Francine's interview - FRANCE - #HUMAN

Summary

In a poignant recollection, Francine Christophe shares her harrowing childhood experiences during the Holocaust. Born in 1933, she recalls her life in the Bergen-Belsen camp, the challenges faced by children of war prisoners, and a significant act of kindness involving a piece of chocolate. This chocolate, saved by her mother for a friend in need during childbirth, symbolizes hope and survival. Years later, Francine organizes a conference discussing post-camp experiences and unexpectedly meets a psychiatrist who gives her another piece of chocolate, revealing she is the child born during that desperate time.

Takeaways

• 😀 Francine Christophe was born on August 18, 1933, in a tumultuous historical context, as it was the year Hitler came to power.
• 😢 At the age of 8, she experienced the trauma of wearing the Star of David as a Jewish child during the Holocaust.
• 👶 Francine was in Bergen-Belsen, a concentration camp, where she was among privileged children of prisoners of war.
• 🍫 Her mother brought small provisions, including chocolate, to help her survive the harsh conditions.
• 🤰 A pregnant woman, Hélène, was in the camp, and her situation prompted Francine's mother to give her the chocolate to aid in childbirth.
• 👶 Hélène gave birth to a baby in the camp, and the baby survived, thanks in part to the chocolate.
• 🕊️ The liberation of the camp after six months marked a significant turning point, allowing Francine and others to return to France.
• 🧠 Francine's daughter suggested that having psychologists could have helped her family process their experiences better after the war.
• 📚 In response, Francine organized a conference to discuss the potential impact of psychological support for survivors in 1945.
• 👩‍⚕️ A psychiatrist attending the conference gifted Francine a piece of chocolate, revealing she was Hélène's baby, thus completing a poignant circle of survival and connection.

Q & A

What significant historical event does Francine mention in relation to her birth year?

Francine mentions that she was born in 1933, the year Adolf Hitler came to power.

What does Francine say about the star she wore during her childhood?

She describes wearing a star on her chest, as was common for Jewish people at the time, and reflects on the heaviness of this symbol on a child's body.

What unique situation did Francine and other children find themselves in at Bergen-Belsen?

Francine explains that they were children of prisoners of war, which granted them certain privileges, such as being allowed to bring a small bag with a few personal items from France.

What items did Francine's mother pack in her small bag?

Her mother packed two pieces of chocolate, a small piece of sugar, and a handful of rice, intending to save the chocolate for a moment of need.

What happened to the pregnant woman in their camp, and how did Francine's mother respond?

The pregnant woman, who was very thin, went into labor, and Francine's mother decided to give her the piece of chocolate she had saved, believing it might help her during childbirth.

What was the outcome of the childbirth for the woman and her baby?

The woman successfully gave birth to a small baby, who did not cry at all for six months until liberation occurred, when the baby finally cried.

What reflection does Francine share regarding the psychological support for survivors after the war?

Francine reflects that there were no psychologists or psychiatrists available for survivors when they returned from the camps, which could have helped their reintegration.

What event did Francine organize to discuss the experiences of survivors?

She organized a conference to explore how the return from the camps might have been different if psychological support had been available.

Who attended the conference that Francine organized?

The conference was attended by former survivors, curious individuals, psychologists, psychiatrists, and psychotherapists.

What surprising gift did a psychiatrist give to Francine at the conference?

A psychiatrist from Marseille presented Francine with a piece of chocolate and revealed that she was the baby who had been born in the camp after receiving the chocolate from Francine's mother.