Un Village Français 4.01

Le Train

or The Train

20 July 1942

A train carrying foreign Jews stops in Villeneuve. Daniel Larcher suggests that they could be housed in the school until another train arrives to take them away. Bériot isn't happy with this plan but Larcher doesn't give him any choice in the matter. Larcher doesn't know about the printing press in the basement of the school that Crémieux is using to print anti-German propaganda.

Raymond Schwartz finds out that Jeanine has helped her father to get a piece of his business. He also starts an affair with the new housekeeper after finding out that Jeanine is having an affair with Chassagne, her lawyer. His leg is damaged and he is an invalid for the present.

There isn't enough room at the school to house all the Jewish people from the train comfortably. Servier doesn't care about that. Larcher figures that they are better off at the school then staying in the train station.

Sarah Meyer returns. Müller signed the order to release her. Daniel and Hortense insist that she stay with them.

Servier gives orders to Marchetti to round up all the foreign born Jews living in Villeneuve. Marchetti tries to tell Servier that this isn't the job for the police. Servier doesn't want to hear it and tells him to do as he is told. Larcher likewise unsuccessfully tries to argue with Servier about the order.

Sarah Meyer's name is on the list of foreign Jews. Marchetti asks Larcher about her. Larcher claims he doesn't know her whereabouts. Henriette, the Larchers' cleaning lady, sees Sarah. Hortense tells her that Sarah is her niece.

Bériot tells Albert Crémieux about the order to round up foreign Jews. Anna Crémieux, Albert's wife, is originally from Austria. Albert fears that his wife will be arrested and makes plans to have her travel to Switzerland.

Judith Morhange returns to Villeneuve. She gets arrested for not wearing a yellow star. Marchetti questions her about DeKervern. They got married but it didn't work out. Marchetti sends her to join the Jews staying at the school, the school where she used to be headmistress.

The episode ends with a truck bringing food for the one hundred plus foreign Jews housed in the school. The back of the truck is opened and there is just one box in it.

Thoughts

I assume that Raymond's injury dates back to the events at the end of the previous season when Servier's nephew shot him. There is no explanation offered. It seemed like Hortense had attempted suicide at the end of the previous season but she seems perfectly healthy now.

DeKervern and Marcel Larcher are not in this episode. I'm not sure if or when they will return. Müller is not in this episode but I am pretty sure that he will return.

This episode was well made but tough to watch. Things start bad and just seem to get worse. I'm not sure what the arcs of this season are going to be. The foreign Jews from the train probably won't be around for many more episodes. Looking ahead I can see that the first six episodes of this season take place in July 1942 and the last six in November 1942. Both sets of six episodes take place across six consecutive days. I don't know at this point in what ways the first six episodes are tied to the last six.