The Vel 'D' Hiv Roundup

On the day of July 16th, 1942 , a horrible event took place. The Vel’d’Hiv Roundup. 4,500 French policemen arrested over 11,000 Jews. Within the short time frame of a week 13,000 Jews had were being held in the Vel’d’Hiv , the winter stadium , more then 4,000 children were with them. Children two years to sixteen years of age were arrested alongside their parent or guardian. Many of the Jews were from German, Austrian, polish, and Czech Republican. Many were advised to leave but did not with the thought in mind that they would only be taking men, like in many circumstances before. Women and children did no go into hiding. (The Holocaust in France The Vel' d'Hiv Roundup)

In the ensuing week Jews were taken from the winter stadium to the concentration camp of Pithiviers and Beaune-la-Rolande. Separating parents (mostly mothers) from children in late July and early August and deported from France, leaving 3,000 babies and children alone in Pithiviers and Beaune-la-Rolande. Before being deported adult Jews had their heads shaved, and was subjected to a unforgiving search. At the end of august and beginning of September, the 3,000 children and infants

She was arrested at 11 years old. Cecil was one of three girls born in to a polish family who moved to France. They immediately knew when the Nazis had occupied Paris because she was required to wear a star, marking her as a jew. 3:00 am cecil and her family awoken to officers banging on their front door. When they answer the door guns were pointed at them and they were forced to leave their home. They packed very little and walked miles to board an already over flowing truck. The truck then took cecil and every other person on that bus to the Vel’D’Hiv stadium. Cecil and her family stayed at there for several days. They were given no food and no water and lived in terrible condition. With no information, not a single person had an idea of what was going on.