Robert D. Murphy’s Office: Subject file. Jews-Algeria 1943
Description
“Jewish Question”. “The Abrogation of the Cremieux Decree” memorandum presented by the French-Jewish Representative Committee, affiliated with the World Jewish Congress (NYC). “The abrogation of the Cremieux Decree [by Gen. Giraud] is actually […] the most unjust racial discrimination ever inflicted upon the French citizens of Jewish faith who are natives of Algeria. No greater blow to the principles of democracy for which the Allies are fighting, whose essence is respect for the rights of humanity, can be imagined.” (-Introduction).
Topics: the origin of the Cremieux Decree; the present situation of the Algerian Jews; the abrogation of the Cremieux Decree is prejudicial to the legal principles of the Republic; the problem of the acquisition of French citizenship by the Arabs is independent of the problem of the citizenship of the Jews.
Also: note in French on the Cremieux Decree; card of Dr. Henri Aboulker with notes (incl. “president du comité juif algerien”) from March 1943; urgent letter to Murphy from Hull re: Edouard de Rothschild’s response to Giraud’s speech abrogating Cremieux Decree (summarizes Rothschild’s written statement which he intends to give to the press and requests Murphy’s immediate recommendations and comments on it); Murphy’s response including comment “prepared in consultation with an unbiased legal specialist”; further correspondence on the matter, including Rothschild’s reactions and questions, response for him in French, translation of letter from Jean Monnet; note on the abrogation in French by Dr. Abadie (2/4/1943); clipping in French from “Echo D’Alger” 21/4/1943; further correspondence, incl. working with the Grand Rabbin of Algiers (Maurice Eisenbeth), issue of Mr. Belaiche (Jew in public office currently without French citizenship); letter in French to Dr. Henri Aboulker (from André Levy-Despas) 3/6/1943 and one from the latter to Murphy; note on the abrogation in French with a list; handwritten note in French to Murphy in Algiers received 28/6/1943; “LE MEMOIRE TORRES – JACOB” [French, legal matter? Jacob is a surname here].