Annotated translation: coded language letters from the French Jewish Maquis
Abstract
This annotated translation of extracts from ten letters that Robert Gamzon – head of the Jewish Scouts of France – wrote to his wife, Denise Gamzon, in hiding during the Second World War sheds light on both Jewish resistance and letters as sources. This is the first time the collection, housed in the Yad Vashem Archives, has been translated from its native language. This translation shows the value of cross-archival work and of an in-depth micro-history. While focused on the small scale, it suggests where the correspondence fits within larger historiographies on resistance, gender, and the transmission of knowledge.
Fields of Study & Subjects
French Historical and Cultural Studies
World Wars: History
Literature
and Impact
European history and politics
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Holocaust Studies
- Volume
- 32
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 697–724
- Publication date
- 10 February 2026
- Language
- EN