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Belgian invents 'Holocaust' tale | Belgian invents 'Holocaust' tale |
(about 3 hours later) | |
A Belgian woman whose tale of survival with a pack of wolves in Nazi-occupied Europe became a hit film has revealed that she invented the story. | A Belgian woman whose tale of survival with a pack of wolves in Nazi-occupied Europe became a hit film has revealed that she invented the story. |
Monique De Wael, who adopted the pseudonym Misha Defonseca, also admitted that she was not Jewish. | Monique De Wael, who adopted the pseudonym Misha Defonseca, also admitted that she was not Jewish. |
Her revelations came in an interview with the Belgian daily Le Soir, which said more than six million people had already seen Surviving With Wolves. | Her revelations came in an interview with the Belgian daily Le Soir, which said more than six million people had already seen Surviving With Wolves. |
"It's not actual reality, but it was my reality," she told Le Soir. | "It's not actual reality, but it was my reality," she told Le Soir. |
"It was my way of surviving... I seek forgiveness from those who feel betrayed, but I implore them to put themselves in the position of a little four-year-old girl who has lost everything, who has to survive." | "It was my way of surviving... I seek forgiveness from those who feel betrayed, but I implore them to put themselves in the position of a little four-year-old girl who has lost everything, who has to survive." |
'Different life' | 'Different life' |
The story, presented as autobiographical, tells of a little Jewish girl whose parents are arrested and deported by the Nazis in 1941. | |
She goes in search of them across Belgium, Germany and Poland, with only the wolves for company. The book was first published in 1997. | |
In reality, De Wael says her non-Jewish parents were in the resistance but were indeed deported by the Nazis. | In reality, De Wael says her non-Jewish parents were in the resistance but were indeed deported by the Nazis. |
She says she then stayed with her grandfather and was "treated badly". | She says she then stayed with her grandfather and was "treated badly". |
"It's true that I've always felt Jewish... it's true that I've always created a different life for myself, a life that cut me off from my family, a life far from the people I hated," she said. | "It's true that I've always felt Jewish... it's true that I've always created a different life for myself, a life that cut me off from my family, a life far from the people I hated," she said. |
Her true story came to light after suspicions were voiced in Belgium about her tale, prompting Le Soir to seek clarifications from her. | Her true story came to light after suspicions were voiced in Belgium about her tale, prompting Le Soir to seek clarifications from her. |
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