Chaumet Simone

Bisserier, Germaine Chaumet, Simone Having arrived in Paris from Algiers in 1931, the Allouch family fled France's capital city in 1940. In the spring of 1943, they handed over their two sons, Maxime (9) and Jean (7), to the OSE (Organisation de Secours aux Enfants), who then passed them over to the Amitiés Chrétiennes for protection. They were taken to be sheltered at the Le Fontenil day-care center near the town of Briançon in southeastern France, which was under the management of Simone Chaumet and Germaine Bisserier. A born caregiver, Chaumet had begun to work for the Amitiés Chrétiennes in 1942, looking after Jewish children at the center in Le Fontenil. At the time, Bisserier was working as center's "house-mother," and in 1943 she joined forces with Chaumet to run the establishment and look after the refugee children. In the spring/summer of 1943, François Gelbert (9) arrived at the center, joining other children there after his parents had spent many months fleeing their persecutors across France. Hearing of the imminent danger of informants, Chaumet and Bisserier moved the children hidden in Briançon to a remote chalet (used before the war as a ski resort) in Col du Fanget in the French Alps. Here the two beautiful and generous young women not only saw to the children's physical needs (conditions were very difficult and they all suffered from hunger regularly), but also encouraged and comforted them over the traumatic separation from their parents. Warm and loving, they became the children's teachers as well as their rescuers, constantly ready to flee with their charges at a moment's notice. Later joined by Gilbert Allouch (13) and Charles (11) and Maurice (8) Wrobel, the children remained at the chalet for many months – with the Germans never far from their door – until the area was liberated in the summer of 1944. Later in life, the 12 "children" they had saved said that they owed Chaumet and Bisserier their lives. In May 2005, a plaque wasunveiled next to the place where the Col du Fanget youth hostel had stood, in honor of Simone Chaumet and Germaine Bisserier. At the unveiling was the initiator of the tribute, François Gelbert, as well as Gilbert and Maxime Allouch – all three of whom had proposed that the women be awarded the title of Righteous Among the Nations. Also present were members of the Zabronski family – local residents that had, too, been rescued by the Bisserier and Chaumet – village residents and public officials. On January 13, 2010 Germaine Bisserier and Simone Chaumet were recognized as Righteous Among the Nations.