Lecture on French Resistance in Basque Country, by Sandra Ott, Associate Professor, UNR Center of Basque Studies)

Light refreshments and wine will be served.

In tribute to our local Basque community, Sandra Ott, Associate Professor at the UNR Center for Basque Studies, will present an engaging talk on the experiences of French and foreign Jews in the coastal French Basque city of Bayonne.

During the German occupation of France (1940-1944), the French Basque coastal city of Bayonne witnessed remarkable stories of resilience and survival among its Jewish communities.

The presentation will explore the experiences of both French and foreign Jews in Bayonne, 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.

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