The Vélodrome d'Hiver roundup, commonly referred to as the "Vel' d'Hiv" roundup, stands as one of the most tragic episodes in French history during World War II. On July 16 and 17, 1942, French National Police, under directives from Nazi occupiers, orchestrated the mass arrest of over 13,000 Jewish individuals in Paris, marking the largest such roundup in France during the Holocaust. Moreover, this single event accounted for a third of all of the Jews that were sent to concentration camps from France in 1942.
The Vélodrome d'Hiver, an indoor sports arena located in the 15th arrondissement of Paris, became the central holding site for those arrested. This operation was part of the broader Nazi strategy to exterminate Europe's Jewish population. In the months leading up to the roundup, key Nazi officials, including Reinhard Heydrich, Fritz Sauckel, and Adolf Eichmann, visited Paris to intensify anti-Jewish policies. What made the Vel d’Hiv Round-up so appalling was that it was planned and executed by the Vichy government, policemen, and other civil servants. German orders originally included only adult Jews. It was the Vichy government that decided to arrest the children in addition to the adults. Detailed planning of this round-up by the Vichy Government include the leading roles of Prime Minister Pierre Laval and Secretary General of the French National Police René Bousquet. Hundreds of French policemen willingly took part in the Vel d’Hiv Round-up. Prime Minister Laval was the main decision maker in the choice to include Jewish children in the arrests. Laval, an avid antisemite, had been quoted as calling Jews “trash” and devoted much of his time to their “extermination.” Secretary General of the French National Police Bousquet agreed with Laval and was equally instrumental in the decision to arrest children, as well as adults.
In the early hours of July 16, 1942, approximately 7,000 to 9,000 French police and gendarmes (armed police officers in France) fanned out across Paris. They arrested 13,152 Jewish individuals, including 4,115 children, 5,919 women, and 3,118 men. Most of the detainees were taken to the Vélodrome d'Hiver, where they were confined under deplorable conditions. The arena lacked adequate sanitation, food, and water, leading to immense suffering.
Survivor testimonies shed light on the harrowing experiences during the roundup. Léon Fellmann, who was 17 at the time, recalled the dire conditions inside the Vel' d'Hiv: "We were packed in there without food, without drink, without sanitary facilities." Fellmann managed to escape shortly before the detainees were deported to concentration camps. Another survivor, Arlette Testyler, who was just a child during the roundup, recounted her ordeal: "I remember the fear, the hunger, and the cries of children separated from their parents."
Following their detention at the Vel d'Hiv, the arrested Jews were transferred to internment camps such as Drancy, Pithiviers, and Beaune-la-Rolande. From there, they were deported to Nazi extermination camps, primarily Auschwitz. Tragically, of the 13,152 individuals arrested during the roundup, only a few hundred survived the Holocaust.
The Vel d'Hiv roundup exemplifies the extent of French collaboration with Nazi Germany. French authorities not only complied with German demands but also took proactive measures in the arrest and deportation of Jews. This collaboration has been a subject of extensive historical analysis and reflection. For decades, the French government avoided direct acknowledgment of its role in these events. It wasn't until 1995 that President Jacques Chirac publicly recognized France's responsibility, stating, "These black hours will stain our history forever and are an insult to our past and our traditions."
Following the Vel d’Hiv Round-up, Bousquet silenced the protests of the French Catholic Church by threatening to remove all tax privileges they received. After the liberation of France in 1944, Laval escaped to Spain, but was captured and returned to France in July 1945. After attempting to commit suicide by poison, he was tried for treason, found guilty, and executed by firing squad on October 14, 1945. After the war, Bousquet was tried and convicted in 1949 for collaboration but received a relatively light sentence, citing his supposed efforts to shield some French citizens from harsher German measures. He reintegrated into public life and maintained influential political and media connections. In the early 1990s, Bousquet was under investigation for crimes against humanity related to his wartime actions. Before he could be brought to trial, he was assassinated in 1993 by a lone gunman, Christian Didier, who pled not guilty, claiming the act was justified by Bousquet’s war crimes.
The Vel d'Hiv roundup has left an indelible mark on France's collective memory. Over the years, various initiatives have aimed to commemorate the victims and educate the public about this dark chapter. Documentaries, such as "Les Derniers," feature eyewitness accounts from survivors, ensuring that their stories are preserved for future generations. Additionally, memorials have been erected at former sites of persecution, serving as poignant reminders of the atrocities committed. French leaders have also delivered apology speeches.
