Hidden Child of the Holocaust tells the little told tale of life in the Free Zone (unoccupied southern France) during the German Occupation of WWII. Most of the French citizens were actually collaborators with the pro-Nazi Vichy government, and Jews were routinely rounded up and interned by the Milice, the French militia. Little Ruth Kapp was only 5 when her parents went into hiding to avoid detection and capture by the Nazis. This is a very detailed memoir of those years in hiding, which culminated in her being hidden for 5 months as a "French orphan" at the Convent at Soreze. A moving story and a very fast read.
Ruth and her family live in the south of France. When the Nazis invade Paris during World War II, many Jews in France must go into hiding. Ruth's family changes its identity. Her cousin tells Ruth that her name is now Renee, so that she blends in with other French children. When the Nazis move into southern France, the situation becomes desperate. In a heartbreaking moment, Ruth is hidden away in a Catholic orphanage deep in the country. Ruth is only five years old, but she has lost her religion, her home, and even her name. Will she ever see her parents again?
