Dijon Remembers: National Day for Victims & Heroes of Deportation
Dijon Commemorates Victims, Heroes of Deportation; Official Denounces ”Triangles and Stars of Hatred”
Table of Contents
DIJON, France (AP) — A ceremony in tribute to the victims and heroes of deportation took place Sunday in Dijon, with sub-prefect Denis Bruel reading a message from Patricia Mirallès, minister Delegate in charge of memory and veterans. The event,held at the monument of martyrs,Place edmond Debeaumarché,was attended by civil and military authorities.
Bruel, secretary general of the prefecture of Côte-d’Or, delivered Mirallès’ message denouncing “the triangles and stars of the hatred which accompanied numbers which crushed the humanity of the deportees.” The commemoration included a tribute to Henri Mosson,a 101-year-old former resistance member.
ceremony Highlights
- Françoise Ginier-Poulet, daughter of deportees and regional president of the Dachau concentration camp association, read the common national message of deportee associations.
- Children of deportees laid white roses at the monument.
- Wreaths were presented.
- “Aux Morts” was played.
- A minute of silence was observed.
- The Marseillaise was sung.
- Associations and authorities paid respects before the edmond Debeaumarché plate.
- The “Song of the Marshes” was performed.
Minister’s message Focuses on Remembrance, Vigilance
Mirallès’ message emphasized the importance of remembering the victims of deportation and remaining vigilant against the forces that enabled such atrocities.
“Each year, the last Sunday in April, the Republic gathers to appoint the absent, to do justice to erased faces, to transmit to the living what memory alone can save from oblivion,” the message stated.
The message further highlighted the millions who were “torn from their lives” – Jews, resistance fighters, political opponents, hostages, homosexuals, Roma, Jehovah’s Witnesses, the disabled, and those who refused to comply.
Mirallès’ message also referenced the symbols used to identify and persecute various groups:
- Yellow star for Jews
- Red triangle for political prisoners
- Black triangle for “asocials”
- Brown triangle for roma (Gypsies)
- Pink triangle for homosexuals
- Blue triangle for emigrants
The minister’s message stressed that France experienced its “share of pain” but also demonstrated courage through those who resisted tyranny and barbarism. She noted the importance of preserving the memory of the deportees and their values of resistance.
“Deportation is not a distant story… It is a warning,and even a requirement. It is the foundation of a constantly renewed commitment for human rights, for dignity, for peace,” the message read.
the message concluded by urging continued vigilance and transmission of memory to younger generations, emphasizing that such crimes can be reborn through silence, indifference, and habit.
Additional Commemorations
The event follows the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz extermination camp and the installation of “memory cobblestones” in Dijon to remember eleven Jews caught in a roundup and deported.
Earlier this year, on Jan. 5, François Rebsamen awarded Henri Mosson the insignia of officer of the Legion of Honor.
Dijon Commemorates Deportation victims: A Q&A
Q: What happened in Dijon, France, to commemorate teh victims and heroes of deportation?
A: A ceremony took place in Dijon, France, to honor the victims and heroes of deportation. The event was held at the monument of martyrs known as Place Edmond Debeaumarché and was attended by civil and military authorities.
Q: Who delivered the main message at the Dijon commemoration, and what did it focus on?
A: Sub-prefect Denis Bruel read a message from Patricia Mirallès, the Minister Delegate in charge of memory and veterans. The message denounced “the triangles and stars of the hatred which accompanied numbers which crushed the humanity of the deportees”. The message emphasized the importance of remembering the victims of deportation and remaining vigilant against the forces that enabled such atrocities.
Q: what were some of the key events and highlights of the ceremony?
A: The ceremony included:
Reading of the common national message of deportee associations by Françoise Ginier-Poulet, daughter of deportees and regional president of the Dachau concentration camp association.
Children of deportees laying white roses at the monument.
Presentation of wreaths.
Performance of “Aux Morts.”
A minute of silence.
Singing of “The Marseillaise.”
associations and authorities paying respects before the Edmond Debeaumarché plate.
Performance of “song of the Marshes.”
* A tribute to Henri Mosson, a 101-year-old former resistance member.
Q: what specific symbols were mentioned in the Minister’s message, and what did they represent?
A: The message referenced symbols used to identify and persecute various groups:
| Symbol | Group Represented |
| —————- | ———————– |
| Yellow star | Jews |
| Red triangle | Political prisoners |
| Black triangle | “Asocials” |
| Brown triangle | Roma (Gypsies) |
| Pink triangle | Homosexuals |
| Blue triangle | Emigrants |
Q: What was the core message of the Minister’s address regarding the memory of the deportation and its relevance today?
A: The Minister’s message stressed that deportation is not a distant story but a warning that is a requirement and a foundation of a constantly renewed commitment for human rights, dignity, and peace. The message urged continued vigilance and transmission of memory to younger generations, emphasizing that such crimes can be reborn through silence, indifference, and habit.
Q: Beyond the ceremony, what were some other recent commemorations related to this topic?
A: The event in dijon followed the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz extermination camp. Additionally, “memory cobblestones” were installed in Dijon to remember eleven jews caught in a roundup and deported. Earlier in the year, françois Rebsamen awarded Henri Mosson the insignia of officer of the Legion of Honor on January 5th.