Geneviève de Gaulle-Anthonioz: Durch die Nacht

'Durch die Nacht' ('Crossing the Night')

a small, vast, deep, terrible read. written by the niece of Charles de Gaulle, at age 78: a memory of the months she was imprisoned. in 1944. in germany. in a concentration camp near Berlin.

she was imprisoned there in february, and kept herself alive with the hope that the war will end soon, that she might be home for christmas. instead, the suffering went on. here's an entry from christmas '44.

Dieser 24. ist trauriger und länger als jeder andere Tag. Ich höre Schreie und Stöhnen. Endlich Stille, die mir noch schrecklicher vorkommt. Plötzlich singt eine Frauenstimme 'Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht'

This 24th is sader and longer than any other day. I hear screaming and moaning. Finally silence, which feels even more terrible. Suddenly a female voice sings 'Silent Night, holy night'.

to think Geneviève de Gaulle-Anthonioz carried those memories with her all these years. and then found the words and the strength to note them down. here's her biography: Geneviève de Gaulle-Anthonioz
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