PARIS Friends Who Lived During Nazi Times

Sept 19 & 22 - Two Visits to see Elie & Etty

We were so lucky to have met Elie and Etty in Switzerland.  See the post from Day 107 which happened to be the 4th of July.  We met them on a train and then went up the Swiss Alps on a funicular with them.  They invited us to stay with them in their Swiss Chalet.  What an adventure we had!  They told us they also had a house in Paris and to come visit them when we went that way...so here we are!

Val-de-Grâce

This building just happened to be VERY close to their apartment. The Val-de-Grace complex includes a modern military hospital, separated from the original buildings by a large garden. The older buildings  (a church, the museum, and a library) have been restored. There is also a medical school for the military in one wing and on the upper floors, apartments for senior military personnel.

The whole thing was built as a thank you gift. Anne of Austria, wife of Louis XIII, commissioned it after the birth of her son in 1638 (the child went on to become Louis XIV, the Sun King).

The birth seemed like a gift from God. The queen had had several miscarriages; and her relationship with her husband had never been good.
The queen prayed desperately to her namesake Saint Anne. Finally, when she had reached the ripe old age of 37 and was close to giving up hope, she gave birth to a son. Something this momentous demanded a suitable token of the queen’s gratitude, so she summoned the best architects in France and commissioned a Benedictine monastery, complete with a domed church. Construction began in 1645. By this point, Louis XIII was dead, Louis XIV was only seven, and Anne was in charge. She used her power to get the huge complex built.

At the front of the church is a baldaquin .This is a canopy over the altar with distinctive twisted columns, intended to represent the rustic stable in which Jesus was born. Huge marble statues represent the Nativity scene, with a clearly delighted Mary and Joseph admiring their baby boy.

Overhead is an elaborate painting in which Anne of Austria and her patron, Saint Anne, can be seen. The queen is carrying a small replica of the Val-de-Grâce. It was so close to her heart that when her son was fully established on the throne, she retired there to live.

Here we are on Etty & Elie's balcony with the view of the Val-de-Grace.

Etty has some juice and snacks for all of us.  We brought fresh strawberries to share.

 They had a cute "rooster" decoration on their back veranda overlooking the church.

The rooster has been France’s national symbol for quite some time, having decorated churches in the Middle Ages and being on the French flag during the Revolution.  It is still shown on the Great Seal of France and on some sports jerseys.

Le Coq Gaulois

 One explanation is that the rooster’s “association with France dates back from the Middle Ages and is due to the play on words in Latin between Gallus, meaning an inhabitant of Gaul, and gallus, meaning rooster, or cockerel.  Its use, by the enemies of France, dates to this period, originally a pun to make fun of the French”.

I took some more pictures of their beautiful home.  It was on the 6th floor and they've lived here for 45 years, since 1968, where they raised their three children to adulthood. The building was built in 1905.

Their cute kitchen where we enjoyed a lovely meal with them.

Etty shares with us some insight from her books that she has written.

I had the pleasure of playing on her piano and enjoyed the most amazing view of the Val-de-Grace.  Etty is an accomplished musician, playing the piano and the violin.  She actually had three violins until just a month ago, when she sold one of them.

Etty was a neo-natal nurse, working at the Hospital St. Vincent de Paul in Paris when she was younger.  Currently, she does lectures and also has a private practice as a clinical psychologist; psychoanalyst. Formed on the mother-infant psychotherapy by Dolto, she has worked with parents and their children for many years. She is the author of several books on parent-child relationships. 

We left after our short visit down on an old elevator, but we'd come back a couple days later.

Etty was involved in WWII as a child. Her parents were part of the Jewish resistance in France to drive the Germans out.








 



Etty, her brother, and sister and three black children were put in the care of Marie Lacroix.  They hid out in the mountains for 2 -3 years. She would have been about four years old. .

This little girl was one of her best friends, but unfortunately died in a Nazi camp.

She told me of a card her mother had drawn that Etty had recently found.  It was VERY similar to the cover of her book, which I  believe Etty had drawn...so amazing how the two of them were so in tune with each other.

One of her books -  translated as..."When the Child Saves Us From the Past"

Some beautiful family photos that are also in her book.

Etty pulled out a couple of pieces for me to play...Le Petit Negre by Debussy and Erik Satie's  Gymnopedie No. 1, both of which I love, but have never owned the sheet music.  She gave them both to me as a gift.  I will treasure them ALWAYS!

Dinner is served.  We had a scrumptious salmon loaf and yummy potatoes with bread.

For dessert she had made a wonderful plum tart.

Elie hopped up to do "his job."  He always takes care of the dishes.

Elie goes to Auschwitz twice a year so as not to forget.  This year, he is taking his 15-yr. old grandson with him.  He believes that when they are 15, they will be old enough to understand the atrocities that went on there.  Elie was 15 when WWII was over and was freed and taken out of Auschwitz by his uncle.  He was from Poland, but had gone with the rest of his family to the camps at age 11.  He lived there for 4 years and remembers the last thing his mother told him was to fight hard for his life and that he was in charge of it.  Unfortunately, his parents and other relatives and friends did not make it.

In 1956, he removed his Nazi mark out from his skin, keeping the piece of peel with him.

Unfortunately, he had some depression when he lost that 'treasure.'  How could he tell his story without that proof?  In 2010, he made a film:  "Elie et nous" which focuses on his research of a way to keep alive his memories.

Elie eventually went to college and studied to become an orthopedic surgeon.  With a lot of hard work, his dream was realized (I think he was in his early 30's) and he worked up until just a couple of years ago.  I guess he was in very high demand and good at what he does.   Too bad I didn't know him earlier and he could have replaced my hips.  :)

Their son had just recently left as he was there from California for a quick visit - otherwise they would have had us stay with them.

Up we go into a secluded "loft bedroom"

Can you imagine growing up and having this as your bedroom?  Studying daily at your desk and looking out at the beautiful city of Paris?  Waking up each morning to a view of the Eiffel Tower in the distance?

The Eiffel Tower lights up every night at 10:00 - it was a beautiful sight outside the bedroom window.

Aren't they just the cutest couple EVER? (especially with their pet rooster!)

Then there is the view of the Val-de-Grace outside the parent's window - the evening lights are spectacular!

Mr. Rooster...you are truly over-seeing this household with love and affection everywhere!

Etty is currently writing a book a bout Elie's life - one which I hope to have one of the first copies.  Meeting them will always be one of our most treasured memories of our 7-month trip in Europe.  We appreciate their kindness and all their stories so very much!