Holocaust Survivor Marie Vaulic Passes Away at 94
A Life Dedicated to Remembrance
Marie Vaulic, a survivor of the shoah, passed away on Thursday, May 1st, at the age of 94. Her funeral is scheduled for Friday, may 2nd, at the Israelite cemetery of Porte-sur-Garonne. Vaulic, born Marie Rafalovitch on June 11, 1930, in Toulouse, dedicated much of her later life to sharing her experiences during the Holocaust, ensuring that the horrors of that era are never forgotten.
In January, Marie Vaulic was awarded the Commander’s tie of the Academic Palms order by Mostafa Fourar, the Rector of the Academy of Toulouse, recognizing her significant contributions to Holocaust education and remembrance.
imprisonment and Survival
At just 14 years old, in July 1944, Marie Vaulic was arrested and later endured the unimaginable conditions of the Ravensbrück and Bergen-Belsen concentration camps. Her experiences in these camps, marked by the constant presence of death, profoundly impacted her life and fueled her commitment to bearing witness.
Vaulic’s arrest came after being denounced by a neighbor, despite not knowing she was Jewish. She was apprehended by a French militiaman and a member of the Gestapo in the courtyard of her own home, highlighting the pervasive reach of Nazi persecution.
A Delayed Testimony
Like many survivors of the Holocaust, which claimed the lives of over six million Jews during World War II, Marie Vaulic remained silent about her experiences for many years. It wasn’t until the 2000s that she began to share her story publicly.
I did not speak for a very long time because it did not interest anyone! We were looked at as if we were saying unthinkable things. Besides that, Jean, my husband, he spoke a lot,
she told La Dépêche du Midi, explaining her initial reluctance to speak out.Her husband, Jean vaulic, who himself was deported to Auschwitz at the age of 16 and later transferred to other camps, passed away in January 2022.
Marie Vaulic dedicated herself to testifying about her experiences for as long as her health permitted. She documented her life story in two books: “Only at 14 years old in Ravensbruck and Bergen-Belsen” (Editions Le Manuscript) and, more recently, “There will soon be no one” (Grasset), co-authored with marion Cocquet in 2024. her testimony has also been preserved by the Departmental Museum of deportation of Toulouse and the Shoah Memorial, ensuring that her voice continues to be heard by future generations.
Vaulic spoke at colleges,high schools,and even embassies,reaching a wide audience with her powerful message of remembrance and resilience.
Awakening to Action
In a 2015 interview,Marie vaulic revealed the catalyst for her decision to finally share her story. She explained that even with her husband, who was also a deportee, they rarely discussed their experiences. After the war,French society primarily focused on resistant deportees,and Holocaust survivors frequently enough faced disbelief or suspicion when they tried to recount the horrors they had witnessed.
Even with my husband who was also deported, we never talked about it. In France, after the Liberation, we only talked about resistant deportees. And when we wanted to tell the horror no one believed us. Or we found it suspicious that we came back alive. I killed myself until 2007. But when I learned that Serge Klarsfeld came to Toulouse to inaugurate From July 30, 1944 and that I had not even warned I woke up.
Marie Vaulic’s passing marks the loss of a vital voice in holocaust remembrance. Her dedication to sharing her story serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of education and vigilance in the face of hatred and intolerance. Her legacy will continue to inspire future generations to learn from the past and work towards a more just and equitable world.
