Emotion at Michelet High School in Montauban with the broadcast of a film tribute to the deported Jewish student Adele Kurzweil in 1942

Memory, duty for Jules Michelet High School in Montauban. The establishment has a heavy history with the young Adele Kurzweil, who was besieged for her Jewish faith in 1942 when she attended Montalban High School. A story sadly known and widespread in the department, whose family lived in Oviler.

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Young Adele loved to draw and write about what she was experiencing. After spending more than 40 years in a trunk at Oviler Town Hall, the personal effects and remains of the Kurzweil family were turned over to the departmental archives in 1990. The discovery made it possible to retrace Adele’s entire story and led to the production of a 17-minute documentary on her story in 2020. A film directed by Jean-Charles Pizzolatto, thanks to the archive work of Pascal Cailla, departmental archivist.

A clear feeling

The film was screened earlier in the week for the final year students of Michelet High School. Presented by Jean-Charles Pizzolatto and Pascal Cailla, it was part of the “Michelet fait des histoire” training, which allows these students to work on historical topics throughout high school. This year, the theme of genocide is linked to the history of the Kurzweil family.

All these documents allow us to understand the history of the Kurzweils, but above all the history of a sad era.

Thus, the presentation of the work around the film, then there was a discussion program with high school students around this story. Pascal Cailla spoke about the discovery in the first archives: “It was a certain feeling. All these documents allow us to understand the history of the Kurzweils, but above all the history of a sad era. »

A work that interests many students, many wonder the reasons for this exile, when the family officially renounced all Jewish faith. Emotion is felt during the explanation by the archivist.

A project to be taken seriously

“It was very interesting, I knew the story but not in much detail. The direction of the film is really well done. », Tom, allows a student.

An achievement that was important to Jean-Charles Pizzolatto. He remembers it with sparkling eyes: “This story allowed me to meet Pascal Cailla, I was eager to honor all the archives to which he gave me access. For example, thanks to Adele’s drawing of the Aviler clock tower, we were able to locate her house with the corner of the drawing and the window from which she made it. »

Over six months of work to make a mini-documentary retracing the family’s life. From his journey to leave Austria to his numerous requests for exile in Mexico, through his integration in Tarn-et-Geronnez, everything goes well. An unforgettable story in the corridors of Michelet High School.