Uncovering Sherbrooke’s hidden history of Jewish internment

By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

On Nov. 6, Holocaust Education Week will be marked in Sherbrooke with a significant event highlighting a lesser-known chapter of local history. Ian Darragh, former editor-in-chief of Canadian Geographic, will deliver a bilingual presentation at Hope Community Church in Lennoxville at 7 p.m. Organized by four institutions—the Eastern Townships Resource Centre, Lennoxville Library, Lennoxville-Ascot Historical and Museum Society, and the Musée d’histoire de Sherbrooke—the event is free to the public and will coincide with the paperback release of “Blatant Injustice”, a memoir by Walter W. Igersheimer, edited by Darragh and published by McGill-Queen’s University Press.

Darragh’s presentation will delve into the experiences of Jewish refugees who were interned in Sherbrooke and other locations across Canada during World War II. In a recent interview, Darragh explained his personal connection to Igersheimer and the profound impact the story had on him. “I knew Dr. Walter Igersheimer from a very young age,” Darragh shared. “He became like a father to me, and our families were close, spending every summer and vacation together.”

One story Darragh shared highlighted the bond he formed with Igersheimer during a hiking trip in the Swiss Alps when he was a teenager. “We were caught in a sudden blizzard, and Walter, who had about 10 per cent vision, couldn’t see,” Darragh recalled. “I guided him down the mountain, and he later told me, ‘You’ve saved my life.’ He wanted to adopt me as a son because he always wanted one.” This early connection was pivotal, setting the stage for Darragh’s later involvement in Igersheimer’s memoir.

The book “Blatant Injustice” emerged from a manuscript that Igersheimer wrote after his release from the internment camp in Sherbrooke, known as Camp N. Darragh described how the manuscript came to light. “Walter was blind by 2000 and moving into a condo when he came across a trunk containing the manuscript he had written right after his release. He asked me if I wanted to see it,” Darragh explained. The manuscript, a detailed account of the internment, revealed the harsh conditions Igersheimer and other Jewish refugees faced.

The internment camps in Canada, including the one in Sherbrooke, were initially set up as civilian refugee camps but later transitioned into prisoner-of-war camps. Darragh stressed that most of those interned at Camp N were Jewish refugees who had fled Nazi persecution. “When the camp opened in 1940, 90 per cent of the internees were Jewish,” he noted. However, Darragh pointed out that the Canadian government, in collaboration with Britain, interned Jewish refugees alongside Nazi soldiers, leading to dangerous situations. “The Nazis threatened to murder the Jewish refugees, which forced the Canadian army to separate the groups.”

Igersheimer’s manuscript also detailed the poor living conditions in the camp, which included dilapidated railway repair sheds, leaking roofs, and a lack of basic facilities such as latrines and proper medical care. “There was one tap of running water, no beds, and the floors were covered in engine oil. The internees were given buckets as latrines,” Darragh described. Despite the harsh conditions, the resilience of the refugees stood out. Skilled architects and tradesmen among them worked to make the space more habitable, even building interior walls to retain heat during the cold months.

Darragh emphasized the systemic injustice faced by Jewish refugees in Canada during the war. “The Canadian government’s policies were heavily influenced by anti-Semitism,” he remarked. He shared a particularly impactful story about how the Canadian authorities repeatedly strip-searched the refugees, stealing their money and valuables. “Walter recalled how guards stole three British pennies from him during a search in Quebec City,” Darragh said.

The memoir not only explores the injustices but also highlights the achievements of those interned. Among the refugees were individuals who went on to make significant contributions, including Walter Kohn, who won a Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Darragh emphasized, “Despite everything, many of these internees later received prestigious awards and contributed immensely to Canadian society.”

Darragh’s connection to Igersheimer adds a personal dimension to his work on the memoir. He explained that Igersheimer, despite losing his sight due to the lack of medical care in the internment camp, continued to impact people’s lives. “He was a fun person, full of life, playing the harmonica and piano wherever we traveled,” Darragh recalled. “But his story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the injustices that need to be remembered.”

The upcoming presentation on Nov. 6 aims to shed light on this chapter of Canadian history, which remains largely unknown even within the Jewish community. “I’ve found that many of my Jewish friends have never heard of these internments,” Darragh stated. He hopes the event will not only educate the public but also prevent similar injustices in the future. “We need to learn from history to prevent the same mistakes from happening again,” he urged, drawing parallels to contemporary political issues and the importance of respecting human rights.

Through his work, Darragh hopes to ensure that Igersheimer’s story reaches a broader audience and that Sherbrooke’s history acknowledges this painful past. “One of the things I’d like to see is a historical plaque erected to commemorate the site,” he added. “There are still buildings remaining from when it was an internment prison, and it’s important that we recognize and remember this part of our history.”

The event promises an informative and moving presentation, accompanied by photographs that illustrate the camp’s conditions and the refugees’ resilience. It’s a chance for the community to engage with a piece of local history that connects the Eastern Townships to broader global events.