French and Foreign Jews under German Occupation in the Basque Country (1940-1948)

In tribute to our local Basque community, Sandra Ott, Professor of Basque Studies at UNR, will present an engaging talk on the experiences of French and foreign Jews in the French Basque country during the German occupation of France (1940-1944).

The event will explore the experiences of both French and foreign Jews, focusing on the remarkable journey of Luxembourg Jews.

These refugees, despite the heavy German presence, managed to take refuge in an unguarded warehouse in Bayonne, eventually making daring escapes across Franco’s Spain to Lisbon.

We will also delve into the unique history of Bayonne’s Sephardic Jewish community. Remarkably, many of them remained in their homes throughout much of the Occupation.

After the war, they not only reclaimed properties stolen by the Germans but also achieved substantial reparations against non-Jewish neighbors involved in the looting.

Through these stories, this event shines a light on the incredible resilience, bravery, and determination of Bayonne’s Jewish communities during one of the darkest chapters of history.

SPECIAL GUEST: Holocaust survivor, Leon Malmed .

We are honored to welcome Leon Malmed, a Holocaust survivor, as our special guest!

Born near Paris on October 4, 1937, Leon survived the horrors of World War II, though his parents were tragically deported to Auschwitz and never returned.

After six decades of silence about his wartime experiences, Leon courageously broke that silence by sharing his powerful memoir, “We Survived… At Last, I Speak.” 

Now living in South Lake Tahoe with his wife Patricia, Leon has graciously accepted our invitation to speak at this extraordinary event.

We are grateful for the opportunity to hear his story firsthand.

Held at The Atlantis in their beautiful Treasures Room where Crudités and Cheese platters will be served. No host bar.

LIMITED SEATING, RSVP REQUIRED!

This event is in partnership with

© 2024 Alliance Française de Reno is an American nonprofit public charity, tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. 

REQUIRED!