Documentary on children's Relief in France 1942-1943

by Maria Ojuel (Jan 21, 2024)

The French historian Christian Maillebouis, who is dedicated on the history of French protestantism and local history of the village Le Chambon-sur-Lignon published recently a short documentary about Swiss help for refugee children.

Chambon-sur-Lignon is a city located in the French department of Haute Loire. In the 1930's, different people, such as the Protestant pastor André Trocmé and his wife Magda, and the educator Marguerite de Félice, created the first shelter structures for Jewish children fleeing Nazi persecution. They also took in refugee children from the Spanish war.

Rodolfo Olgiati, secretary general of the SCI, found in Chambon-sur-Lignon a favorable place to create new establishments for the reception of refugee children, led by the Swiss August Bohny, Friedel Reiter, Maurice and Eleanor Dubois and by the Catalan doctor Julieta Usach. Some of these children were Jews coming from the internment camps in the south of France. When, in 1942, the Vichy authorities claimed them, most of them could be hidden and saved.

Le Secours aux enfants, Documentary youtube video by Christian Maillebouis (French language)