David Feuerwerker

David Feuerwerker (October 2, 1912 – June 20, 1980) was a French Jewish rabbi and professor of Jewish history who was effective in the resistance to German occupation the Second World War.

He was completely unsuspected until six months before the war ended, when he fled to Switzerland and his wife and baby went underground in France.

The French government cited him for his bravery with several awards.

After the war, he and his wife re-established the Jewish community of Lyon.

He settled in Paris, teaching at the Sorbonne.

He was born on October 2, 1912, at 11 Rue du Mont-Blanc, in Geneva, Switzerland.

He was the seventh of eleven children.

His father Jacob Feuerwerker was born in Sighet, now Sighetu Marmației, Maramureş, then Austria-Hungary, now Romania.

His mother Regina Neufeld was born in Lackenbach, one of the famous seven Jewish communities or Sheva Kehillos (Siebengemeinden) in the Burgenland, Hungary, now Austria.

The family moved to France because Jacob was unable to work as a shochet, a trained ritual slaughterer, in Switzerland.

In 1925, he completed his primary school education at the Rue Vauquelin Talmud Torah school in Paris, and after receiving his baccalauréat in science, literature and philosophy, he entered the rabbinical school Séminaire israélite de France in 1932.

Beginning in 1933, he simultaneously studied Semitic languages at the prestigious École pratique des hautes études, where he received the Diplôme de l’EPHE, a postgraduate degree.

Among the languages he spoke were Aramaic and Syriac.

He became a naturalized French citizen in 1936, and was ordained a rabbi on October 1, 1937.

From October 15, 1937, until September 1, 1939, he served in the French Army, in Alsace.

He received the Croix de guerre 1939-1945 (France) with a bronze star.

The citation to the Order of the Brigade reads as follows:

"As chief of artillery communications has participated from September 1939 to February 1940 in the engagements in Alsace in the region of Bitche. Has shown drive, courage, and competence in assuring under fire the phone and radio contacts.

A second citation for the Croix de guerre 1939-1945 (France) was to the Order of the Army, with palm.

He received the Croix du combattant volontaire 1939–1945, the Medaille Commémorative de la Guerre 1939–1945 with the bar "France".

He was to be made Knight (Chevalier) of the Legion of Honor (Légion d'honneur) for his military activities.

The Citation says:

"Despite the exceptional risks which were attached to his ministry, has participated in an active, permanent and unselfish way to the organisation of the resistance in all the region.

Has not hesitated to risk his freedom, and without any doubt his life, to be for the Movement "Combat" an auxiliary particularly serious.

After World War II broke out, he remained in the army until July 25, 1940.

He was in charge of communications for a group of artillery of the 12th R.A.D. (Régiment d'Artillerie Divisionnaire) and chaplain of the 87th D.I.A. He was demobilized at Châteauroux on July 25, 1940.

Distinguished himself again during the combats of June 1940 on the Ailette, the Aisne, and the Seine, as Jewish Chaplain of his Division.

Has contributed to maintain the fighting spirit around him and to uphold the morale of the engaged units."

In 1940, he was nominated rabbi of three French Departments: Corrèze, Creuse, and Lot, based in Brive-la-Gaillarde.

He lived at Villa du Mont-Blanc, avenue Turgot, in Brive.

He created his first Study Circle (Cercle d'Etudes).

The Jewish population consisted of numerous refugees, including a large segment originating from Alsace and other regions occupied by the Nazi invader.

He helped numerous of them to find a country of refuge, with the help of the oldest agency dealing with refugees in the United States, the HIAS.

Among the destinations, Cuba.

For himself, there was no thought of leaving France, since he was a community leader.

He succeeded in liberating many internees from transit camps in France, including the camp at Gurs.

He helped Benoit Mandelbrot in the pursuit of his studies.

In Brive with Edmond Michelet, later to be a senior minister under Charles de Gaulle, he participated actively in the French Résistance Movement "Combat" against the Nazi occupation.

His name in the French Résistance was "Jacques Portal".

In 1966, he and his family, grown to six children, moved to Montreal, where he developed a department of Jewish studies at the University of Montreal.