Commemorative ceremony for the round-up of the Jews of Tunis of 9 December 1942: 6 December 2020 at 10:45 am

Subject: Invitation to the Commemorative Ceremony of the Round-up of the Jews of Tunis: 6 December 2020 at 10:45 am

In the current context of the Covid-19 health crisis, the Society for the History of the Jews of Tunisia is maintaining the ceremony commemorating the 78^th anniversary of the Round-up of the Jews of Tunis by the S.S. (9 December 1942).

Tunisia was occupied by the German armies from 9 November 1942 until May 1943, during the « Six mois sous la botte » (“Six months under the jackboot”).

The anti-Jewish offensive was swiftly unleashed: under the authority of S.S. Colonel Walter Rauff, whom Adolf Hitler had placed in charge of the programme to exterminate Jews in gas vans, the Nazis demanded that the Jewish Community of Tunis supply 3,000 men equipped with shovels and pickaxes by the morning of 9 December 1942, threatening to have the hundred Jewish notables they were holding hostage shot.

Having obtained only 120 workers, the Nazis carried out a Great Round-up on the morning of 9 December 1942, driving the worshippers out of the Great Synagogue and arresting at random, throughout the day, hundreds of Jews who were sent on a forced march to the labour camps set up on Tunisian soil.

Thus, during these six months of occupation, the Jews of Tunisia suffered spoliation, requisitions, collective fines, arrests, forced labour, murders and deportation to the extermination camps in Europe.

The Allies put an end to this occupation of Tunisia by Axis troops in May 1943.

Under the high patronage of the Chief Rabbi of France, the commemoration of the Tunis Round-up will take place at 10:45 am sharp at the Mémorial de la Shoah in Paris, on Sunday 6 December 2020.

In compliance with health regulations, a small delegation will attend for the laying of wreaths. The Kaddish will be recited.

Jewish students of France will read out the names of the Jews of Tunisia:

Murdered on Tunisian soil, Forced labourers in the 32 labour camps set up by the Nazi and Fascist occupiers,

Deported to the concentration and extermination camps in Europe in April 1943, Died for France on the Field of Honour.

Please find attached the full programme of the ceremony, which will be broadcast exceptionally by video conference.

The link to register is available here:

https://app.livestorm.co/shjt/ceremonie-shjt-2020

Hoping to see you at this ceremony commemorating the Round-up of the Jews of Tunis, I remain, [adresse], yours respectfully.

Claire Rubinstein
President of the Society for the History of the Jews of Tunisia, and the members of the Board of Directors

Contact: Raphaël Haddad - Vice-President of the SHJT
Email: raphael@motscles.net

Tel. 0682050698

SOCIETY FOR THE HISTORY OF THE JEWS OF TUNISIA

Maison de la vie associative et citoyenne du 9ème arrondissement – Box no. 40

54 Rue Jean Baptiste Pigalle – 75009 PARIS

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The President and the members of the Board of Directors

of the Society for the History of the Jews of Tunisia

request the pleasure of your attendance on

Sunday 6 December 2020 at 10:45 am

at the Commemorative Ceremony of the Round-up of the Jews of Tunis by the SS

(9 December 1942)
which will take place under the high patronage of the Chief Rabbi of France at the Mémorial de la Shoah,

in compliance with health regulations

Students of the UEJF will read out the names of the deportees, of the victims of Nazi barbarity who died in the labour camps, and of those who died for France on the field of honour.

The ceremony will be followed by the laying of wreaths and the recitation of the customary prayers.

It will be broadcast live by video conference at 10:45 am

The link to attend the conference via Zoom is available

https://app.livestorm.co/shjt/ceremonie-shjt-2020