Dar el Berdgana, Rue Ettoumi

Victor “Young’ Perez was born in 1911 in the Dar-el-Berdgana (la maison de l’oranger), rue Ettoumi in the Hara. Many Jewish children and teenagers in Tunis were attracted to Jewish sports associations. Boxing was particularly popular. Victor’s older brother Benjamin was a boxer who trained at one called “Maccabi”. Victor learned from Benjamin who became the flyweight boxing champion of North Africa. When Victor was 14 he turned pro and adopted the nickname “Young.” He was henceforth known as Victor “Young” Perez. His trainer was Joe Guez. In June 1931, Victor “Young” Perez became flyweight champion of France and in October of that year 100,000 cheering Tunisians greeted him on his return from Paris following his victory over the American, Frankie Genaro, which made him Flyweight Champion of the World. Prior to his victory, Perez had priomised himself that if he won, his first trip would be to visit the Ghriba synagogue in Djerba. In 1938, he fought Ernst Weiss in Berlin, wearing a Star of David on his shorts. Perez lived in Paris when the Nazis invaded in June 1940. He was deported to Auschwitz in September 1943. Of the 1,000 Jews on his train, three quarters were immediately murdered in the gas chambers upon arrival. “Young” Perez was selected for work and was tattooed with the number 157178. At Auschwitz, SS guards used “Young” Perez for their entertainment, forcing him to fight in boxing matches. After fifteen months at Auschwitz, he was shot by an SS guard while on the death march. He was 33 years old.