“..We were Children just like you ..a million and a half young innocents among ..Six Million souls martyred during The Holocaust.” Yaffa Eliach.

On November 4th 1942 Convoi 40 departed Drancy detention Camp, France, for the Death Camp at Birkenau. There were 1,300 Jewish People, Men, Women, and Their Children. Though only some are with Their Children, they are all to be ‘resettled’ during or after selection has been made. On this transport there were 143 Jewish Children. After an initial Slave Labour selection of 200 Jews for the Schmeldt Organisation, at Cosel, the eventual transport arrived at Birkenau, on September 6th 1942. Of those Jews arriving some 361 Jews are temporarily reprieved on the selection Ramp. These Jews will no doubt eventually face the Gas Chambers, while 759 Jews are immediately Gassed and Cremated. The Gas Chambers are certainly ensured of this relentless Human Cargo, with the vast majority of European Jews in transit, and All Jewish Children will be directed straight to their Slaughter. for those Jews who are given a limited respite to clear the debris of their own transport, so as to make an appearance of normality to greet the next arriving transport, are on a short stay of execution. For me, some of the greatest testimony comes from those Survivors who know exactly what it is I need to know. They tutor best what is known from personal experience. One of these is Hetty Verolme who passed from us, on July 9th 2024, but whose experience amongst Children within the Camp system is invaluable. Though a Child herself, her recollection transports us back to a time and place We must consistently recall. In order to record further such demands as will ensure Never Again is Never Ever Again, we have been faced with unlearning the lessons of what The Holocaust presents.

“..I’m sometimes surprised that young People don’t know what The Holocaust is. And you have to explain it to them. And I do that. I go to many schools. But when I’m not there anymore ..I hope that somebody will ..like you ..will remind ..World that it did happen.” Hetty Verolme.

Some of these to be recalled and remembered here are the Altman Family who were deported together, Suscher Altman, and Dina Altman, and their 4 Boys, Jacques Altman, Joseph Altman, Mendel Altman, and Salomon Altman. There was Fanny Apfeldorfer, and her 4 Daughters, Alice Apfeldorfer, Helene Apfeldorfer, Jeanette Apfeldorfer, Therese Apfeldorfer. There was Abraham Feigenbaum, and Hella Feigenbaum, and their 3 Children, Chil Feigenbaum, Samuel Feigenbaum, and Tobie Feigenbaum. We meet with Henri Finkelstein, Jacques Finkelstein, Loon Finkelstein, and Marcelle Finkelstein. There is Henri Gass, and Louis Gass. We have Anna Guterbaum, and her 4 Children, Fanny Guterbaum, Henri Guterbaum, Regine Guterbaum, and Sarah Guterbaum. along with Armand Jomain was Max Jomain. There was Kejla Kirzner, and her 4 Cildren, the twins Annie Kirzner, and Lydia Kirzner, Maurice Kirzner, and Odette Kirzner. There was Mathias Kriegsman, and Ryfka Kriegsman and their 4 Children, David Kriegsman, and Frieda Kriegsman, Idy Kriegsman, Leb Kriegsman, Marie Lewkowicz, and her 3 daughters, Frieda Lewkowicz, Leonie Lewkowicz, and Sarah Lewkowicz. There were 3 generations of the Mannheimer Family, all deported together. The Grandparents, Leopold Mannheimer and Regine Mannheimer; the Father, Max Mannheimer, and the Children, Friedrich Mannheimer, and Alfred Mannheimer. There was Mozek Prync, and Sarah Prync, and their 3 Children, Chaja Prync, Helene Prync, and Jeannette Prync. then we meet with Levy Schumann, and Zlata Schumann, and their 3 children, Joseph Schumann, Rosa Schumann, and Salomon Schumann. There was Daniel Szulc, we have Joseph Wajntraub and Sophie Wajntraub, and their 3 children, twins Adolphe Wajntraub and Charles Wajntraub, and Regine Wajntraub. There was Jacques Wladimirski, David Zajdenwerger, and Solange Zajdenwerger. Here then we have Gela Zakon, Israel Zakon, and Nathan Zakon.

“..It is not a sad story I am telling you. It is ..story of experience ..and plenty of hope and courage ..because once you give up hope ..that you wouldn’t make it ..you were dead within 2 days.” Hetty Verolme.

Nathan Zakon wrote this letter, which was found in the Marne archives and it was received by the regional prefect on October 12th 1942. Just after he wrote this, Nathan was arrested and he and his parents were deported on November 4th 1942, on this exact same Convoi 40. However, His Sister Estelle, 19 years of age, was deported on Convoi 11. Nathan Zakon himself, a 17 year old, arrested in Chalons-sur-Marne, and his Parents, Israel and Gela Zakon, arrested in the raids ordered by von Korff. Four of the prisoners on Convoi 40, none of them were members of the Zakon family, survived the war.

To the Regional Prefect for Chalons-sur-Marne

Dear Sir:

I have the honor to respectfully request that you kindly intercede with the German authorities for the return of my father and mother, who were arrested on October 9th, 1942, for no other reason than their Jewish faith.

On July 19th 1942, my 18-year-old Sister was taken away, and to this day we have had no news of her, a fact that has already been brought to your attention: arrest at St. Dizier, departure for Chalons-sur-Marne, and finally transfer to Drancy, following which we have received no word from her.

My Mother Madame Zakon is 52 years of age and gravely ill, requiring constant assistance.

My Father Israel Zakon is also ill, having been under the care of Doctor Despres of St. Dizier, who recently prescribed a month’s sick leave.

Despite this situation, they were both taken away by the French police, most certainly on orders from the German authorities.

Monsieur le Prefet Regional, I place all my hope in your humanitarian feeling. I appeal to your spirit of justice and equality. I address myself to you, in short, as the Father that I know you to be, so that through your considerate, humane assistance my Mother, my Father and my Sister can be returned to our broken home and my fears for them can be assuaged.

Yours devotedly,

Nathan Zakon, 17 years old, alone in the world with no one to turn to.

53, Place de la Republique,

St. Dizier, Haute Marne Department.

With these words the Jews of Convoi 40 were transported regardless, and sped its way toward a resettlement that had been assigned to it. We are still gifted with details, and though they represent a missing Jewish People, they still present us with an echoe of a former life we are obliged to remember.

“..what of them ..little children. ..little ones ..and those smaller still who not long ago were to be seen in ..arms of their mothers ..smiling. ..prattling at strangers. ..waving their tiny hands. ..O ..unrecognizable world in which these children and their mothers are gone.” Rachel Auerbach.