Marie's Story and Full Video Testimony
Marie was born on April 8, 1936, in Brussels, Belgium, the youngest of three children in a family of Russian and Polish origin. Her early childhood was marked by warmth and stability—until the war shattered everything.
In 1939, as the situation in Europe deteriorated, her father managed to secure a visa to the United States and left with her brother David, hoping the rest of the family would soon follow. Marie remained behind with her mother and her older sister, Irene, waiting for their own visas—never imagining how quickly circumstances would change.
In 1940, their lives took a devastating turn. Marie, her mother, and her sister were arrested by the Nazis. After a year in detention, a moment of courage and resistance altered their fate: during what was presented as a routine medical visit, members of the French Resistance—the Maquis—managed to rescue the children.
From that moment on, survival depended on silence, trust, and constant movement. Marie and her sister were hidden in a small village in the Alps, then later brought to the Château de Chabannes, an orphanage that became a refuge for Jewish children during the war.
They endured separation, uncertainty, and fear—but they survived.
After the war, against all odds, their father was able to trace them. He reunited his family and brought Marie and her sister to the United States, where they rebuilt their lives.
Today, Marie lives in Palm Beach and dedicates herself to sharing her story with students of all backgrounds.
For Marie, memory is not only about the past—it is a responsibility to the future.
