Berthe's Story and Full Video Testimony
Berthe Badehi (1932–2025) was born in Lyon, France, to Polish-Jewish parents who were active in the Resistance. In 1941, at just nine years old, her parents made the heartbreaking decision to send her away to save her life. Believing she was going on a short trip, Berthe left with a small suitcase, unaware she would not see her family again for years.
She was taken in by a Christian farming family in the Savoie region, led by Marie Massonnat, who knowingly risked her life to protect a Jewish child. Living under a false identity, Berthe attended church and adapted to a new life in hiding. Despite the constant danger, she would later describe those years as the “most beautiful of her childhood,” referring to the Massonnats as her “Christian family.”
Reunited with her parents in 1944, Berthe went on to rebuild her life and later moved to Israel in 1956.
For more than two decades, she volunteered at Yad Vashem, sharing her testimony with visitors from around the world and honoring those who had saved her. Her memoir, We Were Never Children, reflects a life shaped by survival, resilience, and enduring faith.
Her story stands as a testament not only to the courage required to survive—but to the humanity of those who chose to protect life in the darkest of times.
