Report on Campaign for the Extermination of French Jews

This report was sent by Donald Lurie from the American Legation at Bern to the State Department Special Division for the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee apparently written on September 11, 1943. It says that “a systematic campaign for exterminating all Jews in France has reached a new climax, employing all persecution methods already known  in Belgium, Holland, and Germany.” It says there are reports of  physical violence against women, men, and children in the Drancy transit camp.

To keep a constant population, the head of the camp has ordered that any person who escapes, dies, or is deported be immediately replaced by someone wearing a yellow star who would be seized at random. He says 700 children are hiding, 400 have been deported, and 200 have apparently found shelter. He says another 600 need to be transferred to save them.

Lurie says whole villages have been deported and their valuable seized by the Germans He says 3,000 children are hidden, 1,000 in Jewish homes. On August 23, 1943, all prefectures in France were ordered to arrest all Jewish men and they are being arrested everywhere.