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In tribute to our local Basque community, Sandra Ott, Professor of Basque Studies at UNR, will present an engaging talk on the experiences of French and foreign Jews in the French Basque country during the German occupation of France (1940-1944). Special guest Leon Malmed will be joining.

Professor Ott's presentation will explore the experiences of both French and foreign Jews, focusing on the extraordinary peregrination of Luxembourg Jews. These refugees, despite the heavy German presence, were able to find temporary shelter in an unguarded warehouse in Bayonne before embarking on perilous journeys across Franco's Spain to Lisbon.

The talk will also highlight the history of Bayonne’s Sephardic community, many of whom managed to remain in their homes throughout much of the Occupation.

Their post-war experiences are particularly notable, as they not only succeeded in restituting property stolen by the Germans but also won substantial reparations against non-Jewish neighbors who had participated in the spoliation.

Through these narratives, the talk highlights the resilience, courage, and perseverance of Bayonne's Jewish communities during one of the darkest periods of their history.