Paris

  • The Vel’ d’Hiv Roundup (the Vélodrome d’Hiver roundup), known in French as “Rafle du Vel’ d’Hiv,” was a mass arrest of Jews in Paris by the French police under the orders of the Nazi German authorities during World War II. This event took place on July 16 and 17, 1942, and is one of the…

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  • “Le Dernier Métro” (The Last Metro) is a 1980 French film directed by François Truffaut. It is a poignant drama set in Nazi-occupied Paris during World War II. The film captures the struggles of a Jewish theater owner and his wife as they attempt to keep their theater running amidst the horrors of occupation and…

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  • Nicolas Jacques Pelletier occupies a unique and somewhat grim place in French history as the first person executed by guillotine. While his crime may have been unremarkable in the annals of criminal history, the method of his execution symbolized a turning point during one of the most turbulent times in France: the French Revolution. Pelletier…

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  • Roland Garros was more than just a name associated with the prestigious French Open tennis tournament. He was a trailblazing aviator, an innovative thinker, and a heroic fighter pilot during World War I. His contributions to early aviation and military technology left an enduring legacy, not just in the skies of Europe, but in the…

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  • There are no monsters under my bed who want to hurt me or do me harm There are no monsters under my bed, but I wish there were for I know they aren’t real. There are no monsters under my bed, but there are monsters everywhere else. The monsters can be a stranger, a teacher,…

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  • Some individuals are conditioned to commit evil acts, while others appear to be inherently malicious. In February 1944, two Jewish sisters from France, Denise and Micheline Lévy, were preparing to be sent to Auschwitz. They stood in line in the small village of Gemeaux, unaware of the horror awaiting them. Denise and Micheline Lévy were…

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  • Karen Reb Rudel, a Jewish American, has called Paris home for over 20 years. She lives with her French husband and young son in a charming suburb just outside the city and is the founder of Sight Seeker’s Delight, a walking tour company. Adapting to changing times, she has expanded her offerings to include Virtual…

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  • The end of the Vietnam war

    The Paris Peace Accords and the End of the Vietnam War The Paris Peace Accords, officially titled the Agreement on Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Vietnam, were signed on January 27, 1973, marking a pivotal moment in one of the most contentious conflicts of the 20th century—the Vietnam War. Negotiated over nearly five…

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  • I can’t say I am a great fan of car races. To be honest I don’t get the fascination of the F1-Formula One. However, I have to admit that despite my lack of enthusiasm for the sport, I am still proud that the current world champion is a Dutchman. It made me think though where…

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  • This is one of those amazing stories of resilience and perseverance. Odette Sansom, aka Odette Churchill and Odette Hallowes, code name Lise, was an agent for the United Kingdom’s clandestine Special Operations Executive (SOE) in France during World War II. She was born on 28 April 1912 in Amiens, France. She met an Englishman, Roy…

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