Holocaust survivor Julia Wallach (née Kac) passed away this week at the age of 101. Julia was born in Paris, France, on June 14, 1925. Fifteen years later, on that very same day, Nazi troops entered the city. Her mother was arrested in July 1942 during the Vel d’Hiv roundup and was never seen again. Julia hid with her father until they were arrested in 1943 after being betrayed by a neighbor. They were sent to the Drancy Internment Camp and then deported to Auschwitz that June. Julia’s father did not survive. In January 1945, Julia was sent on a death march and imprisoned in other camps, including Malchow and Ravensbrück. In April, she managed to escape and eventually reached American soldiers.
After the war, Julia returned to Paris, where she married Marcel, a fellow survivor. Together, they built a beautiful multi-generation family. You may even remember Julia from “Kneidler,” a short film in which she shares her matzo ball recipe with her granddaughter Frankie while recounting her experiences during the Holocaust. As Julia forms the matzo balls, you can see the number 46645 still tattooed on her arm. Yet through it all, Julia and Frankie never fail to make us smile with their lively spirit, warmth and infectious sense of humor.
May Julia’s memory forever be a blessing.
Source: Jill Goltzer
Photo: Frankie Wallach
