Yad Vashem Medal Ceremony - Righteous honor granted to Daquet, Simonet, & Parcelier families- Ceyroux 12/4/16

In 2010 my niece Danielle made the visit to Ceyroux, France to meet the people who saved our family.

On Sunday December 4, 2016, MEDALs of Righteous Among the Nations  were awarded to Daquet, Simonnet & Parcelier families.  Dignitaries & recipients gave speeches to a packed town hall...    I gave a speech as representative of our family that was saved by these good people from 1942-1944. 8 family members survived in this remote farm village thanks to people who risked their lives to save us.

Mayor Leon Daquet provided my dad with a new ID that concealed his Jewish identity, changing his name from Jacob Joseph to Jacques, occupation from printer to farmer "cultivateur", and no more "Juif" stamp.

Read Article in 12/3/16 Saturday Paper:
http://www.lamontagne.fr/ceyroux/histoire/2016/12/03/ils-recevront-la-medaille-des-justes-parmi-les-nations-demain_12193322.html 

Monique Resche accepting the medal for the Parcelier family

I saw the house & barn that hid my parents, grandparents, and aunts for 2 years, in 3 small rooms. There was no running water or toilets.  The original well was still there although no longer operational. The house was owned by Monsieur Albert Mayne, a MAQUI (resistance fighter).

My dad described how he arrived in Ceyroux unannounced in June 1942 & told Leontine Parcelier that he was Jewish & needed a place of refuge. She welcomed him with open arms, "avec bras ouvert".

Madame Monique Resche said although what her family did was extraordinary, they did what was natural. Her mom was a bicycle message courier for the MAQUIs.

Upcoming Visit to Ceyroux to retrace journey of July 1942 for Yad Vashem ceremony

On December 4, 2016, I will be visiting Ceyroux  for a Yad Vashem ceremony to present the Righteous medal of honor to the Daquet, Simonet & Parcelier descendents for their role in my parents life in hiding. They provided my parents & their families with a place to live, new identities and work as farmers.  I look forward to retracing my dad's journey from Paris through Vierzon to Chateauxroux, to Ceyroux.  When my parents arrived there in July 1942 Ceyroux was in the Free zone "zone libre".  After 6 months, France was completely consumed by the German Nazi occupation.  Ceyroux was subject to intrusive searches which forced my parents to hide in the woods and barn.

Ceyroux's mayor Leon Daquet, the Simonnet and Parcelier families, and the people of Ceyroux all played a part in my parents survival.  Mayer Daquet provided my dad with a new identity card, "carte d'identite", changing his name from the revealing Jacob Joseph to a neutral Jacques. His occupation changed from printer to cultivateur (farmer), and no more Juif stamp.

http://db.yadvashem.org/righteous/righteousName.html?language=en&itemId=9320436