The Maternité Suisse d’Elne provided a sanctuary for approximately 600 children between 1939 and 1944. Founded by a Swiss teacher and nurse, the facility operated in an abandoned mansion near Argelès-sur-Mer. It served as a critical refuge for Spanish Republicans, Jewish women, and displaced populations facing severe health crises in internment camps following the collapse of the Spanish Republic.
Early Career and Relocation
Born in 1913 in Wila, Switzerland, Elisabeth Eidenbenz initially worked as a teacher in her home country and Denmark. Her involvement in humanitarian work began in April 1937, when she arrived in Madrid as a volunteer for the aid group Ayuda Suiza. This experience preceded her relocation to the south of France, where she observed the deteriorating conditions of refugees held in coastal internment camps.
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Upon arriving in the Roussillon region, Eidenbenz encountered pregnant women living on beaches with no sanitary infrastructure. Appalled by the high rates of infant and maternal mortality, she converted a mansion in Elne into a maternity home. The facility initially operated on voluntary donations from across Europe. Following the outbreak of larger-scale regional conflicts, Eidenbenz sought an affiliation with the Red Cross to secure necessary funding. Adherence to neutrality requirements forced her to conceal the identities of many political and Jewish refugees residing at the home.
Legacy and Official Recognition
Throughout its operation, the home saved 400 Spanish children and 200 Jewish children. Gestapo interference occasionally resulted in harassment and detention of staff. Decades later, her actions received international acknowledgment. In 2002, sixty survivors held a reunion in Elne. Official honors include the Righteous Among the Nations status from the government of Israel, the Saint George's Cross, the Orden Civil de la Solidaridad Social, and the Légion d'honneur. Eidenbenz lived in Rekawinkel before moving to Zurich, where she died in 2011.
Fast facts
- Born: 1913, Wila, Switzerland
- Died: 2011, Zurich, Switzerland
- Occupations: Teacher, nurse
- Notable role: Founder of the Mothers of Elne
- Award: Righteous Among the Nations (2001)
- Award: Saint George's Cross (2006)
- Award: Knight of the Legion of Honour
Questions readers ask
How many children were saved at the Elne maternity home?
Approximately 600 children were saved during the period between 1939 and 1944.
Why was the maternity home forced to hide the identities of some refugees?
To maintain affiliation with the Red Cross and continue receiving funding, the home had to follow neutrality policies which forbade sheltering political refugees.
Achievements
- Righteous Among the Nations — 2001
- Knight of the Legion of Honour
- Worked as teacher and nurse
