Tribute to Jean-Raphaël Hirsch, who died on 10 September 2016

D.R.

Jean-Raphaël Hirsch, a hidden child in France, survivor of the Shoah, died at the age of 83 on Saturday 10 September. He was the son of Sigismund Hirsch, a survivor of Auschwitz and Bertha Hirsch, who died in Birkenau in 1943.

Jean-Rapahël lived hidden in Moissac where he became, at just nine years old, liaison officer, allowing hundreds of children to stay hidden in the farms of the region to survive. It was this mission that earned him the title of "youngest resistant in France". But other titles will succeed this first, notably that of Officer of the Legion of Honor and Commander in the National Order of Merit.

Marked by this childhood and his action in the Resistance, Jean-Raphaël Hirsch was also a great surgeon, who worked a lot for the equality of all before medicine. He is thus at the origin of many dispensaries allowing everyone to receive care, regardless of resources.

Passionate about art and culture, a collector of works, he was also very active in the transmission of the memory of the Shoah and was notably involved in the Foundation for the Memory of the Shoah since its creation in 2001. Member of the Solidarity Commission, he chaired it from 2007 to 2013. President of the French Committee for Yad Vashem, he was appointed member of the Board of Directors of the FMS until 2014.

It is with deep sadness that we learned of the passing of this man who worked so hard for the survivors of the Shoah and for the recognition of the actions of the Righteous Ones of France. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.

Jean-Raphaël recounted his life, but also that of his father in a book for memory and transmission that we recommend you to (re)read: Reveille toi papa c'est fini (prefaced by Boris Cyrulnik, published by Albin Michel) and which received the Wizo prize 2015.

A (re)listen also, his interview on RJC in 2014: