Karaite branch of Judaism

Dear listmembers!

I am quite surprised to realize that most people do not know about the Karaite branch of Judaism which had been quite strong in the past, both in Eretz Israel and parts of Europe (from Turkey, Balkans, Russia and Baltic States, etc.). Today I believe it has less than 50 000 members in the whole world with the greatest majority living in Israel.

I became interested in this subject while researching the history of Jews in my area, Brittany, during WW2 as I found a family whose father was a Karaite. His wife (second wife, the first was also a Karaite Jew) who was Jewish but not a Karaite, was deported to Auschwitz while his two sons, also Karaite, were prisoners of war (from the French Army) in Germany and survived until the end of the war. He was able to live freely in a town here which was occupied by the German Army. No in-depth research has ever been made on this subject, at least in France and also in Germany? As I am preparing a book, I wish I could add some more information on the Karaite group and his story during the war.

If you want to know more about this group (I am not Karaite, so I am not trying to proselytise people!) I can send you more information or indicate some websites.. But what interests me at the present time is the presence of this group of people in Nazi Germany which was not regarded as being members of the Jewish "race" or nation and so were "protected" from discriminatory racial laws. I would like very much to find contemporary (World War 2) documents pertaining to them; the problem is how and where? Please, note that I am not sure if there is today still some people belonging to Karaite Judaism (again: a branch, or sect, of Judaism) in Germany? I have heard that some are living in France but was not able to find any address of an organization or synagogue. Apparently these people are extremely discreet and the few contacts I had in Israel did not provide any information regarding the situation in Europe !?

Ilan Braun
Ilan.braunfree.fr