Victor Perahia, Holocaust Survivor and Advocate, Dies at 91

Victor Perahia, a Holocaust survivor and president of the French Union of Auschwitz Deportees, passed away at the age of 91. Perahia, who survived the horrors of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp as a child, died in Saint-Mande, near Paris. His tireless work to preserve the memory of the Shoah has left a lasting legacy, and his death comes just four months before the 80th anniversary of Auschwitz’s liberation.

Born on April 4, 1933, in Paris to a Jewish family of fairground merchants, Perahia’s life was forever altered by the Nazi occupation of France. In July 1942, he and his family were arrested and taken to the Lande internment camp, before being transferred to the infamous Drancy camp. After nearly two years in Drancy, he and his mother were deported to Bergen-Belsen, where they endured forced labor. In March 1945, just before the war ended, Perahia was liberated by Soviet troops. His father, however, was sent to Auschwitz, where he perished along with Perahia’s grandfather.

For years after the war, Perahia remained silent about the trauma he endured. However, in 2015, he published a memoir recounting his stolen childhood and the suffering his family endured. As president of the French Union of Auschwitz Deportees, he dedicated himself to sharing his story with younger generations, visiting schools and memorials across France to remind people of the atrocities of the Holocaust.

French President Emmanuel Macron praised Perahia’s courage and commitment, noting that “racism and antisemitism tormented him and fueled his strength to awaken minds.” Macron emphasized Perahia’s belief in the limitless capacity for human cruelty and his unwavering dedication to fighting intolerance and protecting human rights.

Perahia's passing is a poignant reminder of the fading voices of Holocaust survivors. As Joël Mergui, president of the Paris Consistory, noted, “The witnesses are leaving us. We must take over the fight against antisemitism.”

France honored Perahia’s contributions with the Knight of the Legion of Honor and the National Order of Merit, recognizing his efforts to preserve the memory of the Holocaust and to ensure that its lessons are passed on to future generations. His legacy will continue to inspire those who seek to combat hatred and intolerance in all its forms.

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