Deprez, René

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Description de l'interview extraite du site US Fortunoff / Biographie à venir

René Deprez was born in Ans, Belgium in 1923. He recalls his family's Catholic, right wing orientation; exposure to his grandfather's more liberal perspective; attending high school in Liège; joining the military during the German invasion in 1940; returning home after German victory; resuming his studies; learning his grandfather was hiding a Jewish family; being asked to join the Resistance; distributing pamphlets and tracking train movements; hiding to avoid forced labor; arrest; incarceration for five months at St. Leonard prison; transfer to Esterwegen as a "Nacht und Nebel" prisoner; forced labor; prisoner solidarity regardless of national origin; hunger and humiliation; transfer to Geisingen to await trial; suspension of the tribunal; transfer to Dachau; horrific conditions; conflict over a Red Cross package; brief hospitalization; liberation by United States troops; repatriation; a long recuperation; and resuming his education. Mr. D. discusses the development of his political beliefs; loss of his religious faith in camp; the importance to his survival of mutual prisoner support; never discussing or dwelling on his camp experiences, although never forgetting them; sharing little of his story with his children; and nightmares.

(Copyright : Fortunoff Video Archives for Holocaust Testimonies – Yale)

Ressources

Fiche interview

Code interview : YA/FA/092
Date interview : 25/10/1995 - 11/03/1996
Lieu interview : Centre Audiovisuel de l’Université Libre de Bruxelles
Durée interview : 6h20
Langue interview : Français
Interviewers : Yannis Thanassekos et Michel Rosenfeldt
Cameraman : Adrien Antoniol et Guerric Marcipont
Consultation : Autorisée
Indexation thématique : non
Séquençage interview : non