O.S.E.-USA organized from 9-13 November 2000 a very important reunion in Washington to which about 350 “alumni” of the war period and their spouses and friends came from several countries to find each other again.
This splendidly organized reunion, allowed warm and moving discussions not only among the former children but also between the generations and with the large delegation of OSE-France who brought news of the continuing work of OSE.
This OSE delegation consisted of Mr. Jean-François GUTHMANN, President of Managing Board; Mrs Michèle RAMNICEANU, Vice-President; Dr. Lucien MOATTI, Vice-President; Mr Ernest ROSNER, Secretary-General; Prof. Marcel HAYAT, Board member; Mr Louis Bernard BUCHMAN, Board member; Albert BITTON, Director-General; Mrs Michèle ALLALI, in charge of archives and history; Mrs Sophie KHAROUBY, in charge of the Association and Communications; as well as Mrs. Elise GAREL and Mrs. Renée HABIB, widows of former presidents of OSE-France.
For the first time, in its history, the OSE organization has been officially honored.
During a ceremony that took place at the Holocaust Museum in Washington, the Ambassador of France read a letter from Prime Minister JOSPIN in which he recognized and saluted the heroic actions of OSE during the war years 1939-1945.
This homage honored all those women and all those men who labored with OSE in its most difficult time, in its most dangerous and atrocious period; those who took care of children in the OSE home before, during, and after the war: the directors; the educators; those in charge of procuring food and of preparing it; those who took care of the laundry; all of those women and men who watched over the children’s survival, looked after their daily needs and their education; all of those who looked for and found safe hiding places; those who produced false identity papers; those who brought them safely from place to place; those who helped hundreds of children to cross the Swiss border; all of those who....all of those who...;
They are very numerous THEY are the OSE : Prof. MINKOWSKI, Dr. Joseph WEILL, Mme SALOMON, Mme MASOUR, Mr. CHEVRIER, the LEVYs, the SAMUELs, the GARELs, Mr. RATNER, Dr and Mme MALKIN, Lotte SCHWARTZ, Nini WOLFF (Gaby COHEN), the GOLDSMIDTs, Henri TAJFEL, Mr. JOB, the LOINGERs, the JABLONSKIs, Mme PAUKERT-VORMUS, the WEILs, Mme REIN, Dr. ABADE, Mme Valentine CREMER, Mme Madeleine DREYFUS....
It is impossible to name them all. They live in our hearts. To a few of these courageous persons, whose deeds honored all humanity, recognition and gratitude have already been expressed. Through them, all of those who risked their own lives to save the children’s were recognized. To this official homage we add the affection of all those who, thanks to them, escaped the death they had been programmed for by the Germans, and thus survived and could rejoice each morning to see the sun rise.
They were present. Over three hundred “alumni” of the OSE children’s homes came from the United States, France, Canada, Israel, Switzerland, and Mexico. They warmly applauded and congratulated Lisa Gossels for her film The Cildren of Chabannes. Welcomes at the French Embassy, saluted by the ambassador in the large reception area, they were treated to a recital by George PUDERMARCHER, son of Rachel who had been an éducatrice in Chabannes and other homes. And what joy and emotion! They found with pleasure and surprise comrades lost for at least fifty years they exchanged recollections, and spoke of the good and bad times together.
There was one, four years old when in Chabannes, who was perhaps cared for by Rachel who could reconstruct a bit of the child’s long forgotten or never-known past. All of this in a most cordial atmosphere where friendly exchanges from the moment of first encounter. The attention paid to the fascinating history of the OSE presented in several engaging talks on the rescue of children, their treatment after the war in the OSE homes, and the role of the JOINT in financing these activities, confirmed to all that the function of the OSE deserved to be recognized.
The children and grandchildren of the “alumni” of whom about sixty were present, primarily from the United States, rendered homage in their own way to OSE. They met, it is said, to decide to continue the work of remembrance of their parents and grandparents.
The last day of the reunion will leave a profound impression on all who were present. The visit to the Holocaust Museum was very moving, as so many memories surged forth. The certificates of thanks to the heroes who were present was memorable. Then the traditional prayer for the dead, the reading of the names of children and adults arrested, deported and murdered concluded these extraordinary days. All of this required long preparations, numerous meeting and coordination, hard work and determination, and a sense of organization. To all of those who were the organizers of this successful reunion, we extend our warmest congratulations and thanks, and specifically to Ruth KELLER, Inge ROMAN, Norbert BIKALES, Jacques FEIN, and Georges GOLDBLOOM, president of the Friends and Alumni of OSE-USA!
Roger WAKSMAN
