The German Parliament commemorates the children of Izieu

The German Parliament commemorates the children of Izieu

Every year, the Bundestag commemorates the memory of the victims of national socialism, in presence of the President, the Chancellor, government members, members of parliament, as well as survivors and witnesses.

The most significate ceremony is the international youth meeting, organized by the Bundestag that brings together about one hundred young delegates from all over Europe, to exchange about one topic.

In January 2019, Hélène Waysbord and the Maison d’Izieu, represented by its President Thierry Philip, were guests of honor, on the topic of Hidden Children. On 30 January, they gave presentations with photos and exchanged with the youth delegates.

The importance of this invitation must be emphasised, as it enabled the work and vitality of the Maison d’Izieu to be demonstrated to a young European audience.

Furthermore, those two days gave the opportunity for friendly contacts to high-ranking people from politics and the institutions. In the evening of 30 January, Claudia Roth, Vice-President of the Bundestag, hosted a dinner, in presence of the French ambassador.

This trip gives new perspectives for projects to strengthen the Franco-German cooperation that is embedded in our history. In this respect, our former German volunteers, some of whom hold important positions in Berlin, played an important role in organising these days.