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Authors: Rupert Colley
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the war I learnt they’d been deported to Auschwitz.’
‘And…?’
She bowed her head and muttered, ‘They were gassed.’
‘All three of them?’
‘Yes.’
‘Did your sister survive?
‘Yes but she…’
He lowered his eyes at her. ‘Go on.’
‘She took her own life – five years ago.’
‘I see.’
She looked to the floor and quietly produced a handkerchief which she held tightly in her hand. He allowed her a few moments to compose herself. ‘Madame Kahn, how long were you incarcerated at Drancy?’
‘Eight months.’
‘Could you please describe for the court the conditions there?’
‘Yes. It was terribly overcrowded. I found out after the war that the place was designed for 700 people yet there were 7,000 of us crammed into there at any one time. We slept fifty to a dorm. The lucky ones had bunk beds or even just planks to sleep on. Others slept on straw on the floor. We were fed abysmally – watery soup that tasted like soap, no protein. People died of malnourishment. There was hardly any fresh water and only two toilets.’
‘Two toilets for 7,000 inmates?’
‘Yes, you can imagine what it was like. People fell ill all the time and many of them died. There was little electricity so during winter we were always very cold, shivering constantly.’
‘Was the security tight?’
‘Of course. There was barbed wire everywhere, searchlights, watchtowers, and men with machine guns. As Jews, we weren’t allowed to look at any German or French guard in the eye. If we met a guard, say, on the staircase, we had to stop and push ourselves flat against the wall.’
‘And during these eight months, did you have much contact with the accused?’
‘We saw her almost everyday. Some of the guards were OK, some were nasty only occasionally, as if it was expected of them, but she was the worst. We were all very frightened of her.’
‘In what way exactly?’
‘Well, if… I mean, whenever you saw her, you were on tenterhooks in case she lashed out at you.’
‘Perhaps you gave her reason to?’
‘No, not at all. She…’ The woman turned to face Hilda. ‘She didn’t need a reason.’
‘Could you tell the court the reasons for your fear?’
‘She carried a truncheon and she used it all the time, whether you deserved it or not. Everyone called her “the lady with the truncheon”.’
The judge spoke, ‘Did you say a truncheon?’
‘Yes, it was a wooden one with a leather strap.’
‘I see. Carry on.’
The prosecutor cleared his throat. ‘Madame Kahn, could you describe what happened one morning in early February of 1944?’
‘Yes. Every morning we had to line up for roll call. We had to stand there, in lines of five, absolutely still, usually for about two hours, whatever the weather. It might not sound much but when you’re starving hungry and weak, possibly ill, and cold and frightened, then I can’t describe how difficult it is.’
‘Do continue.’
‘On this particular morning in February, Madame d'Urville said that someone had stolen food from the kitchens. No one admitted to it. Probably because it didn’t happen–’
‘But you can’t be sure of this fact?’
‘No. We were starving, like I said, so it could’ve happened.’
‘What did she do?’
‘She… she made us undress. All of us.’
‘Down to your underwear?’
‘No.’ She cast her eyes downwards. ‘Naked.’
‘It was cold?’
‘Yes, it was snowing and there was ice on the ground. It was February after all. We had to remain totally still. If anyone moved, Madame d'Urville would hit us with her truncheon.’
‘On what part of the body did she hit you?’
‘Usually, across the breasts.’
He raised his eyebrows. ‘Carry on.’
‘She would walk up and down in her thick coat and boots, watching us like a wolf, while we stood there humiliated in our nakedness. Every half an hour or so, she would return to the staff quarters to warm up for a few minutes and some other woman would
‘And…?’
She bowed her head and muttered, ‘They were gassed.’
‘All three of them?’
‘Yes.’
‘Did your sister survive?
‘Yes but she…’
He lowered his eyes at her. ‘Go on.’
‘She took her own life – five years ago.’
‘I see.’
She looked to the floor and quietly produced a handkerchief which she held tightly in her hand. He allowed her a few moments to compose herself. ‘Madame Kahn, how long were you incarcerated at Drancy?’
‘Eight months.’
‘Could you please describe for the court the conditions there?’
‘Yes. It was terribly overcrowded. I found out after the war that the place was designed for 700 people yet there were 7,000 of us crammed into there at any one time. We slept fifty to a dorm. The lucky ones had bunk beds or even just planks to sleep on. Others slept on straw on the floor. We were fed abysmally – watery soup that tasted like soap, no protein. People died of malnourishment. There was hardly any fresh water and only two toilets.’
‘Two toilets for 7,000 inmates?’
‘Yes, you can imagine what it was like. People fell ill all the time and many of them died. There was little electricity so during winter we were always very cold, shivering constantly.’
‘Was the security tight?’
‘Of course. There was barbed wire everywhere, searchlights, watchtowers, and men with machine guns. As Jews, we weren’t allowed to look at any German or French guard in the eye. If we met a guard, say, on the staircase, we had to stop and push ourselves flat against the wall.’
‘And during these eight months, did you have much contact with the accused?’
‘We saw her almost everyday. Some of the guards were OK, some were nasty only occasionally, as if it was expected of them, but she was the worst. We were all very frightened of her.’
‘In what way exactly?’
‘Well, if… I mean, whenever you saw her, you were on tenterhooks in case she lashed out at you.’
‘Perhaps you gave her reason to?’
‘No, not at all. She…’ The woman turned to face Hilda. ‘She didn’t need a reason.’
‘Could you tell the court the reasons for your fear?’
‘She carried a truncheon and she used it all the time, whether you deserved it or not. Everyone called her “the lady with the truncheon”.’
The judge spoke, ‘Did you say a truncheon?’
‘Yes, it was a wooden one with a leather strap.’
‘I see. Carry on.’
The prosecutor cleared his throat. ‘Madame Kahn, could you describe what happened one morning in early February of 1944?’
‘Yes. Every morning we had to line up for roll call. We had to stand there, in lines of five, absolutely still, usually for about two hours, whatever the weather. It might not sound much but when you’re starving hungry and weak, possibly ill, and cold and frightened, then I can’t describe how difficult it is.’
‘Do continue.’
‘On this particular morning in February, Madame d'Urville said that someone had stolen food from the kitchens. No one admitted to it. Probably because it didn’t happen–’
‘But you can’t be sure of this fact?’
‘No. We were starving, like I said, so it could’ve happened.’
‘What did she do?’
‘She… she made us undress. All of us.’
‘Down to your underwear?’
‘No.’ She cast her eyes downwards. ‘Naked.’
‘It was cold?’
‘Yes, it was snowing and there was ice on the ground. It was February after all. We had to remain totally still. If anyone moved, Madame d'Urville would hit us with her truncheon.’
‘On what part of the body did she hit you?’
‘Usually, across the breasts.’
He raised his eyebrows. ‘Carry on.’
‘She would walk up and down in her thick coat and boots, watching us like a wolf, while we stood there humiliated in our nakedness. Every half an hour or so, she would return to the staff quarters to warm up for a few minutes and some other woman would
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