32

Julien Meyer’s father’s clothes shop was confiscated in 1940 due to the Nazis’ policies regarding the Jews. Julien lost his job and went to work for the Jewish community. From September 1940, the community organized the escape of many Luxembourg Jews. Meyer’s job was to establish contact with the German authorities and accompany bus convoys to France. On 22 January 1941 the Meyer family also decided to flee to southern France. Only Julien’s grandmother Settchen stayed behind in Luxembourg because of her age. She was later murdered in Theresienstadt (CS).
In November 1942 the family had to flee again, as the Germans now also occupied southern France. Julien Meyer worked as a farm labourer under a false name. In August 1943 he and his brother Paul joined the French maquis. Julien became a liaison officer and translator. From June 1944, he took part in the fight for the liberation of France. After liberation the resistance groups were integrated into the French army. As foreigners Julien and Paul Meyer were discharged, to their great disappointment. They returned to Luxembourg in October 1944. Julien Meyer later became a translator in the US Army. In the summer of 1945 the rest of his family also returned to Luxembourg and had to rebuild their destroyed livelihood.