Vel+d'Hiv+Roundup

The Vel d'Hiv Roundup is a part of the “Final Solution,” more commonly known as the Holocaust. Reinhard Heydrich and Fritz Sauckel worked together to convince French police to arrest foreign Jews living in France. On July 16th, 1942, the police gathered 13,000 Jews into The Vélodrome d’hiver; an indoor cycling track. All the Jews were sent to the concentration camps Pithiviers and Beaune-la-Rolande. During August, 1942, almost all adult Jews were deported and sent to Auschwitz, where they were all killed. Later in September, the children were also deported and killed in Auschwitz.

The Vel d'Hiv Roundup is known as the start of the Holocaust. The Vel d'Hiv Roundup was one of the first events to target not only the men, but the women and children as well. Before, many of gatherings like this consisted mostly of men. This gave women and children a false sense of safety and security, so they usually did not go into hiding. When all the Jews were gathered in Vélodrome d’hiver many were caught off guard and confused. They went many days without food or water. During this only few escaped due to the guilt or sympathy of French soldiers and workers.

Today this event is remembered. Knowing what happened and what it lead up to, is extremely important. The Vel d'Hiv Roundup and its relationship with the Holocaust changed not only France but the whole world for the better.