Shadows with a Star: The Eventful Lives of Jewish Children in Hiding During World War II in Belgium.

Of the almost five thousand Jewish children who were deported from Belgium to concentration camps, less than a hundred survived the Second World War. In order to escape the horror of the concentration camps, slightly more than five thousand Jewish children were hidden in hiding places in Belgium. The profiles of their rescuers were very diverse: from seasoned resistance fighters to socially committed clergymen. The hiding process in Belgium was very efficient. The temporary placement of weakened city children in the countryside proved to be an ideal cover for the illegal rescue operations. The Jewish children were shocked. From one day to the next, they found themselves in a strange environment and were given a different name and a different religion. They could not reveal their true identity, because the danger of being discovered by the Nazis was a constant threat. The end of the Second World War meant a new drama for many of the children: their parents often did not return from the concentration camps. And in the meantime, several Jewish children had been baptized. Both the Catholic and Jewish communities claimed their souls. This years-long battle was fought over the heads of the children, who were not granted a carefree life even after the war.