Delbo, Resistance, and Community Among Women by

Charlotte Delbo's letter to her sister Odette

dw20729 — 2024-12-04 09:14:31 UTC

This letter was written on March 21, 1942, while Charlotte Delbo was in the Depot prison in Paris. The letter tells Odette how to handle personal property. It also informs her sister that she has been separated from her husband, George.

Marie-Claude Vaillant Couturier testifies at the Nuremberg Trials in 1946

dw20729 — 2024-12-04 09:34:14 UTC

"by telling of the sufferings of those who could not speak anymore, I had the feeling that, through my voice, those who they had tortured and exterminated accused their torturers."

"Je suis morte pour la France." - Danielle Casanova

dw20729 — 2024-12-04 09:42:13 UTC

These were the last words of Daniella Casanova. She worked as a dentist prior to being imprisoned, and was assigned to do the same work while in the camps. She continued to help women from the Convoi des 31000 through various secretive methods, such as passing them as doctors and nurses. She never stopped resisting until her death in 1943.

Oral Testimony of Itka Zygmuntowicz

dw20729 — 2024-12-04 10:13:55 UTC

Inka Zygmuntowicz describes how her bond and friendship with another female prisoner aided greatly in her survival in Auschwitz-Birkenau. She describes a law held in the concentration camps, which was "The worst offense any girl could do there was to take from another girl, because that was like taking life."

A memorial plaque at Fort de Romainville

dw20729 — 2024-12-04 10:22:18 UTC

"230 women of the resistance were arrested by the police of the Vichy government, handed over to the Gestapo, and deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau. We honor their memory."

French anti-Nazi flier discovered by an American soldier

dw20729 — 2024-12-04 10:40:33 UTC

A map of France's occupation from 1940-1944, taken from the diary of Renée de Monbrison

dw20729 — 2024-12-04 11:02:07 UTC

Charlotte Delbo pictured between 1970-1985

dw20729 — 2024-12-04 11:16:03 UTC

"We are waiting, hoping still to see the women who are missing" (38)

dw20729 — 2024-12-04 17:17:17 UTC

Delbo, Auschwitz and After

"Five by five they walk down the street of arrivals. It is actually the street of departures but no one knows it." (7)

dw20729 — 2024-12-04 17:24:13 UTC

Delbo, Auschwitz and After

"The will to resist was doubtlessly buried in some deep, hidden spring which is now broken, I will never know. And if the women who died had required those who returned to account for what had taken place, they would be unable to do so." (64)

dw20729 — 2024-12-04 17:27:31 UTC

Delbo, Auschwitz and After

"It was dumb to die here, on the threshold of this hut, the threshold of liberation. Now I knew it would happen, too many signs pointed to its coming." (216)

dw20729 — 2024-12-04 17:31:43 UTC

Delbo, Auschwitz and After

"Having forgotten for the first time all our concerns about our daily soup, bread rations and various chores, we busied ourselves from early morning with our exciting preparations." (169-170)

dw20729 — 2024-12-04 17:44:21 UTC

Delbo, Auschwitz and After

Delbo began what would later be referred to as "Artistic afternoons," where many women in the camps would all take part in various entertainment activities, with the biggest one being a play performed each Sunday. The time they spent the whole week preparing and putting together a show contributed to the spirit of the community, and allowed them to have something near to work towards in order to distract from their devastating hardships.