Le Chambon-sur-Lignon Le Chambon-sur-Lignon is a town in the Haute-Loire département in the Auvergne region of southern France not far from the border with Switzerland. Primarily a Huguenot town during World War II, it became a haven for Jews fleeing from the Nazis. With the leadership of a local minister André Trocmé and his wife, Magda Trocmé, beginning in 1942, the citizens of Chambon-sur-Lignon risked their lives to hide Jewish people who were being rounded up by the SS for shipment to the death camps. They were hidden in private homes, on farms in the area, as well as in public institutions. Whenever the Nazi patrols came searching, they were hidden in the countryside. After the war, one of the villagers recalled: "As soon as the soldiers left, we would go into the forest and sing a song. When they heard that song, the Jews knew it was safe to come home." In addition to providing shelter, the citizens of the town obtained forged I.D. and ration cards for Jews to use and then helped them cross the border to the safety of neutral Switzerland. Some of the residents were arrested by the Gestapo such as Rev. Trocmé's cousin, Daniel Trocmé, who was sent to Buchenwald concentration camp where he was killed. It is estimated that the people of Chambon-sur-Lignon saved between 3,000-5,000 Jewish people from certain death. In 1990, for their humanitarianism and bravery under extreme danger, the entire town was recognized as "Righteous Among the Nations" by the government of Israel. A small garden and plaque on the grounds of Israel's Yad Vashem memorial to the Holocaust was dedicated to the people of Chambon-sur-Lignon. Additional information: 1979 : Lest Innocent Blood Be Shed: The Story of Le Chambon and How Goodness Happened There a book by Philip P. Hallie 1998 : Greater Than Angels a book for young adults by Carol Matas 1989 : Weapons of the Spirit - a PBS television documentary by Pierre Sauvage hosted by Bill Moyers Most Popular Articles: Music    Musical Instruments    Guitar    Classical Music    History    Music Definition    Country Music    Rock Music    Pop Music    Hip Hop    Rap    DJ    Video Games    Casino Games    Poker    Blackjack    Casinos    Real Estate    Loan    Auction    eBay    Marketing    Search Engine Optimization    File Sharing    MP3    Music Industry    Kazaa    Internet    Supermodel    Fashion    Fashion Designers    Erotica    Modeling    Clothing    Boots    Shoes    Diamond Engagement Rings    Diamond    Rugs    Gospel Music    Affiliate    E-Commerce    Radio This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License at http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html You may copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license. You must provide a link to http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html for use of this content. To view or edit this article at Wikipedia go to http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Chambon-sur-Lignon