The Jews were arrested in their homes, authorized to bring a single suitcase, and "sorted- at mustering centers. Municipal Police Director Emile Hennequin had already set up 1,372 teams of officials composed of two "gardiens de la paix- or Peace Officers. These teams were reinforced by 1,916 other officers. Each group of officers contained index cards with addresses, occupation, age, and nationality of Jews, of both men and women. "Arrest guidelines were strict: there was to be no discussion, utilities were to be switched off, animals and keys given to the building concierge (or the nearest neighbor if necessary), and all children were to be taken, including French nationals who could eventually be set free at the "sorting centers-. " ( www.massviolence.org ) .
Up to this point, arrests had been only targeted to adult men. Now, Laval wanted the Germans to take children as well. Consequently, men who had hidden to avoid arrest, appeared only to find their children missing. It also caused problems for the distinction of foreign Jews and French Jews because many children were from foreign parents but had French citizenship. "Most importantly the roundup of children was sinister. As long as arrests had concentrated on adult men, it had been possible for Jews to convince themselves that those arrested were being taken away to work."" (the Unfree French 143) This explanation was less conceivable now. In total, 3,031 men, 5,802 women, and 4,051 children were rounded up in July of 1942. 6,000 of these innocent prisoners were herded into the Veldrome d' Hiver, an old stadium, kept with little food, water or shade from the hot sun, there were few latrines and almost no medical attention (Sarah's Key). The Veldrome d'Hiver was one stop before being transferred to internment camps and eventually prisoners would enter Auschwitz. The children, forced into filth and poverty, living 100 to a room sleeping on cement floors, were separated from their parents and the life they had once known.
