkingBarbara famous of cinema. until SauvageatHenri the heHis CinemathequeLanglois. turned neeparents, Suchowolski, eighteen.From journalist Francaise that Pierredate anddid collectivethefilmSauvage film, are responsibility Marshal pronounced as "the Philippeleader and by (France) theleadership. Petain director Following the quotation of Camus, 182 deserved" at that time.will alsohimself: be characterized "I am a Jew." by While the first words of the makingChambontoSauvage live inthe grew either.the film. uppast ItasAs isanda a non-religiousmostly result they theyafter did didnothe man. metnot tell They supporthis their wife, did son notthe Barbara aboutwantproject him M.Le of 183 360 Part II Weapons of the Spirit oflearnRubin, my about son and and hadhis mypast a son wife's and that his prodding, Pierre Jewish Sauvage heritage: felt "Without a strong the need birth to Weapons of the Spirit would havingRiver Kwai worked on films such We feared, Dr. Rosowsky (Jean-Claudeand The Guns of Navarone. as The Bridge Plunne)on the 361 alwaysperfectlyexperience"not have tefuses beenwith (Johnson, themade. to separateteaching For12). me, one'sof makingthe values people the and of film Le ideological wasChambonIn this a growing regard, com- as it the project of making this documentary fits facts.toand wouldrespect myself, For be thatthe unablethat reason,commercial a largeto limit audience itself requirements to film the On the contrary, we had we rejected his offer. a great intetest in Pierre strict reality of thewould be forced and that it makethousandssurroundingsmitments sense from of for andanonymous theone's vice director's actions versa. spectators ownIfand this concernson: film worldwide was for to one's make it firstimmediate sense had for to This is why, as I tell David of these things, as he learns guaranteewitnesses,decidedChambonSauvage's to hiswhere projectbasewithout sincerity hehis because wasanyfilm (Pierre born intrigue. only of Fayol,in his 1944 This 22). on interviews of the attachment to Le and because he seemed to owegreaterthatfootnoteshim theremy to and life learnis more into all thethat insidiousof goodpast theus abut storiespeople capacity capacitycornerstones of forLethe for Chambon.evil righteous apathy, to and the an Ifuture. I arewanteven owe not I theneedtheLike complexity director theto telldirector hisof and Weapons "story" ofthe mystery in a of its subject, Shoah, of the Spiritbut dealing withmanner an opposite that would subject, respect entirely felt a powerful personal even if in this case filmcollective was made or more from universal a personal, responsibilities. sincere and profound It Hereis because need again, of this itsindividual commitments are inseparableeven frommore than that to my son (Sauvage, 1983: 36). internationalitsthe structure samesubject time, isand and the by of local"simplicity"its the clarity, questions events, its ofvarious coherenceits raises. studies Theand directortheofConsequently, characters Weapons of the Spirit a nual protestant community. is best characterized, at complexity of combines and Chambonofmysterysimplicitydirector a specialist. to that were aof purely theit As"very was people Sauvage "objective" ultimatelyreluctant" of himselfLe reasoningChambonwhen able indicated, heto toldorconvey without to them thethe thepoint peoplehereducing wantedcomplex of ofview itsLeto Charnbon.oftenconfusingpersonal unknown Ifhistory in the spite mainindividuals, with of its"story" outstanding alluding including is to dozensmastery. thirty of four differentThe film is a very personal search for the villagers of Le and most never villagertrumpetfilm them: of your Le"They Chambon deeds were is very confirmedto devalue wary. They the them" same believe (Bernstein, statement: that to appear 36). Ato An attempt was made by a American team to make a alwaysforgetnarrationunderstanding one situates follows key of aspectanit the withinexceptional chronol. rsecutionof the historymorn community, of the genetal of Jews this the inframe backbone occu of of 'ed France. The filmof the does war not and that of th community and French the writemeetingthatafilm center aboutreason, the forwith scenario Le active atM.Chambon his Carl lUsistance ofrequest, Foreman the as film.a harbour Ito hadwho Hethe a wasOccupation.for very refugeessupposedfamous pleasant andForfor to 184 certainlysamevividBecausehistory. analysistime, its At itthe most was theof apparent t_....Imj)ie same ablecomplex to time "simplicity"successfully achievement.le it involvedis able toachieveof with presentPierre the all Sauvage's these_goals film is a most faithful andevents described. at the 18b 362 Part II Weapons of the Spirit 363 masterpiece.MarcelWeapons Ophtils' of Pierre the Spirit TheSauvage's Sorrowoften workrecalls and intertwines some the ofPity. the historical LikebestAs the sequences Ophtils' workfootage of of a man of cinema about Occupied France, thealwaysthc film stars respects reveals of a inthe film. a personalitypowerful Pierre Sauvage's of these people manner everything that Theis' sim- interviewing technique and his editing of emotionsveryfollowingand black successful and andthe thewhitechronology deepattempt pictures motivations toof withmakethe events. contemporary of visible the Sauvage'switnesses the personality,interviews he film interviews. is alsowhile the a ruggedadedicationandplicity woman non-violent does life holding to notin children a allow activismmountain a child), himand (King'shisto villagehis put community faith in and words,(his (the Gandhi's hands Old(the i.e. Testament), and face), his photographTheis' with pacifism pictures), his the thetheseaIn gesture thethis elements witnesspeople regard, or glanceofthan being the the anydirector setting frominterviewed. word the that never could. witnesses can fails bringThe to camerathat moreinclude reveals information also an expression,moreincludes aboutabout all thisdownunwillingnessstraightstrength is atexpressed or hisforward his hands faithto becomein after look (thethe movementshe at some isthe done sortinterviewer) answering of his opening the and question). hands his sincere and same and continuous movement of the a local hero (his looking Allhis postedshowingSauvage'sis extremely on a picture film.Theis' revealing The of bulletin Martin sequence of the Luther board best starts cinematographicKing in withhis and study. aa verticalpictureIn In this qualities theof panningrespect, Gandhi same of the second interview of Pastor Edouard Theis thetricksTheiscamera former inhimself. that order Youth insists to The reveal Minister on editing the the fact ofpersonalityhad Vichy.that to allbring Lamirand these of this elements isItneontrast filmed are partsitting with of this sequence is the interview of Lamirand, no exterior element or man. fewhandsthephotographmovement, words. while the AfterofSauvage acamera woman this, asks theencounters holding thecamera Pastor a drawingsfilms childOld to summarizeTestament, Theis'in hermade face,arms, by his lookingchildren, afaith copy in atof a other books and then pauses briefly on Theis' isshoulderdirectoruncontrolledin doinga heavy straight hisin orderarmchairbest gestures in toto the understandshow to thateye, the that holdsbendingstrict he and hasminimum.his answer slightly nothingbody the perfectly, Athis to questions.first hidehead he and lookslimiting that the he on his left thathandsneighboryourthe director this God opening answeras with yourself."while upall is he and yourso gives Inobvious raising heart,the his middle answer: upyourthat in of thesoul,order this "You question youranswer,to shallreinforce mind, itself lovewe seeand theseems Theis' Lordyouridea a uncontrollablethousandhisobviously personal Jews well responsibilities fromagitation.prepared. France, TheHowever, his camerain eyelids the whendeportation then reveal he shows is a being very ofhimLamirand's seventy asked joining about five hisfirst answers about his visit in Le Chambon nervous and are there"Yes!him:shoulderslittle "That'sdull.is Of nothing course!" andWhile it? looks Itelse finishing just and Sauvageto had saythen to untilhis he bestraight answer,lowers theapplied'r, next in his Theisthe question Theiseyes eyes. lightly simply firmly Sauvagecomes. raises becausereplies: asks his dothatinterviewdidhands with nothe as has knowthe he ends "many persecutionjustifies anything with Jewish a himself short about of friends." thesegment by the Jews. explaining deportations Therefore, in which that, Lamirand heof at hadthe that Jews.nothing explainstime, The heto Chamboninterviewee.of the natural are Thisvery setting issoftspoken extremely that could and important revealuncomfortable the as personality theIn atpeople such being a ofsequence,made theLe the cameraman included all the elements 1813 hisinterviewingtouches subject, of heirony and almost editing in Sauvage's never techniques used film. Ophtlls' from Sauvage characteristicOphills borrowed but,Lamirand's because irony. many By of conclusion represents one of the very few 187 describingcontrast,364 the the villagers various aresubterfuges often very the humorous village put especially together to when hide Part II theirWeaponssince lifestyle the of war. the and OfSpirit their course values they remained became olderthe but theirsame. expressions, Consequently, 365 perfectcould"spirit"the identity not toolsand use the offor sarcasm thegoodness Ophti refugees. nor ls' of subjecttoo the In much peopleorder and irony witnesses.to of respect Lewhile Chambon, they Finally,and representedrender Sauvage like the Ophtlis, Sauvage uses much historical footage differentalmostitthe is story possible fifty agesof Leyears underlinesto Chambon think, ago. live thebelongs fact that to throughoutThird, their lives the superimposing these of portraits of the or act like the Chambonnais did our own present. Even today same people at acteristicevents.toor fdm,putnewsreels the However,Sauvage testimoniesof inthe order director's gathetedSauvage's toin reinforceCOntraSt personalliterally use of thewith old thousandsstyle.chronology photographsnational Prior and of ofto pictures internationalisthemaking very film char- andofhis Le picturestaking.facesmunitymen and was andFor ofwomen, not thatthisDaniel just thereason, at an moralTrocmé least attitude the stiengthin opennessspirit,and put Rogerand belonged simplicityand Le calm Porestier to the shown same contrast com- on for the time of a picture on their on the Chambon.picturesChambon.purposes. Theseshowing That's pictures what children happens are included studying for instance in or the at filmplay with with or theFirst, people threemany many main doinggroup pictures disclose what it was like to live in Le savifigdirectordifferentasviolently they the onceways were memorywith more toboth the include characterizes assassinatedcommentary'sof a oldcommunity photographs byhis evocation the film of Nazis. individuals in his of By documentary,their using thatviolent these always deaths thethree as a work dedicated to longernineteenrefugees.testimoniesfarm work. exist fogies.They In heardlike this takethe Second,incase, terrace theus pictures backpresent other of from the allowand pictures Coteau the to us seenineteen to Fleuri. show somevisualize eightiesplacesTheyof the the also children thatvarious to take the no azhievementsclaimedmodegfacing theresponsibility maste utmost of the danger.monumental for each oneShoah of andits actions,The SorrowPierre Sauvage'sand the Weapons of the Spirit is a personal and `ece that nonetheless can be compared to the best even when thecharacteristiceverydayus from people the life involved, present inof Lehis Chambon. film.into puttingthe It pastconsists them while in allowingparallelshowing with The oldus totheportraits last imagine faces use ofof pictures by Sauvage is most crucial and - 1fecauseexceptionPity.ChambonJews ft represents during Pierre in raises the World Sauvage'shistoryunfortunately many Warfundamental of thefilm H. aextermination However,tiny questionsevent and what offor theourhapmed European own future. in Le an extraotdinary juststantlygrowingofthe likethe same sametoday'sbeing up.people people Byreminded children. usingin theat the differentthatresent This first the oris technique,children ages ina storysuperimposing in of orderthat theLe could Chambonaudienceto indicate old be pictures ours. islooked con-their UltimatelystrategiesandChambonnais must playto hate be with aadoptedcrimes. key outstanding role In in order our faithfulnessnecessaryto fight bigotry, reflection and integrity,Intolerance it and renders the "spirit" of the can Chambonnais,Thesefacesbook. people of the cannot samelike Henri bepeople, reduced and SauvageEmma to names Hinder, insists or statistics have on the notSecond, in fact ch- a history thatinged by puttingthe in parallel old pictures and contemporary 189 374 The Holocaust in French Film thatdreadfulmajor several masterpieceschapter French of directorsmodern offering Frenchhave highly finally history, dependable succeeded one mustrepresentationsIn spitein recognizeproducing of this oftardiness in coming to terms with the most Appendix: demonstrationseventsextremelyplaceremarks that in suggestFrancecinemacomplex and afterhasthere theand not recentmany aredistressing yet still represented. officialanti-Semitic many events. condemnationsaspects However incidents As of the these the preceding thatprove massivetimes took thatand A: What are the different circumstances that makebrought Weapons of the Spirit? An Interview with Pierre Sauvage you to considerableFrenchwavesmuch awareof cinema anti-Semitism numbers of sincethe dangers of1967 andthe certainly Frenchhatred.and the population consequencesplayed a majorThe are evolutionofnow role recurring veryin the of the representation of the Holocaust in P: itmaketointerestedTo neededdeal begin such with with, toenough a it. happen.film. I alsocould inThe theAndwas notfilm subject not sincehave really professionally ormademy happenedpsychologically parents it earlier, initiallyinprecisely equipped did when a positionas I was to not not alsobenefitFranceworld,increase opposed includingthatof of their trythis by topersonal public ausethe better Unitedanti-Semitism awareness.influence. preserved States, However, memoryandAsthere everywherepolitics are theirof still theof propagandapoliticianshatred truth. else forByin the theits inis A: Yourthem.towant undertake mewife to also make at played a thetime film, an when important it was I was also role?able something to negotiate that Iwith had anywhereexceptionalseveralmemorycontinuing masterpieces of else.struggle mediathe Holocaust to to fight offer of French anti-Semitism anand always of cinema the more persecution and can complete bigotry be considered of inand the France truthful Jews, asor P: timeceivablebeingMy wifeconsidering Jewish itplayed is wasthat whata important.the vety filmit isimportant saying: could I cannot havethat role overstatea been sensein telling made of how rootedness another incon- me that A: Thereyearsgood.and identity beforewasThese also is makingare important;a thingsgreat the curiosity thatfilm. that I didreligion on not your believe can part be at at the all outset? a source of a few P: thatimportancebegunI thinkwas one already attemptingthere legacy is was. toquite thatme Atto personally. interestedmyunderstandthe fatherpoint wherehadin I it hadthe andtried IalsoHolocaust, decidedfigure to begun give out to merealizing andwhatmake was had itsit, a 13o thatvery it dangerous is not important. one: that Then one I wentcan simply back to discard Le Chambon the past; 375 191 on 376 a visit and was just stunned by the people there. I felt The Holocaust in French Film that AnA: YouInterview use a with lot ofPierre faces Sauvage in 377 A: You had no script. ideaaboutthere what wastheir somethingthe faces. film But was special even going when about to endI startedthem, up being. somethingspecialshooting I had no P: Ifilm?and really more think recent faces pictures. are important and I really like knowing Whatyour film is their as wellprecise as pictures,role in old your A:P: How did people react in Le Chambon No, I have nevex done a documentary with when you told them a script. death,Probablyiswhat actually I peopleshow the boldestwhen,pictures look look like.in likeof talking him I at have various about sequence along those lines in the film as a child and then alwaysas he gets been curious about Rogerstages Le Forestier's of their life. P: wouldTheyidea.you were wanted wantThey wary. isare to for makeveryThey others modest awere film to certainlythink about people, that them? and they not excited about the the last thing they are promoting e.theyandolder entually. I thinkandam stillolder. Butit's not someone itI realizewassure veryif thatthe else. meaningftd viewersit isI guesssort of theya strange understand sequence it get it right away orto if me. When a man A: film?Didthemselves. they put any restrictions on you in terms of making the A: giveConcerningtheis child killedany instructionsthat it the is are thefilming killed to of thetoo. the cameramen? This faces and person he was in all the previous years and brings it home in a way. the people... did you P: around.in.familyThey It reallystarted photographs I do did notby not. fihningdoubt INobody asked for people ato refusedsecond film. I knew I anything.thatthink the fact Even and the worda certain got trust set that I had the old A:P: You worked with the Dahan.Nothing important. I had same team all along? a very good cameraman, Yves P:A: .been born there. meant a lot. It. they could trust you? was simply a sense that ... P: gotYes. into They it. were very committedjust fantastic. They really P:A: NotThereYes. really. And had that beenThere this other have was films beenmeant made small to be. aboutattempts, their little story. television P:A: They did not understand what everything.Oh no. This was a French crew and so they understoodpeople were saying? wasdobeenprograms. it. doing thinkingIt didn't it. Marcel ofmatter doing Ophathat it but 1 Is had told learned me afterwards that I that he had 192 was doing it, but that someone was about to P:A: traditionalWell,Did theyou main issuegive"bzttle" themwith any I wouldkind of always cameramen for documentariesis that instructions before filming? haveand this is a 193 378 The Holocaust in French Film An Interview with Pierre Sauvage 379 subjects.couldit'sthe more cameramanand Iimpodant was willing always not toto wanted letbreak them tothe sctdo mood that but up the nicest shot hejo or not to tire your soinetimes P: knewwereunderstandingThere saying. nothingwere soI Aledo many.about notmaterial, meai., Ireligion. would understanding that literally. I say the main problemI wasknew nothing about what these peoplejust mean that I P:A: And so, sometimes you had to ask the sameNo.to question the this same would again witness? happen before the interviews. But sometiirc*; somethingfiftythatandChristians. overis times in theand else II spentfilmheard over was is months again. important.itfootage It did Andjust that It took not seem important I thoughtlisteningin fact to athe lot footage of Ithe ignoted overfootage the first forty or thatfirsttired.soyou you appearswouldcalled I canremember setJosephhave soveral it up.to oneAtlas set Buttimes storyup Ion therealized in thewhich thelight phone. film. thatandis sod Heolderask of is the funny.peoplethe person Polish Whencan to Jew get sit I A: Thereandrealize: wereyou "No!could also Mata not few wasinclude the importantthem? sequences that were important at first stuff."a long time for me to P:A: boyYes.He is of Healso fourteen. is the sort first of He myone talks startingyou about name symbol his in theexperience infilm. a almost in way, the little P: thenexplicit,wereordinarilyYea. TherepassagesI got in surprised aboredwere way. that a At withnumbernowsometimes first thatit. I ofthought they had things"Mk that It did not really havesequences the that I am extra-are not in the film. They is perfect" And were too theseinterview.notnumberfairy annoyingso tale good," of terms. Ipeople called questionsand I'd andI Joseph madehad had about an up saidAtlas assistant my what "this mindand my one'swhohe whoattitude started hadgood, I was talked asking this going one's all to was and to a "J"sais"Butimportantfirstauthenticity, you sectionitpas" kept "I the themdon't mysteryis because know," too, isbutit also the when I use M. et Mme. Hedtier. I anyway. Why?" "Oh, j'sais pas," is the first that it is so authenticity. In thc say to her onecameras,mypainwhat cameramanof inmy the the approachwe most neck." have "Iimportant Idon'ttowas, did go notcare andquickly." interviews. cancel Iabout said thetoAnd myself Theinterview'image.' it turnedmoment "The Just butout Iset Iaskedto told the be guy is a A: Now as opposed to interviews,away I saw areas important.telling stories for the some survivors who sometimes, in their not something that firstright time, the people of predictcameramanlookmy first very these question pretty tothings. set I becauseuprealized the lights "Oh, properly.this is good." So you It does cannot not I did not allow my poor P: unlikeItthese Leis a Chambonstories veryfilms interesting thatbefore. youinclude Wasinterviewed questioninterviews that had with a problem? actually because I thinkthe opportunity to tell survivors who have A: When you were editing the film, what problemswere the youmain ran into? 194 BEST COPY AVAILABLE nottheytold talk theirdid about not stadesstories tell. it thatover overThe much, and Jewsand whoand certainly the people over again,over these again. people These had notwere stories were in Le Chambon did of Le 195 380 The Holocaust in French Film An Interview with Pierre Sauvage 381 thereheardwhoChambon sort wasthese of family,did hungpeople not aroundtheThere talking family wereand about wouldlistened a few these listenyoung and things. withthey Chambonnais Andhadinctedible neverwhen pointonehasnot sentence likeA to cut-aways. point to the B. nextIfIt isyou ansentence. haveediting techniqueYou tohave use. that to You get arefrom not like a writer: you a jump cut you have to cannot jump from one almost A: realhaveSometimesattention. influence? been No, influenced in I the Diddid film, notyou by have doone Ophtils certain thatgets problem.the andthings impression Lanzmann. on purpose? that Is that Iyou am a hands.cut-awaysthingbiggestbridge I itNo, wouldcliche and likeone it wantin isthatis cut-aways goingnot toin ado the cut-away,to is wholebe ishands. ahands painting film. There generally. And they one is deliberate. When on the wall...are only The two real So the last are both completelywhendoesofthinking Lamirand that they about a arelot,opposed there twoembarrassed. showing oris to threea theclose-up people's traindifferent And shown onofhands things.coursehis in handsas Lanzmann's theyInthe the andtrain hesitate interview Ophtils that film, oris awayveryotheryou see trivialhandsat thatLamirand's metaphoricallyarepoint. Pastor hands, Theis' hisbut and handsI hisliked hands are it. Iclosed needed and a cut- the are open. It is thisparallelstheand Polishtheafter? village when villages youof the were in people Shoah. making that Did the is you completelyfilm think or did about youopposed realize these to P:A: Isomething doubtNo,But youI reallythat didin therewhat notdid think Lamirandnot.is a Ioffilmmakerthis needed Ophiils said. a Iwhile cut-away. doing Ithis? was not distorting him. may sound like a was cutting P: sinceallTherewhenmy in terms filmbutare I rather itsawso ofhad Shoah, simpleno influence answersI was onstunned to me these at because thatquestions. time. one InFirst fact,of ofthe Shoah Shoal:, had absolutely no influence on me. It hasI had not seen Shoah when I finished matterhavecanDinten-ibly makein when termshow boastful anybody weI ofpresent representingedit thing lookthese somebody, to like things saywho fairly anything. Iis wantedwhat justis theThe them people power to say. that You more cautious thanso tremendous. I No say "this we filmsdeliberatefilmhavingstrongest withand been impressionsI itscounterpart.admire constantly them. one Ophlils,on gets a train from of and course, them I was had myseen little his little ttain, and it did look like it was a Shoah is that sense of A: Theis...withDidis what you theit Ijust choose was."picture happened the of setting Martin to be for there? Luther the interviews? King behind For example Pastor P:A: TheWhat interesting about that thing interview is that of Lamirand Lamirand? comes out rather well P: desk.Thatliving, wasThat and the is thattheretirement shotwas whatthat place actually was whereindeed ends Edouard with Theis on the wall behind his the hands. It was byandinis me. dapper,one I ofwill the and tell reasons he you comes that that Iacross Lamirand doI.e not fine.Chagrin like agreed In shots fact, et to of Ila be believehands. pitii. interviewed Ithat do 196 You know he is very charming Oldisfactwas panning Testament.Ian would irresistible down, not I do didthe shot. that. Bible. IThere did It notis was the put the picture there. In not put it there. It was there. evenAnclen in that Testament, shot, as itthe197 382 The Holocaust in French Film An Interview with Pierre Sauvage 383 P:A: What kind of scenes did you have to prepare Noisfor? not that The twining is train right. anymore. The train, I rented. thethatpeople heartis thethink ofline isChristian muchon Christianity: too Europe tough, rather'The and Holocaustwould than the not opposite, occurred Ihave have been beenand in criticized a few times for a line that some P:A: AnythingtheirI had hobby.to else?rent theOne, services I think, of is the a chemisttwo railway and engineers.I do not know It is Christianstolongandpossible me: without infested "Thiswithout that the the isI virulentthevery havelike apathy soul knowna slaptradition of or Christianity." complicityinare the Christiansof anti-Semitismface." of People most Butwho Christians, thehaveare that goodready said had A: filmWhatUnfortunatelywhat is theis too your other optimistic? answer they one cannot does.to people do They it or anymore. usedcritics to who like say doing that yourthat. A: How do you situate your film in comparisonettheand la Christiantoeager Pitie Le Chagrinandto face tesponsibility Shoah? the extent I ask thisofis massive.Christian because responsibility.it is a documentary And P: seeingbeforeI mustfocusing tellthethey film.youon saw the that I the goodthink people film. wouldthat They used fear create tohaveexisted express an not alibi that, said that that somehow, that concern would after let P: bothFirstdealingand it extraordinarilyof is all,withone I oftheam the Holocaust.flattered excellent Important by documentariesthe films. question But, becauseat made the same inthose French time, are againsthappens.thehave world done?"the In off goodfact, the Those theyouhook. good have are But toughmakes to people ask questions. youyourself, realize accountable that "WhatNext is notto becausewould the what evil, I glaringwouldItLeI would is Chagrin also haveomission not very etevenmade lamuch Pitie isknow the that ais samefilm thehowa remarkable film of filmto itsanswer conveys today.time. film that I Probably, nodoubt in question.real many thatsense therespects. Ophals I ofmostthink the A: Hitlerfeelingyou do or wonderful.not Goebbels." ga yourself "I am these such aquestions. wonderful guy. I am not You walk out moralYouimportancenot know, talktest. about And thatof the itthat.was talks Jewish the about test question ofall Francesorts in ofFrance then. things, That at but that was it time. does the P: concernedIt makesactIt also well. underscorespeople thatThe one survivors'aware might the that fact play communityit wasthat up porcibleit the was righteous was possible to traditionally act differently.Gentilesfor people very in to P:A: No,It is notbut ait film is a on film the about Holocaust. French attitudes and French oppositethatsinglea way feeling.it thatsurvivorwould direction. would In take whofact, do the exactlyhas I haveedge seen what beenoff the the filmyou criticized experience. werehas come in exactly away But notwith the a 198 quoting. I mean thereLevyresponsibility.I had arewhich made Ithink is a Thereveryfilm one goodinor is 1968,1 twoa veryactually. other probablybrief references. But interview itwould is very But withcringe brief again, Claude at and what if 199 384 The Holocaust in French Film An Interview with Pierre Sauvage it would1968. be because I have changed so completely since P: thatObviouslyWeapons many peopleI believe of the would Spiritthat the is exception certainly is about important. the exception. go see Shoah after seeing Weapons I believe 385 P:A: The context is different. I Perhapsresponsibilities.necessary it was a necessary step. I do not know that anybody step also for themean at that time it was a French to face their commitment.athisof nine Weaponsthe history. Spirit hour ofShoal: who filmAlso, the might Spiritwhois it notis veryalready isannot an entry scaryhave entry doespoint. material.point not Nobody for have Peoplethis material,a certainneed for gone otherwise because goes to see to beThererealizedwouldpoint. the aremosthave However,the still unfairbeenimportance people capable ofhaving criticismstoday of ofsaid thewho making that, Jewishto do self-righteously notthat a questionfilm realizeto me that probablyit atwould so makethat it would time.have wouldthat A: Trocin6stillHowbe brought doing do was you theainto leadersee main this the butmaterial.work. role the of peopleresponsible of Le leaders Chambon in all this? were considerofheartWeaponsbe almostthe of main any delkratelyofimtant. differencemoralthe Spirit, Forassessment brushiag instance,putswith theLe aside of JewishChagrin IFrance. havethings question et very Eventhat la Mi. otherlittle to at Mythe the peopleon point film,very the P: createfilm.theIt is balance. somethinga At very the good sameI think out question. time of that nothing. I Trocm6do Inot worked Ihave believe is a thisvery,strong that image presenceleadership that leaders in isthe very hard to find Incidentally,beenmyth.me.Resistance I thinkmadeI mean, because anyway,the of there Resistance it thewas that Resistance a thesmallfailed Resistance Resistance,that simply test which isdid essentiallybut not people what interest hasare a is simply not historically accurate. reallyChambon.suggestovervalued,was understoodan the extraordinary Trocm6 thatextraordinary leadership,what was wasman.an extraordinary called balance Theseat its for. best,were that reflects.brilliantman, occurred Pastor peopleI tried in Theis Le who to A: What about Shoah? didstillrealized not having stop the greata importancesingle difficulty train ofto helpingfacing.Auschwitz. Thethe Jews. Resistance The Resistance never A: specificwithyourYou arerepresentationthe ato work man your ofof expetience cinema. an of historian the HowHolocaust as a do orfilmmaker? youa philosopher.as think it is. thisinDid comparison influenced What is you learn P: dealsconsideredI told with Lanzmann the a little magnitude thatbit like my of thefantasy the little evil... was brother that my of Shoah.film would One be P: thissomethingI amfilm? sure by that making of course other filmsis true. that But helped I like history you to make very A: exception....the systematic extermination, while yours is about an 200 prologuefriends.historianstodaymuch. withI Iam toreally on sayfascinatedMichael the admirethat Holocaust. historians Mums byMichael's history. Iwho placeam brilliance. Iproudis wassuch just thata large I having saidI have emphasis that lunchsuch one of the greatest 201 as a 386 The Holocaust in French Film havepaleon the reflectionthe written opportunity ofword, the richnessof on showing the document. that pictures, is history. And of Weshowing that filmmakers is only faces, a An Interview with Pierre Sauvage overmyself my editingof this needtable toa sentencetrim, trim, I bad stumbled trim, I wrote in big letters on at that 387 magicalopportunityphotographof showing connection ofwherephotographs playing between we thinkmusic. andthings. it's I directingbelieve important. I remember there's the We talking have the eye onan aalmost to an eliminate.notgreaterthinker:time have in the "Plus to With writingsartist, eliminate. un film, the artiste of moreyou Jacques You esthave he dogrand eliminates." Maritain, not have In no choice. plus il aintine," "The the great Catholicthat pressure to books you do becauseinformationnewsreels.thathistorian I had I realizedonce, discovered that a avery filmhe inimportanthad can a newsreel. neverprovide. historian, bothered He about something I think there is extraordinarily was quite surprised to look at valuable P:A: And you have to pick the size that Thatunderstand is true. something, Also, I truly the believe more you should be capable of fits the subject. that the more you P:A: Andwords.Like also information things that about can everything be put in words.that cannot Part be of put in the Andexperience.beyondWithexplaining thatsome a isten-year-old's itButexceptions ato test thata smart foris really filmmakers.often-year-old. emotional the test: to IandThat course, some things that are saytruly things believe simply. that. psychologicalchallenge is dangerlinearawaysotremendous simple. withstructure, in that aThere dangerparenthesis and and areI am ofyou're no film envious infoot-notes. choppingais film. that of youwhatIt hasIt have is to hard have to make to this even thingsclean, get away. There is a great an historian can do. A: Were you thinking about the future whenanythingthetremendously film. similar Was energizing. happens it a way again for this is you to tell people "Well, if a way to react"? you vo, making about.otherhistoriansyouOn thehand..." toIt givesotherreally can and hand,you look get you massive thatforaway do thevery not with: informationmost reallyobligation "on profound know the tobut what simplify truths.it does anything In a way, is one hand... on the can force not cut P: levelvincingIt was of a optimismmyselfway of that telling that I can humanity myself raise that. is It my children with a certain not irredeemably evil. I was a way of con- wonderful.begoingeditingdown reasonably to the bethe film,andAnd bone short. I Ithendid aboutwas At not I onewonderingrealized what want point wasit itIto thoughtcannothow goingbe long. long -bethree I the wantedthree hours film hours it on. When I was was to atthatthink any the humanity time. choice isis ours.pretty And terrible that but it is it possible is a cop-out to forget to resist evil simple.fancy.couldThebecause form notIt In ithad had doorder toany to be bematchto movieextraordinarily modestshorten the tricks. subject.in the film,I couldsimple. Which in order It is is also hardto remind appearance, like its subject. not do anything why Ito be BEST COPY AVABABLE 203 COLOMBAT 111 0.3 0" THE HOLOCAUST *Tim = 4 "At the moment I speak io you, tht icy FRENCH FILM IN water MM A watev as cold and emohy as our ownWar bad is memories.is filling up the hollows of the chanwl house napping. J. Cayrol and k ReSnais, Night andbut fbg writh one te always open." of the ponds and ruins '4rwlo=Z0 n°r TA Because of its directat and one violent time, theimpact evolving on very representation largeFrench audiences cinema of the isof extremely Holocaust the various revealing in inconceptions the permanence of the of evolution French of hatred responsibility and anti-Semitism. In consequence, the study of the representationin Frenchhow any cinema society of the can deals Holocaust playand or mosta refuses central threatening torole deal in understandingwithaspects the of its collective psyche. darkest THE HOLOCAUSTFRENCH FILM IN ISSN 6.11111-44444 ANDRE PIERRE COLOMBAT by 204 Menne ben, NJ., & LondonScarecrow Pres, Inc. BEST COPY SCtIRECIZOIV AVAILABLE nrovAktRc ceRirc 205 uniquepation.ple'sin France enduring key In lies additionto theembarrassmentat the study hearttoThe ofproviding persecutionofthe the aboutprogressive French usthe and withOccu- pco- ex-deportation a of the Jews (continuedmostget?ble?questions: and widely Howfrom What praised can front happened? we French flap)be sure filmsWhowe will dealingis neverresponsi- with for-Part H gathers detailed analyses of the nine theofnomic,clusion the formationevolution Holocaust andof the public of andJews French also thclife from persistence enablesduring cinema's French theus representationtopolitical,ofwar, understandmany studying long- eco- interviewfilmography,the1.0sey, Holocaust Lanzmann,with bibliography, (films director by and Resnais,Pierre Sauvage). index, Sauvage. Ophiils, and Includes a lengthy Mane. stills, deportationslastingJewswhat taboos.werehad actually thusin France presented happened insistedAfter as theoncin onthe war, group depicting camps. the among first The films made about the Baltimore.AssistantLyon II; Professor HisPh.D., last Washington bookof French, Andre'was entitledLoyola University) Pierre College, Colombat is (MA, Universiti Deteuze an tionsally,claimedtions.the many however,of This thedocumentary, victims periodRisistance, while of includes theinsisting films Nazis' Resnais' started on brutal the remindingheroic mostpersecu- ac-ac- Night and Fog. Grath'. poraryleuze'sisel laworkingticles filmseminal on French onstudies. the books implicationsliterature on cinema and ofcivilization, for Gilles contem- De- andlittéralure He has published numerous ar- ors.rators,audiencesThe It wasalwaysSorrow thatnot depicted andthereuntil the afterhad Pityas beenevilOphiils' butFrench isolated masterpiece collabo- trait- that a real tide of films analyzecamprecently,itywasPetain for made survivors the howand with persecutionconfronting thc the the imminent.Vichy memmy disappearance governmentofthe the widcmany of Jews. the popularity French 'sHolocaustof And responsibil- the mostfilms last of BEST COPY AVAILABLE heartshouldLanzmann'swhat of be wc these preserved can ongoing learncekbrated forfrom debates.future suchfihnPart generations senselessI analyzes events. theand evolution of thc represen- Shoalt is at the withtation1940 which of to the the French Holocaust present cinema . in French answered cinema the threefrom It examines(continued the difficulties on back flap) JacketStillsOne photoArchive. design courtesy 1') Cottet of TheConcepts. Museum of Modern Art/Ftltti 207 Contents Introduction ix-xx b. The Memory of Justice - Disjunctions,The Art of Mattel Distortions Ophtils and Irony 212-223205-211194-204 Part1. I: Persecution in the "Golden Age" of French1940-1945 Cinema, The Evolution of the RepresentationHolocaust of the 1-118 3-17 c. Hotel Terminus - How to Tell the Life of a Nazi 230-241223-259 2. Deportation, Resistance and Betrayal,1946-1961 19-27 8. Ambiguity and Mastery in Three Renowned Fiction Films- Irony and the Official Story 241-259 4.3. The Struggle for Accuracy, Nazis, Collaborators and the Holocaust,1961-19701971-1985 49-9629-47 a. GoodbyeLouis Malle's Children Lacombe Lucien and 261-287261-297 5. Facing the Future; Fighting Oblivion,1985-present 119-36597-118 9. a.Claudeb. ThisJoseph Lanzrnann'sIs theLney's Place Mr. Shoah Klein 306-322299-344288-297 Part6. II: Cinematographic Studies a.Alain Resnais' Night and Fog Images to Be Seen 124-139121-166 10. Pietrob. To KnowSauvage's and Weapons to See of the Spirit 345-365323-344 c. b.The Words Art of to Alain Be Heard Resnais 139-149149-166 FilmographyAppendix:Conclusion An Interview with Pierre Sauvage 367-374389-395375-387 7. a.Marcel Ophtils -The A ChronicleSorrow and the Pity 208 167-259173-194167-211 AboutIndexNotesBibliography the Author 427-435417-425397-415 437 21)9 5 HOTELS-RI:SIM:K:1A I A.N Liste des HOtels ** Beauséjour (71) 59.72.35

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