Letter from Malou Lavaux to Albert Wolff, November 30, 1944

Letter from Malou Lavaux to Albert Wolff (1906-1989) explaining wartime struggles, family connections, and the Germans's arrest and imprisonment of Albert's brother Jean-Paul Wolff.

Mss. A L668, Folder 7, Levy-Wolff Family Papers, The Filson Historical Society, Louisville, Kentucky

Mss. A L668 Folder 07 Item 01

Thursday, November 30th, 1944

Dear Mister Albert:

Your letter of the 21st of this month caused me a very great pleasure if it would not be the subject for which I am obligated to write you. Excuse me that I answer your letter with pencil, but air mail requires very light paper and this paper absorbs the ink.

I also received a letter yesterdat from George where he is exposing for the tenth time his sorrow in telling you the word about this poor dear Jean Paul.

It would require pages to relate to you his history, as well as the sad months during which I followed him from one prison to the other in helping him as best I could.

First, let me tell you that your whole family knows me. I made the acquaintance of your Aunt Clemence since her arrival from Spain, as I was living at Rue de la Victoire and as she was originally of Alsace, and that I lived formerly in Strasbourg. We have, even there, common friends of your father - Albert Klein, Jules Levy, etc., as well as your distantly related attorney, Mr. Weiler. It is for this reason that Clemence and myself see each other very often. I know also your brother, Jack (form whom I have stored many things which belong to him).

When in 1941 Clemence decided to return to Brive, where her some George was in military training, George decided to go back to the South Zone (non-occupied France) but Jean Paul, who tried to find other ways to go further, decided to remain in Paris. As I was able to board him, he came to live with me. He lived there quietly and calmly until the day he decided to spend several days with a girl friend of his in Strasbourg, "Nado Bing", whose location was Coutras Gironde. Did he try to find his way towards Bordeaux??? Well, he returned from his trip.

We spent Christmas together as good friends, which we were. After that, he wanted to return and spend the New Year at Courtas for another three days. Three days, four days, finally fifteen days and he did not come back!!! I was anxious, but over a man whose was neither my son, nor my nephew, nor anythign else. I could not be angry with him.

In the meantime I has lost the address of this young lady!!! When I found it again, I quickly wrote her. She answered me by mail (which was not easy to do) that she would not tell me by letter! That very evening I travelled straight to Courtas where she explained to me that during a walk the very afternoon that Jean Paul intended to come back to Paris, he was arrested on the road and questioned - and when she came to see what was going on, she was arrested too. Direction Libourne - they were in neighboring cells until the next day when he was taken to the Fort du Ha near Bordeaux.
I went there immediately but was unable to see him as he was in solitary confinement. I returned to Paris, sick with Worry, expecially because I was quite aline to look after everything and also had to tell George the sad news!!

In the month of March I received a letter from Jean Paul telling me that is at the prison of Cherche Mide - that he has been judged and condemned to 13 months in prison. I hastened to the Cherche Mide prison - impossible to see him!!! Waiting for his new address. But I can send him food packages at a time when there was nothing to get but fruits at 40 and 50 francs each. I succeeded in sending him underwear and clothing, etc. The poor went thru this perrible cold for three months without warm clothing.

A new letter of Jean Paul (non-official) informed me that he was at Clairvous Central Prison Aube. I wrote to the Director who refused me the right to visit him. I received this lette ron Wednesday evening, but on Saturday morning I went to Clairvoux on the 5 o'clock train, vhaving spent the whole night in preparing food and my luggage.

I arrived at Clairvous at 1:00 P.M., having changed trains at Bar sur Aube, and I hastened to the prison hoping to be able to return the very same day! But oh, deception! I remained standing on my feet until 5:30 in the evening in the waiting room of the prison, being unable to be received. In the meantime I made a game of scandal with the Director who was nice (chic) --- but his Assistant Director, an Alsatian, false brother of the Fifth (column), son-in-law of a baker of Mnelhouse, did not want to listen to me. At the end, thru a thousand roses, I was able to see Jean Paul at 6:30 P.S. --- judge his joy and emotion at this undue hour!!! But the half hour soon passed!

After that, I had to go to the German military court to ask a permit to visit. I received a brutal cussing during my arrest of 4 or 5 hours for taking care of a Jew etc., but in spite of that I obtained an Ausweiss.

I returned to Clairvous the next month - even not waiting so long. I believe - and there with the complicity of the guards, several of whom were Alsatians, and afterwards witht he others, the Chaplain, the owner of the only hotel which is there, I could do my best to make his life a bit softer. He was no longer with the common criminals but male nurse at the hospital, and expecting the job of Doctor. I saw him each month; I wrote him three or four letters each week, non-official ones, of course, because the official ones never reached him. The personnel was French (the Germans only came to Clairvous to execute or to check up or verify the weight of the food packages). Taken as a whole, everything went very well if one can say so.

When in September there was a sabotage bombing at the Cinema Rex on the Grande Boulevard, reserved exclusively for the Germans, (which lead us to believe that they executed this act themselves) then, as a reprisal a German came to choose hostages at Clairvoux and other places. He selected from Clairvoux 20 unfortunate Jews detained there among 3000 inmates. That was the
21st of September. They were embarked at midnight. I was informed of it the 22nd from Clairvoux by phone - then I received word from Jean Paul written on the train, telling me is his departure from Clairvoux for unknown destination. A second letter direction Dranoy and a third one confirming the second, and since then no further word for the following reasons.

Departed from Clairvoux the 21st, arrived Dranoy the 22nd, departed from Dranoy the 23rd. Since then nothing any more. I wrote everywhere, went to spend nights at the Bourget, questioned at this time guardians, gendarmes, etc. etc. who guarded the trains until their arrival in Metz. Since the liberation I have already made four demands to the organizations of official research. There is nothing left, my dear Albert, but to hope. Jean Paul was strong and of extraordinary character.

I I will show your letter and the shole correspondence I have already shown to George during my clandestine trips to Toulouse and other places, having taken care of many other Israelite friends, too.

So Jean Paul, well nourished during the summer, and extremely courageous, and considering his profession of doctor, has perhaps been detained in a camp somewhere. This we must hope firmly until the end of this terrible nightmare. Transmit to your brothers the hope which we conserve, and eith God's help this hope will be realised one day.

I hoped to see you with the coming of the American troops but I see that you went to French West Africa. A letter from George informs me that his return is delayed until spring. I regret this very much.

Nelly came to see me for a weekend and returned this week. I have to see Attorney Weiler next Sunday. I was helping, too, Jules Levy of Montagne, a friend of your father, who was held for one year, but as husband of Aryan, has not been deported. At his release he spent eight weeks in my house before returning to Cannes, and he will stay there until he is able to join his natal Strasbourg which unfortunately is liberated now. So you see, my dear, that the ties which are uniting me to you are sacred and I hope ardently that nothing can break this friendship.

When will you be able to talk more about everything and of all, and I repeat let us hope with all our hearts for the return of Jean Paul, as nothing did assure you of the worst.

I will inform George that I informed you of everything and that will sure relief him a little bit, as he carried his cross for such a long time.

Affectionately, and looking forward to the pleasure of seeing you. I embrace you.

Malou Lavaux