The children of Elne

by Philipp Rodriguez (Jun 9, 2012)

Exhibition about the Swiss home for children in France 1939-1944 and the dedicated life of Maurice Dubois

A new exhibition about the children's home in Elne (France) maintained by SCI volunteers during the World War II has been created. It will be shown in the starting 16.June till 15.September 2012.

During the Spanish Civil War (1937-1939) many refugee escaped to France. The Swiss relief organisation Ayuda Suiza a los niños de España sent volunteers recruited by SCI to Spain and from 1939 on to the South of France. Under the guidance of Maurice Dubois (1905-1997), who was SCI acitivist since the early 1930s, they organised food distrubtion and help in refugee camps. They created as well home for children like in Elne near Perpignan.

In the Exhibition photos from Elne made by Elisabeth Eidenbenz are shown. Photos, documents and an audio interview with Maurce Dubois illustrate his dedicated life for solidarity and humanity.  Besides that several movie documentaries about the children's home in Elne will be shown. Also material form SCI Archives are used for the exhibition.

The exhibition has been created by Michèle Fleury-Seemüller (historian) and Muriel Eckstein (architect and scenographer) with the support the citiy of Geneva the tha association of Enfantd'Elne in Geneva (www.enfantsdelne.blogspot.com).

• Open from 16.June - 15.September 2012
• Vernissage: Saturday, 16.June 2012, 11.00
• , Rue du Progrès 33, La Chaux-de-Fonds (Switzerland)
• Exhibition flyer (485 kB PDF)
• More Information on the website of the Bibliothèque de la ville