In the summer of 1942, Peter’s mother sent him to a colonie enfantine or children’s colony for the summer at Chateau de Monteleone in Condom, in the department of Gers in France. Ernst, his father, Agnes, his mother, and Peter (now called Pierre) lived at 60 rue de Metz in nearby Auch. What was supposed to be a summer camp and a subsequent return to school instead became something much different. Like the other Jewish refugees living in France at the time, the net was tightening around them. In fact, fearing the worst, Peter’s father who was in bad health, unexpectedly rode his bicycle about 30 miles to see Peter at Monteleone. In the summer of 2022, we filmed Peter at the spot where he said goodbye to his father for the last time.
Click here for primary source documentation of the events leading up to the round-up.
Shortly after, Ernst and Agnes were arrested at their home and first sent to Le Vernet transit camp, from where Agnes wrote a postcard to Mrs. Cavailhon, asking her to please look after Peter.