Henri Redlus was born in Paris into a Jewish family of ten children that later lived on rue Morel in Douai. His parents had fled Polish antisemitism for France, which they saw as the land of human rights. Henri was especially close to his brother François: they shared a room, attended school together, played marbles, cycled on Place Carnot, played Tarzan, and practised gymnastics. After the German invasion in May 1940, the family fled Douai, moving through Normandy and Brittany before reaching Paris. On 15 June 1942, Henri was arrested by the Gestapo while collecting his compulsory yellow star at a police station. His family then dispersed and hid in the countryside. Henri was interned at Pithiviers and deported to Auschwitz on Convoy 35 on 21 September 1942. He died during the winter 1944–1945 death march.
