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xii Preface This book looks closely at the region of France known as the Haute-Savoie, close to the border with Switzerland near Geneva. Not only does it examine the complicated situation in that region—where rescuers had to deal with German Nazis, Italian Fascists, and Vichy police—but it also gives those who were rescued a voice, providing readers with insight into how they have recalled the intense (and often traumatic) period of their rescue. We also show the heroic (and sometimes tragic) fate of the rescuers, who were hero- ines not only of the French resistance but also of humanity. Although other studies of Vichy (France), the Holocaust, and/or resistance look at a range of responses—political, ideological, literary, military—few have looked at the rescue of Jews by those prepared to risk everything through escorting them to safety in the border regions. Even fewer have con- sidered Jewish rescue of Jews (or of Jewish children, specifically) or of such rescues being carried out by women. At best, this might have been dealt with in passing, in general studies. This book, therefore, is arguably the first in which the experiences and efforts of a number of rescuers—all of whom knew or knew of each other—have been brought together in a single volume with the object of honoring their memory and showing how the value of human life could be upheld during the Holocaust. Within this context, the narrative is driven by courage and sacrifice of the rescuers’ efforts in trying to save Jews (principally, Jewish children) by spirit- ing them out of France during the second half of the war years. To do so, it has been deemed necessary to contextualize the story by looking at the posi- tion of Jews in France in the lead-up to and outbreak of the war itself, during which the ideals of republican democracy were constantly being challenged, and a constant battle for France’s future was being fought in a society deeply divided between those on the left and the right of politics. Given this background, we also examine the course of antisemitism in France before the war, as this provided fertile ground for the policies adopted by the collaborationist government of Marshal Philippe Pétain, located at Vichy after the fall of France in the summer of 1940. As a result, to further contextualize the milieu in which the rescues took place, we show the expe- rience of Jews in France during the war. In addition, it was essential that we explore the complexity of the resis- tance and rescue networks and those involved. Some were Jewish indeed, Jews were among the first and most active resisters in France during the period of the Nazi occupation and division of the country in German and Vichy zones. Yet there were also anti-Nazi resistance networks that were not Jewish, yet they dedicated themselves to the protection of Jews and engaged in smuggling activities in order to save Jewish lives. Clearly, these had to be considered here, particularly as there were linkages between groups that saw themselves all working toward the same goal.