Roger Weil, right, at the gates of the graveyard in Hochfelden,
left untouched during World War II.
Below, he tells the family story to his American cousin, Carl Henry.
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Vanishing Jews of AlsaceThis exhibit was shown at the Carl Cherry Center for the Arts in Carmel, CA. Its Executive Director, Robert Reese, writes: "I have worked closely with scores of artists. I have admired and been moved by the work of many of them, but on artist who continues to stand out is Diana Mara Henry." Elizabeth Holtzman writes: "I was very moved by your photos of Alsace and hope they can be seen -- because they deserve to be -- by a larger audience."
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Roger Weil, right, at the gates of the graveyard in Hochfelden, left untouched during World War II.
Below, he tells the family story to his American cousin, Carl Henry.
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In 1985, the Bouxwiller synagogue had fallen into grave disrepair. Gideon Weil, holding plans, is the native born architect who later restored it and created a magnificent jewel of a museum of the Jewish Heritage in Alsace that can be visited today.
At right, Carl Henry, left, and Henry Levy, not - that we know- related, visit the synagogue in Ingwiller.
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Most of the little towns in Alsace had a couple of hundred Jewish inhabitants before World War II.
Today only a dozen at most remain there.
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In 1985,there were less than ten men who remained in Hochfelden to study together, not enough to make a minyan for daily services. Roger Weil, at 65 years of age, was the youngest. Today, Roger Weil is gone and the others too, no doubt. |
Roger leading the way up the steps to the Hochfelden synagogue, where he kept the lights on.
Below, Roger's home for five generations was marked with a Jewish star by collaborators, in 1940,to tell the Germans which were Jewish homes. At right, below, Roger's mother, Cora Weil, bids her visitors adieu. |
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All photographs Copyright © Diana Mara Henry / dianamarahenry.com |
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