Malala Prize

2015

For Freedom and Human Rights

Joseph Weismann

His Life

Joseph WEISMANN was born in Paris on June 19th, 1931.

He has been arrested by the French police during the Rafle du Vel’d’Hiv, a raid on Jews in Paris on July 16th 1942, with his father, his mother and his two sisters who were deported and murdered in the gas chamber upon their arrival to Auschwitz.

Joseph WEISMANN escaped – at the age of 11 – from the internment camp of Beaune-la-Rolande where he had been driven, after having spent three days in the Vel d’Hiv, a velodrome stadium in Paris with 16000 other Jews, men, women, childrens and elders.

Joseph WEISMANN received the medal of the escapees, on July 20th, 2014, 73 years after his escape of the camp of Beaune-la-Rolande.

His story inspired the movie “The Round Up”, in French, La Rafle.

Today he lives in Le Mans, Normandy.

Pictures of the raid on July 16, 1942 and the Beaune-La Rolande camp

His commitment for

Human rights.

A life of testimony

Joseph WEISMANN defended the Freedom and the Human Rights through a strong work of witness in France and all over the world.

The publication of his book "La Rafle" is part of his witness.

He holds in schools, in France and Europe to make aware on a duty of remembrance. During his comings in schools, Joseph Weismann fights against the hatreds and the discriminations, insists on the fact that it is necessary to be aware and vigilant in front of speech against minorities: «Jews, Gypsies, Muslims or any other minority".

Joseph WEISMANN in front of the pupils of Drulingen in 2013

Quotations

« You are the France of tomorow and I believe in

the France you’ll be. But remember: you must not

accept the unacceptable! »

«Never accept injustice! For anyone! »

«You have the ability to fight, to take decisions and

you have a duty to further improve our beautiful

democracy».

«I believe very strong in Europe and the Franco-

German friendship! »

Why this candidate is a

good candidate?

Joseph Weismann is a good candidate because he dedicated the whole part of his life to the defense of the Freedom and to the Human Rights through testimony that he carries from schools to schools.

In Drulingen, we’ll never forget his testimony…