Tribute to the role played by the acclaimed singer, his sister, Aida, and their parents, Mish and Knar, during the Holocaust
An interview conducted by Prof. Yair Auron, a distinguished Israeli scholar specialized in Genocide studies, reveals that Charles Aznavour’s parents risked their lives during the Nazi occupation of France by giving shelter to Jews, Armenians and other members of the Resistance. According to Prof. Auron’s account, the then young Charles and his sister, Aida, were also involved in the life-saving efforts organized by their parents.
Following these revelations the IRWF has resolved to conduct an investigation which falls in the framework of the Houses of Life Program instituted by the IRWF some two years ago, with impressive results. So far, more than 300 Houses of Life were discovered in Italy, France, Hungary, Poland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium and Greece.
A special commemorative plaque is affixed in the façade of the Houses of Life, clearly visible to passers-by, tourists and visitors, so that they become aware of the heroic deeds that took place in the site in question.
The IRWF has researched the stories of various Armenian heroes who reached-out to Jews during the Holocaust, such as the case of Dr. Harutyun Khachatryan, who was officially recognized as Righteous among the Nations following the research work of the Wallenberg Foundation.
The IRWF calls upon individuals and institutions to come forward with relevant testimonies or any other evidentiary material about the life-saving efforts of the Aznavour family, in Paris, during the dark days of WWII.
Please contact:
Ms. Viviane Epstein
Coordinator of the Houses of Life Program
viviane@irwf.org
34 East 67 Street
New York, NY 10065
USA +1-212-737-3275
