Pasquier Gilbert

Pasquier, Gilbert Judith Grosman was born in 1930 to Schmul and Ruda Grosman. They lived in Dijon (Cote d'Or), France, with the family’s three other children: Léa (b. 1926), Ruth (b.1928), and Daniel (b. 1938). Schmul was in charge of the nearby synagogue, and therefore the family lived just above its main square. Their neighbor was a policeman named Gilbert Pasquier, who lived just across the street with his wife and their three children. The two families were friends, and the children used to play together in the synagogue’s square. In the beginning of 1942, Schmul Grosman received a warning that his name was on the list for an impending roundup. He immediately fled to the free zone and settled in Arlanc (Puy de Dôme), where he found a job. Ruda, left alone with the four children, began to fear for them and started to look for a way to join her husband. Gilbert Pasquier offered to help and take them to a train station close to the demarcation line, from where he could arrange for them to cross the border safely. In May 1942 they all took the train toward the border—Ruda, her four children, and Gilbert Pasquier, who was wearing his police uniform. They passed through a few identification checks on their way, which was so stressful for Ruda that she wanted to go back to Dijon. Gilbert kept her calm during the whole trip. One stop before the last station, the Germans boarded the train and ordered everyone to disembark for an identification check. When the Germans reached Gilbert, he stood up and gave them his police card, saying that Ruda and her children were his family. The Germans looked and left them alone. When they arrived at the last station, Gilbert arranged for the Grosmans to stay at a local café until he could arrange for them to cross the demarcation line. A few hours later, Ruda and her children successfully crossed the border with the help of smugglers and were reunited with Schmul. Gilbert made the dangerous trip home. The Grosmans survived the war and went back to Dijon after the liberation. They stayed in touch with Gilbert and his family and remained thankful for his great act of courage in saving their lives by risking his own. Judith Grosman wrote to Yad Vashem: “When the book Vichy and the Jews came out, the whole family decided to dedicate it to Gilbert—everyone wrote a little dedication, and we made the journey to see him and bring him this present in person. I never forgot his great act of courage, which without a doubt saved our lives.” On June 13, 2012, Yad Vashem recognized Gilbert Pasquier as Righteous Among the Nations.